Born in Michigan, John Hyde climbed aboard his grandfather’s plow horses when he was a child and spent every day riding on their backs. John attended New York University’s business school, and after graduation, moved to California to work in the movie industry. He started to ride again, but this time on horses Universal Studios had for Westerns they were filming.

John’s career took off in the film and television industry. As President and CEO of Film Roman, John won an Emmy as the Executive Producer of an animated show you may have heard of… The Simpsons.

John and his wife Kate purchased a ranch in central California. They started off with just a few horses, but things grew. John rode cutting horses with Tom Marvel and hired Wayne Hinder to run the horse program at their Fairlea Ranch. After several terms on the NRCHA Board, John served as chairman of the Reined Cow Horse Foundation whose goal was to preserve cow horse history and encourage youth to participate in the sport of reined cow horse.