12/25/22 CH Ottawa's Empress - how to make a Champion

She started life as Dazzling Queen, changed for a short time to Wait For Me before another  name change to Ottawa's Empress.   In 2022, eighty years after her birth, she has had her final name change to CH Ottawa's Empress.   So how does a horse become a CHampion this long after her show career?  And for the other question, why would anyone care?  Until a few months ago, I didn't know that anyone could nominate a deceased horse for Championship status.  For some reason, I assumed it had to be an owner, exhibitor, trainer, or someone else with a material interest in the horse. Thanks to Sally Sharpe of Saddlebred Treasures for setting me straight.  

All a horse needs is 15 points to become a champion.  Sounds simple, but shows have to be at least 3 days long to qualify.  And there must be at least 6 horses in a qualifying class to earn a point.  And you have to win the class.  Championship classes only need 4 horses, and those winners earn 2 points, and reserves win 1 point.  In hand wins can only count for 3 of the 15 points.  Still sound simple?  Then factor in that Ottawa's Empress' show career was in the late 1940's and early 1950's.  Where to find those records is yet another question.

That gives the basis of how, but now to tackle answering why.  Why would I choose a horse that was born 80 years ago, has probably been dead for 50+ years, and I never heard of until about 15 years ago?  If you've read this blog before, you may have heard of my first horse, Buddy, Best Ever Saddlebred.  I purchased him from Dr. Robert Elrod Sr (MD) nearly 50 years ago.  In his 23 years, Buddy was always cared for by Doc's son, Dr. Robert Elrod Jr (DVM).  Through the years, I had many conversations with both of these gentlemen, which started me down the path of loving Saddlebred history.  Bob Elrod Jr was my neighbor, and one day I asked him if he had a favorite horse.  Mind you, their Ottawa Creek Farm bred American Saddlebreds from the 1920's through the 1980's, so there were lots of horses to choose from.  Without a moment's hesitation, he said Ottawa's Empress.  I was surprised that it wasn't a horse from a more modern era, and she wasn't even one that they had bred, but Bob had his reasons. 

Bob Elrod passed away in 2013, and after his death, I learned much more about Ottawa's Empress.  From possibly the only person I know that actually saw this mare show, I learned that she just looked like an ordinary horse when she was jogging, but when she hit the show ring, she could really become extraordinary.  Three members of the Elrod family including Doc, his wife Martha Elrod, and Bob Jr all showed her with success in amateur, ladies, and open classes.  Ottawa's Empress took on all comers, including World's Grand Champions.  She showed in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania under the Ottawa Creek Farm banner making appearances at Grosse Pointe, the Ohio State Fair, Dayton, Lexington Jr League, Devon and the Pennsylvania National.  There were many other shows that didn't earn qualifying points.  This mare was a campaigner!  After her sale in 1950, she continued to show on the East Coast for 3 more years.  After that, she was bred and also produced a Reserve World's Champion.  

No wonder she was Bob Elrod's favorite.  After I received confirmation of her CHampion status, I called Bob's son to let him know.  I also asked him if he knew his dad's favorite.  "Empress" was the immediate response.  

With the help of old Blue Books which listed the shows where individual horses competed, and a library of old magazines, it was a fairly easy process to make Ottawa's Empress transform to              CH Ottawa's Empress.  Along the way, I learned of her showing against other greats of the era like Kate Shriver, Parading Lady and Regal Aire.  CH Ottawa's Empress certainly earned her status!

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10/20/22 World's Grand Champion trainers

Every year since 1906, a World's Grand Champion has been crowned in the 5-Gaited, 3-Gaited and Fine Harness divisions as the World's Championship Horse Show at the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville.  The Journal of the American Saddlebred published each year by ASHBA lists the horses, their owners, and even their breeders.  Missing is a listing of the trainers.  Of course, without these trainers, the horses may not have won their title.  This post will recap some of the highlights of these all important trainers of the American Saddlebred winners.  Who was the winningest?  Who won in all three divisions? Were there any family ties?  

