MEET REID & MELANIE
Reid’s history with horses started back in 1983 when his family purchased their first AQHA breeding stallion. At age 11, Reid was already thrown up on his first horse to train and the rest was history. At age 18 he purchased his first mare and stallion to start his own breeding program and bought and sold outside horses all through college to earn some extra money.
Melanie’s family had riding horses while she was little and had only experienced the occasional ride in the saddle in front of mom or dad as a small child before the horses were sold in order to build a new house in what used to be their pasture. She was 17 years old by the time they were able to establish some new pasture and fence and they purchased some new trail horses. Shortly after that she met Reid and suddenly found herself engulfed in his passion for horses, which she also soon found. Date nights often consisted of going to horse sales, trail riding or doing horse chores. At that time Reid had around 5 mares, one stud and several young horses and riding horses.
Together, Reid and Melanie began buying additional broodmares, growing the breeding program. In the fall of 2002 they purchased Watch Miss Jo Jackie in foal to Bartenders Memory. Jacks Our Bartender was born in May of 2003 and would later become the sire that really started to establish their breeding program. Hockenson Quarter Horses was founded in 2005, which was the first spring that they stood Jacks Our Bartender. It wasn’t until 2008 till they realized just how athletic Jack was when they took him down to Luke Jones to have him begin roping on him. Unfortunately due to a stifle injury from being kicked by a mare, Jack was not able to stay sound enough to enter the show ring, but was able to prove his athletic ability. Since then several of his colts have ended up in the roping arena and continue to prove their athleticism and great minds. Jack continues to stand at Hockenson Quarter Horses and will do so for years to come. He is a great horse to be around and out produces himself every time. HQ Rojo B Bartender was raised by Reid and Melanie and was chosen to stand at stud with Jack in 2010. His first foals are just now old enough to ride but are showing his outstanding disposition and great attitude.
Since 2005, Reid and Melanie have been trying to improve their breeding program by trying to keep mares that not only have a great pedigree and confirmation, but ones that are easy to get along with and would stand out in anyone’s pasture. They strive to breed versatile horses that are athletic and pretty enough to compete as a performance horse but have the mind and disposition of a family horse. Currently in their broodmare band, they have mares by Dual Rey, Topsail Cody, Spooks Gotta Gun, Dual Peppy, Lenas Wright On, Gunna Smoke, Helluva Chex, Two Eyed Redbuck, Jae Bar Flynn, Genuine Hombre, Jack To The Hilt, Two Eyed Brazos, Joe Jack Red, How D Silver Roman, Bartenders Memory, How D Boy Wonder, Tee J Rojo Jack, and Jacks Our Bartender These mares’ pedigrees include some of the great all time sires in Quarter Horse history. We truly believe that mare power is what leads to a successful breeding program.
In 2013, their program really exploded with their first AQHA World Show Qualifier, Genuine Red Peg, in junior heeling and the purchase of two stud prospects, CT Show Me Your Guns (2013 Gray stud colt by World Champion Show Me A Song Joes and a daughter of Playgun that was ninth in the World Show in heading) and CD Dyna Cee (2012 Sorrel stud colt by CD Lights a $2M+ sire in NRCHA and earner of $233K and Arc Dyna Cee, earner of $26K). They are very excited about these two colts, both of which will be asked to prove themselves in the show ring before standing at stud.
In 2015, they took their breeding program to new heights with their first embryo transfer out of Bound To White Chex and Metallic Cat, as well as breeding two other mares via shipped semen from some of the industry’s top performance horses. They also purchased one of the all-time leading producers in NRCHA history, Gunna Be Lucky, at the 2015 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Sale.
2016 was definitely a year to remember with Bound To White Chex, “Blondie,” earning her AQHA Performance Champion title, as well as winning 3rd in the World in L3 Heading at the 2016 AQHA World Show! CD Dyna Cee, “Lights,” has continued to be very consistent in his show career, winning the 2016 SDRCHA Stallion Stakes Derby and the Working Western Celebreation Cowhorse Derby! He has become an AQHA point earner in 6 events: reining, cutting, reined cow horse, ranch riding, heeling and performance halter, and is proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the show pen. The 2016 foal crop was the biggest ever, with 17 outstanding foals!
In 2017, they had a busy show year between CD Dyna Cee, CT Show Me Your Guns and Imalilhankyrey! CD Dyna Cee added to his list of accomplishments and his NRCHA earnings soared to $22K! He took to the roping events like a champ and learned the ropes very quickly. He qualified for the 2017 AQHA World Show in 7 events, including working cow horse, reining, ranch riding, tie-down roping, jr. heading and heeling, and pole bending – making him a Super Horse Contender! He ended up 12th in the Jr. Heading class. CT Show Me Your Guns began his show career in 2017 and qualified for the 2017 AQHA World Show in tie-down, jr. heading and heeling, ranch riding, and performance halter – also making him a Super Horse Contender! He ended up 6th in the Jr. Heading and 11th in Performance Halter Stallions and 11th overall in the Super Horse contest. Imalilhankyrey also began competing in the NRCHA events in 2017, earning $3,200 quickly, just between the Snaffle Bit Futurity and the Working Western Celebration Futurity, where she was Reserve Champion.
Last, but certainly not least, Hockensons had their first CD Dyna Cee foal crop in 2017. They were beyond impressed with this group of foals. They were big boned, beautiful foals with natural balance and shape. They are proving to be very intelligent, fast learners, just like their daddy. They are excited for the future of these babies.
Both CD Dyna Cee and CT Show Me Your Guns stand to the public at Abraham’s Equine Clinic in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Be sure to follow their Facebook page for foaling and show updates!
SOME OF OUR FRIENDS…
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL REINING HORSE ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL REINED COW HORSE ASSOCIATION
SOUTH DAKOTA REINED COW HORSE ASSOCIATION