Lester Goodson

Lester Goodson was a natural-born salesman with a background in horses. He owned an automobile dealership as an adult, but did not stray far from his heritage.

As a child, Goodson grew up on his parent’s homestead in Magnolia, Texas, riding and racing Goodson horses. He drifted away from the horse industry as a young man, but as an older adult got involved with the newly formed AQHA.

Goodson was president of the Association for two terms, serving in 1955 through 1956. He was responsible for giving a Quarter Horse mare to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Goodson also served as a director-at-large and was a member of the racing committee. He was instrumental in starting the Quarter Horse show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

After working many years for automobile dealers, Goodson opened a Pontiac dealership in 1939. The dealership was located in Houston, but Goodson and his wife bought the original Goodson Homestead in Magnolia and stocked it with Quarter Horses.

At first, Goodson bred performance horses. He owned Buster Waggoner by Blackburn and Sunup H by King P-234. Goodson hired Matlock Rose as his trainer. Goodson had success with his performance horses, but in the 1950s, he was bit by the racing bug.

The Houston automobile dealer bred a total of 12 stakes winners and earners of $1 million. A few of his top runners were Blonde Joan, Magnolia Bar, Passem Boy, Market Move, Six Fols and Drifting Bar.

Goodson died in 1978, and was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1991.

Biography updated as of March 1991.