Ranchero is the founder of the second King Ranch sire line to travel through Solis to Old Sorrel. Ranchero isn’t as well known as Wimpy, but his contribution to the influence of Solis is an important part of the story.
Bill Cody has grown to be a cornerstone in the foundation of the modern reining horse. His son Joe Cody set a standard as a sire of reining horses with such foals as Topsail Cody, Sappho Cody, Easter Cody, Workman's Joe, Paprika Cody, Sapphire Cody, Cody Nine, Red God, High Proof and Guitar Mama. These horses all earned either a high point award or world championship in reining. Joe Cody is also a member of the National Reining
Wimpy II became a primary stallion for John Dawson of Oklahoma. This good son of Wimpy became a leading sire with eight AQHA Champions and 21 ROM performers. His AQHA Champions include Bob's Pick, Dawson Jack, Dawson's Dixie Lee, Dawson Mark, Dawson's Herb McSpadden, Dawson's Surprise, Peaka Power, Wimpess Lady and Wise Wimpy. Showdown was another good siring
and 20 halter points. Flynt retired Marion's Girl in 1957 to be bred to King P-234. But Marion's Girl died in December of 1957, never having produced a colt. Buster Welch recalled Marion's Girl in an interview a few years ago: “She was the most ideal made horse I'd ever seen. I don't know if I've ever seen a better one since. She was modern. I've got film of her workin' and she'd be modern today in her method of work or her style. She was a natural. She was born with style. Anybody that ever saw her was attracted to her. She was so pretty, so cowy.” Bill Cody was the first AQHA Honor Roll Halter Horse in 1952. This great show stallion earned 97 halter points during his career as a halter horse. He was also a noted reining and roping horse. Bill Cody became a very successful sire with foals like Blair Cody, Cody Bee, Cody's Pet, Joe Cody, Cash Cody, Lee Cody, Strole's Cat, Sue Cody, Bill Royal, Sue Cody, Town Crier and Winifred Cody, all AQHA Champions. Bill Cody is the sire of eight Superior Halter Horses, one Superior Cutting Horse and 28 ROM show horses.
Ranchero was the second siring son of Solis to influence the King Ranch breeding program. Photo courtesy the author’s files
Horse Association Hall of Fame. The legacy of Bill Cody in the reining industry is strong with stallions like Topsail Cody, Topsail Whiz, Whizard Jac, West Coast Whiz, Conquistador Whiz and Whiz N Tag Chex, all million dollar sires in the National Reining Horse Association. These stallions are all from the Bill Cody sire line. Topsail Whiz is the number one all-time leading sire of money earners with earnings of over $12 million.
son of Wimpy. His AQHA Champions include Caliente Hill, Excuse, Show Tip, Showdown Rick, Showpond and Showdown Wimpy. Pandarita Hill by Showdown was the 1959 AQHA Honor Roll Halter Horse and Show Tip was the 1969 AQHA Honor Roll Western Riding Horse. The dam of Showdown was Cacuchia by Peppy P-212 and she was out of Cuate I. Cuate I was by Solis. Silver Wimpy, Bill Cody and Wimpy
WORKING HORSE MAGAZINE • Annual Stallion Issue 2017
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