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Funeral Services Set Thursday for Horse Trainer Hubert Blankenship
Funeral services are set Thursday for longtime horse trainer Hubert Blankenship of Van Buren, Arkansas.

© Courtesy Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home
Funeral Services Set Thursday for Horse Trainer Hubert Blankenship

VAN BUREN, AR—JULY 31, 2019—Funeral services for longtime horse trainer Hubert Blankenship, 86, who passed away Sunday (JUL 28) will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at Gill Cemetery.

The family will visit with friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. today (Jul 31), at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home, 4100 Alma Highway, Van Buren, AR.

Blankenship, of Van Buren, was born April 23, 1933 in Starkville, MS to the late Claude and Amorie Blankenship. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict.

Blankenship was a multi-graded stakes winning horse trainer, a member of AQHA, OHRC, and trained horses from 1960 until his retirement. According to Equibase statistics, he saddled 184 Quarter Horse winners with earnings of more than $980,000, including Black Gold Championship(G3) winner Doitoem Gambler, Remington Park Challenge(G3) winner Wheel N Stuff Too, Sooner State Stakes (G3) winner Speaker Of The House, Speedhorse Sprint Futurity(G3) winner Francescas Ferrari to name of a few.

He is survived by a daughter, Lisa K. Robinson of Van Buren; a son, Ross Robinson of Van Buren; a sister, Johnnie Ree Powell of Lumberton, TX; two aunts, Frances Douglas and Gladys Hamilton; five grandchildren, Lily, Molly, Shay, Cameron, and J.J.; four nieces, Stephanie Cowin, Amanda McCracken, Tammy Russell, and Gena Powell; and special friends, Dr. Charles Elliott and wife Missy.

Funeral service are under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren, AR.

Pallbearers will be Floyd McKee, Angel Gamon, Mike Duquette, John Ray, Joseph Holcomb, Sr., and Mike Burgess. Honorary pallbearers will be Billy Wooten, Jim Brooks, Jerry Burgess, G.R. Carter, Jr., Johnny Esner, Tommy Petree, Ronnie Long, Bill Vickery, Kenneth McKee, Dr. David Billins, Orin Cogburn, Earl Beshears, Butch Bagley, SFC Earl Plumlee, Ted Stamps, Dr. Gary White, Ron Lockhart, Eric Plumlee, Claude McKee, and Rex Brooks.