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

And as always, visit The American Saddlebred Blog's Face book page and like it!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Saddlebred-Blog/239612032866209

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

5/15/16 Mr. Magic Man

A couple of month's ago, the blog had a request for info on the Mr. Magic Man, the great son of Wing Commander that was bred and owned for his entire lifetime by Ruxer Farms.  As much as I looked, I could only find one picture of this handsome stallion, but it is a wonderful photo.  After contacting Bob Ruxer, there still weren't any more pictures of Mr. Magic Man, but Mr. Ruxer did share some wonderful information.  I asked him for some basic facts such as if he had a show record, did he have any interesting traits, or did he have a nickname.  Mr. Ruxer was kind enough to respond and here is what he shared about Mr. Magic Man.

"I was an amateur magician as a young man and that's how he got his name. He never did have a nickname but he was probably the fanciest five gated horse Ruxer farms ever produced. My uncle always believed you could show a horse or breed him, but not both , and we needed him at home to cross with our mares. He was gaited by Dave Clark and Frank Bradshaw and then brought home and never shown as a gaited horse though I think he was shown once as a 2 year old in harness. Marty Mueller would come down from French Lick and ride him, and it would take your breath away. I believe the year he died he would have been number two stallion in the nation, Sultan topped the ratings. All told he was undoubtedly the prettiest Wing Commander stallion ever and to me could have beaten Yorktown without breaking a sweat. He deserved to make his mark in the ring but just never got the chance. One thing for sure,,,, he was really magic...!"   Bob Ruxer

This statement really gives some insight into this beautiful horse.  Many thanks to Bob Ruxer!  Here is a more in depth look at his pedigree, his offspring and what became of him.  

Mr. Magic Man

f. 1963  CH Wing Commander X Molly O'Lee by Ensign Kirby

He produced colts from 1967 through 1977, the year he died.  

Mr. Magic Man ch 1963		Wing Commander ch 1943		Anacacho Shamrock ch March 18, 1932		Edna May's King ch 1918		Bourbon King
								Edna May
						Sally Cameron b 1918		Highland Squrrel King
								Altadena
				Flirtation Walk ch 1933		King's Genius ch 1924		Bourbon King
								Princess Eugenia
						Spelling Bee ch 1923		King Vine
								dau. of Red Light II
		Molly O'Lee ch 1956		Ensign Kirby ch 1939		Cameo Kirby ch 1929		Edna May's King
								Jane Black
						Girl of my Dreams b 1920		Rex Chief A
								Helen Dickens
				Judy O'Lee ch May 19, 1948		Leatherwood King ch 1939		King's Genius
								Kate Haines
						Ace's Orchid ch 1945		American Ace
								Marjorie Beebe

Mr. Magic Man's second dam, Judy O'Lee, was in the Broodmare Hall of Fame and also produced fellow Hall of Fame Broodmares Melody O'Lee, Jasper Sweetheart, Ann O'Lee, Jasper Sweetheart and Jasper Lady Evelyn.  His first dam, Molly O'Lee was also a good producer and some of her production record is listed below, with each indentation being a different generation. Molly O'Lee produced:                *Nancy O'Lee                                 **Caraway                                                 ***CH Caraway's New York Minute                                                 *** CH Spike Leigh                                  **Ultimatum                                   ** Natalie O'Lee                                                  *** CH Callaway's Where there's a Will                                    **Nativity                                                     ***CH That's My Story                                                     *** Christmas in New York ERB                                     ** Joyful Delight                                                      *** General Steel                                                      ***  The Manipulator                                      ** Martha Martha                                                       ***Kabuki                                                       *** Kingwood's Harlem Harlem                                                                        **** Nutcracker's Nirvana   WGC in FH                 *Jay O'Lee                                     ** CH Red Hot                *Jasper Lou (BHF)                                      ** Worthy Son                                       ** Sultan's Supremacy BHF                 *Mr. Magic Man  sired the following who were all CHampions                         Bi Mi Rousing Cheer, Lady Magic, Magic Marvel, Magic Method, Magic Supreme,                             CH-EQ Magic Marauder.  

Molly O'Lee, dam of Mr. Magic Man

    All these horses pictured below descended from Molly O'Lee, the dam of Mr. Magic Man. General Steel Jay O'Lee Kabuki Nutcracker's Nirvana

Mr. Magic Man was the sire of many good show horses.  

Several are pictured below.  

