Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Bobby's interest in horses began at a very early age. This from everything from riding in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia to gymkhanas and playdays. In 1968 his interest in Quarter Horses led his parents, Bill and Esther Harrison to form Birch Meadows Quarter Horses. This was an event that would eventually change Bobby's life forever.

Bobby's show career began with two young halter prospects with which he competed and won in the AQHA open division. Both of these horses became quite proficient in the performance arena. This gave Bobby an appreciation for "Performance Horses with Conformation" that remains today. During this time Birch Meadows also developed several young winning race horses, but Bobby's heart belonged to the performance arena showing the all around horses. Bobby showed his youth horses in every event at the shows and was very successful.

1972 would prove to be a pivotal year. The show schedule was hectic, and Bobby qualified his great horse "Mapmaker" for the AQHA Youth Finals in 8 events. At the AQHA Convention and World Show, Bobby was elected to serve on the AQHYA Executive Commitee for the second consecutive term. Together with Mapmaker he won one World Championship, one Reserve World Championship, and a top 15 finalist. Later that fall they would add Congress Championships to their credits, and would finish that year with AQHA Reserve High Point Title in the Open Division Working Cowhorse. Bobby was edged out of the High Point Title by his mentor and trainer, the late, great Tony Amaral.

In January of 1973 Bobby returned to Texas to attend West Texas State University. After meeting Matlock Rose of Gainesville Texas in June, his formal education was put on hold. He spent several months together with Matlock and his wife Carol at their ranch, and his career as a horse trainer began. Bobby then returned to California where he went to work as one of Tony Amaral’s apprentices. Some other notables to get their start under Amaral’s guidance where; Bob Avila, Benny Guitron, Billy Arthur, Rod Weimers, Tommy Sondgroth, Don Brown, and Jeffery Mathews. But Bobby could not get Texas out of his system, so in 1976 he once again enrolled in West Texas University to finish his degree in Agriculture Business and Economics. During the next four years he continued his formal and informal education; competing in rodeos, day-working on ranches and feedlots, and of course showing horses on a limited basis. In 1979 he qualified the first of many World Show Horses.

While still in college, Bobby applied for, was accepted, and was placed on AQHA’s list of approved judges in January of 1980. Bobby is one of the youngest people to ever have this honor. Today he is also a NRHA, NRCHA, (AAA) and AHSA judge. During his more than 20 years he has judged all three AQHA (Youth, Amateur, and Open) World Shows, the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity (3 times), the NRHA Futurity and Derby, the All American Quarter Horse Congress, NRCHA Stallion Stakes, the German Reining Futurity, Italian Reining Futurity, APHA World Show, the Appaloosa Reining Futurity, as well as many NRHA and NRCHA aged events and major horse shows in Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, and Japan. Bobby has also instructed applicants and carded judges for the Color Breed Council, which conducts judges seminars for all Color Breed Associations. (Paint, Appaloosa, Palomino, Pinto, etc.)

In 1981 Bobby accepted the position of manager trainer for J.D. Blondin’s Gambit Farms. In 1982 Bobby married Karen Reeves (his wife of 19 years) who raises Australian Shepherds, and they opened Bear Creek Ranch in Ellisville Mississippi. From this facility Bobby produced most of the 11 World and Reserve World Champion Horses (in 4 different breed associations) during 17 years in Mississippi. Bobby showed; halter, pleasure, reining, roping, cowhorse, and several other events while coaching youth and amateur riders to state and national honors. It was not unusual to go to a weekend horse show with 10 to 15 horses and win with most of them. While training business thrived, the breeding end of the operation began to take shape. By the early 1990s AQHA World Champion “Maximum Overdrive” and NRHA World Champion “Major Vaquero” were produced by two different stallions out of two different mares, all owned by Bobby and Karen. Major Vaquero would go on to sire a NRHA Futurity Finalist and Reserve Champion NRHA Derby horse. Although Pars Gold Bar (Maximun Overdrive’s sire) died unexpectedly just as he was becoming a sire, Bobby was able to keep several of his daughters out of good mares to breed to “The Major Legend”.

By 1997 the focus of the operation had centered around the breeding program and less on training for the public. Texas called again and Bobby answered. He purchased a facility in Whitesboro Texas (near Gainesville) and the Harrison Ranch was born. The move has proven very successful with The Major Legend as the Senior Sire, and his colts in demand, yet there is a new star on the horizon. Lone Pirate was purchased in the fall of 1999 as a two year old. Unshown due to an injury, he was bred to several promising young daughters of The Major Legend. We are very excited to see his first foals arriving in the spring of 2001. On May 11, 2001, a tragic fire took the life of both our stallions but we have many daughters and colts that will continue on their great traditions and bloodlines.

Bobby continues to train a few outside horses for clients and will consult with clients on which stallions to breed their mares to, whether it be our new stallion or one of the many outstanding stallions in the area. Harrison Ranch provides year round mare care and transportation to outside stallions for a few select clients.

Over the years, Bobby and Karen have become very proud of both their horses and Aussies, who are known and loved by their owners worldwide. If you are ever in the area, you are welcome to stop by Harrison Ranch and look around at all of our babies. (foals and Aussies)