Herb Graham passed away on Thursday, September 25. His services will be held on Wednesday, October 1.

Courtesy of Facebook

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

ODESSA, TX–SEPTEMBER 28, 2025–Herb Graham, a respected West Texas horseman and one of the pioneers in Quarter Horse and Paint racing, passed away on September 25, 2025. He was born May 15, 1938, in Eunice, New Mexico, and over the course of his 87 years left a lasting imprint not only on the racing industry but also on business, music, and community life.

Graham was the eldest of 13 children. His family lived in Oklahoma, Arkansas, California, and various cities across Texas before finally settling in Odessa. He attended Crockett Junior High and Odessa High School and later completed several semesters at Odessa Junior College. He married his high school sweetheart, Ginger Haynes, and together they raised a daughter, Rainy.

Following their marriage, Herb began working for Sunset Freight Lines in Odessa. During this period, he developed a passion for music management, which led him to organize and promote musicians. In 1968, he ventured into the nightclub business, later joined by his brother Phillip.

What began as a local venture grew into Graham Brothers Entertainment, a company that operated multi-venue nightclubs in Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, and beyond.

Graham’s business interests were diverse. In addition to nightclubs and music promotion, he was involved in ranching, real estate, land development, banking, radio stations, nutrition stores, auto repair and sales, and vacuum trucks. He also founded and operated a recording label, recording studio, publishing company, and artist management companies.

Despite this wide-ranging success, Graham often described himself simply: “I haven’t changed. I still drive a pickup. I am not interested in jewelry; I don’t even wear a watch. It’s very important that I do what I say I’m going to do.”

Alongside his business achievements, Graham and his wife operated Graham Farms in Gardendale, Texas, where they built one of the nation’s largest broodmare bands and stood elite American Quarter Horse sires including Rocket Wrangler, Moon Lark, and Easily Smashed. Their stallion roster influenced generations of speed pedigrees and cemented the farm’s role in the foundation of modern Texas racing.

Graham was also a tireless advocate for the sport. He was one of ten original backers who each pledged $10,000 to push for the legalization of pari-mutuel racing in Texas, working alongside figures such as the late Pinkie Ruden. He remained active for decades in racing associations and political efforts that supported the growth of the industry.

Before pari-mutuel wagering was legalized, the futurities sponsored by Graham Farms were among the richest in the Southwest, highlighting the Grahams’ dedication to advancing the sport despite regulatory challenges.

Herb was instrumental in creating signature events like the Graham Farms Futurity, inaugurated in 1983 at Val Verde Downs in Del Rio, Texas. That race has since grown into today’s Speedhorse Graham Paint and Appaloosa Futurity, the premier futurity in the breeds’ racing world.

Later, Graham partnered with Bobby Cox to sponsor the West Texas Winnermaker Futurity in the 1990s, which rotated between Bandera Downs, Manor Downs, and Retama Park.

In Paint racing, Graham's influence was unparalleled. He bred and campaigned Texas Hero, a two-time APHA World Champion Running Paint and a four-time champion who set an all-breed record for 330 yards. At that time, Texas Hero was one of only three Paint racehorses to exceed $100,000 in earnings, which was a remarkable achievement.

A seven-time stakes winner, Texas Hero captured the Speedhorse P&A, PSBA, and Pot O’ Gold Futurities as well as the Texas Berd P&A Maturity, PSBA Derby, Oklahoma Paint Maturity, and APHA National Championship during his career.

He later became a leading champion sire, standing at Bowlan Farms. The stallion famously returned to Graham Farms for retirement, closing the circle at the program that had made him a household name in Paint racing.

Texas Hero was bred and born on Graham Farms, out of Breakaway Baby, a mare purchased from R.D. Hubbard and a half-sister to Lord Winsalot, the 1976 AQHA World Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding who earned more than $400,000 during his career.

Breakaway Baby’s first foal, Raise Cash, earned the 1992 APHA Champion Breeding Stock 2-Year-Old title. Graham produced a string of other influential runners, including Raise A Jet, Lonesome Hero, Texas Wildcat, and Dakota Jackson.

In 2005, Graham was inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame for his lifetime contributions as a breeder, owner, promoter, and patron of the sport.

SERVICES
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (Central time) at Sunset Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home in Odessa, Texas. Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. (Central time) at Crossroads Church in Odessa. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home.

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