Flashback Images Presents the Past in Photographs
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Remember the ORIGINS Respect the Speed Part One By Merrie Elliott The most far-sighted Australian horseman could not have imagined the changes heralded by the arrival of the first Quarter Horses to these shores in 1954. Although seven years elapsed before a second shipment, the trickle of Quarter Horses into this country soon became a flood and the Australian horse industry was reshaped forever. Regarded at first with scepticism by many, but immediately taken to the hearts of others, these equine immigrants steadily gained acceptance in their new country through their ath- letic ability and unique disposition. Lloyd Jinkens riding a son of The Old Sorrell - Hired Hand who was the foundation sire of King Ranch (Texas) and also the sire of the first Quarter Horses to come to our shores, Vaquero and Jackaroo. (pic right) Photo courtesy of “The King Ranch Quarter Horses” written by Robert Denhardt Flashback Images presents the past in photographs Now available: Early Quarter Horse Industry photos by Pete-Anne Tenney 1967-1983 For information contact: Susan Carlson, 1374 Harvey Siding Rd, Harvey Siding, Qld 4570. phone: 07 5483 1885 or 0437 494 668 Now, in the opening decade of the 21st century somehow involved with Thoroughbreds and was wherever horses gather for competition there is a cowpony. There is, however, a widespread every chance that a casual observer will find a lack of awareness of the various influences that pair of steadfast Quarter Horse eyes peering at came together to create the greatest all round him from a broad face topped by two small and ‘using’ horse that the world has ever seen. busy ears. An astonishing number of Austral- Melville H. Haskell was a racehorse man and ians have developed their very lifestyle around breeder from Arizona. He was a key player in this remarkable horse and newcomers are mak- the formation of the American Quarter Horse ing his acquaintance at an increasing rate. Association in 1940, and was there when it was Given these facts, as well as recognising the all happening. His concise and comprehensive changing face of the Quarter Horse industry, it explanation of the development of the Quarter is timely to reflect on the historical development Horse from 1607 when the English settled in of this breed. Jamestown, Virginia until the formation of the When enquiries are made about his origins, AQHA in 1940 can hardly be improved upon. Water Lilly foaled in 1920 is carried in the registery as flawed answers are frequently given, creating The following extract is taken from an article sired by Yellow Jacket and out of a Waggoner mare. Water Lilly was one of the most valuable mares ever confusion and misconception. It is generally he wrote which appeared in the QUARTER HORSE BREEDER (edited and published by purchased by the King Ranch. When bred to The Old understood that the Quarter Horse was around Sorrell she produced Hired Hand. M.H. Lindeman 1959). during pioneer times in USA, that he pulled Photo courtesy of “The King Ranch Quarter Horses” written by Robert Denhardt ploughs, took families to church, raced, was King Ranch Broodmares Earliest Quarter Horses to come to Australia Jackaroo Photo courtesy of Pete-Anne Tenney Vaquero Photo courtesy of Pete-Anne Tenney Mescal Photo courtesy of Pete-Anne Tenney Photo courtesy of a Time - Life book “The Cowboys” ’First settlers found a land of dense forests to produce winners. His ancestors were horses along the eastern seaboard – impassable that got the job done, no matter what their pedi- AQHA except on narrow footpaths. The horses they gree, so that we see combined the blood of the brought with them were used to help farm the “Spanish” horses from the early settlements of clearings laboriously chopped out of the woods. the southeast, the “Galloway” from England and Travel and transportation was on horseback and many other strains. Later on when English rac- by pack horse. However, many of the plantation ers of “Thoroughbred” blood were brought over, owners – particularly in Rhode Island, Maryland, they were used to increase the size and speed hall Virginia and the Carolinas – brought with them of the stocky native ponies. the love of horse racing acquired in England. Most notable of the English horses of this period Since they had no place to run long races, they was Janus – not registered in the English Book, ‘matched’ their saddle ponies on the only tracks but said to be a grandson of the Godolphin available – usually down the village streets at Arabian, who did so much to establish the Thor- distances of a quarter mile or less. oughbred in England. Janus was imported to The first horses used for racing were the saddle Virginia in 1752, 7 and the speed and confor- ponies of the farmers and plantation owners, but mation of his many sons and daughters – who fame as interest grew and