To train the winner of one World's Grand Championship title must certainly be a thrill, but to win 21 WGC titles must have been a satisfying career achievement.  Not one, but two men have earned this distinction.  Earl Teater rode 21 winners over a 36 year span, and Tom Moore exhibited 21 winners in all three divisions over a period of 39 years.  Next in line was another well known trainer noted for his epic battles with WGC Sky Watch when he was aboard WGC Imperator.  Don Harris has 11 WGC titles as a trainer.  Coming in with 9 WGC wins is Frank Bradshaw and from yesteryear, William "Billy" Shropshire.  Most of Frank Bradshaw's wins were showing My-My.  Garland Bradshaw is next in line with 8 wins, half of those with another 5-Gaited WGC, Lady Carrigan.  With 7 wins apiece are Lee Roby, Lonnie Hayden and John T. Jones.  Their best known winners were Denmark's Daydream, Chief of Longview and Callaway's Copyright respectively.  Art Simmons and Jim B. Robertson both had great style, and 6 wins each.  Quite a few men rode 5 WGC's each.  They were Mat Cohen, Robert S. McCray, Charlie Dunn, Allie G Jones, Quinn Davis, Merrill Murray, Nelson Green and Mitch Clark.  

Not all of the trainers listed above won in all of the three divisions.  For instance, Earl Teater and Don Harris had many wins, but never in the Fine Harness division.  Frank Bradshaw had more overall titles than his brother Garland, but he never had a 3-Gaited WGC winner.  Mat Cohen was the first trainer to achieve the honor of winning in every division, and he did it by 1912.  Billy Shropshire accomplished the feat in 1921, and Robert Moreland did it by 1931.  Robert S McCray and Charlie Dunn were winners in the 1930's.  Lloyd Teater won only once in each division, in three different decades.  Lee Roby rode two time winners Oakhill Chief, Denmark's Daydream and Edith Fable, and earned his single Fine Harness victory in 1955 with High Button Shoes, full brother to the great The Lemon Drop Kid.  Garland Bradshaw won eight titles in three divisions with four different horses.  Tom Moore won multiple titles in five different decades.  The most recent trainer to win in all three divisions was George Knight who won his final WGC in 2007 with Along Came a Spider.  

Another interesting  fact to note is the number of family members who have won WGC titles.  Earl & Lloyd Teater were brothers, as were Frank & Garland Bradshaw.  Garland Bradshaw was also the grandfather of Mitchell Clark and Earl Teater was the father of Ed Teater.  Father and son trainers who both showed a World's Grand Champion include Allie & Joe Jones, Robert S & Robert A McCray, Charles & Redd Crabtree and Welch & Carol Greenwell.  Smith & Sandy Lilly were a mother/son duo.  Kim & Peter Cowart are a married couple who each have WGC wins.  Tom, Donna and their daughter Melinda Moore have all won WGC's.  Showing horses truly gets into their blood!

Now for some photos and note that the WGC winners are pictured, but not always with the trainer that showed them to their title.  

Mat Cohen's winners

Star McDonald was the 5 Gaited WGC in 1907

Clara Belle was the 3 Gaited WGC in 1914

Mat S Cohen is riding Edna May in 1908. She was WGC in 1909

Some of William "Billy" Shropshire's winners

Easter Star was WGC, however, this is Roy L. Davis up

Lady Beautiful was WGC in Fine Harness 5 times, 

Billy Shropshire only drove her to one title. 

Billy Shropshire rode Hazel Dawn to both her WGC wins.

Robert Moreland was a trainer, breeder and exhibitor

Cascade was the 5 Gaited winner in 1918

Suttie Leigh won Fine Harness in 1927

Tee Caddy was the 3 Gaited winner in 1931.

Robert S McCray also won titles in all 3 divisions.

This is Mass of Gold, but Del Holman is up.

Robert S. McCray also won with Mary Yandell Fox 3-Gaited

and Fiery Crags in Fine Harness.

