Leading AQHA and NSBA trainer Carl Yamber, of Roberta, Georgia, passed away today at Osecola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, Florida. He was 66.

Known in the industry as one of, if not THE, very best at spotting a horse’s natural talent and ability, Carl was introduced to horses while visiting a sale barn near his childhood home in northern Virginia. Soon he was riding horses through the barn, earning enough money to purchase his first horse at the age of 13.

In the early 1970s Yamber was showing a palomino mare by the name of Annette McBar’s at AQHA shows in the Virginia area when he caught the attention of Maryland trainer Walter Hughes, a founding member of the National Snaffle Bit Association. Hughes was standing the AQHA stallion Brio at the time and had clients competing in Halter, Western Pleasure, Reining and Cutting. Carl spent the next few summers working for Hughes while he continued to show Annette McBar’s, earning a Youth AQHA Championship and Youth Superior Awards in Showmanship and Western Pleasure. 

Once out of youth competition, Yamber went to work for Bill Morris for four years, before venturing out on his own. He won the first NSBA 2-Year-Old Snaffle Bit Western Pleasure Class held at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress aboard Scooby Doc in 1983.

Carl met his wife, Trisha (Romanelli) at a horse show in 1987 and eventually they started the powerhouse CT Quarter Horses, training and showing some of the top Halter, Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle horses in the country. In 2000, after both had just won AQHA World Championship titles – Carl in Junior Western Pleasure on Zippos Cowgirl and Trisha in Junior Hunter Under Saddle on Dolls Dark Diamond – they were married at St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Over the years Yamber discovered, trained and/or exhibited such successful show horses as Miss Chipolena, Top Vantage, Good I Will Be, Zippo Glo Lady, Zip In Straw, Im Up To No Good, Zippos Cowgirl, Mr Aftershock, Invest In A Hot Star, Ima Good Rodder, These Irons Are Hot, Scotches Old Gold, Investors Maiden, Miss Holly Bar Dee, Zippos Romeo, Gypsys Little Image, Miss Iron Version, The Good Ranger, A Good Touch, Invest In A Hot Star, Willy Has Potential, My Only Luv, Machine Made, OHK Goodbars Krymsun, She Looks Expensive, Krymsuns In Trouble and Made Just Right.

Some of the most talented and successful trainers in the nation either got their start or gained experience working for Carl and Trisha. Just some of those include Rusty Green, Tanya Green, Eric Anderson, Wade Black, Andy Cochran, Cory Hendrickson, Tara Landon, Jeff Moody, Allison Clark McDonald, Jamie English, Erik Martin, Carrie Winters, Donnie Recchiuti, Erin Lieurance, Danielle Burns, Dean Bogart, Chris Jones and Amanda Quinn.

In 2019 Carl was inducted into the NSBA Quarter Million Dollar Club, for riders who have earned over $250,000 in lifetime earnings.

Additional information, including services for Yamber, will be announced as it becomes available.