NCHA News

Dean Terry, 1948-2018

Dean A. Terry, 69, of Hillsboro, Missouri, died January 7, 2018, at his home. Terry served as an NCHA Area Director for Missouri for two years and was an NCHA judge.

After retiring from Pepsi after a 20-year career as a delivery driver, Terry began training Quarter Horses full time. He operated Dean Terry Quarter Horses, where he trained, showed and traded horses throughout the country.

In addition to his NCHA membership, Terry was also a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Cutting Horse Association, Knights of Columbus Council 1185 and Elks Lodge 689. Born July 15, 1948, in De Soto, Missouri, he was the son of Joan (Redfield) Terry and the late Robert “Bob” Terry.

In the cutting pen, Terry amassed NCHA earnings of $104,323 and owned a couple of NCHA World Champions.

Pam Keller worked for Terry for almost two and a half decades. After graduating from college, Keller was steering clear of an office job and found work at a ranch. When Terry began his operation, he hired her to help with feeding and to lope his horses. 

“I worked for him for 24 years as a loper,” Keller said. “I think that I set a record.”

Keller describes Terry as an ambassador of the sport that always tried to get people into a cutting saddle.

“‘Deano’ wanted everyone to get on a cutting horse and try it,” Keller said. “He was the first person to let me show one, and he loved cutting as much as anyone. He just wanted everyone to experience it. That started more than 35 years ago for him, and it never ended. He always wanted everyone to ride a cutting horse.”

Notable horses owned by Terry included 2005 $3,000 Novice World Champion Lena Brow, 2005 $10,000 Novice World Champion Smart Play Who and Southern Futurity Champion Partys Playgirl. He also rode horses to

In 2015, Terry rode Flashy Lites to finish fifth in the World standings in the $5,000 Novice, he rode Miss Smart And Trouble to sixth in the World in $3,000 Novice in 2002, and he rode Son Ofa Sister to sixth in the World standings in the Open Geldings in 1995.

Keller and Dean’s friendship and work relationship spanned almost a million miles.

“Twenty-four years is a long time to work for someone in this business,” Keller said. “Deano was a great guy to work for. Even when he quit and we sold everything, he’d still go to the cuttings with me when he could and go work cattle. I think he loved it that much, and it was hard for him to give that up. About a year ago, we figured it up and from the trucks he had and the trucks we had, we went about 980,000 miles together – showing and buying and selling horses together.”

Noting his desire to stay connected to the industry, Keller added that Terry judged an NCHA Challenger Series show about a month ago.

In addition to his mother, Terry is survived by his wife, Judith “Judie” (Koch) Terry of Hillsboro; three children, Cody Terry, Deana (Chris) Roland and Travis Terry; two siblings, David Terry and Kathleen Ann “Kathy” Terry; and four grandchildren, Julia Terry, Aiden Roland, Halle Roland and Evie Roland.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert “Bobby” Terry Jr. and Gary Terry.

A celebration of life is scheduled at 6 p.m. January 26, on the upper level of the Knights of Columbus Hall, 13225 State Road E, in De Soto, Missouri.