Born February 12, 1948 in Glendale, California, Benny Guitron was raised on his family’s farm in Indio, California. His father was a farmer and enjoyed attending horse shows. He took Benny with him every chance he had, and Benny grew to love the reined cow horse sport. Reared around famous horsemen such as Jimmy Williams, Harold Farren, Red Neal, Don Dodge, and Tony Amaral, Benny’s appreciation and love for the old traditions took hold of him at a young age. Fascinated by the vaquero customs since childhood, Guitron painstakingly learned the process of working and training horses. 

It was during the seventies that Benny Guitron truly stepped into his own in regard to the life that he would lead as a horseman. When his father passed away, he truly felt the need to pursue horses, reined cow horses to be exact. Contacting his ‘hero,’ Tony Amaral, Benny went to work for him and later worked with Bobby Ingersoll before purchasing his own facility in Merced, California.

Through the years Benny has come to be known as a historian who has worked to preserve the history of the people and horses who make up the reined cow horse. He’s long been dedicated to the heritage of the event, lifestyle, and continuation of the National Reined Cow Horse Association.

Benny’s dream to become a horseman has been fulfilled; a dream to truly know horses inside and out, to be a cowboy and to know the process fully from start to finish. That, along with his study of bloodlines and pedigrees now enables his opinion to exceed mere theory.

Guitron was the 1976 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Champion, the 1979 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Bridle Champion, and the 1980 and 1981 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open Hackamore Champion.

Benny has two sons, Tom and Wayne. Both boys have ridden and shown and, in the end, found happiness and careers outside the horse world. ‘It’s been a great ride,’ says Guitron. Grateful and humble of his accomplishments, he truly feels fortunate to live the life he does. Surrounded by good people and good horses, Guitron is thankful and honored to be inducted into the NRCHA Hall of Fame.