Sunday, June 5, 2016

6/5/16 Golden Firefly BHF and Princess Irene, a closer look

Golden Firefly had a post back in 2013, but she is such a fabulous mare that she deserves another look.  Foaled in 1911, she was bred by the Kelley Brothers of Bowling Green, Kentucky  and owned most of her life by John Crozer of Upland, PA.  Mr. Crozer also owned Kathryn Haines at one time, and was the breeder of Kate Haines and her daughter Kate Peavine, Spoonbill and Abie's Irish Rose.  The man had some nice horses! 


Golden Firefly was a flashy chestnut mare with liberal white markings.  She was a crowd favorite and a regular winner.  In 1916, her trainer Sterling Nicoll rode and drove her to the RWGC in both the 5 Gaited and Fine Harness stakes at the World's Championship.  It took two horses, Richlieu King, a two time Stallion stake winner and Lady Beautiful, a five time WGC in Fine Harness, to beat her.
And once her show ring days were over, this great mare went on to make even greater contributions to the American Saddlebred breed. 
A check of her pedigree shows three of her grandparents tracing directly to Denmark FS.  Her sire, Guided by Love, was another brightly marked horse.  He also sired stallions Kentucky Moonshine, Green Valley Fox, Love Chief and My Own Love.  His daughter Marjorie Beebe was 2nd dam of Judy O'Lee BHF.  Princess Irene only produced one registered foal, but that turned out to be Golden Firefly. Other than that, little was known about Princess Irene, but that's going to change right now. She was bred by W. R. Allen of Smiths Grove, Kentucky and registered by  Scott Isbell of Bowling Green, Kentucky.  The towns were just down the road from each other.  And it just so happens that a home in Bowling Green Kentucky contained a painting of a saddlebred mare and a copy of the application to register her.  The sorrel mare with stripe and left front leg, white to the elbow, was none other than Princess Irene.  Her owner, which could have been Scott Isbell, or later the Kelley Brothers, liked this mare enough to have a portrait painted.  The long time homeowner had no connection with Princess Irene, and it's unknown what the mare's  connection was with previous owners of the home.  It is just good fortune that her paperwork stayed with her painting, and with her very distinctive markings, there is no doubt of her identity.

 a portrait of Princess Irene

GOLDEN FIREFLY . M, SADDLEBRED, 1911

Golden Firefly BHF


Guided By Love

King Lee Rose

Montrose

Daughter of
Mambrino
Le Grand Jr
 
Maud Cullen

My Own

Marr
 
Princess Irene

Kentucky Diamond
Chester Dare

Fannie
 
Patsy
 

Mark Time

Old Kate
 

Now for a look at some of Golden Firefly's offspring and what they've produced. 

Rex Firefly, f. 1921, sired by Rex Peavine. 

Rex Firefly sired:
         King Coe who sired Penny Co Ed BHF, A Sheer Delight BHF, Cora Sutton
         Sensation Rex who sired Vanity's Sensation, Golden Sensation, Mighty Sensation, Grassview Sensation and Wonderland Sensation.
          Sparkling Firefly

King Coe
                                           A Sheer Delight BHF produced Longview Supreme
Longview Supreme
                                       
                                          Penny Co Ed produced Penny Stonewall
                                           Cora Sutton produced WGC Cora's Time
Coe's Heir


Sensation Rex
                                  
                                      Vanity's Sensation
                                        
                                           Wonderland Sensation
                                             
                                                Golden Sensation
                                                
                                                      Grassview Sensation
Mighty Sensation

Flashing Peavine BHF, f. 1923. sired by Rex Peavine
Flashing Peavine produced American Jane and Flashing American.


Princess Firefly, f. 1928, sired by Bourbon King

Princess Firefly produced Dixiana's Spring Cheer and Firefly Genius.
Dixiana's Spring Cheer 

                                                           
                                                               Firefly Genius

Sensation Firefly, f. 1030, sired by Jean Val Jean

Sensation Firefly produced Genius' Firefly and Courageous Flash.
Genius' Firefly

Sparkling Firefly, f. 1932, sired by Rex Firefly, his own half brother.
Sparkling Firefly sired Sparkling Waters. 
                                  
                                      Sparkling Waters

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More descendants of Golden Firefly BHF
the list goes on and on

 American Jane out of Flashing Peavine
 Brass Tacks out of Flashing Peavine
Flashing American out of Flashing Peavine
Evening Cloud's 3rd dam was Flashing Peavine

Dark Tempest by King Coe

Easter Glamour by King Coe

Ernestine Supreme out of American Sunset BHF, 2nd dam Courageous Flash
 
Hide a way's Firefly Supreme out of Dixiana's Spring Cheer
 
Mr. Blythewood by King Coe 

                                               All these were sired by Sparkling Waters
 Bell Sparkle
 CH My Show Boat
 Ch Socko
 Fairy Waters
 Moon Glitter
 Sparkling Aire
 Sparkling Divorcee
 Sparkling Show Case
 The New Moon