A grandson of Three Bars, he was shown in halter as well as under saddle, or while ridden, in both regular riding classes and in roping events.
While at a show in California, Texas breeder Carol Rose saw Zan Parr Bar, and tried to purchase him from Gibford, who had been her advisor at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), but Gibford would not sell, only compromising at allowing Rose the right of first refusal if he ever did sell the horse.
A month later, Gibford called Rose, and informed her that he was in fact entertaining offers for the stallion, and she immediately flew to California and finalized the deal for the horse.
At the same time, Zan Parr Bar began showing western pleasure, earning 19 points in the discipline with the AQHA by the end of 1977, enough for a Performance Register of Merit.
In 1979 he was the World Champion Aged Stallion in Halter as well as the High Point Steer Roping Horse.
[9] Zan Parr Bar died of colitis X on November 25, 1987,[6] and was buried at the Southwest Stallion Station in Elgin, Texas.