In the early1950s, Ace Hooper of Plainview, Texas, gave an unregistered Quarter Horse stallion to Jack Mansfield. Jack bred the stallion to his herd of Mansfield mares and, in accordance with his agreement with Ace, kept the colts for use on his ranch and gave the fillies to Ace. The crosses produced six colts and six fillies, making the deal even. In 1955, Ace bred one of those six fillies, Little Star H, to his racing-bred Quarter Horse stallion Red Senor. The cross produced a black colt with a bright white blanket on June 6, 1956, which Ace named Top Hat H.
Ace showed Top Hat H. to several halter wins before selling the stallion at the 1961 National Sale. Fort Worth businessman W.F. “Bud” Hicks and his wife, Dolores, didn’t own horses, but they placed the winning bid on Top Hat H. in the excitement of the auction. Bud’s friend and Appaloosa Hall of Famer Cecil Dobbin took Top Hat H. home to his ranch in Colorado and put the stallion under the guidance of trainer Harry Reed. Cecil and Harry found several mares for the Hicks’ breeding program, and Harry and Top Hat H. moved to the Hicks’ newly acquired Triangle H Ranch in Euless, Texas.
Four years later the Hickses held a dispersal sale for the ranch, and Elizabeth Hobson bought Top Hat H. and took him to her Deer Lodge Ranch in Comfort, Texas. Top Hat H. lived there for two years before Deer Lodge held its own dispersal sale. Bud Hicks bought Top Hat H. back at the sale and became his final owner. Bud sent the stallion to stay with trainer Bob Smith of Keller, Texas.
Top Hat H. sired 215 registered foals who earned 68 performance points, five halter points, one bronze medallion and three registers of merit. Twenty of his foals made race starts claiming a combined $32,325.67 in purse money. His get include nine winners, four stakes winners, four stakes placed and one champion.
Top Hat H. died of natural causes in the spring of 1976. The stallion was buried at Bob’s ranch.
