The American Saddlebred: January 2017

Chester Dare hasn't appeared on a horses registration papers in decades, however, he is one of the old sires that had an indelible impact on the breed. He undoubtedly shows up as an ancestor somewhere on the majority of American Saddlebreds. He was foaled in 1882, died in 1904 and lived his entire life in Kentucky. His breeder, Will Garrett owned a lovely mare named Nannie Garrett, and he greatly admired the stallion Black Squirrel. Perhaps they shared many traits, as Nannie Garrett and Black Squirrel each had the same 2nd dam, Betty. Betty was bred to Giltner's Highlander to produce Black Squirrel's dam, Mollie BHF. She was bred to a son of Giltner's Highlander to produce Nannie Garrett's dam. Shortly after Nannie Garrett foaled in 1882, JC Graves, Black Squirrel's owner, stopped in to see the colt and ended up buying him from Will Garrett. Graves' wife suggested naming him Chester Dare, after the hero in a book she was reading entitled Zilpah.

Chester Dare proved to be a good five gaited show horse, despite the fact that he'd lost an eye as a 3 year old after being struck by his groom. Not long after winning the stallion stake at the St Louis, Missouri Fair, Mr. Graves was approached by Edward McCormack who ended up purchasing the stallion. McCormack owned the stallion, either solely, or in partnership with other owners, for the rest of Chester Dare's lifetime. A horse of great beauty, Chester Dare was a mahogany bay, noted for his extremely high head carriage. He passed the traits of his long double hinged neck on to his offspring. When Chester Dare was 9 years old, the newly formed National Saddle Horse Breeders Association was registering horses. When asked what number he would like assigned to Chester Dare, Mr. McCormack chose the number 10. He hoped Chester Dare 10 would prove as important to the Saddle Horse breed as Hambletonian 10 was to the Standardbred breed.

Chester Dare had many offspring that were good show horses. Although there is no longer a stallion line leading directly to Chester Dare, many of his sons were good breeding horses. Dignity Dare, John Rockefeller, Blue Chester, My Dare and My Own Kentucky were all good show horses that in turn became good sires. Undulata Dare, Royal Chester, King Chester and Crespus Dare were good breeding sons. I first heard of Chester Dare when I bought my second horse from Dr. Elrod. He pulled out her pedigree, which his secretary had typed onto a page for in his notebook. He pointed out many individuals in her pedigree, but then pointed to her 4th dam and said, "she's by Crespus Dare, he was a son of Chester Dare."

As good as his sons were, Chester Dare's daughters have kept him relevant. They were beautiful, numerous, and great producers. They included Carolina, great granddam of CH Lady Carrigan, Ella Rodman BHF, Gladys Twigg, Margaret Weissinger, Zuleika, Gypsy Queen 2nd, Miss Madison and Undine.

Here are pictures of Chester Dare and his offspring, with the stallion sons and grandsons first.

Blue Chester

Dignity Dare

Among his descendants were Alexander Monroe, Louisville Lou, Queen Anne of Windsor and Starheart Stonewall

John Rockefeller

He is in the pedigree of Helen Highwater and CH Main Glitter

My Dare

Among his descendants are WGC Chief of Spindletop, Arletha's Easter Cloud, WGC Daneshall's Easter Parade, WGC My-My, and Titleist

Doctor Dare by My Dare by Chester Dare

My Major Dare by My Dare by Chester Dare

My Own Kentucky

His descendants include WGC Beau Woolf and WGC Chief of Spindletop

Kentucky Choice by My Own Kentucky by Chester Dare

Madison Dare by Chester Dare

Mountain Peavine by Mountain Dare by Chester Dare

Welcome Dare by Dickery Dare by Undulate Dare by Chester Dare

And now for the daughters of Chester Dare.

Princess Sonia was WGC 3 gaited horse in 1909. No picture available.

Margaret Weissinger was the dam of Bourchester and General Fochs.

Both these stallions were sired by Bourbon King.

General Fochs out of Margaret Weissinger by Chester Dare

Ella Rodman BHF with her stud colt Bourbon Star.

Interestingly, Ella Rodman's dam was named Zilpah, the same name as the title to the book which featured the hero Chester Dare.

Carolina

Originally named Toledo, my home town, but I prefer Carolina.

For more on Carolina, here is a post from 2013.

http://theamericansaddlebred.blogspot.com/2013/04/41813-blogspot-allows-me-to-see-which.html

Gipsy Dare was a good show mare by Chester Dare

Gypsy Queen 2nd, yet another daughter of Chester Dare

Oklahoma Peavine had Gypsy Queen 2nd as his 2nd dam.

He sired WGC A Sensation, WC Love Affair and My Golden Dawn BHF

Daisy Jemison by Chester Dare was the dam of two daughters in the BHF

Lena Jemison BHF

Katherine Grigsby BHF

Jean Coventry was a daughter of Katherine Grigsby

Gladys Twigg by Chester Dare was dam of Jack Twigg and granddam of Silver Flash.

She also traced to Genius Bourbon King, Starheart Stonewall, and Broadland's Captain Denmark.

Jack Twigg out of Gladys Twigg

Silver Flash was a greatgrandson of Gladys Twigg.

Miss Madison by Chester Dare had an amazing family.

Her son Chester Peavine sire Princess Eugenia, dam of CH King's Genius.

Miss Madison was also the granddam of Ware's Sensation, who was the dam of Sensation Rex and WGC A Sensation. Miss Madison also traced to Vanity's Sensation and Beau Peavine.