Loyd Jinkens – “Mr. Quarter Horse” Jinkens was born in 1900 in Nolan County, Texas, south of Sweetwater. His father, T. C., ranched a big spread south of Sweetwater and ran around 200 broodmares in addition to a large herd of cattle. The action in the famed Fort Worth Stockyards lured Jinkens, and he began trading horses. He eventually purchased his uncle’s ranch, and within the next few years, he and his wife, Lena, stocked it with more than 100 broodmares and lots of cattle.

After AQHA was founded in 1940, Jinkens developed an interest in the breed, especially in cutting horses. In 1944, he traveled to the King Ranch in south Texas to purchase a stallion. He purchased a weanling colt of Peppy, Peppy’s Pepper. Jinkens campaigned the colt three years, showing him 32 times and won 28 or 29 grand champion awards. He sold the horse for $26,500 – the highest price paid for a Quarter Horse up to that time. Soon after the sale of Peppy’s Pepper, King Ranch owner Robert Kleberg, Jr. asked Jinkens to fit and show the ranch’s show string. Jinkens did from 1949-62, accumulating a record of 383 firsts, 99 grand championships and nearly 2,000 trophies; including ribbons, cups, saddles, blankets and bridles.

Jinkens was a founding member and president of the National Cutting Horse Association. He was an AQHA Director and served on a variety of committees for nearly 30 years before becoming an honorary vice president.