The American Saddlebred: 11/12/20 Lexington 1950, a look back in time

The August 1950 issue of Horse World magazine included results from the Lexington Jr League Horse Show. The article written by JH Ransom gave a look back 70 years to the fabulous horses of those times and included interesting details from his current perspective of the show. Powerhouse stables from the past were all there, including Dodge Stables, Pin Oak Stables, Willisbrook Farm, Ridgefield's Farm, Brynfan Tyddyn, Max Biederman, Mrs. JR Sharp, Emerald Farms and Callaway Hills. What a line up!

Did you know Wing Commander had a weakness? Apparently his detractors felt his slow gait wasn't up to par, at least not at the superior level of his trot and rack. His main rival was the winner of the gelding stake, The Replica, which was owned by Mary Jane McGrath and shown by Lee Roby. The winner of the mare stake, Show Boat, was Wing Commander's stable mate from Dodge Stables. She deferred to Wing Commander in the Championship and did not show back. When Wing Commander and The Replica entered the ring Saturday night, the crowd's cheering section was fairly evenly divided between the two. Lee Roby had a habit of challenging his competitors from behind**, and when the judges called for the slow gait, he came up and settled in behind Wing Commander and Earl Teater since this was The Replica's best gait. To the critics' surprise, Earl Teater set Wing Commander back to do a "high, slow and methodical slow gait." After they finished the rack, Wing Commander "proceeded to canter with Teater setting in his rocking chair" according to Mr. Ransom. A second workout was called between the top two, but the judges soon decided in favor of Wing Commander, who earned his fourth straight Lexington championship. The Replica was reserve. Third went to a beautiful gray mare owned by Pin Oak Stables and shown by Harry Lathrop. Shown as In Society, her registered name was CH Silver Jean. Fourth went to the Willisbrook Farm entry of My Golden Highland. Nearly two decades earlier, Willisbrook's trainer Walter Graham had also shown this horse's dam, CH My Golden Dawn.

Here are the top four in the five gaited stake

Wing Commander at the slow gait

The Replica and Lee Roby **

In Society, registered as CH Silver Jean

My Golden Highland

The individual stakes went as follows. The stallion stake had five entries, considered light for the time. Wing Commander won handily, followed in reserve by the four year old King of Revelry shown by Wendell Jones. Garland Bradshaw showed Ridgefield's Genius to third, who normally made better shows, but had just finished the breeding season a few weeks earlier. Fourth went to Genius Firefly and Owen Hailey, with Lloyd Teater showing the speedy Gallant Marine to fifth place. The mare stake was won by Show Boat for Dodge Stables. Perhaps not the highest going in the ring that day, JR Ransom reported that she had bloom, animation and was so gorgeous in the line up that the judges quickly tied her in first. Second went to In Society, third to Rita Le Rose, beautiful bay daughter of Belle Le Rose. The gelding stake was hard fought in the mud with 11 entries. The Replica "won with ease", reserve going to the great chestnut, My Golden Highland. Third place went to Sam McGee owned by Senator TN Wood of Brynfan Tyddyn Farn and fourth place went to Master Genius, a great bay gelding owned by Max Biederman and shown by Pete DeAtley. Finally, the junior stake featured eight "grand" young horses. Winning was the "highly publicized" (Torcirama's) Lilac Time, owned by Mrs. JR Sharp and shown by Lee Roby. Although she was a World's Champion as a 3 year old, there was no further show or production record for this horse. On the other hand, reserve honors went to As Beauty Does, which Ransom described as a "gorgeous chestnut beauty that may be the greatest with more work." Indeed, she was by Sensation Rex out of Wild Wind and went on to win the 1950 Junior 5 Gaited World's Championship. Ransom made some pretty astute observations. Third place went to Ridgefield's Lady and Garland Bradshaw, fourth to Royal Affair, daughter of Anacacho Shamrock and Love Affair and shown by Wendell Jones.

Here are more from the five gaited individual classes

King of Revelry

Ridgefields' Genius and Garland Bradshaw

Genius Firefly

Show Boat and Frances Dodge

Rita Le Rose

Sam McGee and Kenny Carson

As Beauty Does

Royal Affair

The three-gaited divison was hotly contested, and according to Ransom had "six of the best over-two mares ever seen together." Two of these mares had been made, shown and then sold by Art Simmons. He was excused from judging in this class, so judging duties were done by C Leake Fain and Robert McCray Jr, with Revel English serving as the referee. The battle of the mares soon came down to these two mares, with Robert McCray favoring Meadow Princess, the entry of Dodge Stables shown by Earl Teater. However, Mr. Fain chose Ann Rutledge owned by Senator TN Wood and shown by Kenneth Carson. Mr. English was called in and "gave the nod" to Ann Rutledge with Meadow Princess taking reserve. Third place went to Sweet Lavender who made a "popping show" for Harry Lathrop and Pin Oak Stables which was owned by the JS Abercrombies of Houston Texas. Fourth went to Emerald Future ridden by Harold Childs for the AE Knowltons of Emerald Farm in Delaware, Ohio. Again, Ransom accurately reported the depth of this champion three gaited stake. All four of these mares earned their CHampion status, and three were WGC's, with Sweet Lavender earning Reserve World's Grand Champion status. That was some deep competition! He never even revealed who the other over-two mares were. In the over two stake, Meadow Princess prevailed over the higher going Ann Rutledge due to her "fineness and quality." Sweet Lavender was third. Emerald Future was reserve in the under two stake which was won by Smoke Dreams, Harry Lathrop up for Pin Oak Stables. She did not show back in favor of her stable mate Sweet Lavender.

Here are the top four in the three gaited stake

Ann Rutledge and KK "Eddie" Gutridge

Meadow Princess and Earl Teater

Sweet Lavender and Harry Lathrop

Emerald Future and Lloyd Teater

And here is the Under two champ

My Smoke Dreams was also WGC

The fine harness stake was the only one reported, but it certainly got my attention. Winning the championship class was the reigning WGC Kate Shriver, shown by Garland Bradshaw for owners Callaway Hills Stable. She made a fine show at Lexington, which would lead up to her win the following month at the Kentucky State Fair for her second WGC title in a row. Third place ribbon went to the "grand big bay gelding with the big bouncing trot," Regal Aire (registered as Denmark's Mokanna) which was owned by Campbell Sewell with George Roberts whip. Fourth went to the "lovely chestnut mare Rosemary Lane," shown by Ray Harney for Mountain View Farm. The first, third and fourth place horses all went on to win their CHampion status, with Regal Aire and Kate Shriver being multi titled WGC's. Sandwiched in between these two horses, was the 1950 Lexington Reserve Champion, Ottawa's Empress, owned and shown by Dr. Robert Elrod. Yes, the mare that long ago lived just down the road from where I live now, and her amateur owner trainer, Dr. Elrod, who sold me my first two horses. I was told once that some people thought she beat Kate Shriver on that occasion, but it's nice to see proof in print that she made a wonderful showing that day for herself and Dr. Elrod.

Here are the top four in the fine harness stake