TopNotch Performance Horses Ltd. is situated 30 minutes west of Edmonton on Highway 16A. It is there that approximately 90 head of some of the best bred Quarter Horses in Alberta run on 160 acres.
Owned and operated by Tim and Theresa Dykes, TopNotch Performance Horses also has three dynamic stallions and a very impressive band of broodmares.
Geared mainly towards cutting, reining, and reined cow horse, the Dykes’ goal is to raise excellent quality horses that make their mark in the industry as we see it today.
Their senior stallion, Bob Acre Venture, was purchased three years ago at the Western Bloodstock Sale in Fort Worth, Texas. With NCHA earnings in excess of $65,000, their goal for this exceptional stallion is to now prove him as a sire. His oldest foals will be going into training this year.
“We are really excited about the athletic ability these youngsters are showing,” says Theresa. “Crossing him on daughters of Smart Little Pistol, Peeping Bo Badger, Genuine Peppy and Badgers Royalite, we are seeing pretty headed, correct, exceptional foals.”
Two other stallions just recently purchased are Sugalena Scoot and JBS Badges Chick.
Sugalena Scoot (fondly known as “Scout”) is a red dun son of High Brow Hickory. Scout spent some time in the roping pen with Albert Porter and has proved to be an excellent horse for this discipline. With a hard stop, he can hold a cow with no problem. TopNotch also has some of his babies on site, and is consistently throwing pretty foals with wonderful dispositions.
JBS Badges Chick, a son of Peppy Badge Olena and just recently purchased from Brad Musgrove, is Theresa’s pride and joy. Right now, they are getting acquainted with each other and looking forward to taking to the road this summer and showing.
“This wonderful stallion has some youngsters around here, and all we have heard is what beautifully minded, easy-to-train horses they are,” says Theresa.
This past summer Tim and Theresa had a huge opportunity brought before them when Dwight Rutherford offered them a chance to purchase his herd of 22 horses. Rutherford, having been in the business for a while, had acquired some incredible horses.
With a money-earning daughter of CD Olena bred to 2003 leading money-earner TR Dual Rey; a Dual Pep daughter bred to My Own League; a Genuine Peppy daughter; and the list goes on, they realized this was an opportunity they could not pass up.
With some of their young two- and three-year-olds in training with John Swales of John Swales Training and Loren Christianson of Classic Performance Horses, the Dykes are looking forward to having some of their horses back in the show ring this year.
Also this year, they have been blessed with the return of Theresa’s brother and sister-in-law Dr. Rodney and Heather Gale. The Gale’s had been in Mongolia doing mission work and teaching vet medicine.
Dr. Gale is an experienced equine vet and will be setting up a small practice at TopNotch. Helping with shipped semen, AI mares, ultra sounds, and the foaling out of some 30 mares, he will be kept very busy.
TopNotch is also doing four outside crosses: breeding to Cat Ichi, Playgun, Smart Lil Ricochet, and Shiners Diamond Sun. “We are very excited about these crosses and will look forward to next spring,” says Theresa.
With this spring also comes the start of a new indoor arena and a 50-stall barn. The arena will be 115 ft. by 200 ft. and will be run as a sale barn and public facility. They are also hoping to find a cutting horse trainer to operate out of their new facility.
Whether you are looking for your next champion or just an equine friend, you needn’t look any further than TopNotch Performance Horses Ltd. To contact them, call (780) 963-2944, or email: tnphorses@telus.net.
