Working Horse Magazine

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CONTENTS WorkingHorseMagazine.com | Spring 2019

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14 The Working Lines THE POWER OF WAR LEO

30 Larry Larson CAPTURING A PASSION

34 Mares with More

On the cover

BABE DAWSON

A Firewater Twist RB 44 Reiki

brought to you by

HEALING FOR HORSES

Cross Country Ranch owned by

52 On the Road with SeeYa

Rainbow Bar Ranch Top photo by Washington photographer Bonnie Cazier see his ad on pg 71

56 Real Estate Corral 70 Ad Index

Staff

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Mike Gerbaz | Managing Partner & Sales mikegerbaz@gmail.com | 970.948.5523 Jane Klingson | Sales janeklingson@yahoo.com | 515.571.2832

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Working Horse Magazine has been serving the performance horse industry since 1997. Main Office | 355 Watson Divide Road, Snowmass, CO 81654. For questions regarding subscriptions and distribution call 970.948.5523. The views and/or opinions in articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of Working Horse Magazine and are the responsibility of the author or advertiser.

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The Working Lines | The Power of War Leo

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By Larry Thornton ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ he wise horseman is always on the lookout for horses that are produced from a “nick.’ A nick is the genetic phenomenon that occurs when a stallion and a mare produce a foal that is superior for the desired traits. We often see a nick occurring between a stallion of one bloodline and a mare or group of mares from another bloodline. We also find that many of these nicks have a blood affinity in which we find common ancestors between the horses that encompass the nick. Examples of successful nicks include the Leo and Three Bars bloodlines and the Leo and Oklahoma Star bloodlines with these two nicks carrying their own blood affinities.

War Leo is the product of a great nick between Leo’s Question and a mare named War Bird. The mating of this stallion and mare gives us a nick between a son of Leo and an Oklahoma Star bred mare. The War Leo story helps us understand the power these nicks can have on our horses not to mention the power this nick possessed for War Leo as a performer.

War Leo was foaled in 1956 on the ranch of his breeder Dwight Timbers at Glen Elder, Kansas. Timbers sent the colt to Leon Hart for his race training where he officially started eight times with two wins, one second and two thirds. His official AQHA speed rating was “A” which shows up as a 75 speed index today. He became a stakes winner with his win in the 1958 Nebraska Futurity at Burwell, Nebraska. Prior to his races in Nebraska, War Leo had several starts in Mexico and had placed each time out.

LEOS QUESTION sor 1951 QUARTER HORSE #0037453

LEO sor 14.2 1940 QUARTER HORSE #0001335

QUESTIONAIRES MISS pal 1944 QUARTER HORSE #0021887

WAR LEO sor 1956 QUARTER HORSE #0060880

WAR BIRD b 1948 QUARTER HORSE #0032640

WAR STAR b 1945 QUARTER HORSE #0009786

STAR BIRD b 1935 QUARTER HORSE #0004081

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Dave Martin Sr. of Denton, Nebraska “caught a glimpse” of War Leo at the Burwell race meet. His glimpse of the colt resulted in his buying War Leo in February 1960. Martin and his son Dave, Jr. were, what Dave Jr. called, “novices” in the cutting game when they bought War Leo. Dave Jr. reminisced in a 1989 interview about his first opinion of War Leo. “He didn’t look like he would fit in the cuttin’ horse game. He was a long stretchy kind of horse that was beautifully muscled. His muscle lines and how they carried down into his hocks and knees indicated the potential for performance.”

The conformation of War Leo not only indicated potential for performance but allowed him to earn a Superior halter award in the American Quarter Horse Association. He earned 72 halter points and won 32 Grand Championships and 12 Reserve Championships as the High Point Halter Horse in Nebraska for 1960 and 1961.

Dave Martin Sr. started War Leo’s cutting training in April of 1960. He summed up War Leo’s natural ability with a conversation he had at an Oklahoma horse show. He told the story this way, “This ol ‘boy came to me and he said, ‘Man you’ve done a wonderful job of training that horse. I said, ‘Mister, I ain’t sure whether I trained this horse, or he trained me. He was that kind of horse. He was a natural.”

War Leo’s natural ability and power becomes very evident in his list of accomplishments as a cutting horse. He earned an AQHA Superior award in cutting with 192 points. He was the JOE REED II ch 1936 QUARTER HORSE #0000985 LITTLE FANNY b 1937 QUARTER HORSE #0001572 QUESTION MARK pal 15.0 1937 QUARTER HORSE #0003247 GIPSY ROSE I THOROUGHBRED U0057217 OKLAHOMA STAR JR dk ch 1934 QUARTER HORSE #0000598 SHERIDINA b 1937 QUARTER HORSE #0004076 OKLAHOMA STAR b 14.2 1915 QUARTER HORSE #0000006 MOORES FLEET gr 1931 QUARTER HORSE #0029667

JOE REED ch 1921 NELLENE sor 1931 JOE REED ch 1921 FANNY ASHWELL b 1914 PLAUDIT pal 1930 PEPITO 1 ch

JOE BLAIR DELLA MOORE FLEETING TIME LITTLE RED NELL JOE BLAIR DELLA MOORE ASHWELL FANNIE RICHARDSON KING PLAUDIT COLORADO QUEEN KENWARD PHYLLIS F

OKLAHOMA STAR b 14.2 1915 BABE DAWSON br 1925 SHERIDAN br 16.1 1921 QUARTER LADY ch 1934 DENNIS REED blk 15.2 1911 CUTTHROAT sor OLD RED BUCK ch 1924 GREY WING gr 1925

DENNIS REED CUTTHROAT LITTLE EARL JR QUEEN 14 SWEEP IRIDESCENCE QUARTER DECK PRETTY LADY LOBOS BESS CHITMAN GULLIVER BELLE K RED MAN 1 PET DAWSON MUSKOGEE STAR 1

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The Working Lines continued

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1963 AQHA High Point Cutting Horse Stallion. His halter and cutting points made him an AQHA Champion. The NCHA record for War Leo earned him the Certificate of Ability and the Bronze Award with his $19,807 in earnings.

