Where I've Been . . . .
My accomplishments in the world of barrel racing are not the focus of this page. What I have done in the arena is not what will help someone else succeed.
For those that are curious . . . yes, I enjoyed success in high school, college and professional barrel racing, was a regional association queen in college, have hundreds of trophies and a few trophy saddles, won many state titles, went to World Championships, Nationals and led the AQHA National standings in Open Barrels for 8 months (until my horse got hurt) and outran a few NFR girls along the way.
The real story of this page, and the key to my success, are the horses in my pasture. Without the Docs Superstar Bar horses, I would be just another girl on just another horse. This is their story and the accidental way in which I stumbled into one of the most potent producing barrel racing bloodlines.
Docs Superstar Bar, 1974 son of Doc Bar out of the 1979 NCHA World Champion Cutting Mare, Annie Glo.
In the early 90's, I was still buying other people's trained barrel horses to compete on. I purchased one such horse only to find out he suffered from anhydrosis. The seller agreed to trade him for the only other horse she had in her barn . . . . a 6 yr old, 14 hand bulldogging mare with a cloudy eye. This mare was not a barrel horse. I was so desperate to get rid of the horse with anhydrosis, I would have traded for a 3 legged purple donkey with no tail. This mare happened to be a daughter of Docs Superstar Bar, which meant absolutely nothing to me at the time.
I met the seller halfway at a fairgrounds to exchange horses. She asked if I wanted to ride the little mare. I really didn't care about riding her. She wasn't a barrel horse and I was just glad to get rid of that gelding. But, I wanted to be sociable so I threw my saddle on her. The seller told me to ride her around the barrels and get the feel of her handle. The mare had never seen barrels before and I thought it was a waste of my time but . . . . I wanted to be sociable. I trotted her around the pattern and she handled wonderfully. So I decided to lope. This is when I got my first lesson in what it means to be mounted on a Docs Superstar Bar. The mare inhaled the first barrel, took the paint off and nearly dumped me head first in the dirt.
I called my first Docs Superstar Bar horse "Dinky" because she didn't stand a hair over 14 hands. Dinky and I won a bunch at the AQHA shows and local jackpots. She even had such notable runs as winning over Cool Approach, a top horse in those days, at a summer race at the Heart O Texas Fairgrounds in Waco, Texas. This little mare was an absolute blast to own and ride. I'd like to say I trained her but, as I found out with the Superstars, they just seem to be born knowing how to do it. She went from a green novice horse to open horse in about 6 months.
Dinky was the first horse I ever trained for barrels. I had such incredible success and she made it all so easy, I decided to try it a second time. The little mare suited me so well, not only her appearance but her style, that I wanted to search out another Docs Superstar Bar prospect. I got the addresses from the AQHA of owners of 2, 3 and 4 yr olds sired by the stallion. I sent letters to all of those in the lower half of the United States asking if anyone was selling their horse. From the replies I got, I scheduled a 2 week road trip to go look at close to 20 prospects.
I looked high and low but did not find what I was after. My last stop was the owner of Docs Superstar Bar, Deryl Parker. As I was about to turn around and go home without a horse, he suggested I go to the ranch of AD Reed who had several young horses by Docs Superstar Bar. It was a gamble since AD had not been one of the people who had responded to my letter. We called and there was no answer at the ranch but Deryl gave me directions and I made AD's my last stop before heading home. As fate would have it, this was a large Texas Panhandle working cattle ranch and normally there wouldn't be anyone at the house during the day. Sure enough, I knocked on the door and no one was at home. I went to get back in my truck when, in a stroke of good luck, AD pulled up from the pasture.
He did indeed have a few Superstar prospects to show me. The moment I saw the 3 yr old gelding Peppy Otoe Star (Odie), pushing cattle through the pens, I knew he was "the one". I took him home and 90 days after I started him on barrels, he set an arena record. I won everything in the country on that horse. I outran NFR girls on him, I breezed to an AQHA Superior in open barrels, I won open rodeos and led the nation for 8 months in the AQHA open barrel standings before he was sidelined but he had won so much, he still finished 8th. Odie was also a small horse, standing only 14 hands.
I knew after my success with the first two Superstars I'd ever trained, that I'd found a bloodline that fit me well. They were smart, athletic, cute and worked with a style that suited my way of riding. But as fate would have it, at this very point, Docs Superstar Bar stopped producing. There would be no more direct sons or daughters for me to search out for prospects.
I was desperate to preserve this unique talent so I purchased several daughters to breed to stallions I thought would strengthen their already outstanding qualities. I looked for stallions that were from strong barrel producing families, had produced winners with a style of turning a very tight barrel, that were pleasing to look at and had SPEED.
