NEWS

During the American Saddlebred Registry’s July board meeting this weekend, the board voted to approve and accept 13 candidates for historical champion designations by Louise Gilliland.

Gilliland, like many others, is committed to preserving and recording the history of the American Saddlebred. Every year, she works hard along with Rebecca Damron to research and compile groups of accomplished horses for the board to consider for awarding their historical “CH” designation. Below are the 13 great American Saddlebreds that will have their Saddlebred Record “CH” designation permanently added to their names; all bios and photos where compiled and submitted by Gilliland. ASR and the ASHA also are grateful to Gilliland and Damron for their efforts to submit past show records and photos to update many American Saddlebreds in our online database available to all ASHA members at www.saddlebred.com  

Meet the new 2020 Historical CH Honorees 

Nancy Highland 13043 -- was bred by S. P. Berryman of Nicholasville, Kentucky. She was born in 1915 and was sired by Highland Artist and out of Bess Cox by Harbison Chief Jr. Nancy Highland showed from 1924 through 1929 acquiring 24 points, all of which were won in the 3-Gaited Division. She was originally registered by J. E. Jacoby and was first shown under the ownership of Revel English, who sold her to Miss M Banks in 1925 who showed her until she changed ownership once again to Jacob Vogt. She made some of the largest shows in the country including New York National and Chicago International,

She produced three foals born from 1934 through 1936, all three of which became successful breeding horses. The most successful was Nawbeek’s Highland King who was best known as the sire of Mountain Highland Dawn (BHF). Other get from Highland King include CH The Encore (WCC, WC, RWCC), CH The Replica (WC, RWGC), Caroland (RWCC) and King of Roses (WC, RWC).

Amber Crest 8818G -- was bred by Reeves & Dunlap of Milan, MO. He was born in 1915, and sired by Marvel McDonald out if Gypsie Madge by Elliston.  Amber Crest had an incredible career showing in at least 222 classes of a span of seven years from 1921 through 1927 to earn an impressive 71 points. He was first shown under the ownership of J. A. P. Ramsdale in 1921 and was quickly sold that same year to Mortimer B. Fuller of Scranton, PA who owned Amber Crest for the remainder of his show career. Amber Crest was one of the most remarkable 3-Gaited Horses of his time. He showed at all the major competitions of the North East including Devon.

Spray Of The Sea 20118M -- was bred by Harry Johnson of Millersburg, Kentucky. She was originally registered by Stoddard J. Young of Paris, Kentucky. A gray mare Spray Of The Sea was born in 1928, and sired by Chief White Eagle out of Harriet by Jim Dandy.  This incredible gray mare was a showing machine! I found records for 91 classes over a period of eight years from 1932 through 1940. Her total points added up to 26. In 1932 she began her career in the 5-Gaited Division as well as the Fine Harness Division. In 1933 she started the year out in the Fine Harness Division before being trimmed later in the year and moved to the 3-Gaited Division which turned out to be a Division that she flourished in. She was first shown under the ownership of Locke Brown before being sold to Jane Gordon Fletcher’s Willisbrook Farm in 1934. Under the ownership of Willisbrook she was shown by Jane Gordon Fletcher and her trainer Walter Graham. She was shown primarily in the North East as well as high profile shows such as The American Royal, Kentucky State Fair, New York National and Devon.

She produced four foals born from 1939-1943 for Willisbrook and showed at Devon in the Broodmare and Foal class in 1939 and 1940.

Isabella Peavine (RWC) 20781M -- was bred by Eliza Oversen of Hodgenville, Kentucky. She was originally registered by Isabell Scott of Plainfield, New Jersey. A Chestnut mare Isabella Peavine was born in 1928, and sired by Red Light 2nd out of a daughter of King Vine. Isabella was a big doing 3-Gaited mare with an impressive career and equally impressive ownership. She was first shown in 1933 by Nawbeek in 1933 after being purchased from Minton Stable. She was then added to Miss Amy Novich Freeman’s impressive Leisure Hour Stables of San Antonio, Texas in 1935. Under the ownership of Nawbeek she won Championships at the big North East shows such as Devon, New York National, Atlantic City and Royal Winter Fair. Once at Leisure Hour she was shown on the West Coast and Texas circuits. It appears she only showed for a period of four years from 1933 through 1936.

