Cody's Wish

The Monument to Celebrate Cody's Wish, Cody Dorman Bond - Coming to the Kentucky Horse Park. Sculptor Jocelyn Russell is creating this monument at the Kentucky Horse Park. ‘The Bond: Two Hearts-One Spirit’: New memorial to honor Cody’s Wish at Kentucky Horse Park

For Quillin Leather and Tack, and Ralph Quillin in particular, this project represents several important connections:

Ralph Quillin hosting one of many monthly tours of Quillin Leather's show and workroom. Call or email to schedule your group tour when you are in Central KY.

Kentucky Heritage Connection: Quillin Leather operates from their Paris, KY Main Street shop, just a short distance from Claiborne Farm and Secretariat Park, placing them at the heart of Kentucky's legendary horse country. Providing halters for Darley and Godolphin for decades, crafting the halter for this monument connects them directly to the continuing legacy of Kentucky's most celebrated horses.

Craftsmanship Legacy: Quillin Leather & Tack is the largest "Custom Halter Shops" in the nation and hand crafts over 20,000 halters a year Sale & Show - Quillin Leather & Tack, Inc, and they produce their fine leather goods much the way they were made a century ago, with every item handmade in small batches from the finest English Finished Bridle Leather & Brass Hardware. Creating the halter for a monument honoring the 2023 Horse of the Year represents the pinnacle of their traditional craftsmanship.

Personal Significance: Cody's Wish was the 2023 American Horse of the Year and had an extraordinary bond with a young boy named Cody Dorman. For a Kentucky leather craftsman like Ralph Quillin, being part of preserving this touching story in bronze likely represents both professional pride and personal connection to the deep emotional bonds that make horse racing special beyond just the competition.

This commission places Quillin Leather's work in a second permanent monument that will honor one of racing's most beloved recent champions. Their craftsmanship in Kentucky horse racing history, alongside their proximity to other legendary statues like Secretariat, whose halter Quillins also made.