Barely more than 14 hands tall, High Hand measured up to become one of the greatest producing Appaloosa stallions of his time. By Hands Up and out of Deacon Bess (AQHA), he sired 395 foals including Appaloosa Horse Club Racing Hall of Famer Ipana Maid — the first bronze production plaque mare in the breed’s history.
Buddy Heaton of Texhoma, Oklahoma, bred, raised and trained the 1952 chestnut stallion. He also taught High Hand several tricks and used the stallion in his rodeo clown act. High Hand could walk on his hind legs, smile, pretend to bite Buddy on the rump and jump straight up in the air to create the illusion of Buddy lifting him off the ground. When High Hand wasn’t making rodeo crowds laugh with his antics, he was awing them with his speed in steer dogging competitions and match races.
In 1958, Buddy sold High Hand at auction to finance his own education. The horse passed hands several times over the years, primarily being used for breeding. In his limited show career, High Hand won the grand champion Appaloosa stallion title in 1960 and Appaloosa reining in 1961 both at the Colorado State Fair, and stood reserve grand champion Appaloosa stallion both years at Denver’s National Western Stock Show.
In April of 1966, a syndicate was formed which purchased High Hand at a dispersal sale. Within a year, two of the partners, Harold Calhoun of Byers, Colorado, and Martin Abrahamsen of Boone, Colorado, had bought out the other syndicate shares. Under their ownership High Hand became the Mountain and Plains Appaloosa Horse Club get of sire champion for nine straight years, 1967 to 1975.
When Harold and Martin decided to retire High Hand, Dr. Harbord Cox of Bar DK Ranch in Pampa, Texas, agreed to give the stallion his last home. Harold became High Hand’s sole owner soon after when Martin died. In 1983, Harold joined the Cox family to celebrate High Hand’s last birthday with a cake reading “Happy birthday High Hand. The Appaloosa world loves you.” That fall Harold agreed to have 31-year-old High Hand euthanized.