She produced seven foals born from 1938-1948.

Albee’s Wild Honey 47762M -- was bred by Robert H Flarsheim of Kansas City, Missouri. It is interesting that she was not registered until 1949 the year the last of her three foals were born. A Chestnut mare Wild Honey was born in 1930, and sired by Independence Chief out of Sweet Marie by McDonald Chief.  Wild Honey was unique not only in her registration being made long after she was done showing but also that for her entire career she had only one owner, R. A. Albee of Larchmont, New York. She was shown exclusively in the 3-Gaited Division from 1933 through 1938. She was shown in the North East at shows like New York National, Troy, and Empire State. She was also seen at the Chicago International

She produced seven foals born from 1938-1948.

Glorious Star (WC) 24336M -- was bred by Dixiana Farm and owned by Frances Dodge (Castleton Farm) her entire life. A Chestnut mare Glorious Star was born in 1933, and sired by CH King’s Genius and out of Lulu Belle by Lyon Artist.  Glorious Star had major wins in the young horse classes at age three and four including a World’s Championship in 1936. She was seen at most of the biggest shows from 1936 through 1939 including Kentucky State Fair, The American Royal, Ohio State Fair and many more. Glorious Star was shown by Wallace Bailey and Frances Dodge.

Not only was Glorious Star a highly successful show mare Glorious Star was highly successful broodmare. She produced eight foals from 1942 to 1952. Including CH Socko (WCC, WC, RWGC, RWC), The Irish Star (RWC) Glorious Starlite (KSF Ribbon Winner) and Queen of Ak-Sar-Ben.

Hell And Maria (WC, RWGC, RWC) 35064M -- was bred and registered by Governor Lloyd C Stark of Missouri. A Chestnut mare born in 1934 sired by Astral Peavine and out of Stark’s Princess Patricia by My King. Hell And Maria was a wonderfully bred mare who was a full sister to both Stark’s Rex Peavine and Stark’s Peavine Princess. Peavine Princess should be on the next group of CH’s that I submit. She was owned by Virginia Unsell when she made her show ring debut. She was then sold to Campbell Sewell of Houston, Texas. Hell and Maria was a powerful 5-Gaited mare that dominated the Southwest Circuit from 1937 through 1946, showing in 93 classes and collecting 48 CH points along the way. She won over fourteen Championships from Denver National Western to Lexington, Kentucky as well as a Reserve World’s Grand Championship at The Kentucky State Fair

Hell And Maria produced two foals when her show career was over.

Lady Louise of Harlou 29751M -- was bred by the famous Artist George Ford Morris of Shrewsbury, Connecticut and originally registered as Lady Hamilton by J H Murphy, Stanford, Kentucky.  In 1940 Lady Louise was re-registered as Lady Louise of Harlou by new owners Edward Barham of Milan, Tennessee and Harry Burkart of Chesterfield, Missouri. She was shown from 1939 through 1951 primarily in the Southwest and Mid-West where she showed in at least 148 classes winning a minimum of 25 Championships. Shows were she won Championships included Ak-Sar-Ben, Fort Worth, Houston, Le Bonheur, Lexington, Shreveport, St. Louis National and many more.  Lady Louise acquired a remarkable 102 points under the ownership of Har-Lou Farms, Wil-Far-B farms and Rendezvous Farms.

Lady Louise produced a single foal.

Nellie Pidgeon (BHF) (WGC, WC, RWGC) 35064M -- was bred by Kalarama Farm in Springfield Kentucky. She was a chestnut mare born in 1939 and sired by Kalarama Rex and was out of Margie Kelly by Red Light Lad. In 1941 she started her show career under the ownership of Herbert Heriff, by mid-year she was sold to A Farnell Blair’s Wil-B-Farms of Houston, Texas. She had an incredible string of wins under this ownership before being sold to Mary Jane Pidgeon’s Magnolia Farms. She showed in 86 classes winning 17 Championships at some of the Nation’s largest shows including Kentucky State Fair, The American Royal, Le Bonheur and more. Nellie Pidgeon acquired impressive 49 Championship points from 1942 to 1949.

