After focusing on cutting horses like American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Peppy San and Peponita for many years, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame breeder Carol Rose wanted to move in a new direction with a stallion that had both looks and athleticism.
She found him in the barn of Bill Gibford and narrowly beat out noted halter trainer Greg Whalen for ownership of the chestnut stallion bred by Bobbie Tatum.
In halter classes, Zan Parr Bar earned 245 lifetime halter points and three world championships: 1977, 1979 and 1980. To show off the stallion’s athleticism, Rose chose roping, with legendary trainer Billy Allen showing him.
Rose found that Two Eyed Jack mares crossed best with Zan Parr Bar, however American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Diamonds Sparkle might have been his best nick.
She produced her first Zan Parr Bar foal, Sparkles Rosezana, in 1982. Sparkles Rosezana went on to win the National Reining Horse Association Futurity in 1985. She was the AQHA world champion junior reining horse in 1986, a world champion in junior tie-down and a three time All American Quarter Horse Congress champion in heading and heeling.
Zans Diamond Sun, another Diamonds Sparkle foal, earned 356 AQHA points, was the 1987 world champion junior reining horse and earned many high-point awards.
Sparkles Suzana, another Zan Parr Bar cross with Diamonds Sparkle, was foaled in 1985 and earned 968 AQHA points, the world championship in senior tie-down roping, several AQHA high-point honors and was the NRHA Derby champion.
With Zan Parr Bar on his way to breaking all sire records, the stallion died of colitis X on November 25, 1987.
The 12 foal crops sired by Zan Parr Bar did it all, earning nearly 25,000 points in almost every AQHA event. He sired an AQHA Superhorse, an NRHA Futurity champion, and 72 reserve and world champions in eight events, as well as 126 high-point award earners in four disciplines and 14 different events.
Zan Parr Bar was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2010.
Biography updated as of March 2010.