He was fifth in the NCHA Open Top Ten in 1963.

Bob Norman purchased War Leo in April of 1963 and brought the stallion to his horse breeding operation in Louisiana. Glenn McWhorter started showing War Leo for Norman. The success of War Leo in 1963 focuses on the fact that Norman bought the horse in April and this gave them a late start on the cutting circuit. War Leo still finished fifth in the NCHA Top Ten for 1963.

Norman’s ownership of War Leo didn’t last long as he dispersed his horses in September of 1964. War Leo returned to Nebraska as the property of Dave Martin Sr. Shortly after Martin repurchased War Leo, he was contacted by Don Carr the longtime manager of Bess Fish’s Village Creek Ranch of Burleson, Texas. Carr had seen War Leo perform at the 1963 NCHA Finals and liked what he saw but he was unable to attend the dispersal of Norman’s Aurora Farms. So he called Dave Martin about buying the horse. Martin consented to sell the horse after some negotiations. War Leo went to his new home at the This rear view of Leo’s Question [1951] shows the Village Creek Ranch where he stood until his death. powerful hind leg he passed to his son War Leo War Leo was noted for his power as a cutting horse. “This horse had so photo from author’s files much ability and he was so stout. He could run full tilt, start a turn, go half way through it, reverse it and never touch the ground with his front feet. The cow could make a move and he’d still be straight back in the middle, right in front of her,” stated Carr about the cutting style of War Leo. He further explained, “War Leo was a tremendously stout horse and this got to be his biggest problem in later years. He would run and get in the ground so hard that it was hard on his stifles. He had some stifle problems in later years when I was riding him.”

The Carr comments on the power of War Leo are typical of conversations with others. The Martins used terms like “explosive” and “true athlete” to describe War Leo. Dave, Sr. saw the explosiveness of War Leo compounding any mistake the horse made. He saw War Leo as the type of horse that could give the calf a lot of room and then he would use his power and speed to get back in position. If he made a mistake, “it was a mile wide.”

War Leo’s pedigree gives us some insight as to where he got his powerful moves. His sire was Leo’s Question, who was bred by Dwight Timbers. The sire of Leo’s Question was Leo and his dam was Questionaire’s Miss. Leo was sired by Joe Reed II by Joe Reed P-3 and out of Little Fanny by Joe Reed P-3.

Joe Reed P-3 was sired by Joe Blair (TB) by Bonnie Joe. Leo was a very stout and powerful individual that was described to this The record of Coys War Leo [mid 1960’s] writer by his longtime owner, Bud Warren, as being built like a “professional shows the versatility of the War Leo foals wrestler.” The stoutness of Leo appears to have had an influence on his grandphoto from author’s files son War Leo. Joe Reed II, the sire of Leo, was out of Nellene by Fleeting Time. Fleeting Time was a son of High Time. High Time was sire by Ultimus. Ultimus was sired by a son of Domino and out of a daughter of Domino. The dam of High Time was a daughter of Domino. Thus High Time was 3 X 3 X 2 inbred to Domino.

Questionaire’s Miss was bred by William Walker and owned by Dwight Timbers. She was a daughter of Question Mark, a son of the quarter horse Plaudit.

The quarter horse Plaudit was sired by King Plaudit, a thoroughbred sired by the Kentucky Derby winning Plaudit. The thoroughbred Plaudit was a son of Himyar, the sire of Domino, a very influential thoroughbred in the quarter horse industry. Himyar the sire of Domino and Plaudit would be the blood affinity

War Leo Dude [1963] with Joyce Kernek and Warrior Leo with Kathie O’Brien brought the War Leo power to barrel racing photo courtesy Joyce Kernek 16 Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... between Leo and Questionaire’s Miss.

Pepito was the dam of Question Mark. She was a quarter mare by the thoroughbred Kenward and out of Phylis F by the thoroughbred Withers. Question Mark was bred by Waite Phillips at his Philmont Ranch in New Mexico. The dam of Questionaire’s Miss was the thoroughbred mare Gypsy Rose, who was sired by Picardo. Gypsy Rose was out of Argosy.

John Wilkins was the longtime owner of Leo’s Question. He recalled that Leo’s Question and War Leo were a lot alike when Leo’s Question was in his prime. He described them as horses with “a lot of length of hip, a lot of depth, thick through the stifle, a long underline, short back and short cannon bones.” What stands out with Wilkins is the powerful hind leg. It was this power in the hind leg that enabled War Leo and his brothers and sisters to change direction in midair without touching the ground.

Leo’s Question put together a good record as a sire. He has produced AAA runners and outstanding performance horses. His AAA runners include Baldy’s Pete, She’s A Leo and Van’s Dumpy.

Baldy’s Pete had 196 starts on the track. He was a AAA runner that had 30 wins, 29 second and 17 thirds on the track earning over $31,000. He was foaled in 1958 and ended his race career in 1970.

The Leo’s Question cutting horse foals would include Cutter Question, an NCHA Silver Award winner; Cutter Leo, NCHA Bronze Award winner and AQHA Superior cutting horse and Mr Bart Question, 24 AQHA cutting points and a Nebraska High Point Senior Cutting Horse. Leo’s Question was the broodmare sire of such fine horses as Jae Bar Fletch, a multiple AQHA and NCHA World Champion, Jae Bar Maisie, NCHA Non-Pro Cutting Horse and Jae Bar Fame, winner of over $70,000 in NCHA cuttings.

War Leo was out of War Bird. She was bred by Ronald Mason, the man most credit with developing the Oklahoma Star family of quarter horses. Dwight Timbers bought War Bird from Mason.

War Bird was a double bred Oklahoma Star mare. Her sire was War Star, a AAA rated race horse that had his ROM in racing and 16 wins to his credit. He won $10,250 on the race track. War Star was sired by Oklahoma Star Jr. by Oklahoma Star. Oklahoma Star was sired by the thoroughbred Dennis Reed. His dam was Cutthroat. The pedigree of Cutthroat was disputed but Mason believed her to be sired by Bonnie Joe and out of Big Em by Rocky Mountain Tom. This tells us that Cutthroat and Joe Blair (the sire of Joe Reed) could have been paternal half sister and brother as they were both sired by Bonnie Joe. Babe Dawson was the dam of Oklahoma Star Jr. She was sired

by Little Earl Jr. by Little Earl. Her dam was Queen by Little Earl. This makes Babe Dawson 2 X 2 inbred to Little Earl. War Star was out of the mare Sheridina by Sheridan, a thoroughbred.