Nellie Pidgeon was the dam of seven foals born from 1952 to 1960. Among those were CH My Flowing Gold and the wonderful show and broodmare Grand View’s Country Gal. Country Gal was the second dam of Revival (WCC, WC, RWGC, RWC).

Corsica Miss 28975M -- was bred by J. W. Young of Paris, Kentucky. Corsica Miss was registered and owned her entire show career by R. L. Wheelock’s Fair Acres Farm located in Corsicana, Texas. She was born in 1939 and sired by Peavine’s Richlieu and out of Clarissa Anne by King Barrymore. The second dam of Corsica Miss was Gladys Young Peavine who was the dam of My Golden Hour (WCC, RWCC). I have found her showing in 70 classes at shows located primarily in the Southwest from 1942 through 1947. She was a showing machine, and thus never had any foals. She won an impressive 49 classes resulting in a remarkable 52 points.

Daneshall’s Easter Parade (BHF) (WGC, WC) 42943M -- was one of the breed greats. A World’s Grand Champion, a Broodmare Hall of Fame mare and the dam of the one and only CH My-My (WGC, WC). This mare was a joint project of myself and Rebecca Damron and left us no question she should be a Champion of Record. She was originally registered as Peavine’s Magnolia Blossom in 1939 by Harvey Pride of Nashville, Tennessee. Easter Parade was a Chestnut mare sired by Masked Marvel and out of Magnolia’s Peavine by Peavine’s Highland Chief.  She was bred by J Everett Pidgeon (Magnolia Farms) of Memphis, Tennessee. In 1947 Jane Gardner Daneshall Stables) of Louisville became the lucky owner of this wonderful mare and in 1949 she re-registered her as Daneshall’s Easter Parade. Easter Parade showed in both the Gaited and Fine Harness Division. She won Championships at Kentucky State Fair, New York National, Indiana State Fair, Fulton-DeKalb (Atlanta), Ohio State fair and more. Her show career spanned seven years from 1942 through 1949 over which time she showed in 52 Classes and earned 27 points, most of which were won at the biggest shows in the Country.

Easter Parade had five foals produced from 1952 to 1957 and the 1957 foal was the great CH My-My (WGC, WC).

Captain Bird (WGC, WCC, WC, RWC) 19225G -- was bred and registered by Magnolia Farm. He was a bay gelding born in 1941 and was sired by Captain Courageous and out of the great mare Maryland’s Bird (BHF) by Southern Rex. He was shown as a Fine Harness Horse until he was trimmed in 1950 and put in the 3-Gaited Division. He was purchased as two year old by C. L. Fain of Atlanta, Georgia and was quickly snapped up in 1943 by Curt G Joa of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin and put under the direction of Welch Greenwell. Once he was in the 3-Gaited Division he was under the direction of Caldwell Stables of Lake Forest, Illinois. Captain Bird showed from 1943 to 1950 at shows across the Mid-West plus multiple successful visits to Kentucky State Fair and Lexington. Captain Bird won the Fine Harness Grand Championship in 1945. He had a remarkable run at Kentucky State Fair showing in five classes winning four of them and Reserve in the 1945 Ladies Fine Harness. He was owned by The Joas for almost his entire career. Captain Bird showed in at least 42 classes winning 25 of them and earning 22 Championship points.

Society Ann 34073M -- was the epitome of the perfect Walk-Trot mare, who could ever forget the image of Art Simmons and this gorgeous gray mare. They owned the Division at shows across the Mid-West and Southwest. She was bred and registered by Kalarama Farm, Springfield, Kentucky and was sired by Society Rex and out of Hi Dixie (BHF) by Peavine’s Highland Chief. A pedigree that just could not miss! She won an amazing 60 classes out of 89 classes I found her showing in. She ended up with a total of 46 points to her credit.  Society Ann won Championships at major shows such as The American Royal, Pin Oak, Tulsa and many more. The bulk of her show career she was owned by Rendezvous Stables in Texas and she was a fixture with Art Simmons.

-- via ASHA