Who would have ever thought that a racehorse would end up founding not only one dynasty, but two, but that neither dynasty would be in racing?

The stallion Lightning Bar was bred and raised by Art Pollard of Sonoita, Arizona. American Quarter Horse Association records list him as a 1951 sorrel sired by the immortal thoroughbred, Three Bars, and out of the Doc Horn mare, Della P. On paper, Lightning Bar was a racehorse, and he did have a successful career on the track, starting ten times as a two-year-old. He posted four wins, and placed in two stakes races. Lightning Bar earned a total of $1,491 and received a Register of Merit for his efforts, posting a top speed index rating of 95. However, Lightning Bar’s greatest contributions were yet to come.

The good-looking colt retired from the track and entered the show ring. Once again, Lightning Bar came through, standing grand and reserve, earning eighteen halter points, and ultimately attaining an AQHA Championship.

Lightning Bar entered the breeding shed in 1954, and during the first couple of years had limited interest, until 1957, when his popularity skyrocketed. That season, 102 mares were booked to him. Perhaps the success of two daughters had something to do with his increased popularity; Fantasy and Hula Baby both earned AAA ratings on the track. The 1956 colt, Pana Bar, was named Co-Champion Quarter Running 2-year-old colt in 1958. He went on to become an AAA AQHA Champion with a Superior in halter.

However, it was another colt from the 1956 crop that made Lightning Bar a major force in the quarter horse industry. The Texas Dandy mare, Dandy Doll, was bred to Lightning Bar in 1955, and in due course delivered an attractive colt who received the name Doc Bar. Unfortunately, Doc Bar was not a racehorse and had a very short career at the track. He did do well when shown at halter; earning 36 points and standing grand ten times and reserve champion once. After being named Grand Champion at the Cow Palace in San Francisco in 1962, Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Jensen of California purchased Doc Bar from his breeders, Tom and Jack Finley. They stood him at stud and Doc Bar’s success as a halter sire was immediate. However, his popularity rose to new heights when they crossed their pretty stallion on chunky working-type mares sired by such stallions as Poco Tivio and King P-234. With the offspring of these mares, Doc Bar redefined the cutting horse, changing not only how they looked, but also how they moved. Doc Bar’s impact has been so strong that his grandchildren and great grandchildren are still dominating cutting today. He is a member of the American Quarter Horse Association’s Hall of Fame and is listed as the sire of numerous inductees in the National Cutting Horse Association’s Hall of Fame. Doc is credited with siring 27 AQHA Champions, placing him seventh on the AQHA All-Time Leading Sires List for that category.

Lightning Bar was not finished putting his mark on the horse world. In 1960, he sired a daughter who became the dam of a superstar. Her name was Glamour Bars, and in 1969, she produced a colt by Lucky Bar (TB). This colt went on to transform the look of the halter horse; not only quarter horses, but paints and appaloosas as well. His name was Impressive.

Impressive was named the 1974 AQHA World Champion Aged Halter Stallion. His success as a sire was evident that year as well; his son, Impressor, was named World Champion Yearling Stallion. According to AQHA records, he sired 133 Open Superior Halter Horses, with his offspring earning over 15,000 points in halter. He sired 23 Open World Champions and five Year-End High Point Winners. Impressive is on the All-time Leading Sire’s List for AQHA Champions with 21.

What is even more amazing is how dominant the Impressive line has become. Impressive’s sons and grandsons were carbon copies of the stallion and they continued to produce award winning halter horses. Today, the offspring of two stallions, Kid Clu and Mr. Conclusion, dominate the halter horse industry. Kid Clu is a double-bred Impressive stallion and Mr. Conclusion is a grandson of the great horse. While leafing through the pages of a current Quarter Horse Journal, it is difficult to find a halter horse that does not carry a cross to Impressive.

It is interesting to note that, while both Doc Bar and Impressive share a common link to Lightning Bar, they both went on to become the dominating sire in primarily a single event. While it is true that you find Doc Bar progeny that won at halter or western pleasure, their greatest impact was seen in the cutting arena. The same can be said about Impressive; while you do see Impressive-bred horses that have done well under saddle, the bloodline is almost synonymous with the term halter horse. In many ways, these two bloodlines, born from a common stallion, have contributed to the specialization that is so common today.

Unfortunately, Lightning Bar’s career at stud was cut short. He died of colitis after siring only eight foal crops. One can only wonder what else this fine son of Three Bars might have produced, given the opportunity. We can be thankful, however, for what he did give us.