Sheridina was out of Quarter Lady by Quarter Deck, a son of Man O’War. Quarter Lady was out of Pretty Lady, who was sired by Old Red Buck and out of Babe Dawson. Star Bird by Oklahoma Star P-6 was the dam of War Bird. Her dam was Fleet by Old Red Buck. One of her sons was the legendary rope horse Old Baldy.

Fleet was out of Grey Wings by Muskogee Star.

The other version of Cutthroat’s pedigree gives us an interesting look at the role of Babe Dawson as a cross on the Oklahoma Star bloodline. Babe Dawson was double bred to Little Earl.

Little Earl was sired by Missouri Mike by Printer by Old Cold Deck. The other version of Cutthroat’s pedigree tells us that she

was sired by Gulliver by Missouri Rondo by Missouri Mike. This would make Babe Dawson and Oklahoma Star very closely related--if this is the correct pedigree for Cutthroat.

What makes War Leo such an interesting individual is the fact that he wasn’t an only “child” from the mating of his sire and dam. Leo’s Question and War Bird “nicked” to produce, in addition to War Leo, Rondo Leo; Ace of Limestone and War Olee.

Rondo Leo was an AQHA Champion with 20 halter points and 36 performance points. He was the sire of the prominent stallion Mr. Gun Smoke. Mr Gun Smoke is a leading sire and Cow Horse Hall of Fame member. Ace Of Limestone was a stakes placed runner with a second place finish in the 1963 Kansas Bred Derby. He was an AQHA Champion with 17 halter points and 27 working points. War Olee was a Superior Cutting Horse with 180 points.

He was a World Show Finalist in 1976.

Leo’s Question and War Bird produced several daughters including Limestone Bird, the earner of 15 halter points and 35 performance points. Limestone Bird was the dam of Dry Doc’s Dottie, a top cutting mare by Dry Doc. Dry Doc’s Dottie was third in the NCHA Top Ten in 1985.

Leo’s Question appears to have a strong affinity for mares that carry the blood of Oklahoma Star. When he was crossed with Kansas Cindy, the dam of Mr Gunsmoke, he sired Leo’s Lightfoot. Leo’s Lightfoot earned 37 AQHA cutting points. Kansas Cindy was sired by a double bred Oklahoma Star stallion.

In an attempt to find out more about War Bird, I asked John Wilkins to describe her. Wilkins had the opportunity to see War Bird several times when she was delivered to his place to be bred to Leo’s Question. He saw her as a mare that was more thoroughbred in her type. “She wasn’t a heavy muscled mare, she was a long muscled mare but not a thick heavy muscled mare at all.” He felt that to look at her you wouldn’t connect her as the dam of War Leo because of his hind leg.

War Leo proved to be a very good sire with 100 point earners earning 2,105.5 AQHA points. They earned 41 performance Register of Merit awards; 10 Superior Awards, five AQHA Championships, three high point awards and two World Championships.

The NCHA sire record for War Leo shows that he has sired foals that have earned $606,991.

When visiting with the Martin’s they provide you with two very nice horses that War Leo gave them in their days with the stallion.

War Leo’s Doll was a 1961 palomino mare that was trained and shown by Dave Jr. Her dam was Martin’s Sun Glo. Martin’s Sun Glo was sired by Phillips 66 by the quarter horse Plaudit. This gives War Leo’s Doll 5 X 3 breeding pattern to Plaudit.

War Leo’s Doll earned 19 halter points with 88 cutting points, three western pleasure points and three reining point. He was an AQHA Champion. Her NCHA records shows earnings of $4,969.98 with the Certificate of Ability.

The prowess of this mare as a cutting horse came out at the 1970 American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City. Martin was campaigning Jessie James Leo toward the AQHA High Point Cutting Horse title. War Leo’s Doll had come along to be used as a turnback horse and to show in Senior Cutting. Martin had just weaned a colt by The Old Man off War Leo’s Doll and had ridden her a couple of times at home, before bringing her to Kansas City.

He hadn’t cut any cattle on her.

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Martin was turning back for Slim Smith and War Leo’s Doll simply came apart when she saw the cattle. “She got on her belly and acted like a fool. The people watching the numbers on the saddle blankets started clapping,” recalls Martin. They were acknowledging the performance of a turnback horse. He was somewhat embarrassed and admits that Slim Smith was a little upset, but there wasn’t much he could do but turnback on Jessie.

When Martin got back on War Leo’s Doll for the senior cutting, the “people went nuts” and they started clapping for the little mare. When they started to make their cut, he couldn’t believe what was going on. He thought at first “she had hurt herself, she was that low and stayed down that long.”

When the whistle blew, Martin’s little mare had scored a 78 with 80 being perfect. He believes that if his run had been taped it would have been a classic today, because the little mare virtually did everything right. Jessie James Leo, War Leo’s Doll and Dave Jr. made the Kansas City cutting a clean sweep with firsts in both divisions.

War Leo’s Doll is described by Martin as a very powerful mare that had inherited her sire’s hind leg. He did however feel that she “couldn’t run as hard but was quicker” than her sire.

When Dave Martin Sr. sold War Leo in 1963, he had a replacement for the horse. His name was War Bond Leo, who was foaled in 1963. War Bond Leo was out of Peppy’s Gold by Peppy Red

by Peppy P-212. Peppy’s Gold was out of Pearlita by Gold Heels

by Si Ding by Saladin. Gold Heels was out of Beaulah by Prince.

Pearl Norell was the dam of Pearlita. Pearl Norell was sired by Little Nat by Coke T. Pearlita was rich in the blood of foundation quarter horse breeder Coke Roberds. By the way Coke Roberds was the man that made Old Fred a foundation sire and Old Fred is a great grandsire of the quarter horse Plaudit.

