The American Saddlebred: March 2015

Friday, March 20, 2015

3/20/15 Dixiana's Spring Cheer (BHF)

3/2/0/15 Spring has finally arrived! Nothing could be more welcome after the frigid winter we've had, so this week is dedicated to Spring. In looking at the horses with a spring theme in their name, the pickings were very slim. However, I do have a nice picture of a very well-known mare who was not only a good show mare, but also a great broodmare. In fact, she was good enough to make it to the Broodmare Hall of Fame. This post will look at Dixiana’s Spring Cheer (BHF) and her contributions to the American Saddlebred.

Dixiana Farms has been in existence near Lexington Kentucky since Civil War times, but in 1928, it was purchased by Charles Fisher of Fisher Body and General Motors’ fame. He started a Saddlebred nursery and show stable on his 900 acre farm. One of the horses he owned was Bourbon Genius who was used in a dual purpose in their show string, and also as a breeding stallion. From his first colt crop in 1939 came a filly named Dixiana’s Spring Cheer. As a five gaited mare, she had a long and successful career. She was shown in five-gaited classes as an open horse, and later in ladies, amateur and juvenile exhibitor classes. She won the ladies' five gaited championship at Lexington in 1944 and 1945, and also won at the Chicago show and Illinois State Fair. At Louisville, she was a World’s Champion and Reserve World’s Champion as a Junior Exhibitor five gaited horse. She came in 3^rd place in the 5 Gaited Grand Championship class in 1947. She was still showing at Louisville at age 11, and didn't become a mother until she was 18 years old.

Bred by Dixiana Farms, she was also owned and shown by Wildwood Farm of Germantown, Tennessee. Her next owner was J L. Younghusband of Valley View Farm in Barrington, Illinois. When Valley View Farm held its dispersal sale, Dixiana's Spring Cheer sold for $18,000 to J. Paul Jones of Wichita, Kansas. Another owner, Joan Callner showed her and later bred her to Cameo's Farewell. Most of her foals were produced under the ownership of Jim Aikman's Hide-A-Way Farm in Acton, Indiana. Here is her pedigree, then we can look at her produce.

1st generation parents:

Bourbon Genius, her sire

Princess Firefly, her dam

2nd generation grandparents:

King's Genius, grandsire

Kate Haines, sire's dam

Bourbon King, dam's sire

Golden Firefly, 2nd dam

3rd generation great grandparents:

Bourbon King, great grandsire

Princess Eugenia, dam of King's Genius

Sunflower, sire of Kate Haines

Kathryn Haines, dam of Kate Haines

Bourbon Chief, sire of Bourbon King

Annie C, dam of Bourbon King

Guided By Love, sire of 2nd dam.

no picture of 3rd dam, Princess Irene

Now for some of Dixiana's Spring Cheer's descendants and how they trace back to this mare.
Spring Cheer produced five offspring, two colts and three fillies. Her stallion son was Hide-a-way's Firefly Supreme, the beautiful stallion owned by Jim Aikman who sired some nice futurity colts.

Hide-A-Way's Firefly Supreme

sired by Valley View Supreme

Blazing Fire, sired by Hide-A-Way's Firefly Supreme

The Last Don, sired by Blazing Fire

For The Win, sired by The Last Don

Here is another nice futurity colt by Firefly Supreme

Whatta Fire, sired by Firefly Supreme

It is interesting that her dam was a twin,

Hide-A-Way's Double Exposure

Dixiana's Spring Cheer also had good producing daughter in her last foal, born when she was 24 years old. Hide-A-Way's Curtain Call was sired by Genius Bourbon King.

Hide-A-Way's Rave Reviews

sired by Supreme Sultan out of Hide-A-Way's Curtain Call

Hide-A-Way's Wild Country

sired by Denmark's Bourbon Genius out of Hide-A-Way's Curtain Call

Bourbon Genius was his great grandsire 3 times.

Noble Viking

sired by Hide-A-Way's Wild Country

Callaway's Forecaster

This five gaited WGC was out of a mare by Hide-A-Way's Wild Country

Hurricane Country

sired by Hide-A-Way's Wild Country out of a Firefly Supreme daughter,

he had a double shot of Dixiana's Spring Cheer

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Saturday, March 14, 2015

3/15/15 American Horseman March 1936 issue

The March 1936 issue of The American Horseman magazine contained dozens of advertisements for breeding stallions, as do many Saddlebred magazines at this time of year. However, the added perspective of nearly 80 years of breeding history shows the importance and huge impact of many of these stallions. It reads like the Who's Who of the American Saddlebred world. Published in Lexington, Kentucky by Mat Cohen, trainer of the great show mare Edna May, American Horseman had first been published in 1933 under the name The Kentucky Horseman. Its 94 pages were packed with ads, pictures, stories and horse show results. This post will share some of the stallion ads it contained.

Sun Beau

f. 1928 My Own Love X Squirrel Lady by Red Eagle

Glad Acres of Dallas Texas owned this stallion who graced the

inside front cover of the magazine. He was sire of Beau Gallant and Beau Fortune,

making him the grand sire of Gallant Guy and My My.

