The Legendary Three Bars: A Sire That Influenced Modern Performance Horses

From barrel racing to cutting and Western pleasure, the lineage of almost every modern performance horse can be traced back to Three Bars.

Almost every modern performance horse, from barrel racing to cutting, can trace its lineage back to the legendary thoroughbred stallion Three Bars.

The chestnut stallion, known for his brief but successful racing career, won three out of four races before being purchased for $2,000 by Tom Haggard and Stan Snedigar in a claiming race.

Shortly after, Three Bars was acquired by Sidney Hail for $10,000, equivalent to $172,000 today, and transported to Arizona to breed with quarter horse mares. Despite being a thoroughbred himself, Three Bars left a significant mark on the modern performance quarter horse. Notable descendants include Lightning Bar (sire of Doc Bar), Lucky Bar (sire of Impressive), Lenas Bar (dam of Easy Jet), Rocket Bar (grandsire of Dash For Cash), Sugar Bars, Zippo Pat Bars, The Ole Man, and others.

Three Bars' influence extends across various disciplines, with many top horses boasting his bloodline. For instance, Adios Panatlones can be traced back to Three Bars at least six times, while Hailey Kinsel's mare, DM Sissy Hayday, has him in her lineage 11 times. In the cutting world, popular sires like Metallic Rebel and The Darkk Side trace back to Three Bars over 14 and 10 times, respectively. Even in the Western pleasure domain, stallions like VS Code Red have connections to him at least 11 times.

Only one grandson of Three Bars remains standing at stud, Three Bars By Shawne, owned by Amber West in South Dakota. Despite being 27 years old, Three Bars By Shawne continues to breed mares, preserving the invaluable Three Bars line.

Three Bars By Shawne, the last living grandson of Three Bars / Mindy Hubert Photography

Amber West emphasizes the enduring qualities of Three Bars' progeny, noting their soundness, versatility, and championship pedigree across disciplines.

"The Three Bars offspring' heavy bone and good feet kept them sound for long careers. Three Bars himself sired champions in so many disciplines; they had the mind and conformation to do anything, and it passed to his sons and daughters and through many generations, Three Bars By Shawne not only carries these genetics closely, but his dam side is Shawne Bug, one of the all-time greatest maternal producing sires."

 West highlights that Three Bars' stud fee in 1968 was $5,000, equivalent to $45,000 today, reflecting his esteemed status in the industry.

Recognizing the contributions of exceptional horses like Three Bars is crucial in understanding the lineage and excellence of modern-day champions. Three Bars' legacy cements his status as one of the greatest sires of all time in the Quarter Horse industry.