War Bond Leo earned 8 halter points and 198 cutting points with the AQHA. He was the 1969 AQHA High Point Cutting Horse. He was an NCHA Futurity finalist in 1966 and an NCHA Top Ten qualifier with a fifth place finish in 1969. His efforts in the cutting arena earned him the AQHA Superior Cutting Award and the NCHA Bronze Award. War Bond Leo and Dave Martin Sr. teamed to win 42 of the 48 contests they entered. War Bond Leo was the sire of Jessie James Leo that Dave Jr. showed to be the 1970 AQHA High Point Cutting Horse title.

War Leo’s arrival at the Village Creek Ranch marks the second phase of War Leo’s life as a sire. Don Carr found some common characteristics among the War Leos, “They all have a hard stop to them, a lot of turn around. They could get in the ground running full tilt. For some horses this is a lot of effort, it wasn’t for the War Leos.

Carr’s experiences with War Leo reinforce the thought that he had the ability to cross with a variety of bloodlines. But Carr personally preferred King bred mares as a cross for the horse. At the top of Carr’s list of mares you will find Brady’s Lady, a daughter of Cueller. The sire of Cueller was King P-234, a son of Zantanon.

When bred to War Leo, Brady’s Lady produced several good performers. The top point getter from this cross was War Chips.

War Chips was a Superior cutting horse with 95 points. He was the 1973 and 1976 AQHA High Point Cutting Horse Stallion. He earned $10,837 in the NCHA earning his Certificate of Ability.

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War Leo and Brady’s Lady combined to produce War Leo’s Lady. War Leo’s Lady was the earner of two halter points and eleven performance points. She is the dam of the AQHA Champion Especial by Doc Bar. The Especial NCHA money winners have earned in excess of $753,000 with his top money winner being Especials Quixote who won $262,765 while earning such titles as the 1986 NCHA Super Stakes Co-Reserve title. Especial is the broodmare sire of Sanalito, the 1992 NCHA Non-Pro Derby Reserve Champion.

Two War Leo cutters scored a big double in the AQHA Cutting competition in 1981. War Leo Jr was the High Point Cutting Horse for the year and War Doc Leo was the High Point Junior Cutting Horse for the year. War Leo Jr is out of the mare Echo Annette by Ed Echols by Zantanon. Ed Echols was a paternal half-brother to King P-234 (Both sired by Zantanon). War Leo Jr earned 113 AQHA cutting points to garner the Superior Award.

He earned $7,996 in the NCHA and the Certificate of Ability.

War Doc Leo not only earned his high point award, but he earned his earned Superior Award in cutting with 56 cutting points and he placed fourth in the 1982 AQHA World Championship Senior Cutting. He earned $10,752 in the NCHA and taking home an NCHA Certificate of Ability. War Doc Leo was out of Doc’s Sancie Bar by Doc Bar. War China was the 1976 NCHA Non-Pro Derby Co-Champion. He earned $205,746 in the NCHA earning the Certificate of Ability, Bronze Award and the Silver Award. His AQHA record shows that he earned 26 points earning a performance ROM. The dam of War China is Miss China 98 by Hollywood Gold.

Triangle Gold War was the 1982 NCHA Non-Pro Classic Champion. He earned $166,584 in the NCHA earning the Certificate of Ability, Bronze Award and the Silver Award. He earned 10 AQHA performance points earning the ROM. His dam was Gold Molly by Holly’s Salty who is a son of Hollywood Gold.

A gelding named War Wood shows the versatility of the War Leo foals. He was the 1978 AQHA World Champion Senior Heading Horse. He earned 105 AQHA points earning a Superior Award in Steer Roping. He also earned 71 PHBA points earning a PHBA Performance World Championship in 1987 and a PHBA Performance Reserve Championship in 1992. The dam of War Wood was Holly Smoke by Hollywood Gold.

War Leo Dude and Warrior Leo are full brothers by War Leo, and they introduce us to the barrel racing side of this line. Warrior Leo and Kathy O’Brien won the average at the National Finals Rodeo 1968. They would qualify four more times from 1969 to 1972. Warrior Leo also earned his ROM with 15 AQHA points.

Kathy O’Brien introduced War Leo Dude to Joyce Loomis-Kernek. They qualified to the National Finals Rodeo for the first time in 1969. They were also named the 1969 WPRA World Champions in ribbon roping. They came back in 1970 winning the WPRA World Champion Barrel Racing title and they were the NFR Average Champions that same year. War Leo Dude earned 48 open and 17 youth points. These full brothers were out of Mission Hancock by Clint Hancock. Joyce proudly tells us that these two full brothers are still the only full brother to win the barrel racing average at the National Finals Rodeo.

Man O War Leo and Joyce Loomis-Kernek then teamed to win

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... the 1974 AQHA World Champion Senior Barrel Racing Horse title and the AQHA High Point Barrel Racing Horse title that same year. He was Superior Barrel Racing with 149 AQHA performance points. Man O War Leo then took Lorraine Alexander to the National Finals Rodeo for several years. Alexander was the first qualifier from the east to make the finals. He was sired by War Leo and his dam was Sooner Satin by Bojangles by Scooter Waggoner a son of Waggoner.

A recent conversation with Joyce revealed that it was the power of these three horses that set them apart for her as a barrel racer.

She described it best when she first rode Man O War Leo, “I got on him in Dave Martin’s arena and I was loping some circles on him and I changed leads went the other way and he spurred out like I stepped off and he had that same burst of speed out of the barrels.” She attributed this speed to those powerful hind legs that came with the War Leo foals.

The daughters of War Leo have done their part to pass the power of this great stallion on to the next generation. They have produced 125 point earners that have earned 2,718.5 points with 41 performance ROM, three AQHA Champions and nine Superior award winners. His maternal grand get have earned over $2.8 million in the NCHA. The mare War Leo Missie by War Leo was a 1971 NCHA Futurity Finalist and a Superior in cutting with 53 points. The foals of War Leo Missie have earned in excess of $500,000. Her foals include War Lano Missy ($165,599); Little Artie Lena, ($142,579) and War O Lena ($83,605). The dam of War Leo Missie was Dolly Snip by Snip Raffles and out of Doll House by House.

