Jay Pumphrey knew cattle and horses like the back of his hand. After all, he was born and raised on the ranch his paternal grandfather founded in Stonewall County, Texas.
In the early 1960s, he became the general manager for the S. B. Burnett Estates and Tom L. Burnett Cattle Company. Around the same time, he became an AQHA Director and served on the committee to study artificial insemination. He was also largely responsible for the establishment of the international committee and served as its first chairperson.
Pumphrey was elected the 20th president of AQHA in 1970. During his year in office, the AJQHA held its first convention in Amarillo. Two programs were ready for implementation: the tattooing program for racehorses and the Honeywell computer system.
The rancher’s main interest was international affairs. He said, “I felt that Quarter Horses could gain tremendous acceptance in numerous foreign countries if our Association would cultivate horsemen and cowmen beyond this country’s borders.
“I also envisioned a well-planned and aggressive information program in other countries to spread interest and knowledge of Quarter Horses and to inform interested buyers of the type of working and pleasure horses we could make available to them.”
After his year as president, Pumphrey continued to serve AQHA. He was a member of the Heritage Center and Hall of Fame and racing committees.
Pumphrey was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1994. He died in 2004 at the age of 80.
Biography updated as of December 2004.