Big Gains: Two Colts Earn John Shepard A Whopping 90K Payday At Just Two Shows

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90 – January/February, 2026

By Brittany Vermeer and Delores Kuhlwein

For John Shepard, the 2025 season brought unprecedented success. As a lifelong trainer, breeder, and judge, John has raised, conditioned, and shown numerous champion Halter horses over the past 35 years. He has Quarter Horse Congress Grand and Reserve Champions to his credit in the Open, Amateur, and Youth divisions. He’s trained APHA World Champions, AQHA World Champions, and ApHC, PHBA, and ABRA World Champions. But what he was able to achieve this year with two special horses is unprecedented.

Two weanling colts–Big Gains and Boorder Czar–helped John earn almost $90,000 in winnings during just two horse shows: the Breeders Halter Futurity and the WCHA/APHA Halter Million. Known as two of the preeminent Halter futurities in the country, these events offer big purses, especially in the weanling categories, which attracts top tier talent and fresh new faces. These days, many exhibitors seek out weanlings specifically for the purpose of competing at these shows. That was the case when John Shepard and Sydney Miller went hunting for the perfect weanling to be her next show partner.

Big Gains – The Record-Setter

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90 – January/February, 2026