Bonnie Jo Leo was an AQHA Champion daughter of War Leo. Her leading money winner was Doc O Leo winner of $192,900.

He was the 1980 NCHA Non -Pro World Champion and the winner of the NCHA Non-Pro Finals in 1980 and 1981. Sandia Dulce a daughter Bonnie Jo Leo is the dam of Little Badger Dulce who earned $668,461. Her titles include the 1996 NCHA Non-Pro

World Championship and the 1995 and 1998 NCHA Open Reserve World Champion. The leading money winner out of Little Badger Dulce is Dulces Smart Lena a winner of over $176,000.

He is the sire of winners of over $1.2 million. Sugar N Dulces is a daughter of Little Badger Dulce and she is the dam of Kit Kat Sugar the 2012 NCHA Horse of the Year. Bonnie Jo Leo was out of a mare named Willow Springs Penny by a horse named Bud by F&H Bill Thomas.

War Ella was an unshown daughter of War Leo. She became the dam of eight point and/or money earners. They include Wranglers Whip the 1994 AQHA Youth World Champion Working Cow Horse and Wranglers War Leo the 1987 AQHA World Champion Junior Working Cow Horse. All eight of her performers were sired by Doc’s Wrangler. We saw earlier that War Leo was a good cross on Hollywood Gold. Doc’s Wrangler was out of Miss Bar 89 by Hollywood Gold. War Ella was out of Ella Robin by Robin Whiskers by Robin Reed by Leo. One of the great producing daughters of War Leo was War Leo’s Penny. This mare is the dam of Coy’s War Leo and War Leo Bonanza. Coy’s War Leo earned 408 AQHA points in western pleasure, barrel racing, reining, trail and hunt seat. She was Superior in western pleasure and halter with 70 Grand Championships.

She was an AQHA Champion and the 1972 AQHA Reserve High Point Halter Horse. Her full brother was War Leo Bonanza. He earned 345 AQHA points with Superiors in halter and hunter under saddle. He was the 1972 AQHA High Point Halter Stallion, the 1972 AQHA High Point Under Saddle Stallion and the High Point Junior Hunter Under Saddle Horse. War Leo’s Penny was out of Gay Chubby By Chubby Bob by Chubby.

The story of War Leo has given us a great example of a nick and the blood affinity pattern we see so often in our horses. It also shows us how important he was as a sire of power in our performance horses and what that represents when we see his name in our modern pedigrees.

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About the Author | Larry Thornton is a Pedigree Analyst and freelance writer for Working Horse Magazine, Speedhorse and Quarter Horse News. Thorton started his writing career in 1984 with his first article being printed in the Speed Horse Magazine. He was also an Agriculture Instructor for 37 years.

War Bond Leo [1963] showing the cutting ability of the War Leo foals photo from author’s files Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring 19

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Larry Larson | Capturing a Passion

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By Savanna Simmons | originally published in Tri-State Livestock News ........................................................................................................................................................................................................

Larson | photo by Darrell Dodds for Western Horseman

26 WorkingGuy Horse agazine 2019 Spring Frenchmans -aM Larson photo

ost who know Larry Larson in the capacity that brought him the title of 2019 Black Hills Stock Show Horse Person of the Year most likely don’t know that is only his part-time career. He spends 40 hours per week at the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute in Rapid City. After that he puts his time into his other two passions—horses and photography, successfully combining the two for nearly 30 years.

Larson grew up near Mobridge in the midst of big ranch country, though not on a ranch himself; for many years, his parents owned a general store in the small town of Wakpala on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, then later were involved in farming and ranching. An enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, he continued his education in Mobridge, where he and his three brothers graduated from high school.

Larson always felt an intense desire to be around horses, and his dad set up a trade for a gelding named Honda with a nearby rancher.

“That unique payment plan between my dad and a very tolerant rancher named Fritz Wientjes included random deliveries of cases of canned food and cartons of cigarettes from our store,” Larson said. “I will always be grateful to my dad, since nobody else in my family shared my horse addiction. Needless to say, my first horse was a challenge and subsequently tested me daily in those gumbo pastures west river along the Missouri River breaks.”

In addition to that first horse, Larson rode friends’ horses every chance he got and, for a time, he worked for $1 per day at a then “fledgling race stable owned by our veterinarian’s son, Bill Mott,” Larson said. “He was a year ahead of me in school, attended the same church, and he trained racehorses throughout high school.” Bill went on to eventually become the trainer of the champion racehorse Cigar, among others, and is still a leading trainer at Churchill Downs.

Larson was also heavily influenced by a trainer near Gettysburg, South Dakota, Tom Eliason, who was an AQHA judge, and also ran a band of Quarter Horse broodmares.

“He showed successfully in almost every AQHA show event offered,” Larson said. “Eventually, he showed an AQHA World Champion in roping; he excelled in every aspect of the industry.”

Following in Eliason’s shoes, Larson showed professionally for others and hauled a few of his own horses from the mid 1970s into the early 1990s. A lone broodmare that he purchased at the Denver Stock Show in 1982 provided Larson with some showing stock, including her second foal Parsuasive, sired by a full brother to Zan Parr Bar named Par For The Course.

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“I showed her to many AQHA class wins as a foal while still on the mare and sold her that fall as a weanling,” Larson said. “She became an AQHA Champion, Superior Halter Horse, Canadian National Champion, and more. At the summer show in Sioux Falls in 1984, my broodmare, her foal, and her yearling filly were all in the same Grand and Reserve class, an unusual occurrence even today.”

Larson put down new roots in Rapid City in October of 1984 in an unfinished apartment above the newly-opened Hart Ranch Arena, where he gave riding lessons and established a horse sale with a two-year lifespan known as Hart of the Hills. While there, Larson received a unique offer from a father of one of his students, eight-year-old Maria Wright.

