Saturday, December 26, 2015

12/27/2015 Vintage Saddle & Bridle from 1938

Continuing with the bound volume which contained Saddle and Bridle magazines from the years 1937 and 1938, this post looks at a few months of 1938.  Only 6 issues were included in the bound edition.


The January 1938 issue included a rating of broodmares from 1937 show results.  The leading mare was Kate Peavine by Rex Peavine out of Kathryn Haines.  Kate Peavine was the dam of CH Sweet Lavender.  Lina Lee Lewis made the list.  She was dam of WGC Fiery Crags.  Lina Lee Lewis' own dam, The Decoration Lady, also made the list.  This mare had been a RWGC herself back in   1920.  Several other mares on the list joined Kate Peavine in eventually being included in the Broodmare Hall of Fame.  They were Abie's Irish Rose, Fanny Morgan and Blanchita.


August A. Busch of Anheuser Busch fame was an avid sportsman and competed in many equestrian events. 


The February issue included many stallions ads.  One was for American Born, the leading sire of 1934, 1935 and 1936. 

American Born was the head stallion at Nawbeek Farm in Paoli, PA.

Pepper Martin was sired by King's Genius and his dam was a double granddaughter of Chester Dare.  No wonder he was beautiful.


The March issue again had numerous stallion ads.  King’s Genius had an ad showing his 1937 winners which included Flirtation Walk, Glorious Star, Rose Genius, Bourbon Genius, Front Page Lady, Dixiana Sunbeam, Belle De Luxe and King’s Star.  Most of these horses went on to be great producers themselves.  Peavine’s Highland Chief was the top stallion in 1937.  He was owned by Sterling Owen of Cynthiana KY.

 Peavine's Highland Chief was by Red Rex by Rex Peavine.  Although he sired many good show horses, he was not prominent in future generations. 
 

 sired by Jean Val Jean out of Fair Acres Vanity Fair, he
was the top sire at Spindletop Farms in Lexington, KY.

Bourbon The Great was a gelding out of the great mare, Wild Wind (BHF)

Pirate Gold was sired by King's Genius out of BHF Nancy Thurman.  This painting of him was done by George Ford Morris.

Royal Rex Bourbon was owned by Robert G Jones of North Middletown, KY whose family owned his sire Bourbon King. 

Sun Beau was owned by Glad Acres in Texas.  This is another drawing by George Ford Morris.

The June issue had an ad for the upcoming Georgian Court Stables dispersal sale.  In another note, Edgemorr Farm buys the breeding stallion Royal Rex Bourbon from Robert Jones. 

This young lady was seven year old Joan Robinson, who went on to fame showing Beloved Belinda.  She later died under somewhat mysterious circumstances and had a TV movie made about her. 

Dr. William Gadsby died in June, and his stable was offered for rent in the July issue. 

Chandu was offered for sale, and is pictured here with his owner, Mrs. Nona McKinley of Northwind Farms in Lansing Michigan.  She and her husband had purchased the stallion Oklahome Peavine in 1937.  They owned him for the rest of his life and his gravestone is located near Michigan State University. 

Mountain Dawn was owned by Lupton Veazey Rainwater of VZtop Stables.  He briefly entered the Saddlebred world in the mid 1930's and had his dispersal in 1940. 

Wild Water was a 3 year old mare owned by Happy Valley Farm of Rossville, Georgia. 



The August issue reported that the show mare Night Flower was sold by Dixiana Farm.



Night Flower was a successful show horse in both 5-gaited and Fine Harness.  She was also a very successful broodmare and was in the Broodmare Hall of Fame. 

Delaine Bourbon was shown by his owner, H.S. Silberman who owned Delaine Farms. 




This picture was a throwback, even from 1938 standards.  The well bred mare is Regina McDonald, sired by Rex McDonald and out of Bess L.  Her 2nd dam was Lena M, the dam of Rex Monroe.  She was foaled in 1902 and is shown here with a future trainer, 5 year old Welsh Greenwell. 


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Sunday, November 22, 2015

11/21/2015 Vintage Saddle & Bridle from 1937

The bound volume of Saddle & Bridle magazines from May 1937 through August of 1938 has already yielded some interesting history on Dodge Stables, Dixiana Farm and society weddings.  This post will look at other highlights and notable horses from 1937.

In the month of May, ads for stallions like King Barrymore and King's Genius were commonplace. The photographer of the day was Lester Rounds, Glamorous Dorothy Lamour modeled Kentucky Jods for Meyers Brothers of Lexington.  The Lexington Jr. League's inaugural horse show was written up.  Allie Jones was elected President of the American Saddle Horse Breeders' Association.

This full page ad for Anacacho Ranch
used a drawing of their senior sire,
Edna May's King at age 17 from 1935.
Anacacho Revel, future star of Gone With The Wind,
is pictured in the show ring.  He was owned by L.E.Davis of Texas.

