10/18/2014 Michigan's Saddlebred stallions 1930's- 1960's

10/18/2014  During the month of October, the blog is continuing to feature American Saddlebreds from the State of Michigan and this week presents stallions that were standing during the decades of the 1930's through the 1960's.  Some of them were only regionally known while others had a national reputation and of course the better known they were, the better the chance of finding their photo.  The post from a couple of weeks ago touched on some stallions from the 1970's, next week will check out stallions from the 1980's to the present, but here are the vintage Michigan stallions. 


The earliest ad I was able to locate was from March 1936 American Horseman.  Michigana Stables owned by O.C. Hartig of Lansing Michigan stood King's Chester Dare.  His fee was $20, not unusual during the middle of the Depression years.  There wasn't a picture with the ad, but he should have been a nice stallion.  Sired by Bourbon King, he was out of a granddaughter of Chester Dare.  He sired a couple dozen offspring, many with the Michigana prefix in their names.


Moving chronologically, the next stallion was Dazzling McDonald, advertised in the March 1938 issue of Saddle & Bridle.  Owned by Charles Doll of North Branch Stock Farm in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, he was by Red McDonald by McDonald Chief by Rex McDonald.  His dam was a granddaughter of  Bourbon Chief. Mr. Doll followed the line breeding theory of breeding to mares following the same sire line.  He liked McDonald Chief a lot, and his ads stated that this was his method.  He lists his broodmares breeding and all were granddaughters of McDonald Chief.  However, Dazzling McDonald's best daughter didn't follow Mr. Doll's breeding theory.  Ottawa's Empress was out of a mare by Worthy Peavine, he a grandson of Rex Peavine and Bourbon King. Ottawa's Empress was flat-out the favorite horse of my neighbor and mentor, Bob Elrod.  He and both of his parents showed this mare. 

Dazzling McDonald

f. 1930  Red McDonald X May Tucker by Bourbon Tucker

Dazzling McDonald with his owner Charles Doll

Ottawa's Empress

Dazzling McDonald X Maddox's Choice

As a broodmare she produced CH Double Indemnity

The next stallion is probably the best known of any Michigan stallion from this era.  Bred by the Ball Brothers of Versailles Kentucky, he was originally named Oakland Peavine.  When he sold to Mary Fiers in 1931, she renamed him Oklahoma Peavine after her home state.  While in Oklahoma, he sired many good horses including Love Affair and A Sensation.  Mrs. Sam McKinley of North Wind Farm in Lansing Michigan bought the stallion in 1937 when Miss Fiers dispersed her horses.  Oklahoma Peavine was said to be one of the very best sons of Rex Peavine.  He sired many colts in Michigan and continued to be advertised at stud until his death at age 27 in 1950. His son Oklahoma's Memory, foaled in 1950 also stood at stud at North Wind Farm as his sire's successor. Oklahoma Peavine was buried at North Wind Farm just east of the campus at Michigan State University on Grand River Ave.

Oklahoma Peavine

f. 1923, Rex Peavine x Margaret O'Neill by Kentucky Highland

CH A Sensation

f. 1933, out of Ware's Sensation (BHF)

She was a World's Grand Champion 5-Gaited horse in 1940 & 1941 ridden by Earl Teater.

Polly Phelps, re-registered as Love Affair (BHF)

f. 1937 out of Ware's Sensation (BHF)

Anne Hathaway

f. 1936 out of Murmuring Silence by American Born

The Headliner

f. 1947 out of Mountain Duchess by Green Valley Fox

Hazelene's Dream

f. 1932 out of Bourbon Ruby by Tryon Chief

CH My Golden Dawn (BHF)

f. 1927 out of Fair Acre Blossom (BHF)

Star of the All

f. 1933 out of Ware's Sensation

The Valiant V

f. 1933 out of Fair Acre Blossom

Oklahoma Peavine's grave marker in Lansing Michigan. 

It is located in a shopping center on the site of the former North Wind Farm

CH Anacacho Shamrock

f. 1932 Edna May's King X Sally Cameron (BHF)

Purchased by Dodge Stables in 1941, he stood at Rochester Michigan until 

Frances Dodge moved her horses to Lexington Kentucky in 1949.

CH Lover's Lane, CH Wing Commander, Private Contract and Command Decision

were all born in Michigan.  See more on this group at

http://theamericansaddlebred.blogspot.com/2013/03/3213-instead-ofmoving-to-ds-ive-decided.html

Sparkling Waters

f. 1935 Sparkling Firefly out of Dorothy Lloyd by Bourbon King

He wasn't purchased by Dodge Stables until 1947, so his time in

Michigan was brief, but he stood at stud for Dodge Stables in Rochester Michigan in 1948.

Golden Sunrise

f. 1932 Kedzie's King by King Barrymore X Leanoro by Mercer Rex

He was owned by Jimmy Casson who was a regular contributor

for Saddlebred publications, however, Golden Sunrise didn't sire many colts.

Dama Farms in Howell Michigan had at stud a son of American Born.  

American Bourbon was well advertised by his owners during the late 1940's and early 1950's.  

His last daughter, King's Bourbon Lady, was the dam of my husband's broodmare Sis.

American Bourbon

f. 1940, American Born X Marjorie Ann by Bourbon King

One of American Bourbon's ads

Also advertised and standing in Michiagn during the late 1940's were Brittoak Peavine,

Fair Acres Peavine, Fancy Choice, and Kalarama's Bourbon Prince, 

but no pictures were available. 

Bobby Easter

f. 1932, Arletha's Easter Cloud X daughter of Independence Chief

He was advertised in 1948 in Michigan, but had no colts born after 1947.

Rex Shadow

f. 1947 Society Rex X Velvet Shadow by Wake Robin

During the 1950's, he was owned by Carl King of

King's Grove Farm in Saginaw Michigan.

He sired my husband's broodmare Sis (Watch My Step), so she

was truly a Michigan bred mare.

Hide-a-way's Cameo Command

f. 1954, Cameo Kirby X Grassland's Debutante (BHF) 

He came from Jim Aikman's Hide-a-way Farm in Indiana, 

but he was used in Michigan in the late 60's and early 70's.

When bred to Buddy's dam (Best Saddlebred Ever), he sired Virginia's Cameo who was

the dam of Santana's Cameo.  He was owned by Bryndale Farm in Lowell Michigan

for awhile and also sired colt's for Crestopine Farm in Frankenmuth Michigan.

Flame Commander

f. 1965, CH Wing Commander X High Point Flame (BHF) by Starheart Stonewall

This well bred son of Wing Commander stood in Michigan at Herbell Farms

in the late 60's and 70's until he was sold.  

Since the 70's were covered already, that' it for now.  Next week will look at more modern saddlebred stallions, going from the decade of the 1980's to the present.  Quite a few stallions from Michigan were advertised during that time period. 

Please be sure to visit The American Saddlebred Blog's Face book page and like it!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Saddlebred-Blog/239612032866209