“Her dad came to watch her ride one day, and the next week, his wife called saying her husband wanted to know if I was interested in working for him. I asked what he did, was told he was an ophthalmologist, and I started the next day with no prior training. I’ve been at the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute on the Eye Surgery Center floor now into my 35th year.”

Their daughter Maria continued to train with Larson through a very successful AQHA youth career.

Feeling slightly burnt out showing in 1991, Larson decided to shift his love of horses to photographing them, despite not having any prior experience with photography or cameras. Photographers were seldom seen at events, but at the Central States Fair in 1991, Larson was able to purchase a photo of a daughter of his mare, Inspired By Money, sired by Inspirative.

“I realized the diagonal was off, it was very blurry, and blared of other unappealing traits,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘What if you could offer a product that everyone would appreciate?’ I decided to enroll in the last photography clinic being offered in 1992 by Don Shugart, then from Grapevine, Texas, whose equine photography I had admired for years. I came back to South Dakota and have been busy ever since.”

Larry Larson Photography, Inc, now in its 27th year, specializes in equine photography, graphic ad design, website design, and equine photography clinics that draw hundreds of students from across the United State and Canada.

“He had experience in horses before starting taking pictures, which helps his overall knowledge of horses and what they are supposed to look like,” said 24-year client and longtime friend Bill Myers, owner of Frenchmans Guy and Myers Performance Horses near St. Onge, South Dakota. “His background in the horse deal has been very important to him and the people who work with him. Larry has dedicated most of his life to the horse world and horse business.”

Oh Whatta Boy - a Larson photo

Larson was invited to AQHA World Champion Show during its Cancer Ride. He is pictured astride multiple world champion Harley D Zip. - photo by KC Montgomery

Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring 27

Capturing a Passion continued .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

Maria Wright’s dad offered Larry Larson a job after watching him give his daughter riding lessons in the fall of 1984. He has been working at the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute since. - photo by G. Willis

In April of 2007, Larson was diagnosed with lymphoma, receiving chemotherapy throughout the summer, never missing a day of work at the Eye Institute while still producing two horse sale catalogs and hosting his annual photography clinic.

“During my 35 daily doses of radiation in the fall, I managed and photographed the Central States Fair Quarter Horse show and then did the same at the AQHA Region Two Championship the end of September,” Larson said. He had helped establish the criteria for all the AQHA Region Two Regional Shows, now Championships, two years prior, though the first show in Rapid City was postponed until 2006 due to a contagious horse disease prevalent in 2005.

Larson was also was instrumental in initially naming, organizing, managing, and photographing the Black Hills Stock Show Winter Classic Quarter Horse Show, now one of the largest horse events in the upper Midwest.

AQHA asked Larson to ride multiple-AQHA World Champion Harley D Zip at its Cancer Ride one evening at the 2009 AQHA World Show during the finals in Oklahoma City. He described it as “an evening I will never forget, emotional for me, and very humbling. I now know that God had other plans for me.”

His dedication to promoting the American Quarter Horse and the equine industry helped him being elected as an AQHA National Director in 2000 and then his elevation to AQHA Director At Large in 2015. Larson is an ambassador for the AQHA Foundation, the fundraising entity of the AQHA for scholarships and breed education and he is a member of their Heritage Society. He served on the AQHA Marketing Committee for 14 years, is currently a member of the International Committee and was recently appointed to the AQHA Hall Of Fame Selection Committee, which begins now in 2019.

Larson received his Horse Person of the Year honor Jan. 26 at the Black Hills Stock Show Stockman’s Banquet and Ball.

“As a photographer, Larry is one of the best in the business.

He’s extremely particular, but that’s why his stuff turns out flawlessly,” said SDQHA Vice-President Amanda Dikoff, who has known Larson since she was in high school. “He is always there to give some encouragement to the younger generations. He is a tireless supporter of the SDQHA and has been involved with that for many years. All-around great guy that loves horses and appreciates all disciplines.”

Larson was also awarded 2016 South Dakota Horse Council Horse Person of the Year.

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Larson had one mare that he purchased in 1982, who had her second foal in 1984, a daughter of Par For The Course named Parsuasive. - photo by Waltenberry

28 Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring

About the Author | Savanna Simmons lives north of Lusk, Wyoming, on the Four Three Ranch with her husband Boe and sons, Brindle and Roan.

She grew up in Wisconsin riding with some of the greatest horsemen, including Ray Hunt and Jack Brainard. After getting a journalism degree from Chadron State College in Nebraska, she embraced her long-time love of photography, often integrating it with her passion for horses and the ranching lifestyle.

Currently, she works as a photographer, freelance journalist, and blogger, in between chauffeuring her sons to school in South Dakota and teaching them to be horsemen at home on the ranch.

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Larson offers photography clinics for students from around the country and Canada. - a Larson photo

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Mares With More | The Dawson Mares

T

By Larry Thornton ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... he Dawson mares we will look at in this issue are Babe Dawson and Pet Dawson. These mares were bred by John Dawson of Talala, Oklahoma and they form the foundation of the Dawson breeding program.

A breeding program that would breed and/or use such stallions as Old Red Buck P-9, Oklahoma Star Jr and Wimpy II. We will see that the Dawson breeding program has had a wide impact on the American Quarter Horse making these mares our latest Mares with More.

Some reports show that Babe Dawson was the dam of Pet Dawson. What makes this interesting comes when we look at Pet Dawson and her most famous foal. This mare is the dam of Old Red Buck P-9. Old Red Buck was given the foundation status when he received the number #9 in the AQHA Stud Book. The AQHA numbers 2 to 19 were reserved for stallions that qualified for this honor for their contributions to the breed. Old Red Buck was foaled in 1924 and he was bred by John Dawson. He was a son of Red Man by Tubal Cain by Berry’s Cold Deck. He was out of Pet Dawson by Jeff C and out of Old Babe. Old Babe was a daughter of Little Earl.

We don’t have a birth date for Pet Dawson. But we do have a birth year for Babe Dawson. She was born in 1925 a year after Old Red Buck. So it is very hard to make Pet Dawson a daughter of Babe Dawson, AQHA #603.

