All American Cup Founder Jim Aikman: He's Done it All

With his beloved All American Cup at the All American Classic in Indianapolis this week enjoy this great spotlight on James "Jim" W. Aikman from his 2006 ASHA Lifetime Achievement Award written by Linda White

He's Done It All

James W. Aikman, 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award

By Linda White 

"Who was that masked man?" asks the first man wonderingly. He bends down to pick up a silver bullet lying at his feet: an object that has miraculously solved their immediate problems. Holding the mysterious, shining bullet between his thumb and first finger, he looks off into the distance at the departing figure on horseback.

"That was the Lone Ranger," his companion replies reverently. While there may not be anything too mysterious about Jim Aikman, for the past 65 years, he has often seemed like the Lone Ranger, firing the metaphorical silver bullets that have solved many problems, righted many a wrong, and brought the American Saddlebred and its sometimes-reluctant community into the 21st century.

"Few people know the time, energy and financial support Jim Aikman puts into promoting the American Saddlebred," says Indiana friend and Hackney breeder Steve Kildow. "He is always looking into the future for ways to promote the breed he loves. He believes that with the proper efforts, anything can be accomplished."

"He leads by doing and his enthusiasm is infectious," adds lifelong Saddlebred devotee Wendy Lewis. "He speaks to each person, no matter their circumstances, as if they were the only one in the world that matters. His love of the American Saddlebred is absolutely genuine." 

Money Talks

Those longtime breeders' enthusiasm is not overstatement, because Aikman's contributions to the Saddlebred world truly are staggering. The All American Cup, his most recent brainchild, has quickly grown into the largest, most profitable rewards program in Saddlebred history. The 2006 All American Cup Stallion Service Auction, which took place in Shelbyville, Kentucky, in January, raised an astonishing $314,000.  Earlier that day, 300 people turned out for a stallion and farm visitation.

"We had three busloads of people, plus more than 30 automobiles filled with people, following the buses," offers Jim Aikman happily. "Imagine nearly 300 people standing on the rail, whooping and yelling, with over 40 stallions presented at six farms! I had made a trial run of the trip on December 6, measuring times and distances, so that we were able to maintain a schedule. I told the stallion presenters to pass one another in the aisle ways: we could have absolutely no down time. People are still talking!"

Because of this first year's tremendous response, plans next year call for a two-day stallion and farm visitation preceding the All American Cup Stallion Service Auction.

"You know, money talks," Aikman reminds us. "It will probably be a few more years before we see the full impact of the All American Cup program, but we now have more than 170 stallions participating. How do you account for those numbers?" he asks rhetorically.

"The key is putting every ounce of energy into it: staying on the phone night and day. It takes that kind of effort. Moreover, because of the way the auction is structured, because every stallion service donor put up a minimum bid of $500, the very first 2004 auction had earned $85,000 before it ever took place. The buyers at the auction have to declare and submit the name of a mare to be bred by the end of the year for the resulting foal to be eligible to compete.

"The stallion owner can also breed one mare, and he has to pay whatever the service sold for, but no more than $1,000. Undulata's Nutcracker's service fee topped the 2006 sale at $25,000, which the successful bidder will pay … but the stallion's owner can also nominate a mare and her resulting Nutcracker colt by paying $1,000. Stallion donors added another $80,000-plus, by declaring 80 more mares, which raises our available payout to over $400,000."  

The All American Cup takes place during the All American Horse Classic in Indianapolis in September. In 2005, the All American Weanling Cup awarded $163,360, including $50,176 to first place, $35,000 for second, and $22,000 for third place. In future, weanlings will be awarded half the pot, and three-year-olds will get the other half. The generous paybacks are engaging professional horsemen's interest, as well.

"They weren't interested initially in the weanlings in-hand, but now, they're all out there, showing colts," smiles the program's creator. "I can't tell you how good it felt last fall to see a leading professional performance trainer going out the gate, waving a $50,176 check his weanling had earned. This program is working.

