Rick Ford Memorial Fund

The Rick Ford Memorial Fund was established in 2025 in memory of Thomas Richard “Rick” Ford.  Rick was a beloved husband and partner to his wife Jade, entrepreneur, lover of education, mentor, and friend to many.  He was selfless in his endeavors and he celebrated helping others.  He was an owner and integral part of the Breeders Challenge offering his multiple talents to the program.  He was an established and respected breeder of Quarter Horses in multiple disciplines and is remembered by professionals in the industry as having a humble nature about his expertise in equine reproduction.  He was an avid showman having much success as an owner and also Non Pro in the NRHA and NCHA.  As an owner, breeder, representative, and showman of so many disciplines, he committed much of himself to committees and boards of the NRHA, NCHA, NRCHA, and AQHA to make the industry and disciplines he loved better.

He was a member of Gateway Church in Southlake Texas and he dedicated any time he had available to the church thru service of the video/audio tech team.  He was able to grow in his faith, develop brotherhoods with his brothers and sisters in Christ, and spend time behind the lens for the church.  As his love of the equine industry, photography and filmography grew, he became known as the master collaborator of merging worlds together in his own unique way.  He brought advancements to the equine industry thru his lens abilities, and quickly became a coordinator and producer of many events broad spanning multiple diversifications of the equine, rodeo, advertising, and marketing world.  He was a master with a camera and videography creator and worked with some incredible productions to include Bull Fighters Only, The Run For A Million, Breeders Challenge Finale, Community Coffee, and many others.  He was driven to pursue a different look to everything he saw with a view of life behind the lens.

He was loved, respected, and admired by his family, colleagues, and those who were fortunate to work alongside him.  Rick was an innovator and problem solver, he dedicated his experiences and mind to making everything and everyone around him better.  He strived to live his life quietly, but his actions and who he was to so many was vivacious and left a lasting impact.  This fund is in his honor and memory, with the hope of helping those in receipt of the scholarships to go out and live their lives, pursue their passions, do the unthinkable, challenge themselves daily, and strive for excellence in every endeavor they seek.