Now let’s look at how these mares formed the foundation of the Dawson breeding program using an article in THE QUARTER HORSE, the official publication of the old National Quarter Horse Breeders Association. The title of the article is “Babe Dawson Dam of Some of Oklahoma’s Finest.” The author is not given and that was a common practice in this magazine. The story tells us that John Dawson got his first horse when he was 16 years old.

He bought “a pretty good two-year-old mare.”

Then a man named Link Willey enters the picture. Willey was a neighbor to Dawson. Willey brought a stallion named Little Earl into the Talala/Oologah, Oklahoma area. He bought the horse in Missouri. The stallion was known as Little Earl and sometimes Old Earl. He was sired by Missouri Mike by Printer II by Cold Deck. Missouri Mike was the sire of Missouri Rondo the sire of Blackball the sire of Old Fred. Old Fred being the foundation sire of Coke Roberd’s famous breeding program in Colorado. Old Fred is the foundation sire for such AQHA Hall of Fame breeders as Coke Roberds, Warren Shoemaker and Hank Wiescamp.

Link Willey bred one of his mares to Little Earl and got a horse named Little Earl Jr. The registration application for Babe Dawson tells us that the dam of Little Earl Jr was “a quarter type Copperbottom mare.”

John Dawson had a mare the article calls a Texas Quarter Mare and he bred her to Little Earl.

This resulted in a filly that Dawson named Queen. The registration application for Babe Dawson tells us that the Texas Quarter Mare was sired by a horse that was “supposed to be a Steel Dust, a Texas horse.”

The next step for Dawson was to breed Little Earl Jr to Queen.

This is the mating that resulted in Babe Dawson. This gives Babe Dawson a breeding pattern of 2 X 2 to Little Earl. This is a half

34 Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring

brother and sister mating. This is the same breeding pattern that we find in Leo’s pedigree. Leo was 2 X 2 inbred to Joe Reed P -3 and the result of a half brother and sister mating.

THE QUARTER HORSE story on Babe Dawson tells us that John Dawson got Pet Dawson when he bred “Babe” to a stallion named Jeff C. This Jeff C is known in the story as Eldridge Pace’s Jeff C. Jeff C was sired by a horse we see in the pedigrees as Printer II. Printer II was the sire of Missouri Mike. Old Babe was sired

by Little Earl. Some have indicated that Old Babe could be the dam of Babe Dawson. The foal produced from the mating of Jeff C and “Babe” by Little Earl is Pet Dawson.

The Babe Dawson story tells us that Pet Dawson was a “cow pony with plenty of speed and sense.” The story adds that she was such a good working horse that it was several years before she was bred.

But her greatest claim to fame comes from her produce record and her son Old Red Buck P-9. His sire was Red Man by Tubal Cain by Berry’s Cold Deck. Old Red Buck P-9 would start with John Dawson with his changing ownership over the years. He was registered when owned by King Merritt of Wyoming and owned in the AQHA records

by Genevieve Perron Roso of Kentucky when he died.

Old Red Buck P-9 being foaled in 1924 and dying in 1944 tells that he died long before records were ever kept. But he did sire 78 registered foals. This includes five performers. He sired one racing Register Of Merit in Sad Sack a 1937 gelding out of a mare named Comma by Mote (TB). The daughters of Old Red Buck P-9 produced 328 foals with 46 performers. With 12 point earners in halter and 14 point earners in performance. They earned a modest 77.5 AQHA points. These performers include three arena Register Of Merit. The ROM include Rick O’Shea with 11.5 performance points. His leading halter point earner was Reno’s Trinket with 12 halter points.

Black Beauty Dawson a daughter of Old Red Buck P-9 and out of the Dawson Mare Old Black Beauty was the dam of two halter point earners. They were Little Beauty and Little Earl’s Queen.

They each earned one halter point. Brown Betty Dawson was a third daughter of Black Beauty Dawson. This mare was the dam of foals like Dawsons Gary by Wimpy II. Dawsons Gary was the sire of Miss Patsy Blake the dam of Mr Diamond Dude and Dudes Baby Doll. Dudes Baby Doll was an AQHA Champion and Superior halter horse. She earned 466 AQHA halter points. She was the dam of horses like Cassandra Cody the 1979 NRHA Futurity Champion. Mr Diamond Dude is best known as the sire of Diamonds Sparkle the 1979 AQHA World Show Super Horse. She in turn is the dam of many champions including her son Shining Spark, the All Time Leading sire of Reined Cow Horse money earners.

Pet Dawson is the dam of three other known foals. They are Whitey, Cuter 3 and Dena Dawson. Whitey is the dam of Oklahoma Squaw, who was the dam of King’s Squaw. King’s Squaw was the dam of Nancy Squaw the dam of the AQHA High Point Halter Stallion Jim Harlan. Jim Harlan is the sire of the 1970 AQHA High Point Halter Mare Miss Jim 45. She earned 230 firsts with 176 Grand Championships earning 642 AQHA Halter Points in her career. Many say she was the greatest halter horse of all time.

The first registered foal out of Babe Dawson was Bay Babe.

This mare foaled in 1930 was sired by Old Red Buck P-9. Ike

B

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................

abe dawson

Babe Dawson and one of her foals | photo author’s files

LITTLE EARL JR b 1915 QUARTER HORSE U0073926

BABE DAWSON br 1925 QUARTER HORSE #0000603

QUEEN 14 ch 1913 QUARTER HORSE U0146260

LITTLE EARL ch 1884 QUARTER HORSE U0071577

MISSOURI MIKE PRINTER sor 1876 gr 1865 QUARTER HORSE ALSUPS RONDO MARE U0241585 BRIMMER MARE BRIMMER QUARTER HORSE

OLD COLD DECK PRINTER JR MARE ALSUPS BRIMMER

MISSOURI MIKE PRINTER sor 1876 gr 1865 QUARTER HORSE ALSUPS RONDO MARE U0241585 BRIMMER MARE BRIMMER QUARTER HORSE

OLD COLD DECK PRINTER JR MARE ALSUPS BRIMMER

TENNESSEE BRIMMER

LINK WILLY MARE QUARTER HORSE

LITTLE EARL ch 1884 QUARTER HORSE U0071577

TENNESSEE BRIMMER

TEXAS QTRMARE QUARTER HORSE

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Mares With More continued .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

Rude was one of the all-time great ropers. For many years he used a rodeo roping gelding named Buster. Buster was an all-around roping horse for tie-down and steers. Buster was a son of Bay Babe. His sire was Beggar Boy, the famous thoroughbred owned

by Ronald Mason.

