IMPRESSIVE

Impressive 0767246
1969 Sorrel AQHA Stallion

Impressive's influence changed the halter-horse world forever.
Foaled in Oklahoma Apr.15 1968 Impressive was sired by the thoroughbred Lucky Bar, a Three Bars son, and out of Glamour Bars, who herself was, double bred Three bars. Impressive's first owner was Nick McNair of Oklahoma who wanted to register him as Tripple Bars but sold him in 1970 to Blair and Nancy Folck for the measly sum of $3000. Before the papers had gone through. McNair thought twice about selling him and offered Folck $500 not to take him.

Soon this little colt would be sold and named "Impressive" (Folck's 1st choice). Even as a yearling Impressive's conformation created a buzz within the quarterhorse industry. He had as nice a front end as he did a back end. Impressive developed into a stocky and well muscled yearling who was very friendly and playful and no more aggressive than any others his age. 

Folck started to show him at halter but found that he lost as many as he won. Folck was bugged by this and decided that all he needed was a nice halter to show him off in. So... Impressive now wore a new Arabian show halter. Impressive earned his 1st win at a small Quarterhorse show in Ohio. At Impressive's next show he won the yearling halter class and caught the eye of his next owner, Dean Landers.

Landers was no stranger to good horses. His stallion line-up included Coy's Bonanza, Two Eyed Jack, and Sonny Dee Bar. He paid $20,000 for Impressive. Landers showed him 10, 15, 20 times and he was never beat, he said he was one of the most outstanding individuals there. From eight outings in AQHA approved shows he took home eight 1st place trophies and a grand championship and two reserve titles.

At the 1970 Quarterhorse Congress in Ohio, Landers sold Impressive-after his victory- for $40,000 to Fennel Brown. Brown hoped to make a race horse out of him so he sent him to trainer Charlie Champion. Brown refused offers in excess of $100,000 for Impressive. Brown soon found out that racing was not Impressive's longsuit..he had a great start, very quick, but he was much too stout and heavy to be a racehorse.

The stallions fame, though, had yet to reach its apex. Eyeing Impressive's future as a breeding stallion, Brown saw the horses appendix registration as an obstacle, preventing world wide promotion of him. Under AQHA rules an Appendix-reg. stallion could only stand to mares with permanent registration designation. To advance from appendix status he would have to earn additional AQHA points or have two AQHA inspectors approve him.

A veterinary exam showed Impressive had developed pedal osteitis-inflam. of the coffin bone and navicular bursitis. In the vet's opinion he now could not compete in performance events. Brown asked that Impressive be inspected for the AQHA approval.

Late summer of 1971 two inspectors approved the stallions muscling, way of travelling and conformation, green lighting his advancement from Appendix to numbered status. Brown continued campaigning him, earning multiple firsts and a score of grand championships at shows across the midwest.By then a seasoned halter horse, he had become used to travelling and being in unfamiliar environments of various fairgrounds.

Brown looked towards the stallions future and turned down an offer of $150,000 made by a customer of Folck's. The next year the same buyer offered double that and again Brown declined saying "Ain't nobody in this world got enough money to buy this horse" and tore up the check.

In 1974, just months after Brown's death, AQHA hosted the first World Championship Quarterhorse Show in Louisville, Kentucky. Impressive became the breed's first world champion aged stallion. After another show in Lincoln, Nebrasca. He retired from the show ring with 48 halter points. By the mid 1970's, Impressive progeny had begun building the stallion's fame as a halter horse sire. In 1975 the stallion debuted on AQHA's list of leading sires of halter winners, ranking second behind Two Eyed Jack. The next year, he took the second position on the list of leading sires of point-earning halter horses, again standing behind Two Eyed Jack.

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