The Place To Race!
In 1960, cowboy and rancher Bill Hedge bought 102 acres of land near Sallisaw, Oklahoma and named it Blue Ribbon Ranch. His training track eventually became a favorite site of match races for local horsemen. AQHA first recognized racing at Blue Ribbon Downs in 1963 and the $6,060 Blue Ribbon Futurity became the first recognized stakes race at the track two years later.
Blue Ribbon Downs became known as a proving ground and grew to be one of the most successful nonpari-mutuel racetracks in the sport. World Champions Lackey Bird, Easy Jet, Miss Thermolark, Gold Coast Express and See Me Do It are among some of the great horses which started their careers at Blue Ribbon Downs.
All racetrack business was conducted from the Hedge's home until they sold the track to a group of investors in 1973.
Seven years later Oklahoma oilman, the late Ralph Shebester, purchased the track and made many improvements to the property and to the racing itself. On December 3, 1983, Blue Ribbon Downs hosted the richest nonpari-mutuel race in history when the purse for the Black Gold Futurity reached $1 million!
Shebester believed Oklahoma needed pari-mutuel wagering, so he led the drive to raise money from Quarter Horse racing interests to finance lobbying efforts. The efforts paid off, but then only weeks before Blue Ribbon Downs was set to begin pari-mutuel racing, the grandstand burned to the ground. Through extraordinary teamwork, the grandstand was rebuilt and in August of 1984 Blue Ribbon Downs opened for the only pari-mutuel horse racing in Oklahoma, Texas or Kansas.
American Quarter Horses are now competing in races around the world and are in demand for showing, ranch work, rodeo, recreational riding and many other activities. Blue Ribbon Downs remains a favorite 'Place to Race' for all horse breeds, but Quarter Horse racing still reigns first in the heart of horse country.
