Dr. Glenn Paul “Doc” Blodgett was the horse division manager of the 6666 Ranch for many years. He was born December 31, 1948 in Perryton, Texas and died November 20, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. His parents were Clarence Ralph Blodgett, Jr. and Helen Johanne Studer Blodgett. Dr. Blodgett grew up in Spearman where his father operated a grain elevator business called B & B Grain. The family also operated a farm and cattle operation for their own account. There they also raised wheat and leased their grassland. They lived in town but Dr. Blodgett grew up working on the farm and ranch. He was a third generation Texan. Both his father and paternal grandfather were not only born in Texas, but born in the Panhandle. Dr. Blodgett was the oldest of two children.
As a youth, he participated in FFA and 4-H activities. Also while in high school, he worked with a local veterinarian. He graduated from Spearman High School before enrolling at Texas Tech University. After studying one year at Texas Tech, he transferred to Oklahoma State University where he earned his bachelor of science degree in Animal Science. While at Oklahoma State, he was an active member of several agricultural service organizations. Dr. Blodgett then earned a doctor’s degree in veterinary medicine from Texas A &M University.
After earning his veterinary degree in 1974, Dr. Blodgett practiced for two years at the Spur Veterinary Hospital in Spur, Texas before returning to Spearman to work at the Hansford County Veterinary Hospital. He came to the attention of Anne Marion and the 6666 ranch personnel and in 1982, he was asked to move to Guthrie, about ninety miles east of Lubbock, to serve as the horse division manager and resident veterinarian for the ranch. He and Ms. Marion worked together to make the ranch a leader in horse production. One of the largest operations of its kind, the ranch bred up to 1,500 mares each year, typically with a high conception rate. For the next forty-plus years, he served the ranch in that capacity as it developed into a leading producer of working, racing and performance horses.
He was respected for his professionalism in the horse industry as well as his warmth in his personal dealings with others. He had a great memory and attention to detail. Dr. Blodgett was well known in the industry for his support of and contributions to the American Quarter Horse Association.
In addition to his responsibilities at the ranch, Dr. Blodgett was appointed to the Texas Racing Commission in 1988 and served in its management for a few years. He is credited for having promoted the adoption of medically oriented rules and procedures by that organization. He became a director of the American Quarter Horse Association in 1991 and served on its Stud Book and Registration Committee as well as the Hall of Fame Selection Committee for many years.
Dr. Blodgett was often honored by his peers. He was an active member of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and was named Equine Practitioner of the Year by the TVMA. The AQHA Racing Council honored him with a Special Recognition Award in 2011 and he was inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2013. He was named to the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. His many other honors include being named a Distinguished Life Member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners in 2016. Generous contributions to the veterinary school at Texas A&M University helped in 2011 to establish the Equine Initiative and the Glenn Blodgett Equine Chair. In 2004, he was appointed to an adjunct professorship in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Texas A & M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. In 2017 he was awarded the Golden Spur Award by the National Ranching Heritage Center. During his tenure at the ranch, the program was instituted in which fourth year veterinary students can get hands-on experience working with the horses on site at the 6666 Ranch.
Dr. Blodgett was called a pioneer in equine theriogenology, a term which is defined as a study that “encompasses all aspects of veterinary reproductive medicine and surgery. This includes the basic sciences of anatomy, physiology, pathology and pharmacology, as well as all aspects of clinical practice related to male and female animal reproduction, obstetrics, and neonatology. The term Theriogenology is derived from the ancient Greek words “Therio” meaning beast or animal, “gen” as in genesis meaning creation, generation, and “ology” meaning study of. Theriogenology gathers mammals, both male and female, and reproduction, both physiology and pathology.”(1)
The following credit appeared at the end of the Season 5, Episode 8 episode of Yellowstone, “In Loving Memory of Dr. Glenn Blodgett, Horse Division Manager at The 6666 Ranch.” Portions of several episodes of the television series were filmed on the ranch. Its executive producer Taylor Sheridan is usually said to be the representative for the ownership group that acquired the ranch in 2022. In an interview for a West Texas news spot, Dr. Blodgett spoke favorably about the series and how it might increase viewers’ interest in horses, ranching and the western lifestyle.
Dr. Blodgett passed away in Fort Worth in late 2022 after suffering complications from surgery.
(1) Theriology Foundation – The Future of Animal Reproduction
Other sources:
National Ranching Heritage Center Tribute to Dr. Blodgett
Dr. Glenn Paul Blodgett Obituary, 6666 Ranch
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