Twenty-seven-year-old, four-time World Grand Champion and seven-time World Champion Dragonfire, passed away on November 20, 2024, at his retirement home at Riverside Summit Ranch in Riverside, California. His owner, Jim Heiting, loved this great horse that carried both Heiting and Jamey Thompson to both World Championships and World Grand Championships under Russ Thompson Stables banner. 

During his illustrious career, Dragonfire earned 87 blue ribbons in the Park Pleasure division at major shows in Tennessee and on the west coast. He began his career at the Western States Celebration in Reno, Nevada, in 2002 and won both the Park Pleasure English and the Park Pleasure Western classes with Trish Wooten and ended his showring career at the 2013 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration winning a reserve world championship with Jim Heiting. In addition to his world and world grand championships, he won six reserve world championships and five reserve world grand championships.

Jim Heiting had this to say about this great horse. “He was the BEST. He
He was loved by many and will be greatly missed by Jim and Cindy Heiting, as well as Jamey and Russ Thompson. He deserved every award he ever got, and more. He was a special horse. I was always in awe watching him from the first time I saw him. When I was finally able to buy him, the first time I rode him in any competition he carried me to a world championship at the Celebration! He was spectacular. And everybody who came in contact with him, horse people or not, at shows or at fairs on display or just in the barn loved him. He was gentle, and sweet while still being a beautiful and impressive stallion. I am so grateful he was part of my life. He was a true and forever (multiple) world and world champion. And he was a good and faithful horse and companion."

Cindy Heiting said, “Dragonfire was a fantastic horse. He was our reigning grand champion multiple times. He was a favorite horse to many, we are sure going to miss him.”