Fly The Red Eye has become the newest AQHA Open Supreme Champion
By Larri Jo Starkey
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE JOURNAL—JULY 12, 2013
The prestigious title is earned through demonstration of prowess in racing, halter, cattle work and show ring performance. The award has only been awarded 48 times in AQHA history before Fly The Red Eye earned the designation.
Fly The Red Eye is a 2006 sorrel stallion by Mr Eye Opener and out of Gaetana by Bully Bullion. He was bred by Julie Pilgrim of Powell, Wyoming, and is owned by Dan and Erin Knox of Pilot Point, Texas, who purchased him at the 2007 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.
The stallion won or placed in six of nine starts during his racing career. He earned a speed index of 97 along with $16,544 on the track.
The stallion is by Mr Eye Opener, the sire of 17 crops to race with more than $26.7 million in earnings.
Fly The Red Eye is out of the 20-year-old Bully Bullion mare Gaetana, who during her racing career was third in the Dixie Stallion Futurity (R) and fourth in the Kansas Jackpot Futurity (RG1). She is out of the Jelly Jet mare Special Jelly Roll, winner of the 1990 Heritage Place Derby (RG1), and dam of stakes winners No Tools Required (by Jody O Toole, $117,509), Special Cross (by Cross Tie Walker, $41,118) and Power Roll (by Power Train, $82,311).
The open Supreme Champion title requires a horse to have earned a speed index of 90 at least twice. He must earn 40 points in the show ring in a combination of halter and performance classes at five or more shows under at least five different judges. The horse also must have stood grand champion at least twice, and he must earn at least eight points in roping or working cow horse.
Fly The Red Eye has earned 2.5 points in halter, 13.5 points in performance halter, nine points in heeling and 8.5 points in reining.
Along the way to his title, Fly The Red Eye was the reserve world champion in performance halter stallions at the 2012 AQHA World Championship Show and earned an open AQHA Champion title.
The most recent horse to earn the title was Walter Fletcher’s homebred Corona Cartel gelding Cartel Caliente in 2010.
Fly The Red Eye earned his last two points in reining in June. When those were recorded in the AQHA office, the horse’s place in history was secured, as he became the 49th open AQHA Supreme Champion.