CH Lady Magic by Mr. Magic Man

CH Magic Symbol by Mr. Magic Man

CH Magic Marauder by Mr. Magic Man

(in color and black & white)

Other good colts sired by Mr. Magic Man were Captain Magic, Magic Moonlight,Missy Magic, Our Magic Lady, Magic Message, Hocus Pocus, Ester Magic, Magic Flair, Magic Mirror, Magic Pearl, Magic Motion, My Magic Dream, Copper Bracelet and Court Jester.  

Mr. Magic Man first appeared on the Saddle & Bridle sire rating in 1975, when he was in 5th place.  The following year, he was in 7th place.  It was noted in the Ruxer Farms ad in February of 1977 that he was only standing to Ruxer owned mares.  He was already dealing with health issues.  Sadly, he passed away in the early spring of 1977 and never sired another colt crop.  When the 1977 sire rating came out in the February 1978 issue, Mr. Magic Man lead the rating for deceased sires.  

Mr. Magic Man also had some sons and daughters that carried on his bloodlines.

Our Magic Memory by Mr. Magic Man

He was a breeding stallion and briefly stood at Ruxer Farms as a replacement when his sire died.  

Mr. Magic Man also produced several daughters who ended up in the Broodmare Hall of Fame

Chameleon BHF

Putting On Airs BHF

Oak Hill's Moon Magic BHF

Chameleon produced CH Supreme Roman and Conversationalist, who in turn was dam to Harlem's Friendly Conversation.  

Putting on Airs produced Yorkshire Pudding, also a BHF, and the breeding sires Harlem Globetrotter and Yorktown Magic.

Oak Hill's Moon Magic produced CH Harlem's Half Moon

Putting on Airs BHF by Mr. Magic Man

Yorkshire Pudding BHF our of Putting on Airs BHF

Harlem Globetrotter out of Putting on Airs BHF

Yorktown Magic out of Putting on Airs BHF

Mooncracker out of Harlem's Half Moon, 2nd dam Oak Hill's Moon Magic

She's a Moon Dancer out of Harlem's Half Moon, 2nd dam Oak Hill's Moon Magic

Another good daughter of Mr. Magic Man was The Magic Moment.  

Follow the chronology of her offspring below.

The Magic Moment by Mr. Magic Man

one of her daughters was Miss Chit Chat BHF

Shoo Bop Shoo Bop out of The Magic Moment

Belle Reve's Voodoo Magic was out of The Magic Moment

A Magic Surprise was sired by Belle Reve's Voodoo Magic

Be sure to visit the blog's Facebook page and like us.   Thanks to all who already have!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Saddlebred-Blog/239612032866209

Looky looky! I found another photo of Mr. Magic Man!

And his good offspring, Magic Message.

 And another good one, Magic Marvel.

5/8/16 Happy Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day 2016 and I haven't done a post on any of my horses in a long time.  We have't raised many colts at our farm, and most were raised by my husband before I was around, but here are some of the great mother's from our barn.  Hope you enjoy the before, during and after pictures.

 Sis and Bonnie

My husband bought a broodmare before he was old enough to drive and raised 4 colts from her.  Sis was a granddaughter of Society Rex.  We have some slide photographs of her which are much more flattering, but I don't know how to convert them to digital media.  

More info on my husband's start in horses

http://theamericansaddlebred.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-began-this-blog-telling-how-i-became.html

Bonnie all grown up and showing in Minnesota when owned by Paul Priebe. 

Big News and Frank Dye in California

Another of Sis' colts

A friend shared this photo of my mare as a foal in 1972. 

I bought her as a 3 year  old.  The broodmare was a daughter of Anacacho Shamrock.

Ten years later my mare had her first colt. 

Mare (yes, that was her nickname) and Reggie.

Mare wasn't the only one who had a baby in 1982.  

We were due a week apart and she went first.  

Another picture of Mare, Reggie and me 9 months pregnant.

My friend Laurie came to see the new colt and brought her

daughter Lisa to see the colt.  Charlie's giving Lisa a close up view. 

Buddy, best saddlebred ever.

Laurie took Lisa for her first ride on a Saddlebred.

Well, he technically doesn't belong on this post since he's not a mare or foal.

He really was the best. 

Fast forward a couple of decades to the next broodmare.

This is Loretta a month before she foaled in 2007. 

Loretta and Dub in 2007

Loretta in 2010. 

More Loretta 

Loretta ready to explode! 

Loretta and Maybe 

Maybe as a yearling in 2011.   

Thanks for indulging my whim.  Next week it's back to blog business and Mr. Magic Man!

And as always, visit The American Saddlebred Blog's Face book page and like it!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Saddlebred-Blog/239612032866209

Later in 2015, another broodmare came into my life.  Here she is with 

some of her babies and even a grandbaby, although I was never lucky enough to raise one out of her.