For Western Bloodstock, the partnership represents a continuation of the principles on which the company was built.
Western Bloodstock was founded in 2000 by Ben Emison and Milt Bradford, two industry leaders whose vision extended well beyond the auction ring. They built the company with an understanding that a strong marketplace serves the entire industry, from breeders and trainers to owners, buyers, associations and, ultimately, the horse.
In 2013, Jeremy and Candace Barwick purchased Western Bloodstock from his longtime mentors, carrying that responsibility into the company’s next chapter. More than a decade later, Jeremy Barwick sees this partnership as another step in the same progression.
“Ben and Milt taught me that this business is built on relationships, loyalty and doing what you say you are going to do,” Barwick said. “A handshake meant something to them, and it still means something to me. They gave me an opportunity, trusted me with what they had built and taught me that if you take care of the horse and take care of the people, the business will follow. Bringing Matt, Tarin and Kody into Western Bloodstock carries that forward. These are horsemen I respect, people I trust and people who care deeply about where this industry is headed.”
“Jeremy and I have been fortunate that the ventures we have taken on together have led us to some incredible places, and Western Bloodstock has been a very important part of that,” Candace Barwick said. “We have watched the company grow through a lot of different seasons, and we are excited to see what this next chapter brings.”
Miller, Rice and Porterfield built their businesses around a similarly horseman-led approach, with experienced professionals directly involved in representing horses, guiding buyers and sellers and helping make informed matches between the two.
As the performance horse industry continues to grow, so does the demand for quality horses and the responsibility of the marketplace serving them. For Western Bloodstock, that growth calls for more experienced horsemen at the table and more resources available to its customers.
“There is a tremendous amount of opportunity in the performance horse business right now, and growth requires good people,” Barwick said. “We can accomplish more for our customers and for the industry by putting strong horsemen around the same table. Matt, Tarin and Kody each bring a different perspective and years of experience evaluating, developing and marketing horses. That makes Western Bloodstock stronger and gives the people we serve more resources when they need them.”
The Western Bloodstock name, its established sales and its commitment to integrity remain unchanged. The partnership expands the team behind them, providing consignors and buyers with more professional horsemen involved in the process, more eyes on every horse and greater access to knowledge, relationships and resources.
Miller brings the perspective of both an accomplished competitor and horseman. A $4.8 million rider, Miller is a member of both the NCHA Non-Pro Hall of Fame and NCHA Riders Hall of Fame. His interest in the sale business has long centered on the opportunity to connect good horses with the people who can give them their next opportunity.
“The sale business has always drawn my interest,” Miller said. “I love the ability to help pair someone with a great horse. There is a lot of responsibility in that. When somebody trusts you with a horse they have raised, trained or invested in, or trusts you to help them find the right one to buy, you want to do right by them. Western Bloodstock has built its reputation on that kind of trust, and we are proud to be part of what comes next.”
Rice brings generations of connection to the performance horse industry and a career defined by developing exceptional horses. After establishing his own training operation in 2012, Rice became the youngest open trainer in history to win the NCHA Open Futurity. He has since accumulated more than $4.2 million in lifetime earnings and continues a family legacy deeply rooted in the cutting horse business.
Porterfield’s path into the industry began differently, but his rise through it has been defined by horsemanship and the development of talented young horses. Without growing up in the performance horse business, Porterfield built his career from the ground up and has since surpassed $1 million in lifetime earnings. His experience identifying and developing young prospects adds another valuable perspective to the Western Bloodstock team.
Together, Barwick, Miller, Rice and Porterfield share a belief that the strongest future for the performance horse industry comes through cooperation, sound horsemanship and a marketplace built around trust.
Western Bloodstock began with two horsemen, a handshake and a shared belief in what the industry could become. More than 25 years later, those values remain at the center of the company.
This partnership is built on the same thing.