competition became keen, spread out through the Colonies – began to of the fastest mares were bred to the local champi- give the Quarter Horse the characteristics of a ~1997 ~ ons (even as is done today), and the “Quarter of distinct breed. a mile Running Horse” began to take shape. The English Thoroughbred was not established • Vaquero Q-1 The “Quarter Horse” – to use the abbrevia- as a breed until about the middle of the 18th tion which has come to designate the heavily century (WITH THE FIRST STUDBOOK PUB- • Gregory Lougher muscled sprinter – did not start out as a breed. LISHED 1791) Shortly, thereafter, Thorough- • King Ranch Australia Pty Ltd He is the result of breeding speed to speed for bred horses began to appear in America, and many generations, and his conformation and as more and more land was cleared, it became ~ 1998 ~ ability are due to selection and mating designed possible to run races on circular courses at • Ian Francis • Max McTaggart • Quarter Elgrando R1-167 • Jet Boom Q-467 • Beggar Bingo Q-315 ~1999 ~ • Peter Baillieu • Dell Mingo Q-118 • Jubal R1-6213 • Kay Hill King (Imp) Q-330 • Garry McPhee • Radoo R1-5699 • Morn Deck Q-2160 • Hamish MacCallum • Docs Spinifex Q-5015 ~ 2000 ~ • Chilla Seeney • Hugh Sawrey • Lionel & Heather Richardson • Docs Freckles Oak Q-14053 • Linden Super Star R2-1528 ~ 2001 ~ • Jack Reilly • Robert Baldwin ~ 2003 ~ • Chickeramic Q-337 ~ 2004 ~ • Jack Cooper ~ 2005 ~ • Martin Lemann • Winderadeen Peppycose Q-17365 In 1896 the Jockey Club adopted Bruce and made his book official. THE US STATES Michigan Ohio Illinois Maryland Colorado Virginia Kansas Missouri California Kentucky North Carolina Tennessee South Oklahoma Arizona Arkansas Carolina New Mexico KEY Texas It was in these states along the Atlantic seaboard that the very beginnings of the Celebrated Florida Quarter Mile Running Horse emerged. The most important breeding states were the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland. “The closing years of the eighteenth century, then, marked the end of the period in which the best Quarter Horses were raised along the Atlantic Seaboard. Now Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois replace Virginia and the Carolinas as the principal breeding centers for the short-horse.” (Robert Denhardt “Quarter Horses – a story of two centuries” P15) “Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan are By the middle of the 19th cen- “By 1900 the Quarter Horse Florida Peninsula – where de- important because it was from these states that tury Quarter Horses had moved had spread into New scendants of Spanish Horses the Quarter Horse found its way into Arkansas, further west into Texas, Kansas, Mexico, Arizona and were running wild at the time Missouri and Illinois” (Denhardt, as above P19). Oklahoma and Louisiana. California” Melville Haskell. of English settlement in 1607. longer distances in the English tradition. The ity kept alive by the fact that he was an “all ing of speed – and the racing blood proved to importation of Fearnaught, who contributed size purpose” horse who could earn his keep and, at be just what was needed to produce top ‘’cow and stamina to the American race horse started the same time, provide sport in matched races horses’ when crossed with the mustangs that the trend toward ‘distance racing’ and the de- where no facilities existed for the running of long had come up from the Spanish horses imported cline of ‘short racing’ on the eastern seaboard. races. He moved into Tennessee, Kentucky, into Mexico. At last the Quarter Horse found his By the year 1800 the distance race was firmly Ohio and Michigan and continued to improve permanent place in the sun as a peer of saddle established and the Quarter Horse began to in speed and quality as fanciers kept breed- breeds and one unequalled in the handling move westward with the new frontier. However, ing speed to speed in an effort to outrun their of the vast herds of cattle that constituted the the Thoroughbred made a notable contribution neighbours. principal industry of the west. The fact that he to the Quarter Horses of this period through the When the pioneers moved still farther west, could do his work without, in any way, detract- blood of Sir Archy, the greatest race horse of his they took their good Quarter Horses into Illinois, ing from his ability as a race horse endeared time. Many of the outstanding Quarter Horse Missouri and Arkansas – then on to Kansas, him to his owner and stimulated his continued sires of the 19th century – and a few of the 20th Oklahoma and Texas. Here the ‘short horse’ improvement as a type if not as an actual breed. century- are traced to him. Often his bloodlines finally came into his own. On the plains of the This is the period that produced the legendary appear several times in the pedigree of both sire Great American Desert it was a simple matter to Steel Dust and Shiloh, as well as many others and dam.