Texas A&M CVM Alumnus Receives National Golden Spur Award
Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) alumnus Dr. Glenn Blodgett has joined 39 iconic industry leaders recognized for their notable accomplishments in ranching and livestock as the recipient of the 2017 National Golden Spur Award.
The National Golden Spur Award is the most prestigious honor given by the ranching and livestock industries, emphasizing the humanistic, scientific, and technological contributions of those industries to society.
It is conferred upon leaders whose unparalleled devotion to land and livestock has earned them notable respect and admiration from their peers. Only one award has been presented each year since its inception in 1978.
Blodgett has served as resident veterinarian and manager of the horse division for the 6666 Ranch, the largest individually owned ranch property in Texas, for 35 years.
During this time, Blodgett became known as an industry leader in equine embryo transfer and artificial insemination, and the ranch has become the all-time leading breeder of both racing and performance American Quarter Horses.
“Dr. Blodgett has devoted his life to the equine industry and veterinary profession,” said Eleanor M. Green, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. “As manager of the horse division of the historic 6666 Ranch, he has taken ‘The Sixes’ to new heights in quarter horse racing, western performance, and ranch horses. The wins, awards, and recognitions earned by horses he has bred or raised are too numerous to list. In addition, he has implemented state-of-the-art equine reproduction practices on the ranch.”
“His impact is also found in the young people aspiring to be veterinarians and young veterinarians who have trained under his guidance,” Green said. “The regard in which he is held and the impacts he has had are reflected in the numerous leadership roles he had held in the equine industry and the veterinarian profession.”
Blodgett began representing Texas as an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) director in 1991, a director-at-large in 2011, an AQHA Executive Committee member in 2012, and AQHA president in 2015. He was inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2015 and serves on the American Horse Council Board of Trustees. The American Association of Equine Practitioners presented him a Distinguished Life Member award in 2016 for his leadership and exemplary service.
Blodgett was honored with the Golden Spur Award by industry leaders on Oct. 14 at Texas Tech University’s McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center during a dinner hosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center.
“When you talk about Dr. Blodgett, you have to talk about credibility,” said Johnny Trotter, AQHA past president. “The horse business is more of a reputation-based business than it is just a horse-trading business. He has a reputation and it’s not all about making a quick dollar on a horse.
“First and foremost, he’s a fine person with all the integrity and credibility that goes with it,” Trotter said. “Second of all, he is a good businessman, good horseman and a tremendously successful veterinarian.”
A native of Spearman, Texas, Blodgett received his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Texas A&M CVM. He has since been recognized as an outstanding alumnus of both universities.
The National Golden Spur Award is sponsored by the American Quarter Horse Association, National Cattlemen’s Foundation, Ranching Heritage Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, and Texas Farm Bureau.
