Jimmy Flores, Sr. : 1927-2015
Flores, a frequent fixture with his popular Jimmy Flores Cowboy Gear vendor booth at performance horse competitions in California and beyond, was admitted to Riverside County Hospital on Aug. 12. His daughter-in-law, Robin Flores, noticed him moving much more slowly than normal around the ranch, and she insisted they visit the hospital. They did just that — after Flores, Sr., saw his chores were done for the day, at his insistence, according to Robin.
Bleeding from a tumor in his colon was discovered, and complications from a disorder that prevented clotting required frequent blood transfusions. He died at the hospital nine days before his 88th birthday.
Flores first trained professionally in the late 1940s, hanging a shingle in the San Gabriel area. In 1960, he and his family briefly moved to Oregon, then returned to California in 1963, eventually settling in the Perris area in 1966. His highlights in the show pen often featured his Quarter Horse stallion, Skunkface, an AQHA High Point Working Cow Horse (photo on page 6) who also was part of an international exhibition in Mexico that Flores was asked to perform by the AQHA and the governments of both Mexico and the U.S. in 1968.
Later, Flores was inspired to spread reined cow horse to Europe, and he did just that, helping introduce the sport in 1981 to Germany, where he is fondly remembered today. In 2009, he was named the National Reined Cow Horse Association Stockhorse Man of the Year.
Likewise, Flores is fondly thought of by the thousands he encountered at shows throughout the U.S., representing his Jimmy Flores Cowboy Gear.
“He was very inspirational to many,” said his son, Jimmy Flores, Jr. “Above all, I believe he would like to be remembered as a good horseman. He was not just a trainer, he was a horseman.”
As of press time, services had yet to be scheduled.
October 16th, 2015 at 11:10 pm
I never got a chance to meet him myself. But my brother knew him and had nothing but great things to say. It is sad when a great horseman caring passionate and old time passes because there’s not many left. My prayers go out to his family.
November 1st, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Jimmy Flores Sr. was a true horseman and a true friend. God Bless Him and peace to his family.
November 10th, 2015 at 1:25 pm
Sorry to hear about this.stopped in to visit him last year. I owned four skunk face h
Bred horses in the 70s and 80s.Jim , veronica sorry for your loss. Bob. Owner of Joe reeds skunk.
December 13th, 2015 at 1:05 pm
This came as a shock to me. I spent a summer at Jim’s ranch, I think it was back in 2002. I got to know hard working and very apt horseman. I truly enjoyed getting to know him, his family and co-workers at the ranch. It saddens me to hear of his passing and my thoughts goes to those near to him.
February 24th, 2016 at 3:21 pm
What can I say, only that jimmy Sr. Thought me everything about horses, from the ground up starting with all the parts to a saddle, to everything about a horse, and then once I had that down then he said it was time to learn how to ride, and so he tought me how to ride. I now am an avid horsemen and I think jimmy would be proud of what he turned out, I’ll miss him even thou I haven’t seen him since I moved to IDAHO, he was without a doubt the Best HORSEMEN I’ve every had the pleasure of working with, he will be sadly missed. RIP My friend.
July 9th, 2018 at 8:36 pm
I was only 14 when I went to work for Jimmy at his place in Perris California I work the summer there to earn enough money to get my mare bred to skunk face he was a beautiful horse I learned so much from Jimmy that I remember to this day sorry to see that he has gone
October 4th, 2019 at 11:36 pm
Unfortunately I learned just now about the passing away of Jimmy Flores. despite it happened already 4 years ago, I still hope that people who knew him well will read my note. I met Jimmy the first time during the First European Championship in Western Riding which I organized in fall 1982 in Aachen Germany. He was one of the Judges we could win to come over to Europe for that event. He was a straight man of charisma and we all learned to love him. On August 24, 2008 I met him accidentally in Paso Robles, California where he had a booth and sold tackle. He was an admireable horseman of the old style!
January 7th, 2022 at 8:26 am
I first met Jimmy at the Sherri Gilkerson Memorial Reining Cow Horse Memorial in Temecula, Ca. I enjoyed talking to him and he challenged me to learn more about how to braid knots. I had him rebuild a hackamore for me. He did a very good job of fixing it. In the years I talked with him, I enjoyed his company and wit. He was a person, I looked forward to seeing every time I went down to the memorial.