Edna May's King

f. 1918 Bourbon King X Edna May by Rex Peavine

Another Texas stallion graced the very next page.

The sire of Anacacho Shamrock & Anacacho Denmark may give

him claim to being the most important stallion advertised in this issue.

San Juan and Minton Hickory Stables both had large ads,

and they have both been subjects of previous posts.

Stonewall King

f. 1920 My King X Gloriann by Rex Peavine

Owned by Murray Cason of Stephens, MO, here is yet another

breed builder of the modern Saddlebred. Sire of Stonewall Supreme,

Starheart Stonewall, Stonewall Premier and Golden Stonewall,

he continues to make his mark.

Beau Peavine

f. 1929 Jean Val Jean X Fair Acres Vanity Fair by Lord Highland

Owned by Spindletop Farm in Lexington, Ky, he continues

to be an influence through his daughters Marie Bosace, Rita Le Rose

and Abie's Baby, all members of the Broodmare Hall of Fame.

Kentucky Choice

This unflattering photo was used in the ad by Corrigan Brothers of

Cornell, Illinois. They owned and stood Kentucky Choice' son,

My Best Choice, who in turn sired Beau Wolf, the gelding who

won the World's 5 Gaited Grand Championship as a 4 year old.

The ad was for My Best Choice, although that wasn't apparent at first glance.

In his day, Kentucky Choice was a successful show horse and

here is a more flattering photo where the roof doesn't look like part of his head.

Cameo Kirby

f. 1929 Edna May's King X Jane Black by San Vicente

This full brother to Anacacho Denmark stood at the Sierra Vista Stock Farm

in Chino California. He'll be forever remembered for siring

WGC's The Lemon Drop Kid and Bit O'Chatter.

His best breeding son was Ensign Kirby.

Gallant Knight

f. 1933 Mercer Rex X Highland Perle by Bourbon King

Only a 3 year old at the time of this ad, he was owned by R. H. Whitten of Los Angeles, CA.

He was later owned by CP Edwards of Ridgefields Farm in Tennessee.

American Born

f. 1921 Guided by Love X Lena Jemison by Highland Denmark

He was the number one ranked sire from 1932 through 1935

and was owned by Nawbeek Farm in Paoli, PA.

King's Genius

f. 1924 Bourbon King X Princess Eugenia by Chester Peavine

Owned by Selby Stud of Portsmouth, Ohio at the time of this ad.

Great show horse, great sire of show horses, breeding stallions and

Hall of fame mares, he's my choice for most influential sire. Ever.

More info on King's Genius in previous posts.

King Barrymore

f. 1921 Bourbon King X Kate Barrymore by McDonald Chief

Like his sire, he was owned by Allie Jones of N. Middleton, KY.

Sons Captain Courageous and Anderson Rex carry on his name.

Mercer Rex

No picture included on the ad for this son of Rex Peavine,

so here is one for reference.

Owned by George Gwinn of Gwinn Island Stock Farm in Danville, KY.

American Ace

f. 1929 American Born X Kathryn Haines by Rex Monroe

The ad says, " A better bred Stallion does not live!"

At this time, he stood at Pennypack Stock Farm, Southampton, PA.

Admiral's Peavine

f. 1924 Admiral King X Fanny Fern by Rex Peavine

Owned by Green Valley Farm in Wheaton, Illinois

Barrymore's Masterpiece

f. 1929 King Barrymore X Galli Curci by REx Peavine

Owned by Chestnut Ridge Stables in Ho Ho Kus, New Jersey

Wonderful confirmation!

Dr. McChord

f. 1929 McDonald Peavine X Margaret Louise by Red Rex

Owned by Ottawa Creek Farm in Berkey Ohio

Dazzling McDonald

f. 1930 Red McDonald X May Tucker by Bourbon Tucker

He was o wned by Charles Doll of Mount Clemens Michigan

and his best offspring was Ottawa's Empress.

Knob Creek Denmark

f. 1923 Red Light 2nd X Celia Peavine by King Vine

Here is a product of the Thompson's Knob Creek breeding program.

At this time, he was owned by T J Moss of St. Louis, MO.

Proctor's Red Light

f. 1927 Red Light 2nd X Dollie C by Chester Crest

Another son of Red Light 2nd, he was owned by Pinehurst Stables in Orange, Texas

Silver Mac

f. 1923 McDonald's Majesty X Dapple by Rex Bernard

Best known for his daughter Blessed Event who was

the dam of Genius Bourbon King, he was owned by

Harris Noland of Richmond, KY

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Sunday, March 8, 2015

3/8/15 March Madness

March is often associated with college basketball playoffs, so here is the blog's version of March Madness. Check out magazines from Saddlebred publications from March of 1936 through March of 1985. Each decade features a magazine cover and picture of an American Saddlebred from all across America, some well known and some obscure. Make your brackets and choose your final four! Who is your pick to win it all?

March 1936 American Horseman