Bill Coffee
Bill Coffee was born in Chadron, Nebraska and raised on the historic Hat Creek ranch, in Harrison, Nebraska in 1922.
Realizing the quality and useability of the QH’s, Bill started using them on the ranch in the 1940’s and eventually purchased the stallion, Buckskin Moccasin. In 1949 he purchased another stallion, Toad. He was the first horse to stand grand at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. His offspring accumulated over 280 AQHA points.
Bill studied the QH bloodlines and purchased mares from the finest sires to breed to his stallions. During the 1950’s and 1960’s Coffee horses won recognition at shows in Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota and throughout the region.
Then it all finished in a flash. In 1965 a bolt of lightening struck the herd of Bill’s prized mares and stallion, Shasta Lad, ending his 25-year success story of genetics, conformation, speed, agility and cow sense. The horses were all lying along the fence, head to tail, and it broke Bill’s heart. After that, the remaining mares and stallions were sold and only geldings remained.
His quest for a better ranch horses came out of the need for a horse that could get the job done-a partner that was intelligent, had cow sense and explosive speed. He influenced forever the quality of horses used by ranchers in the area. Bills priority was raising the best cow horses for the ranch.
Articles about Bill, his horses and the ranch were featured in the Eastern/Western Quarter Horse Journal and the Quarter Horse Journal. His grandfather, C.F. Coffee is in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.
A few of Bill’s accomplishments and contributions to the Nebraska Quarter Horse Association include:
• Founding member of the Nebraska Quarter Horse Association and was multi-year President of the Association
• AQHA Judge
• Director of NQHA
• AQHA National Director
Bill passed away in 2005, but his children and grandchildren still own and operate the ranches that have now been in the family over 150 years. They remain committed to carrying on Bill Coffee’s vision and stewardship.
The Nebraska Quarter Horse Association inducts Bill Coffee into the Hall of Fame.
Vickie Lee Pine
In 1974 the AQHA established the Open and Amateur World Show. It was 4 days long and held in Lexington, KY.
By 1978 the World Show had moved to Oklahoma City and the Superhorse Award was created. In order to be considered for the Superhorse Award a horse must be nationally qualified, entered and shown in at least 3 classes in at least 3 categories.
The winner of that very first Superhorse Award was Vickie Lee Pine who was Nebraska bred, owned and shown.
She was foaled in 1974 and was bred by Lloyd Geweke. She was by Two Eyed Jack, who is an AQHA and Nebraska Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame horse, and out of Poco Coed, who was by Poco Pine. She was purchased by Howard Pitzer, who is also in the AQHA and Nebraska Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame. And a young Jim Brinkman showed the mare at the World Show.
At the 1978 World Show she was 6th in the Aged Mares, 3rd in the Jr Heeling and Reserve World Champion in the Jr Heading.
The award was sponsored by Copenhagen/Skoal tobacco products and Jim received a cooler for winning.
Vickie Lee Pine was also an AQHA Champion, earned a Superior in Halter (with 237 halter points and 156 wins from 178 times shown) and also earned points in the Tie-down roping and Western Pleasure. In 1978 she was the Youth Reserve World Champion aged mare and in 1979 was the Youth World Champion in aged mares.
She had 5 foals who earned 2 AQHA Register of Merit Awards.
For being the first AQHA World Show Superhorse, Vickie Lee Pine is inducted into the Nebraska Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame.