The Saddlebred Industry on the Edge: Where did we make the wrong turn?

I’ve been in the Saddlebred industry since I was six years old and my mom followed the industry since she was a little girl, seeing the greats like My My, Imperator, and Skywatch. She tells me stories of going to the World’s Championship Horse Show on Saturday night to see these horses, saying everyone was “dressed to the nines” and there was “not an empty seat” in Freedom Hall. Today, the upper level is not even half way full. The event used to be “the thing to do” during the Kentucky State Fair. Now it is mostly people in the Saddlebred industry that attend.

WGC CH My-My. Photo from faithfulfriends.asha.net

2014 Saturday night crowd at the World's Championship Horse Show

Not only does the industry need to find a way to get more people involved, it needs to find a way to keep entries up as well. While some classes like the pleasure divisions still see many entries, other higher divisions like three gaited and five gaited are losing entries. It is also becoming harder for the middle class to compete in the Saddlebred industry. While the more expensive horses used to be in different divisions, they have started coming into the pleasure divisions, making it harder for those competing on a cheaper budget. It is not uncommon for pleasure horses to cost six figures now, making the middle class less competitive in the show ring.

Back when the World’s Championship Horse Show didn’t include pleasure classes, top competitors spent their money on horses that were able to show at the World’s Championship Horse Show. Now they can drop six figures on a very nice horse that is nearly guaranteed a world championship win in the pleasure division. The qualifying rules for pleasure classes at the World’s Championship Horse Show, which takes place in August, state that a horse must have shown in six pleasure classes at three different shows by the end of June. Qualifying classes start after the previous World’s Championship Horse Show. Before this rule, people would show up to the World’s Championship Horse Show with a horse that competed in three gaited all season long and show in the pleasure classes for an easier win. Though the qualifying rules changed this from happening, there are now pleasure horses that once competed or easily could compete in divisions such as park or three gaited, giving those true pleasure horses and their riders a smaller chance of being competitive.

All this is not said to discredit the good work that has been started in the industry. The Bluegrass Select Series, for example, started in 2015. These classes are designed for horses competing in Kentucky and not attending the World’s Championship Horse Show. It allows riders to be more competitive because they don’t have to compete against the bigger show horses going to the World’s Championship Horse Show. Similar in its goals, the Carolina Summer Circuit was started not long before the Bluegrass Select Series to support smaller show circuits in the Carolinas.

While these efforts are great, it still makes it hard for riders competing on a cheaper budget and still wishing to show at the World’s Championship Horse Show. As of right now, there is not a way to keep more big show horses from dropping into the pleasure divisions and knocking down the true pleasure horses. I believe that if we want to continue to see this industry grow and stop going backwards, we must find a way to keep competitive showing more affordable and not let the six figure horses take over all the divisions.

Gypsy Vanners: A Fairy Tale Horse with a Fairy Tale Beginning

Not long after World War II, the gypsies in Great Britain sought out to create an ideal horse for their caravan. They wanted “a small Shire, with more feather, more color and a sweeter head.” To create their “vanner” horse, they began using selective breeding methods. For more than 50 years, the gypsies’ horses and breeding methods went unnoticed until an American couple, Dennis and Cindy Thompson, happened to spot a unique looking horse in the English countryside.

The Thompsons were very curious about the black and white stallion with the flowing mane and feathered feet. His name was The Log. When they took their inquiries to his owner, Roy Evans, they got an invitation to Appleby, the oldest horse fair in the world for gypsies. They spent ten days talking to gypsies who were buying and trading horses so they could do research on the horses and record their findings. They studied the selected herds of quality horses and found the similarities between them before deciding to bring this undiscovered breed back to America.

Cindy Thompson meeting Cushti Bok, then named The Log. Photo from gypsygold.com

In doing so, the Thompsons acquired The Log and a stallion named Bill, owned by Tom Draper, after some negotiating. The Log was renamed Cushti Bok, which means “good luck” in the gypsies’ Romany language, and Bill was renamed The Gypsy King. Cushti Bok became the first registered horse for the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, founded by the Thompsons November 24, 1996. The Thompsons imported a total of 16 horses, the two stallions plus 14 mares. With these horses they opened Gypsy Gold Farm in Ocala, Florida.

 

Cushti Bok. Photo from gypsygold.com

The Gypsy King. Photo from gypsygold.com

Using the knowledge they gathered, the Thompsons used Gypsy Gold to reproduce the magical horses they saw amongst the gypsies. They have been an inspiration for others to start breeding farms or become involved with the Gypsy Vanner breed. Gypsy Vanners are seen today showing in driving, western, hunt seat, dressage, and in halter just to name a few of their uses.

Though Cindy passed away in 2002, Dennis and Gypsy Gold are still breeding top horses today using the descendants from the original 16 imported horses. The farm lost Cushti Bok in 2014 and The Gypsy King in 2015 at the ages of 22 and 23 respectively, but their legacy still lives on. Five stallions currently stand at Gypsy Gold, two being sons on The Gypsy King and one the son of Cushti Bok. The farm still has some of the original imported mares and daughters of the late stallions as well.

