Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame breeder Billy "Bill" Bob Price, one of the most accomplished breeders in Quarter Horse racing history, passed away peacefully at his home in Marietta, Oklahoma, on July 20, surrounded by family. He was 89.

© Alexander Gray Funeral Homes & Crematory

MARIETTA, OK–JULY 24, 2026–Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame breeder Billy "Bill" Bob Price, one of the most accomplished breeders in Quarter Horse racing history, passed away peacefully at his home in Marietta, Oklahoma, on July 20, surrounded by family. He was 89.

Funeral services were held Friday, July 24, at Alexander Gray Funeral Home Chapel in Wilson, Oklahoma, with burial following at West Memorial Cemetery in Lone Grove.

Born April 6, 1937, in Carter County, Oklahoma, Price was raised in Lone Grove. He married Mary Nell Emerson on February 20, 1956, and together they built a life centered around farming, ranching, and Quarter Horses. After careers in farming and the oilfield, the couple purchased Washington Ranch in Love County in 1991, establishing one of the nation's premier breeding operations.

Over the following decades, Bill and Mary Nell developed a breeding program that became synonymous with excellence in Quarter Horse racing. Their horses captured numerous championship honors, including AQHA Champion Gelding, Horse of the Year, Champion Quarter Horse Racing Stock, Champion Aged Gelding, and Champion Oklahoma-Bred titles. Price was also recognized by the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association as Leading Dam of Breeding Stock and was named Oklahoma Owner and Breeder of the Year in 2003.

His impact on the sport was extraordinary. Horses bred and owned by Price earned more than 850 victories from nearly 5,000 starts while setting multiple track records across the country. In recognition of his contributions to the industry, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2025, he ranked as the 11th-leading Quarter Horse breeder of all time in the United States.

Beyond his accomplishments in racing, Price was known as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, rancher, and cattleman. Friends and family remembered him for his love of the land, often spending his days checking cattle across the ranch with his faithful dog, Joe Bob, riding beside him.

Price was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Mary Nell, who passed away in 2021; his son, Randy Ray Price; his parents, Robert Thomas Price Jr. and Glenna Gaither Price; and brothers Jerry and Finis Price.

He is survived by his son, Bobby Price and wife Tammy; daughters Cindy Muller and husband Mark, and Sherry Sawyers and husband Shane; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family members, and many friends.

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