In Memory: Terri Rickford

Terri Rickford & Hoveys Malinda at the 1984 Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show® (Photo © Doug Shiflet) 

AMHA mourns the loss of Terri Rickford who passed away on April 30, 2024, at her Colorado home. 

Terri was the consummate horse trainer, exhibitor, and all-around horseman. A woman of integrity, she was always honest with her clients and kept the welfare of the horse at the forefront of her training. She and her husband, Dale, established Rickford Stables where they became nationally prominent trainers of successful Morgan show horses. They bred and showed champion Borzoi dogs; and raised their lovely family. 

Terri is most often associated with a mare named Hoveys Malinda who was gifted to Terri by Sharon Linden and went on to be one of the most successful Western pleasure horses of all time. Terri also won regional, national, and world championships with many others including her homebred, Brittany Lee. She was an accomplished riding instructor and mentor, too, described by those who knew her as kind, compassionate, encouraging, happy, and genuine. 

Terri is survived by her husband, Dale, their children, Chris (Virginia) Rickford and Brittany (David) Weibel, her grandchildren, Sierra (Alex) Reitz, Liberty Rickford, Rianna Rickford, Bailey Weibel, and Kate Weibel. She is also survived by her two brothers, Scott and Preston Cutler…any many, many friends. She will be greatly missed.  

The above is an excerpt from the beautiful remembrance of Terri written by Karen Weight and published in the August 2024 issue of The Morgan Horse.