HEZA DIAMOND SPARK was bred by Holy Cow Performance Horses and foaled in California, a rich palomino with 4 socks and a wide blaze, now owned by Jesse and Elyse Thomson of 7P Ranch. When John Swales rode him to the 2017 World's Greatest Horseman Championship, he became the first non-American rider to win the title. "I don't think it's sunk in yet. It's pretty unreal," Swales said, immediately following the win. The tight-knit Canadian reined cow horse community claimed Swales' triumph as further validation that their country's horses and trainers belong among the NRCHA elite.

"It went as planned. It's fantastic," Jesse Thomson said. "It should open some eyes that Canada does have some nice horses, and some good horsemen, kicking around up here." Jesse and Elyse bought their World's Greatest champion horse in a somewhat unlikely way: through public auction. They had wanted to own "Sting" for years, and when previous owner, Dr. Michael Garver (who had purchased him in 2007), was phasing out of the horse business, he consigned the stallion to the February 2014 Billings Livestock Commission Horse Sale in Montana. The Thomsons were ready to snatch him up, and promptly put Heza Diamond Spark to work, under saddle and in the breeding shed.

"We had watched this horse his whole life. He was always a superstar, everywhere we had seen him, when you watch that horse, anybody will tell you, he's got a presence about him, whether it be roping or showing or just standing in the barn. When you ride him, that's what he makes you feel like -- He's 14.2hh, but it feels like you're on a mountain."

His foals are proving themselves too, with offspring earnings of $30,000+

SIRE SIDE

Heza Diamond Spark's sire DIAMOND J STAR was the 2001 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Co-Reserve Champion with Sandy Collier aboard. Following the 2002 show season, he took a break from the arena, but came back in 2007 with Jon Roeser to win the Open Bridle horse show class at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity and made the finals of the 2007 NRCHA World's Greatest Horseman, finishing seventh.

Grandsire GRAYS STARLIGHT by PEPPY SAN BADGER and out of DOC'S STARLIGHT, was born in 1984. He was an exemplary performer, earning over $35,000 in National Cutting Horse Association earnings. But as a breeding stallion, he was even more exceptional, siring many outstanding offspring, including the 2003 Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Bridle Champion, STARLIGHT PLAYMATE. He has surpassed the Million Dollar Sire Mark in both Reining and Cutting, with total offspring earnings over $10 Million. Although this great stallion has been deceased since October of 2002, his memory lives on in his exceptional offspring. Excerpt from the NRCHA.

DAM SIDE

HEZA DIAMOND SPARK's dam, SHEZA SHINETTE ($54,400) started her show career with a win in the 2001 Santa Ynez Valley Snaffle Bit Classic with Sandy Collier. They went to the 2001 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, where they made the finals and were the Ladies Champions. The next stop for the pair was the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity, where they also made the Open finals. SHEZA SHINETTE was the 2002 AQHA Junior Reining World Champion.

SHEZA SHINETTE's 15 money-earning foals have combined Equi-Stat records of $638,754; AQHA World Champion Jr. Working Cow Horse; NRCHA Superior Award; NRCHA Certificate of Ability; AQHA Leading Dam at 2010 NRCHA Year End. SHEZA SHINETTE is the leading money-winner out of CHICKS AND CHEX ($4,312), sired by SMART CHIC OLENA, the No. 2 all-time leading sire of reined cow horse money-earners and the No. 2 all-time leading maternal grandsire of reining money-winners. The dam of CHICKS AND CHEX is SKIPIT CHEX, by KING FRITZ.

HEZA DIAMOND SPARK's maternal grandsire, 3 Million dollar sire SHINING SPARK is the all-time leading sire and maternal grandsire of reined cow horse money-earners. One of his leading offspring is LIL MISS SHINEY CHEX ($107,305). She, in turn, is the dam of BLIND SIDED ($165,590), one of the leading money-winners for SHINING SPARK as a maternal grandsire.