Gene Graves

Gene Graves was raised on a farm outside of tiny Clarks, Nebraska. He graduated from Clarks High School in 1955, earned a degree in education from Midland College in 1959 and in 1969 earned a master of science from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. In 1963 he married Barbara Bosselman, from Grand Island.  Barbara’s father founded the Bosselman and Eaton truck stop and café, which became the Bosselman Truck Plazas throughout Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. In 1975 Gene joined the Pump & Pantry subsidiary of the business as president and grew the division to more than 30 stores.

Gene and Barbara, and their children, Bryan and Cindy, all showed at AQHA shows beginning in the 1980’s. The Graves also bred and raised foals on their ranch in Burwell, Nebraska and were involved in many facets of the industry, from showing to racing and ranching.

It was his commitment to improving the AQHA and industry that led Gene to the leadership of AQHA and the Nebraska Quarter Horse Association. Gene was past president of the NQHA and was elected an AQHA National Director in 2000.

As avid supporters of the AQHA Select World Show, Barb and Gene were instrumental in the development of the show. Gene was especially impressed by the exhibitors who were 70 years and older and thought they needed a special all-around award.

Beginning at the 2012 AQHA Select World Show, the Gene Graves Super-Select Special Recognition Award was given to the exhibitor, age 70 or older, who earned the greatest number of points in competition at the show.

Gene Graves was elected AQHA President in 2012. His number-one objective was engaging members and getting them involved with AQHA. He told the AQHA Board of Directors after his election as president, “Members need to have a voice in their Association and know they can provide feedback to the Association, including face-to-face with the AQHA Executive Committee and staff.” 

Gene combined his business acumen, his love of the Quarter Horse and his ability to talk to all members and was a much beloved AQHA president.  

Gene lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in June 2013, just a few months after concluding his AQHA presidency. He and Barbara had been married for fifty years.

Gene was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2018.

The Invester

The Invester started life with the name, Hank Lou Bars.

He was bred by Eldon England, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and foaled in 1969. He was a son of Zippo Pat Bars and out of the mare, Hank’s Peppy Lou, by Dinky Reed. When AQHA Hall of Famer, Jerry Wells, purchased the red colt at the Oklahoma State Fair, he changed his name to The Invester, thinking the colt might bring a nice return on his investment.

As a show horse, The Invester earned an AQHA Champion and Superior award in Halter. In western pleasure, hunter under saddle, cutting and reining, he earned a total of 21 points, in addition to winning almost $12,000 in the National Cutting Horse Association.

It was as a sire that The Invester made his mark in the industry.

In 1973 Jack Benson bought the young stallion and he and trainer, Brad McCamy, syndicated and promoted him to an AQHA Leading Sire. The Invester’s natural movement, style and grace led him to become a modern-day foundation sire for the western pleasure horse. In 1980, six of The Invester’s foals were entered in the All American Quarter Horse Congress Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure Futurity, with four of the six taking the top four spots.

Jack Benson tragically died in a car accident in 1989. Dan and Carol McWhirter, along with partner Wayne Atchley, Elkhorn, Nebraska purchased him for their breeding program and early in 1990 The Invester moved to the McWhirter’s farm in Doniphan, Nebraska. 

Often referred to as “The Chairman of the Board,” The Invester sired 1,166 foals, with 558 of the performers earning over 26,944 AQHA points, 16 AQHA Champions, a Youth Supreme Champion, 152 Superior awards and 357 Register of Merit awards.

The Invester’s offspring include AQHA World or Reserve World Champions in Halter, Western Pleasure, Western Riding and Trail including Impulsions, an exceptional performer that was inducted into the National Snaffle Bit Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Invester’s get is a “who’s-who” of horses in the western pleasure events. Some of his most famous offspring include the horses: The Big Investment, Absolute Investment, Assets, Invest In Ears, Fully Vested, Investapine, Interest Only, Vested Pine and Miss Gold Invested. In addition, his daughters were excellent producers and their progeny includes: Chipped in Chocolate, Good As It Gets, Goodbars Wrapper, Invited By The Lady, Huntin For Money and many others.

Because of his impact on the western pleasure industry, The Invester was inducted into the National Snaffle Bit Hall of Fame in 1994 and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2004.

In 2002 The Invester was laid to rest at the McWhirter’s farm in Doniphan, Nebraska at 33 years of age.