There does seem to be something fairytale-like about the Gypsy Vanner, beginning with their hidden origins and the gypsies. Today the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society continues their mission to preserve the beloved horse of the gypsies and share the magical breed that captured the hearts of Dennis and Cindy Thompson in the English countryside.

Photo from wrranch.net

Horses: A Glimpse at Beauty, Power, and Spirit

It is often said, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." Horses give us a glimpse of beauty, power, and spirit. There certainly is something about them that strikes awe in humans. I have no fancy camera and sometimes I only capture these moments with my eyes, but occasionally I have been lucky enough to catch the moments that you wish you could see in person over and over again,

A view of the Smoky Mountains between the ears of Munch, a Shetland Pony/Quarter Horse cross. The moment was breathtaking. Thank you Munch for the pleasure.

Carpe Diem after winning the 2015 Blue Grass at Keeneland. This is quite possibly one of the most handsome horses I have ever laid eyes on. I didn't notice until after I snapped the picture that I caught the race fractions and final time in the background.

Miss Believin' strikes a pose as something catches her attention while grazing. I feel so grateful to own this horse. She is my pride and joy.

Smoky leads American Pharoah out to exercise. This was when Pharoah was training at Churchill before going on to be the 12th Triple Crown winner at Belmont. The horse breezed by so fast you missed him if you blinked.

WGC Courageous Lord shined in his retirement. One of the most talented Saddlebreds I have seen in my lifetime, winning the Five Gaited World Grand Championship three times.

Frivolous the day she won the Locust Grove at Churchill Downs, She may not have captured a grade one, but I really liked this beautiful mare. She always tried hard and I can't wait to see her foals.

Got Lucky, Untapable, and Yahilwa in a close finish for the Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland. Dark from the sun glaring at the grandstand, and photobombed by the excited spectator, but that is what horse racing is all about.

As sad as this picture is, it shows a beautiful friendship between horses. Bella gave her final goodbyes to her friend, WC CH Ima-Starbuck. Starbuck taught many five gaited lessons to youngsters. He was the first horse some of them got to slow gait and rack on.

Beholder greeting her fans and posse at Keeneland.

I've never seen a horse love a camera as much as Honor Code. I had a simple phone yet the handsome man couldn't stop from trying to turn around and get his picture taken. What a ham!

Effinex certainly did prove himself in 2015.

The incredibly handsome Tonalist with Effinex in the background.

Keen Ice

American Pharoah certainly was a happy horse after his Breeders' Cup Classic win.

It was dark and I had a bad phone camera, but this is one of the coolest moments of my life.

Ahh Chocolate after winning the Falls City at Churchill Downs.

Ahh Chocolate could be on a Thanksgiving Day card. I didn't realize I caught the message in the background until after I snapped the camera.

A Kentucky sunset is always more beautiful with a horse in view (especially if it's Bella).

To all the horses that have created memories for me, thank you.

"Horses: If God created anything more beautiful, He kept it for Himself."

A Thanksgiving Celebration: Ahh Chocolate Wins the GII Falls City Handicap

Stoneway Farm had more than the everyday reasons to be thankful this holiday as their three year old filly Ahh Chocolate, by Candy Ride and out of Ahh by Saint Liam, won the GII Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving. Ridden by Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr., “Chocolate” comfortably sat in second behind Gambler’s Rose for most of the race through fractions of 24:12, 48:31, 1:12:77, and 1:37:40. She took the lead coming out of the final turn and held off late runners Theogony and Call Pat, crossing the wire in front by one and a half lengths in a time of 1:49:68. Going off at 6-1 odds as the third choice, Chocolate paid $14.20 to win, $7.00 to show, and $4.20 to place.

Chocolate was very large as a foal, and even though she was broke at two, Terri Burch of Stoneway Farm said “we had to give her a couple months off during two periods last year to let her grow.” Chocolate made her debut in winning style February of this year in a six furlong maiden special weight at Fair Grounds. From there she went on to win a one and one sixteenth miles allowance race at Keeneland before finishing third in the GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico. “Before her first start she had been working well and we were not at all surprised she won,” said Burch. “Her gallop out in that race was so strong we spaced her next race about eight weeks later at Keeneland.”

Chocolate seems to have taken a liking to the Churchill surface with a record of two wins and a second from three starts on it. She came off of a second place finish in the GII Chilukki before her victory in the Falls City. Burch commented “Ahh Chocolate always tries hard and is maturing into the filly we knew she would be. We are very excited for 2016 and hope she has a big year.”

The race was marred with the unfortunate break down of Claiborne Farm’s Blame filly, Chide, who was euthanized after suffering a serious injury to her front left leg coming out of the final turn. Morning line favorite Frivolous was scratched with a sore tendon according to trainer Vicki Oliver. The Falls City would have been the finale for the Empire Maker mare, who won the 2014 edition of the race and is now retired.

Trained by Neil Howard, Ahh Chocolate claimed her first stakes win with her victory in the Falls City. She now holds a record of 4-1-1 from nine starts. “She is coming to the farm for a 30 day break before she heads to the Fair Grounds to prepare for the 2016 season,” said Burch. “We are hoping she starts filling out and slows down growing taller.”