9/26/15 Dodge Stables 1937 -1938

9/26/15 Back in July, the blog wrote about the 1975 dispersal of Dodge Stables.  In 2013, there was also a write up of  CH Wing Commander in honor of the 70th anniversary of his birth.  Dodge Stables and its horses are such great topics, this week looks at them from a different perspective.  Dodge Stables had its beginnings in Rochester Michigan.  Here is a look at the show stable in its early years, specifically 1937 and 1938.  Who were the horses Frances M. Dodge showed before she bred the powerhouse cross of CH Anacacho Shamrock and Flirtation Walk, and before her move to Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky?  Not surprisingly, she had very good horses in the 1930's, In addition to Saddle Horses, she also showed ponies and heavy harness horses.  She excelled in all phases.

All of the pictures below come from Saddle & Bridle magazines from the period May 1937 through August of 1938, so it is a snapshot of a year in the life of Dodge Stables.  Not all of the horses pictured were owned by Dodge, but eventually would be under their banner.  Evidently, if Ms.Dodge saw something she liked, she bought it up.  Not all of her horses were winners, but she had a keen eye, a winning formula and a plan to become the best Saddlebred stables in the land.  Before she was done, she certainly achieved her goals.

Front Page Lady

Trainer Wallace Bailey, up

CH King's Genius X Wild Wind BHF

She graced the cover of the May 1937 issue of Saddle & Bridle.  This mare had been a winning Junior 5-gaited mare in 1936, including a World's Championship Jr. 5 Gaited and they were looking forward to her show career in 1937.  I couldn't find any further mention of her in 1937, and they bred her in 1938.  Her foals didn't appear noteworthy either, however, Dodge Stables bought her full sister, Front Cover.  Front Cover was the dam of Dodge star WGC CH Local Talent, a two time WGC 3 gaited horse.  

Mistress of Rhythm

Glad-I-Mere X The Decoration Lady

This 3-gaited mare was purchased in June of 1937 from Billy Shropshire of Nashville, TN.  However, poor luck followed her.  She was unloaded sick at the Newark New Jersey horse show and was unable to show.  When she showed at the Kentucky State Fair in 1937, she placed no better than 3rd in any of her classes.  She was not mentioned in 1938 and later foals she produced were not under the ownership of Dodge Stables.  Her dam, The Decoration Lady, was the 2nd dam of WGC Fiery Crags.

Manhattan Serenade

Liberty Peavine X Embry Miss

This dainty 3 gaited mare showed at Detroit in June 1937, but was sold shortly thereafter.

Glorious Star

Trainer Wallace Bailey, up

CH King's Genius X Lulu Belle

This mare was bred by Dixiana Farms and purchased by Dodge Stables as a yearling.  She was a winning 5 gaited mare as a Junior horse, even beating Flirtation Walk (then owned by Audrey's Choice Stables) at the Indiana State Fair in 1937.  She had a winning record in both 5 gaited and Fine Harness classes.  She was owned by Dodge Stables for the rest of her life and was a successful broodmare, her most famous offspring being CH Socko, another Dodge standout.  Unfortunately, she was killed in a trailer accident in the early 1950's which thankfully left CH Wing Commander unharmed. 

Harmony Lane

Peavine Glory X unregistered mare

Harmony Lane was a winning mare for Dodge Stables in ladies and amateur 5-gaited classes.  She was a winner at Detroit in 1937 and Reserve World's Grand Champion 5-gaited in 1937 with trainer Wallace Bailey aboard.   She was one of Frances Dodge's first big time winners. 

Society Barrymore

King Barrymore X Spoonbill (BHF)

She was a 3 gaited daughter of Spoonbill, making her a half sister to Society Rex.  She and Etta Kett were both 3 gaited winners for Dodge Stables, and she did go on to produce a couple of colts for Dodge. 

 

Along with Saddle Horses, Frances Dodge competed with carriage horses.  Here she is driving her team.  

Southern Twilight was owned by Mrs. Theo McKee in September of 1937.

Southern Twilight

Trainer Wallace Bailey, up

Royal Success by Edna May's King X Pacific Twilight 

Something about her must have caught the eye of Frances Dodge, for she was purchased in 1938.  Her best showing was a Reserve World's Championship in the Ladies 5 gaited stake in 1939.  

Also appearing in the November 1937 issue of Saddle & Bridle, none other than CH Anacacho Shamrock as a 5 year old.  At that time, he was owned by George Brandeis of Omaha Nebraska.  Spec Markham is up.  He was another horse that was noticed by Frances Dodge, and we're all glad that he was.  

Frances M. Dodge in 1938

First her engagement was announced in the June 1938 issue of Saddle and Bridle, and then in the August issue, her marriage to James B. Johnson Jr.  She was married July 1, 1938 and the ceremony was held at her mother's estate, Meadowbrook Hall in Rochester Michigan.  She and her husband left on a honeymoon in Europe, and she wasn't expected to return until fall, which cut short her 1938 show season.  

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