This is Robert A McCray aboard Welcome Dare.

Welcome Dare wasn't a WGC, but this is a great picture of the pair.

Robert A McCray won two WGC titles driving The Lemon Drop Kid.  

Charlie Dunn was the trainer at Dixiana Farms and had great success in the 1930's. 

Night Flower was 5-Gaited WGC in 1935

Charlie Dunn and Allen Adair won in 1936

Beau Wolf was the 5Gaited winner in 1930 as a 4 year old

Fiery Crags won the over 15.2 Championship in 1935 when it was split

Charlie Dunn also won the under 15.2 class in 1935 with Miss America

Lloyd Teater won 3 WGC titles, once in each division

Lloyd Teater and Denmark's Mokanna (shown as Regal Aire)

They won in 1947

Astral White Sox (shown as Delaine Hours)

won the 5-Gaited championship in 1937

Lloyd Teater and Emeral Future won the 

3-Gaited stake in 1955

Lee Roby also won in all three divisions.

Lee Roby aboard the beautiful Denmark's Daydream

Edith Fable was a 2 time 3-Gaited WGC

Bit O Chatter was shown as High Button Shoes 

and a full brother to The Lemon Drop Kid

Garland Bradshaw was another 3 division winner

Kate Shriver and Garland Bradshaw won 2 Fine Harness WGC's

Lady Carrigan and Garland Bradshaw was 4 WGC titles

Nellie Pidgeon and Garland Bradshaw were 3-gaited WGC winners

Mitchell Clark was Garland Bradshaw's grandson.

He won several WGC titles with Sky Watch

Tom Moore won an amazing 21 WGC titles in 3 divisions

Yorktown and Tom Moore won the 5-Gaited WGC in 1970, 1971 and 1972

Tom Moore rode Bellissima to 3-Gaited WGC titles in 1967 - 1969

Tom Moore drove Captive Spirit to a Fine Harness WGC title

Donna Moore won her WGC in Fine Harness with Simply Mahvelous

Their daughter Melinda Moore exhibited WGC Sir Silver Knight.

George Knight was the most recent trainer to win all three divisions of WGC

George Knight and Winter Day

George Knight and Along Came a Spider in 2007

George Knight and the handsome stallion Man On The Town

**note**

Smith Lilly trained WGC's in three divisions although he didn't exhibit all of them.

With assistance from his mom Sandy Lilly who showed Mother Mary in fine harness,

here are his three WGC's.

Sandy Lilly showing Mother Mary, trained by Smith Lilly.

He's the Man and Smith Lilly.

His sire, grandsire and great grandsire were all 5 Gaited WGC's.

Tango's Token Kiss & Smith Lilly won the 3 Gaited Championship three times.

These trainers won multiple titles, but not in all divisions

Earl Teater won 21 titles in the 3 and 5-Gaited divisions

A young Earl Teater in 1940 on A Sensation

Earl Teater with Lover's Sensation in 1970

Earl Teater and Wing Commander in an iconic photo

Earl Teater aboard Meadow Princess

Earl Teater's son Ed on Belle Elegant won in 1975 and 1977

Don Harris won a WGC title 11 times

Don Harris and Imperator

Don Harris and Gift of Love

Frank Bradshaw held 9 WGC wins

Frank Bradshaw and My My had 6 consecutive WGC wins

Frank Bradshaw also won on Valerie Emerald

And here are some other well known multi win trainers

Lonnie Hayden showing Sweetheart on Parade. He had 7 WGC wins.

John T Jones showed Callaway's Copyright to 6 WGC titles.

Art Simmons showing Colonel Boyle.  Together they had 5 WGC wins.

Jim B Robertson had great style, and so did Tashi Ling.

Although not a WGC, Jim B showed the same driving flare with Big News.

This is a colt my husband bred and raised.

Merrill Murray has won 5 WGC 5-Gaited titles with 3 different horses. 

This is Courageous Lord

Kim Cowart won

and so did her husband Peter Cowart

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