During the month of June, many horse shows from all over the country were advertised.  Broadacres Farm in Shelbina, Missouri held a dispersal, but was bought by a young Welsh Greenwell.


These couples are enjoying a new luxury. .  
That's not a bar she's standing next to, it's an air conditioner. 
Jean Coventry was photographed with her young owner.
She is best know as dam of Lady Coventry
and 2nd dam of CH Kourageous Kalu.

The workers at Houghton Buggy in Marion Ohio were pictured.  
The business folded just a few years ago.

Queen of Bourbon was by Bourbon King, out of Kate Haines (BHF)
making her a 3/4 sister to Bourbon Genius, The Genius,
Leatherwood King, Leatherwood Genius and Genius of Stonyridge. 



July's issue featured Spindletop Farms on the cover and an article about their breeding success. LB "Splint" Burnett died in Mexico, MO..  Welch Greenwell purchased Broadacres Farm, which he had previously managed.  
Roxie Highland and her foal graced the cover
of the July 1937 Saddle & Bridle.
Beau Peavine was head sire at Spindletop Farm.
American Model by American Born 
was a WGC 3 gaited horse in 1936 as a 4 year old

Anglo Peavine had topped the sale
at the Broadacres dispersal in the month of June.
This grandson of Rex Peavine sold for $7800.

August featured ads for the horse shows of the Ohio, Nebraska, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee State Fairs, along with numberous other horse shows.  Show results for the very first Lexington Jr. League horse show were listed.  Bourbon Genius won the Stallion/gelding Fine Harness class.  Night Flower took the Mare class and Stake in Fine Harness.  Gold Cloud was champion of the stallion class and the stake for 5 gaited horses.  Royal Irish from Dixiana Farm was the 3 gaited champion.  They also had hunter classes, plantation classes, model classes, and produce of mare and stallion classes. Quite a different selection than today.

September's issue 
Golden Avalanche, shown by Chester Caldwell and owned by Red Top Farm.
This was his show name, his registered name to be determined.

The October issue has more great horses.

Moreland Maid by American Born
was 3 Gaited World's Grand Champion at the 
1937 Kentucky State Fair.  She was owned by 
Mrs. Victor Weil and ridden by Frank Connor.


The November issue had many repeat ads and horses.  Lupton Veazey Rainwater continued to buy up show and breeding horses to start his stable.  His dispersal sale was held 3 years later in 1940.

Lady Jane of Georgian Court
was actually CH Lady Jane of Crebilly.
Independence Chief X Katherine Grigsby (BHF)
She was 5 Gaited WGC in 1939,

Totokonoolah
was sired by Chief of Longview and owned by Mrs. Roth

, The December issue was the annual Christmas Number.  Doc Flanery was the king of the roadster drivers.  Moreland Maid was written up again.  One day she would enter the Broodmare Hall of Fame and be great grandmother to Buddy, Best Saddlbered Ever. San Juan was noted as one of Ohio's top sires.   R. S. Palmer of Columbia Missouri was noticed as a prominent young horseman.  

Midnight Star
was a 5 gaited show ring star, Frank Heathman, up. 
Peavine's Highland Chief
owned by Riverview Farm in Cynthiana Kentucky was a leading sire

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Saturday, November 7, 2015

11/8/15 Dixiana Farms in 1937

Dixiana Farm was owned by Charles Fisher of General Motors fame, and was located in Lexington Kentucky.  The farm was a well known show and breeding farm in the 1930's ad  1940's, and had numerous prominent horses.  This post will focus on the farm's show string in 1937.  Trainer Charlie Dunn showed many of the horses, but Mr. Fisher's daughter Mary was an excellent rider and showed many of the stake horses.

Dixiana was mentioned in the July issue of Saddle & Bridle and listed some outstanding foals born in 1937,  One of them was a cross of Moreland Peavine out of Princess Firefly.  Amazingly,  I have a photo of this mare, all grown up as a broodmare.  She lived at Ottawa Creek Farm just down the road from my house.
Princess Morevine in 1944
Moreland Peavine X Princess Firefly

Here is the 1937 Dixiana show string.



Dixiana Sunbeam
King's Genius X Sunbeam by Undulata King
Charlie Dunn, up.
She was 4th in the Junior 5G stake in 1937.

Fiery Crags
Mountain Star by Bourbon Star X Lina Lee lewis by Admiral King
He is a half brother to Rex Lee Lewis (sire of Conowingo)
and he was WGC in Fine Harness in 1933 and RWGC in 3 Gaited in 1937. 
Miss Mary Fisher up in this photo.

Flash of Genius
King's Genius X Flashing Peavine by Rex Peavine
Frank Bradshaw up
He was a 3 year old in 1937.