"It's making people want broodmares," he adds. "For example, my friend O. U. (Oz) Mutz, who bred a number of world's champions, like Court Manor's Wildfire, years ago, hasn't owned a horse in years, but he came up for this event. I happened to see a nice mare on my December 6 'trial run' farm trip, so when Oz got up here from Florida, I said, 'Let's go see a mare.' Well, Oz bought her that day, and then bought a breeding to CHHarlem Globetrotter for her during the auction. Thus, O. U. Mutz went back to Florida a Saddlebred breeder again. It's this program, and solid programs like it, that are going to help save this breed. Another fellow, who had never owned a Saddlebred before, bought a foal en utero so he could participate in the All American Cup!" 

Timing Is Everything

James W. Aikman was born in Washington, Indiana, in 1929. Coincidentally, Jim's parents bought him his first Saddlebred in 1942 at L. S. Dickey's, where trainer Marty Mueller was then working. Mueller, who would later achieve great fame and recognition with horses like CHThe Lemon Drop Kid and many others, was recipient of the 2005 ASHA Lifetime Achievement Award.    

In 1941, Jim's father George Aikman and his family purchased a 100-acre Acton, Indiana, farm with a falling-down barn, a roofless house, and 50 head of hogs for $6,000. That same year, the family purchased Society Rex's daughter, Grasslands Debutante (BHF), for $350, and bred her to Indiana Ace. The 100 acres would become Aikman's near-legendary Hide-A-Way Farms. He still lives there, but concedes to having fixed things up a little since 1941, and put a roof on the house. Grasslands Debutante's second foal, Hide-A-Way's Laura Belle (BHF), became Jim Aikman's second World's Champion in 1948, winning the Broodmare and Foal Class with her dam.

"I've had 24 world's champions, but it took me 60 years to do it," he says with genuine understatement. "My advantage is that I'm a business man. I know that timing is everything. Whether you're selling manufacturing and selling food service equipment, or breeding horses, timing is everything.

"Take, for instance, the big controversy about natural tails. Twenty years ago, yearlings had cut tails and wore tail sets. In 1980, when I became president of the American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association, as it was then called, the issue was very hotly discussed – no curb bits and no cut tails for yearlings. For anyone, and especially for amateurs who kept their horses at home, trying to keep a yearling in a tail set was almost impossible. Left unsupervised for even a few hours, they would undress themselves, and more often than not would ruin their tails. The set tails and curb bits were keeping people from participating. The year before, there had been eight yearlings in the in-hand class.

"The ASHBA Annual Meeting was held in New Albany, Indiana, that year. Despite opposition from a number of professional trainers, the regulations stating showing yearlings with set tails, and in curb bits, were voted down, with only three dissenting votes. The next year at Louisville, there were 32 yearlings in the class! Ten years later, there were still 30 or more yearlings in the class, with natural tails, and no curb bits. I'd like to say I helped do that. Ten years later, Tom Moore, who was one of the dissenting votes, was still saying that I had set the industry back 40 years, but I only want a blue ribbon, not only for myself, but also for the Saddlebred breed. I never ride for second money."  

Hide-A-Way Farms' horses' successes have more than debunked the persistent myth that good futurity colts don't grow up to become good show horses. Space literally does not permit a list of his in-hand winners who have gone on to win World's Championships and other major performance titles in every division. "People have finally quit saying that good futurity colts don't go on to make good show horses," he says with characteristic understatement.

In the late 1960s, Aikman told then-ASHBA president Thomas Morton, Eddie Barham and several others that he would like to become a board member – previously a traditional, "member for life" station. Shortly thereafter, an elderly board member passed away, so Aikman was elected to replace him. In his 21 years on the board, Aikman never missed a meeting. He was also the Association's first president (1980-83) when it changed from a "stockholders only" corporation to a public company.                

  He introduced breed promotion to the organization, which he was instrumental in re-naming the American Saddlebred Horse Association. He next sold the board on hiring veteran Dick Morgan as executive vice president. During his tenure, Morgan introduced Aikman and the board to the success other breeds were having with youth groups and regional or state charter clubs. He also began a newsletter, which quickly grew into the American Saddlebredmagazine, as it exists today.