Because Docs Superstar Bar was known more for cutting and reining, his daughters were bred that way as well. The producing daughters I have today do not stand over 13.3 hands and are the old style bulldog confirmation. They are short and fat but have lightning quick reflexes. Even to watch them out in a pen or the pasture, they just MOVE differently.
The first foal I produced - TOP TALLY - was out of Miss Star Boon and by the great barrel horse sire Flaming Talent. I raised him, broke him and rode him for a year putting a handle on him before selling him as a 3 yr old. He went on to a BFA Reserve World Championship twice, 2 NFR qualifications, AQHA/PRCA Barrel Horse of the Year, 1D Super Show winner and $300,000+ in earnings.
The second foal I produced - ITTY BITTY BOON - was also out of Miss Star Boon and by Flaming Talent. This filly must have been born when the signs were not right because she 
quickly earned the nickname Jinx. By the time she was a yearling, she had tried to sever all 4 legs in totally separate incidents. I wasn't even going to break her until a friend urged me to do so. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained". It turned out to be good advice as I not only broke her but patterned her on the barrels and sold her as a 3 yr old. She went on to win $6,000 in futurities, derbies and 1D's before being retired.
The third foal I produced - CALIENTE STARFIRE - was the last out of Miss Star Boon and by Flaming Talent. She is on my "Started Horses" tab.
Miss Star Boon was not my only $100,000+ producer. What are the odds that you breed another daughter of Docs Superstar Bar and come up with a SECOND $100,000+ producer? That's exactly what happened to me. The fourth foal I produced - TALENTS DARK ANGEL - was out of Docs Abbie Lee and by Flaming Talent. Unfortnately, this would be my last Flaming Talent foal as he was put down for breaking his hip after this breeding season. I broke Angel, patterned her and even competed on her before selling her as a 5 yr old. She is a multiple futurity winner, derby money earner, the first WPRA MegaFinale $100,000 winner, 1D Super Show winner, WPRA World Champion and has $200,000+ in barrel earnings.
Where I'm Going . . .
I did not tell my story just for entertainment. I told my story to illustrate an important point that most people just never get,
If you have a really talented horse. . .
You don't have to be a top trainer to win something.
I am at best, a decent hand with a horse. Yet the Docs Superstar Bar horses I competed on and the ones I raised have kicked butt in the arena. Why? Because they were exceptionally good horses at what they do, barrel racing.
Having an exceptionally good horse
is the key to success.
I've done my share of winning in the arena. However, I'll be the first to tell you that I won't win much if I'm running just an "average" horse. The competition is just too tough out there. If you want a shot at winning, you better be riding something that's pretty darn tough.
The "IT" Factor
Those horses that actually have the natural talent, the ones that are flat out tough to outrun, show it early in their careers. They are just special. If you want to be at the top, you have to have the "IT Factor". And you have to be smart enough to make sure your horse has it. For me, the Docs Superstar Bar horses have been as far as I've had to go to find it.
Talents Dark Angel & Caliente Starfire
I produce QUALITY, not QUANTITY. And, my emphasis is on young horses. You will not find junk in my barn. I slowed my program down significantly for a number of years to enjoy the sport of calf roping. But I am back now concentrating on producing more from the Docs Superstar Bar bloodline for others to enjoy. My methods have not changed since the times when Tally was born. Each horse goes through the exact same program that Tally and Angel did. I do not use outside help. Every horse is handled by me.
Full Walker of Docs Superstar Bar Grandget
What Others Are Saying . . .
“I respect Donna’s insight and devotion to her breeding program, especially since she looked deep outside the “name brand” box to find something that is magical and obviously has proven to be successful. Only the future will tell where that success will take her. . . . Renee Spiller, Owner Spiller Quarter Horses.
“I feel honored to tell everyone what a nice person Donna is. We both love horses so much and are a lot alike. Donna is one of the kindest and honest persons I know. I would recommend Donna to anyone and stand by her all the way.” . .. . Barbara and Walter Whisenhunt, owners of Flaming Talent.
“Donna Williams’ broodmares, though small in number, produce consistently high quality barrel horses such as Top Tally and Talents Dark Angel. I am honored that Donna gave me the opportunity to add Top Tally’s dam, Miss Star Boon, to my breeding program.” . . Jud Little, owner Jud Little Ranch.
“When I purchased Itty Bitty Boon, she was already running a strong barrel pattern. She had an excellent handle, easily adapted to my style and became one of the most solid horses I own. She had the most natural and quickest turning style of any barrel horse I have ever owned. She also had that “give it all you got every time” attitude. I would not hesitate to ride another one bred or trained the same way.” . . . . Terri Willingham, Futurity,