CH Royal Irish
Shanty Pernell by Rex Peavine X Margaret O'Neil
He was a 3/4 brother to Oklahoma Peavine and a World's Champion.
Miss Mary Fisher, up.
He was the Reserve World's Champion in the under 15.2 stake in 1937.
Mary Fisher and Royal Irish also competed sidesaddle. 

Charming Carmelia
American Born X Kate Peavine (BHF)
She was the Junior Fine Harness World's Champion in 1937.
Thomas Murphy up in this photo

Bourbon Genius
King's Genius X Kate Haines BHF
He was a 4 year old in this photo with Charlie Dunn.
He was a World's Grand Champion in Fine Harness 
as a 4 year old in 1937.
Here is another less often seen photo of Bourbon Genius

Ch Night Flower (BHF)
Independence Chief X Laddonia Girl by Rex McDonald
This beautiful black mare was 
World's Champion 5 Gaited mare in 1937 with Charlie Dunn
and had been WGC 5G in 1934.  She went on to the Broodmare Hall of Fame.

Radiant Rhythm
Bourbon My King X Jane Randolph by Solitare
She was a Reserve World's Champion Ladies 5gaited 
in 1937 with Mary Fisher.

Royal Entertainer
King's Fancy X Tamiami by Erin Chief
He was World's Champion Ladies' 3 Gaited
in 1937 with Mary Fisher.

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Saturday, October 24, 2015

10/25/15 Wedding bells in 1937 -1938

The bound volume of Saddle & Bridle which contains old magazines from May 1937 through August 1938 has many fascinating articles, well known horses, horse show results, vintage product ads and numerous sales reports.  This volume also contains four high profile weddings of Saddlebred elite which occurred over an eleven month period from August  1937 through July 1938.  This post looks at who they were and some of their more famous horses.  It's also interesting to note the interactions between the four brides and their horses. 


First up was Miss Audrey Thomas.  She was married on August 22, 1937 to Mr. William L. Taylor.  Miss Thomas was the owner of Audrey's Choice Stables in Rhode Island, which was a well known show stable.  In its heyday, Audrey's Choice Stables owned among others, Flirtation Walk and Parade of Elegance. Another giant was Ivan the Terrible, previously and subsequently known as Anacacho Denmark.  Miss Thomas' husband was the son of the owner of Wildwood Farm of Germantown, Tennessee.  At that time, the trainer at Wildwood Farm was Garland Bradshaw and Audrey's Choice Stable was managed by H. C. Barham.. 

Miss Audrey Thomas
Flirtation Walk with H. C. Barham up
Ivan the Terrible, aka Anacacho Denmark with Ray Harney up
 Dawn of Creation
Winged Wind
owned by Wildwood Farm, Garland Bradshaw up


Next in the bride lineup was Miss Mary Gwyn Fiers.  She married W. R. Ramsey on Christmas Day in 1937.  Mary Gwyn Fiers was from Tulsa Oklahoma, and had owned such prominent horses as Roxie Highland, WGC 3 gaited horse in 1930, 1933 and 1934, King's Genius, and was the current owner of the illustrious breeding stallion, Oklahoma Peavine.  She had been injured in a car accident and began breeding Saddlebreds rather than showing them.  She held a complete dispersal of her horses, a total of 65 head, in October of 1937.   Her show horses were sold earlier, but Oklahoma Peavine did go through her dispersal sale and was advertised in the December issue of Saddle and Bridle for new  owners, Mr. & Mrs. Sam McKinley of Northwind Farm in Lansing Michigan. 
Mary Gwyn Fiers with Roxie Highland
Flashing Parade went through her dispersal sale

Oklahoma Peavine went through her dispersal sale

Roughly six months later, the next bride appeared when Miss Mildred Yount married Edward Manion on June 27, 1938.  Her mother, Pansy Yount, was the owner of Spindletop Farm in Lexington Kentucky. The reception was held at the beautiful Spindletop Hall, which was located on Iron Works Pike near Lexington.  Spindletop owned such greats as Beau Peavine, and the same Roxie Highland owned by the previous bride, Mary Gwyn Fiers. 
Miss Mildred Yount
Beau Peavine, head stallion at Spindletop Farm
Roxie Highland with her colt from 1937



Just a few days later, on July 1, 1938, Frances M. Dodge married James Johnson at Meadowbrook Hall, the estate of her mother, which was located in Rochester, Michigan.  Frances Dodge was a well known exhibitor and breeder of Saddlebreds.  She eventually purchased Castleton Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, just further down Iron Works Pike from Spindletop Farm.  She owned Flirtation Walk, which had previously been owned by Audrey Thomas, and of course, Flirtation Walk became the dam of CH Wing Commander.  
Miss Frances M. Dodge

 
Frances Dodge on Harmony Lane
CH Wing Commander was bred and owned his 
entire lifetime by Frances Dodge.


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