"I hope the magazine lasts forever," states Aikman. "It may not be a money-maker, but the magazine is an essential, invaluable promotional and educational vehicle." It was also businessperson Jim Aikman who, realizing the inadequacy of the antiquated, three-by-five file card system the registry had been maintaining, made it his mission to bring computerization to ASHA. Around 1982, despite opposition, he bought Arizona Saddlebred breeder Walter Bush's computer software system for $17,000, brought it back to the Association, implemented it, and hired someone to head the system.

"It probably cost us another $17,000 to de-bug the system and correct all the errors, and the time I spent probably cost me six or seven million in lost revenues from my food service equipment business, but I'm proud to say that we got the system up and running. It has revolutionized all of our records keeping.

"I didn't cause these things to happen," he adds with typical modesty, always eager to give others, and cooperative team efforts, credit for accomplishments major and minor. "I was just lucky enough to be there when they happened. This is my life, my pleasure. These are the people I love; the people who need me. My pleasure, and my satisfaction, is in getting to know all of the Saddlebred people and in seeing this great breed succeed."

Aikman's support also helped Irene Zane sell her plans for a Saddlebred pleasure horse association to the industry. "It was all growth and timing," he allows. "There is a place for every horse, and the pleasure horse division's potential for growth has more than proven itself." He encouraged newer members' participation on the board and in charter clubs, and supported amateurs' efforts to hold clinics and seminars. Aikman's persistence also got the Saddlebred offices moved from antiquated, outgrown quarters in a run-down Victorian mansion in downtown Louisville, to a sumptuous new building at the Kentucky Horse Park.

"Again, it was timing," he insists. "We raised the money, and got it done." Aikman also got permission for influential stallion Supreme Sultan to be buried beneath his statue, in front of the building. "That's another story, but he was a great sire, and his legacy is something that will last for all time." 

Still Showing Off

Tuxedos and his distinctive, elegant style of showing colts in hand revolutionized that aspect of the business, too. In fact, when many people hear the name "Jim Aikman," they immediately think of a tall, graceful man wearing a cummerbund. "He has been a Saddlebred supporter and activist for as long as I can remember," notes trainer John T. Jones. "He gave the in-hand divisions a lot of flair and color. He has always kept the bar raised, and has added so much style and class."

Wendy Lewis, who has raised and shown more than one World's Champion in hand, could not agree more. "He has had a profound influence on my life with American Saddlebreds," she explains. "I remember going to Louisville when I was about 10 or 12 years old, and Sue Roby asked Jim if we could see the colt he had brought for the futurity. He certainly didn't have to, but he pulled the curtain back a little, and there stood Hide-A-Way's Country Executive. I had never seen such a beautiful colt, knee deep in golden straw! Now, when kids come by and want to see my colts, I always remember what Jim Aikman did, and how it created in me a desire to aspire to perfection in a Saddlebred weanling or yearling."

This year's Lifetime Achievement Award is only the most recent of many bestowed on Jim Aikman. Recipient of the Kentucky State Fair Hall of Fame Award in 1995, he has been named UPHA "Horseman of the Year;" been recipient of The National Horseman Castleman Award in 2005, and the UPHA Associate Award (more than once). He was awarded Shirley Parkinson Professional Achievement honors in 2005, and the C. J. Cronan, Sportsmanship Award from the American Saddlebred Horse Association. From the Indiana Hall of Fame, which he founded, he received a 2004 Hall of Fame induction, for which he had for years insisted he would not be considered.

"We tricked him!" crows Steve Kildow. Still, not much gets past this remarkable, energetic, determined, ferociously passionate Saddlebred enthusiast.

"To me, Jim Aikman rates hero status," says Bob Ruxer. "Nobody else has ever gone more the extra mile than he has for the American Saddlebred. His expertise in showing young horses is unequalled, just as his leadership in our industry is unparalleled. He set the stage for the ASHA as it exists today: a public company, and his clinics, videos and book, not to mention his development of the All American Cup, are a tremendous boon for this breed.

"With Jim Aikman, the American Saddlebred is in great hands, but more than anything, he is one great friend. Jim Aikman? Nobody does it better." 

Writer, artist and educator Linda White began showing horses in 1953, and her family entered the business in 1878.  A licensed "R" judge for many years, Linda has bred, owned and exhibited national champion Saddlebreds and Arabians from coast to coast.  She is married and has lived in Louisville since 1993.