Brazos Valley Stallion Station wishes, with mixed emotions of regret and excitement, to announce the retirement of General Manager, Frank G. Merrill.
Frank came to BVSS in July of 2021 to assume the management of its entire operation. During Merrill’s tenure as General Manager, Brazos Valley Stallion Station has enjoyed tremendous growth. The past three years have seen a twofold increase in business, success, and influence in the Western performance horse industry for this noted breeding farm. The farm’s mission statement, “Brazos Valley Stallion Station blends impeccable sires with the finest in customer service to provide performance horse breeders with a unique and gratifying experience.”, has been key to providing the dreams of “breeding the future of our industry”.
Mr. Merrill has had over 50 years of experience in owning and/or operating some of the horse industry’s most noted breeding farms such as Windward Stud, Purcell, Oklahoma; Blane Schavaneveldt Ranch, Hemet, California; Cowan Select Horses, Purcell, Oklahoma, Bob Moore Farms, Norman, Oklahoma, and now Brazos Valley Stallion Station, Stephenville, Texas. Frank has managed over 200 stallions, breeding more than 45,000 mares, sale prepped thousands of horses, while representing thousands of worldwide clients during his career.
A Past President of the American Quarter Horse Association, Merrill serves on the AQHA Board of Directors, the Investment Oversight Committee, and the Stud Book & Registration Committee. He is a member of the NCHA Board of Directors, a former member of the NCHA Executive Committee and Chairman of the former NCHA Competition Committee. Frank also serves as a Trustee of the NCHA Foundation and as its Finance Chairman.
Frank has been honored by induction into the AQHA, NCHA and OQHA Halls of Fame and has owned and shown two AQHA Hall of Fame horses, Royal Santana, and Miss Jim 45, as well as managing the careers of several AQHA Hall of Fame stallions.
Merrill owns and operates M5 Performance Bloodstock, which provides certified equine appraisal, bloodstock consultation, agency representation, expert court testimony, and equine financial planning. He also manages his family’s Dogwood Foundation, a private charity organization. He will now devote his efforts to those two entities on a full-time basis. While Frank may be retired, he will still serve in an advisory capacity to Brazos Valley Stallion Station owners and its management.
All of us here at Brazos Valley Stallion Station want to thank Frank for his leadership and service and wish him the very best in whatever the future brings.
