NCHA News

SUSAN ADKISSON  (1945—2018)

The Cutting Horse Community lost one of their most avid fans this week when Susie Adkisson passed away on October 22, 2018. She was a 40 year member of NCHA.

Susie grew up in Southlake where her grandfather had a farm and it was there that Susie developed her love of horses, dogs and the farm life.  After graduation from Adamson High School in Dallas Susie attended North Texas State University.  Susie and Ben Adkisson met and married in 1967. Their married life began as suburbanites in Farmers Branch, Tx. where Ben owned an automobile repair shop for 40 years before retiring in 2007 and Susie worked for Otis Engineering a subsidiary of Haliburton for 23 years. However, Susie longed for the farm-life and a life that included Horses.  She retired at the early age of 48 when she and Ben purchased land in Aubrey adjacent to the then famed 440 Ranch and began developing their horse farm. And, Yes, she started looking for a Horse.

Susie introduced herself to her neighbors over at the 440.  While the 440 mostly raised and promoted racing quarter horses, they also had some western performance horses.  Their trainer was Jack Newton and Jack owned a stallion named Indian Commander by Commander King.  Jack arranged for Susie to buy her first horse, a paint crop out gelding named Indian Bandit that was by his stallion.  Susie won her first event on Indian Bandit in Jr. Reining at the Texas State Fair.  Ultimately Jerry Whittle and Marvin Barnes bought Susie’s paint gelding to use for a pony horse for their race horses and Bandit led 3 winners to the gate for these gentlemen. 

Meanwhile, Jack Newton, had recognized Susie’s natural horsemanship skills and riding ability. Back then anyone could show open horses and Susie won her first belt buckle showing one of Jack’s horses in 1981 in the 250 Novice Novice Open at NTCHA.  Jack then let her show one of his open horses at the NCHA Futurity.

Another coach to Susie was David Kerr who worked at a training barn in the Aubrey area.  As Susie’s skills advanced she yearned to have her own cutting horse. She and Ben went to a sale in Louisiana and brought home her first cutting horse, TEW Indian.  And Susie’s NCHA career began. She won about $9000 on TEW Indian, winning checks of $60 at a time.  

Then Susie bought the horse that would put her on the map, Billy Hygro, a 1984 gelded son of Son Of A Doc out of Bulleta by Billy Bull. He was purchased as a yearling from David Kerr. When it came time to train Billy Hygro, Guy Woods was suggested to her by Roy Cox who was training for new members of the Cutting Horse world, Jo and Bill Ellard of EE Ranches.  Guy was between jobs (Carol Rose and EE Ranches). Guy continued to help Susie with Billy Hygro all of Billy’s career. And Guy’s involvement with Susie led her to befriend and mentor new cutting horse enthusiast, Jo Ellard, who states, “Susie was my first cutting friend, a best friend and a true friend forever.  We had some great times together and she taught me a lot. ”

Susie and Billy Hygro amassed quite the accomplishments in the cutting world at the time.  They made the finals at the 1989 Challenge Amateur and was the 1989 West Central CHA 10K Amateur Rs Champion, 1990 WCTCHA 20k Amateur Champions, Other wins included placing 3^rdin the 1990 NCHA Classic Challenge Amateur to win $1992, 2000 NCHA Classic Challenge Amateur Finalists, the Non Pro Finalists, and Susie and Billy were unbeatable as the Non Pro Champions of the North Texas Region 9. Susie sold Billy as a 12 year old and continued to show weekend and LAE on several other mounts and learned from numerous North Texas trainers including Teddy Johnson, Josh Townsend, Kenny Miller, Dean Domann, Dell Bell, Ed Dufferena, Uwe Roeschmann, and Bill Riddle. Susie loved the cutting horse community all of her life.

Susie was respected as a true horsewoman with excellent horsemanship skills. An activity Susie enjoyed was teaching others to ride.  She freely gave lessons to friends and family who wanted to better their horsemanship skills and she taught several youths in the community how to ride.

Susie was one of Ben’s best hunting partners. Susie was a competitive Trap shooter and enjoyed hunting Quail and training her own bird dogs. Susie was the ultimate animal lover taking in numerous “throw a ways” and adopting “rescues” sometimes having 5-7 dogs at one time.

But, it was Susie’s integrity and loyalty to her friends and family and animals and her funny sense of humor that will be remembered most. Susie loved deeply and unconditionally. She will be missed greatly by many. 

Services will be a graveside service at 11 am on Monday October 29^that New Hope Cemetery, FM 372, Mountain Springs, Texas. A family and friends memorial reception and lunch will follow at the Mountain Springs Community Center, 173 Mountain Springs Lane. 

Memorials may be made to Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter, 2501 N. Weaver St., Gainesville, TX 76240.

Online condolences may be shared at www.slaymemorialfuneralhome.com