PORT ANGELES, Wash. – Memorial services for reiner John Slack, 42, who died of natural causes on April 21, will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church at 1 p.m., May 6, in the trainer’s hometown.
Mr. Slack, a Reno, Nev., native who moved to Port Angeles at age 8, grew into a successful trainer who won the National Reining Horse Association Futurity.
After graduation, Mr. Slack moved to Woodinville, Wash., and worked for Bruce Gilcrist until Bruce’s death. Next, he trained under Bob Avila of Yamhill, Ore. In 1991, John moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., and worked as a trainer for Bret Stone. Mr. Slack and Todd Bergen established their own business, EquinEnterprise, and worked together for several years.
Mr. Slack, a member of the NRHA and the Arabian Horse Association. held training clinics around the world, including the U.S., Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, South America and Australia. A few of John’s numerous reining accomplishments included riding Robert C Rocket to the American Junior Quarter Horse Association High-Point Working Cow Horse title in 1987, and, 10 years later, winning the 1997 NRHA Futurity Open Championship riding Ray Gay Quixote for owner Doug Israelsen of Utah. His most recent win occurred at an April 2011 Washington Reining Horse Association Spring Fling & Derby show in Wenatchee, Wash.
Among John’s survivors are his twin children, Sean Roy and Shea Ann, who live with their mother, Trisha, in Arizona; his parents, Richard Lee Slack and Ann Karen Wood; his stepparents, Douglas Wood and Eleanor Slack; his siblings, Kathryn L. and Guy Miller; Andrew P. and Sheryl Slack; Brian W. and Pam Slack; Shelley A. and Michael Peterson; Larry and Vandra Wood; Leilani Wood and Rob Schmidt; Michael Wood; Kerry and Jackie Wood; Wendy and Mike Thompson; and Dewey and Sara Breazile; along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A John Slack Memorial Fund for his children has been established at Union Bank in care of his mother, Ann Wood.
Memorial contributions also would be welcomed for St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 510 East Park Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362, and the Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics clinic, 909 East Georgiana Street, Port Angeles WA 98362.
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