Two Named Dams of Distinction

Two champion producers have joined the rare ranks of AQHA Dams of Distinction – Had To Be Fandango and Volcoms Delight both join a small group of top broodmares. 

The award recognizes the accomplishments of racing broodmares. To qualify for the award, a mare must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Dams that produced two or more individual AQHA racing champions.
• Dams that produced at least three individual Grade 1 stakes winners.
• Dams that produced at least two foals ranked in the top 10 money earners of any particular year, as of December 31 of that year, and two Grade 1 stakes winners.
• Dams that produced at least three foals that were in the top 10 money earners of any particular year, as of December 31 of that year.

When the award was created, a grandfather clause also allowed mares that had produced at least three individual stakes winners prior to 1983, and those wins were the equivalent of a Grade 1-quality race, to be accepted.

Had To Be Fandango is a 2008 bay daughter of Had To Be Nuts out of the Strawfly Special mare Grim Fandango. 

Bred by Jud Little of Ardmore, Oklahoma, she was purchased from a 2009 Heritage Place sale by the Robertson family of Hillsburgh, Ontario. Now owned by Carol and Jaime Robertson, Had To Be Fandango has produced champions Had To Be Ivory and Had To Be Fabulous to earn the Dam of Distinction award. 

Volcoms Delight is a 2011 daughter of Volcom and out of the Dean Miracle mare Lethal Delight.

She was bred by P.K. Thomas of Weatherford, Texas, and is owned by Ruse Ranch LLC of Laredo, Texas. She produced for then-owner George P. Mitchell II the two 2024 champions, Relentless Eagle and Volcoms Favorite. 

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