New Ownership: Carpenter Farms, Don Ham, and Solo Unite Behind LBR Hangem
- Melanie Smith
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
GAINESVILLE, Texas — LBR Hangem is heading into 2026 with a new team behind him.
Todd Carpenter joins Don Ham and Solo Select Horses as part of the ownership team behind the standout, $309,420-earning stallion LBR Hangem—forging an alliance between three programs built on a super-charged mix of experience, mare power and operational excellence. Bred by Charles Burger, LBR Hangem was started by Chava Cabral as a 2-year-old and has been trained and shown by Kenny Platt since. He will continue to be shown under Platt’s guidance through the 2026 season.
“Before he ever owned part of him, Todd committed to this horse by breeding some of his very best mares to him,” said Melanie Smith of Solo Select Horses.
“We know what this horse represents; his talent, strengths and outcross pedigree make him truly one of a kind. We’ve been intentional about managing his future, giving Kenny every opportunity to make him a winner while launching his breeding career without compromising his performance. Todd shares that vision completely, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”
Todd Carpenter, known for his Carpenter Farms program based in Alabama, is building one of the most progressive broodmare bands in the cutting industry. His mares include proven producers and top performers, with the recent acquisition of both Sho Boat and Sweet On Stevie—two mares that will be bred to LBR Hangem in 2026.
Sho Boat, the Metallic Rebel daughter out of Reycy Moon, has earned more than $250,000 and brings with her one of the deepest maternal pedigrees in the business. Shown by Lloyd Cox, she will continue to be campaigned through next year in the open.
Sweet On Stevie, by Stevie Rey Von and out of the legendary Sweet Abra, has already earned more than $62,000 in NCHA competition. She continues to build on the legacy of her nearly $3 million-producing dam, Sweet Abra—the same mare responsible for champions such as The Animal, The Dewd and Magic Metallic. Shown by Colt Moore, she will hit the road again next year to build on her success in the show pen.
Carpenter, a 40-year media executive who started in newspaper production at just 13, he went on to lead Boone Newsmedia as president and CEO before founding Carpenter Media Group, one of the most influential voices in community journalism. His leadership has touched hundreds of publications and shaped the way stories of the American heartland are told. Todd and his wife, Emily, have three grown children — all entrepreneurs themselves — who reside in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. His success in media has been built on vision, execution and a knack for turning ideas into scalable realities, traits that translate seamlessly into the performance horse world.
Horses, though, have been part of his life from the start. Todd grew up following bird dogs with his father and brother on the old Tri-State Circuit, and later worked alongside his dad in a small racing and breeding operation. That early exposure to horses laid the foundation for a passion that never really left.
“When the opportunity arose to partner on LBR Hangem, it was an easy yes,” Carpenter said. “He’s proven himself in the show pen, but he’s also an incredible outcross on so many of our mares. This is about building the next generation of open horses — horses that can win anywhere and carry value far into the future.”
Don Ham has long been quietly invested in the stallion from the day he was born. “Don has been part of Shotty’s journey from early on,” Smith said. “He’s believed in this horse from the start — he always told us how exceptional he was. We all share the same vision: to give this horse every opportunity to show the world just how special he is.”
Ham’s career in the Quarter Horse industry began in 1991, managing the stallion Doc T Bar. From there, he joined Bob Perry Quarter Horses, where he oversaw some of the breed’s most influential sires, including Zippo Pine Bar, Zips Chocolate Chip, Freckles Playboy, and Travelena—an experience that sparked his enduring passion for cutting horses.
He later spent six years as general manager at Manion Ranch, overseeing legendary stallions such as Smart Little Lena, High Brow Cat, High Brow Hickory, and Smart Aristocrat.
At the request of Don Horton of D.R. Horton Homes, Ham relocated to Strawn, Texas, to manage Smart Little Uno, Peppy Boy 895, and Telesis before launching his own operation.
As an independent manager, he guided the careers of industry greats including Justa Swingin Peppy, Spots Hot, High Brow CD, and TR Dual Rey.
Ham also purchased and managed NCHA Futurity Champion—and sire of LBR Hangem—Dual Reyish for Billy Wolf early in the stallion’s career. He guided the acquisition of all-time leading producer Show Biz Kitty, who sold with the newest $1 million earner, Kittenish, as an embryo at the time of purchase, and A Little Reylena, the dam of NCHA Futurity Champions Lone Wolff and Dual Reyish. Ham also purchased NCHA Open World Champion Metallics MVP for Wolf, further proving his unmatched eye for selecting future champions and shaping the bloodlines that define today’s elite cutting horses.
He later raised LBR Hangem alongside breeder Charles Burger, a horse that continues to reflect the depth and legacy of Ham’s lifelong contributions to the performance horse industry.
“I deeply appreciate Melanie, Ty and Don allowing me to join them in responsibility for Shotty and his future.” Carpenter continued. “We are committed to Shotty’s success and the success of breeders who join us in believing in him and the mark he will make on each program and our industry.”
LBR Hangem stands at Solo Select Horses in Gainesville, Texas.
Breedings for the 2026 season are now open.
