He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, people stopped and listened. Roy Parks who was a respected cattleman and horseman was known for his actions.
Parks ranched in Midland County, Texas, and raised Herefords and bred horses of Scharbauer Cattle Company and Pitchfork Ranch breeding. In 1940, while visiting the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show in Fort Worth, Texas, Parks also attended the organizational meeting for AQHA. He did not know the bloodlines of his horses so he decided not to join the organization.
After studying and learning his horses’ pedigrees, Parks attended the 1941 meeting, joined the Association and became a director. During a difficult time in Association history, Parks persuaded his friend Albert Mitchell to hold the position of president until AQHA was on stable ground.
Parks was elected president of the Association in 1960. His first order of business was confronting the Internal Revenue Service, which was trying to rescind the Association’s tax exempt status. The problem encouraged the creation of the new committees for equine research, public information and education, and youth activities. These committees and their work assisted in establishing the character of the Association as an educational and service organization.
Another change in the Association was the addition of junior classes to approved shows. Also, several projects were initiated for the youth activities and public information and education committees.
Parks died in 1967, and was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1993.
Biography updated as of March 1993.