Promising American Quarter Horse Association sire, Open For Suggestion, was humanely euthanized on Thursday, after sustaining a hip fracture in a paddock accident, according to his owner Kerry Bradac. He was laid to rest at Bradac Ranch South in Ocala, Florida.

“There are never the right words for moments like this,” Bradac said. “As I sit here trying to process this tragedy and put my thoughts into words, I am overwhelmed with emotions … disbelief, grief, heartache. I will never truly be able to convey how much Open For Suggestion meant to me and how blessed I was with the opportunity to be a part of Open For Suggestion’s life.  He was a horse that deeply touched my heart and soul.”

 Open For Suggestion (Hugh), a 2007 red roan stallion by Openrage and out of Fancy China (by Zippo Jack Bar) was bred by Shirley Roth, Ocala, Florida. Bradac purchased him in in 2013 after…

“I fell in love with him as an individual the moment I laid eyes on him,” Bradac said. “When I saw his foals, I was sold.”

Hugh had already proven himself in the show arena, placing fifth in the 2009 Congress Masters Western Pleasure and 10th in the 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure at the Reichert Celebration the following year and recording over $10,000 in earnings.

But Bradac was more impressed with how he was stamping his foals.

“The biggest thing he put on his babies is a hind end and strong topline,” she said. “He also adds a lot of substance and bone to his foals.”

 Open For Suggestion didn’t disappoint her. From his very first foal crop, Sexy Suggestions, a 2012 chestnut stallion out of BC Truly Impressive, was a finalist in both the Limited and Open divisions of the Coughlin 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the 2014 Congress.

 In 2015 Brian Cox and Abbrakadabra, a red roan stallion, were Co-Reserve Champions in the Congress Masters Western Pleasure and 11th in the 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the AQHA World Show.

 In October, 2018 Sean Knowles and Expect A Great Ride, a 2015 chestnut mare, placed 14^th in the 3-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure at the Quarter Horse Congress and 10^thin the Southern Belle Futurity portion of the class. They also placed 14^thin the Level 1 Open Western Pleasure. At the AQHA World Show the following month, they placed eighth in the Level 2 Junior Western Pleasure and 12^thin the Level 1 Open Western Pleasure.

In all, Open For Suggestion sired 163 foals, earning close to $20,000 and several hundred points in AQHA competition. His foals have been successful in the show pen, all over the country and have won circuit championships and/or have had class wins at Fox Lea, the Denver Stock Show, the Gateway Classic and the Cooperate Challenge, just to name few.  On the Futurity Scene, his foals have had top 10 placings at the Tom Powers, NSBA World Show, Premier Quarter Sires and Southern Belle.  His foals will be well represented at the 2019 All American Quarter Horse Congress again this fall, and several have qualified for the 2019 AQHA World Show in both performance and halter classes.

 Bradac opted to keep Open For Suggestion at her farm for the 2017 breeding season, a move that allowed her to really get to know her stallion. Throughout the years, she has assembled a special group of broodmares of her own and in 2018 she closed Open For Suggestions’ book to outside mares.  

“With just turning 50, I wanted to slow down and take the time to enjoy my own horses,” Bradac said. “Open For Suggestion didn’t owe us anything and I loved having him at home.” 

Bradac does have frozen semen from Open For Suggestion and she plans to continue raising his foals for years to come.  She is planning on keeping several of his daughters back for her broodmare band. 

“Even though my journey with Hugh came to such an abrupt and unexpected end on Thursday, it isn’t over,” Bradac said. “It has just chosen to take a different path.  As I look out in my pastures and see his foals, I know that a part of Hugh will always be here with me.  His legacy will continue with his foals.”

 Bradac is grateful for all the support she has had for Open For Suggestion from trainers, mare owners and professionals over the years.

“I want to thank Shirley Roth for selling us Open For Suggestion.  Owning him was the opportunity of a lifetime,” Bradac said. “I would also like to thank Sean Knowles for always being one of Hugh’s biggest fans.  I also cannot even begin to thank our mare owners, customers, trainers and exhibitors for believing in him.  Behind every great stallion is a great team of professionals.   I would like to thank my vet, Dr. Joan Tennant, my farrier; Kenny Knowlton and Dr. Fred Benker at EMCO who handled all the collections the past several years.  Also, I would like to thank my employees here at the farm, Jamie Avant and her fiancé, Wyatt Arnow, Missy Baker and Moises Jimenz.  They have helped me get through the past several days.”