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Here at StallionCompare, we join the Callaway Performance Horses family—and the wider Paint and stock-horse community, in mourning the passing of the great mare, Party Dress (2002–2025). Bred from the very first foal crop of Special Invitation and out of the world-champion producing mare Paint Me Gorgeous, Party Dress was the rare broodmare who shaped not only a program, but a generation.
A homozygous tobiano buckskin, Party Dress brought together elegance, substance, and a prepotent pedigree. Added to the Callaway broodmare band in 2012, she proved exactly the kind of foundation mare every breeder hopes to find: consistent, kind, and remarkably reliable at stamping her foals with quality, movement, and a steady mind.
Her impact is measurable and enduring. Fifteen foals, fourteen with show records, and multiple World Champions, including the celebrated Lopin To The Party, have carried her legacy forward across the United States and Europe. Her 2014 filly by Lazy Loper became a 3x World Champion, Reserve World Champion, 3x NSBA Champion, and the 2015 PtHA Horse of the Year—a testament to Party Dress’s ability to pass along both style and try.
Yet the numbers only tell part of her story. To those who knew her, Party Dress was family: gentle, steady, and full of heart. She raised her own babies and took in orphans, nickering for cookies in the mornings and anchoring the daily rhythms of the ranch with her soft presence. Horses like Party Dress make the long days worthwhile; they remind us why thoughtful breeding and quiet horsemanship matter.
This afternoon, Party Dress was laid to rest at the Callaway ranch in Shingle Springs, California, buried beside her beloved dam. There is comfort in knowing she is home, peaceful, and together again with her mother and her best friend, Juliet.
To Matt and Katie Callaway and everyone at Callaway Performance Horses, please accept our deepest condolences. Thank you for the care, belief, and stewardship that allowed Party Dress to leave such an indelible mark on our industry.
Party Dress’s legacy will live on in her foals, her grand-foals, and the many lives she touched. She will always be remembered, and deeply missed.
