For the 3rd consecutive year, the WHC Ranch Horse Sale is blessed with the opportunity to auction off an authentic Billy Klapper bit. Once again, the Klapper 436 comes to us from the Estate of close friend and collector of Billy Klapper wares, Perry Johns.
We are grateful to Johns’ third cousin Ashley Gee—who referred to Johns as “Uncle Perry”— for spearheading these sales. Gee was Johns’ driver during her 20s when she served in the air force. Johns, also an air force veteran, relied on Gee to take horses across the county for him.
“He would call and say, ‘I’m going to fly you to this airport, and I’ll meet you there with a truck and a trailer. I need you to haul horses for me,’” Gee recalls. “For 20 years I hauled horses for Uncle Perry.”
When Johns passed in 2021, Gee and other family members were given charge of his bit collection, with the only instructions being to do with them what they wished.
“In our minds, this is an opportunity to do good,” Gee says. “They are not ours, they are not earned by us, but it’s an opportunity to do good, so that is what we are going to do.”
This year, Gee crossed paths with Green Beret and President of the board of Special Forces Foundation, Ignacio Garza, and soon realized it was “a God thing.” After learning of his own passion for horses and equine therapy, she was happy to have found the nonprofit organization to receive all the funds raised through this year’s sale of the Klapper bit.
The Special Forces Foundation, an organization run by Green Berets for Green Berets, provides immediate and ongoing support to the Special Forces community and their families.
“The foundation’s goal is maximizing the amount of money raised and given back to the families,” Garza explains. “As Special Forces you have seen the worst of humanity and the challenges you face coming out of war are not new. Our hope is that how we treat those challenges, will be. We don’t look at throwing money at a problem, we look at solving that problem with creative solutions.”
Gee is passionate about taking care of the people who have made this country what it is.
“I think there is a huge connection between the people who serve our country and the people who get up and serve our country in the ranching community,” she says. “I think bringing those two together is important. Because they make this country great.”
To learn more about the Special Forces Foundation, visit Specialforcesfoundation.org.
Boone Askew, the son of Shawn and Angela Askew, was raised in Albany and Comanche, Texas. Boone was called home at only 17 years old. From an early age, Boone realized his purpose in life was to be a cowboy. He went on to work at cattle ranches including: Guitars, 6666 Dixon Creek, Gibson Ranches, the Byrds, the Nail, the Spires, Big Creek, Turkey Tracks, the Crutch, the Sanford Ranch, Plemmons Land and Cattle, PICO Ranches, and the Bowers to name a few.
As Boone branched out and began to forge his own direction, it became his dream to breed and raise his own line of ranch horses. The three mares Boone purchased from TJ Roberts during his time at the Spires Ranch are now managed and maintained by Scorpion Horse Company and Casey Armstrong, Boone’s uncle, in Tye, Texas.
It is the wish of Boone’s family to continue his legacy with The Boone Askew “Next Man” Memorial Scholarship & Crisis Fund presented through the Western Heritage Classic for cowboys and families of the WHC. Proceeds of the horse being sold will be given to a deserving recipient next year at the horse sale. The “Next Man” represents the way Boone lived his life. Helping a friend in need, giving sacrificially, and most of all answering God’s call to your purpose in life. Through this drive of life the family prays that when you hear God holler, then holler back!!
RBA Whatta Smoothman is a very personable, big boned, athletic prospect with a world of black type pedigree. His sire is a royally bred son of Smooth Talkin Style from Wayne and Chad Smith’s incredible program. His dam is an own daughter of an RHAA legend and World Champion, Quentice Mecom Blue, aka “Leroy” owned by Spires Ranch and shown by TJ Roberts. Don’t miss this great colt and the opportunity to holler at your “Next Man”.
Contact: Casey Armstrong, (325) 665-4104
Photos coming soon.