February 4, 2006--Longtime Quarter Horse owner and trainer Walter Merrick passed away last night at the age 94.

He was born October 5, 1911 into a western Oklahoma farming family and began his working career in the mid-1920s as an open range cowboy. From racing to rodeo his influence on the American Quarter Horse industry has become part of AHQA's history.

As a racehorse owner, Merrick's horses have earned more than $1.5 million and as a breeder his runners earned more $6 million.

He signed on with the Figure Two Ranch where he met and married Tien Shinn. The owner of the Figure Two would give his Depression-era workers cattle from time to time to make up for low wages. When Merrick had a herd of 14, he branded them with that number, thus the beginnings of his famed 14 Ranch.

Merrick parlayed his 14 Ranch into an operation that at one time spanned four states and included thousands of cattle and horses.

In 1936, he purchased Midnight Jr, and when the American Quarter Horse Association was formed he was one of the first animals to receive a number. Merrick's interest in racing caused him to begin crossing top Thoroughbred stallions on his Midnight Jr mares. In 1951, he leased the immortal Three Bars from Sid Vail of Tucson, Arizona, bringing him to Oklahoma to stand. Other great horses, which have stood at Merrick's ranch include Tonto Bars Hank, Grey Badger II, Jet Smooth, Hempen-TB and Real Easy Jet.

But the greatest cross of Merrick's work was when he bred Jet Deck to Lena's Bar to get one of American Quarter Horse racing's all-time best runners and sire, Easy Jet.

Easy Jet's earned 27 firsts, seven seconds and two thirds from 38 starts, and in 1969, as a two-year-old year, he was named AQHA's highest racing honor of World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse. He stood a top both the leading sires of money earners and leading broodmare sires lists for many years.

Easy Jet is still impacting Quarter Horse racing today with the 2005 All American Futurity winner Teller Cartel out of an Easy Jet Mare.

Merrick has received many honors for his accomplishments. When Easy Jet won the All American Futurity in 1969, Sayre, Oklahoma proclaimed "Walter Merrick Day" to mark the occasion, while Oklahoma State University named Merrick the 1979 Outstanding Oklahoma Horse Breeder. He was the first horseman to be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame.

Walters long-time wife "Tien" died on December 17, 2005. She was 90. The Merricks had been married for 75 years. Walter was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Jimmie Wayne Merrick; and a grandson, Kash Merrick. He is survived by two daughters, one son, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, 15 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and four great great grandchildren.

Services will be conducted Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Cheyenne, Oklahoma.