Another branch of the Bay Babe line of Babe Dawson descendants came through a mare named Sarita. Sarita out of Bay Babe was the dam of Miss Sarita C. Miss Sarita C was sired by Beggar Boy. Miss Sarita C was the dam of Miss Chicaro. Miss Chicaro was the dam of AAA/AQHA Champion Rapid Bar. Some of her other ROM race colts include Will Roll, Off Base, Mr Chicaro Bars and Over Bid. Beggar Babe is a daughter of Bay Babe. She was sired by Beggar Boy. Beggar Babe is the dam of Scooter Babe when bred to Scooter S. Scooter Babe is the dam of Cutter’s Streak an AQHA Champion and the 1962 AQHA High Point Two-Year-Old Halter Stallion.

The next registered foal out of Babe Dawson and sired by Old Red Buck P-9 was Pretty Lady. Pretty Lady was foaled in 1931. It didn’t take Pretty Lady long to start her produce record. Her first foal was Quarter Lady by the thoroughbred Quarter Deck. Quarter Lady was born in 1934. Quarter Deck was a son of Man O ‘War, the great racehorse. Quarter Lady was bred by Ronald Mason. Ronald Mason and his thoroughbred stallions Beggar Boy and Quarter Deck along with his owning Oklahoma Star P-6 indicates his wise use of both thoroughbreds and quarter Horses to produce his type of horse.

Quarter Lady was the dam of Sheridina, Osage Star and Starway.

Sheridina was the dam of War Star a AAA rated son of Oklahoma Star Jr. Oklahoma Star Jr was out of Babe Dawson and we will have more on him later. War Star was the sire of War Bird the dam of War Leo and Rondo Leo. Rondo Leo is the sire of Mr Gun Smoke.

Osage Star was the sire of ROM racehorses and show horses including the mare Osage Star Lady. Osage Star Lady was an Oklahoma Futurity winner. She was the dam of the Champion Quarter Running Colt Palleo Pete and the NCHA Top Ten cutting horse Holey Sox. Both of these horses were sired by Leo. Starway was the sire of Squaw Brooks, the dam of Squaw’s Glo. Squaw’s Glo was the dam of the top sire Mr Joe Glo. Mr Joe Glo was an AQHA Champion. He was the sire of horses like Mainly Martha, NRHA Super Stakes Champion. Osage Star and Starway were full brothers sired by Oklahoma Star P-6. Sheridina was sired by Sheridan a Thoroughbred.

Lady Starlett was a 1941 daughter of Oklahoma Star P-6 and Pretty Lady. This mare was the foundation of a significant branch of the Babe Dawson line of horses. Her first son was Red Star Joe a 1941 stallion sired by Little Jodie.

Dean Oliver rode a gelding named Mickey to many honors in the PRCA Tie-Down Roping. When Mickey went down with an injury, he found a mare we all know as Nancy. Nancy was a black mare that was registered in the AQHA as Nancy Red Star. Nancy was a daughter of Red Star Joe. Some of the other foals sired by Red Star Joe would include Our Money, Ready Money W and Monsieur Joe. Our Money was one of the “original” AQHA Champions as one of the first to earn this title along with horses like Poco Bueno, Poco Lena and Poco Tivio. Our Money was the dam of Money’s Glo by King Glo. Money’s Glo the winner of the first NCHA Open Futurity in 1962. He went on to be a noted top ten cutting horse and an AQHA Champion.

Ready Money W was the sire of Ready Monika. The dam of

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Ready Monika was Miss Carver by Ready Money W. Thus Ready Monika was 1 X 2 inbred to Ready Money W. Ready Monika was the dam of Monika by Okie Leo. This mare is one of the first of many top horses shown by reining legend Bob Loomis. Loomis rode this mare to a 1Oth in the 1969 NRHA Futurity and multiple wins and top ten finishes stock show reining classes. Okie Monika was a full sister to Monika. Okie Monika was the dam of SR Okie Shorty by Shorty Lena was an Abilene Western Non-Pro Classic Champion. He earned $199,264.

Monsieur Joe was the next Red Star Joe foal and he was the 1963 AQHA High Point Halter Horse. He was the second horse to win this title. Monsieur Joe was the sire of Joe M Moore who was the sire of Watch Joe Moore, the dam of Watch Joe Jack by Two Eyed Jack. Watch Joe Jack was a noted sire as well as a Superior Western Pleasure Horse and a Superior Halter Horse. His World Champions include Watch Jo Sandy, Watch Joe Leo Bar, Watch Joe Sweetie, Madam Miss Joe and Watch Joe St Miss Monsieur by Monsieur Joe was the 1961AQHA Honor Roll Roping Mare. She was the dam of Vallerina Miss, by Two Eyed Jack the 1975 AQHA High Point Halter Horse; 1975 AQHA World Champion Aged Halter Mare and the1975 AQHA World Champion Youth Aged Halter Mare.

Watch Jo was a sister to Watch Joe Moore. Watch Jo was the dam of Baby Nicky. Baby Nicky was the dam of Emotions, one of the all-time great halter horses. This mare was a four time AQHA World Champion at halter and a two time AQHA High Point Halter Horse.

Jodie the Tuff was a full brother to Red Star Joe. This stallion was the sire of Sutherland’s Miss the dam of the AQHA Champions Bueno Chex and Fritz Command. Fritz Command is the sire of several noted reined cow horses. They include Docs Missy Command, winner of $46,670; Tuckerette Command winner of $30,289; Docs Fritzie Command $25,394 and Tricky Command winner of $18,367.

Bueno Chex is the broodmare sire of such noted horses as Cassies Oak, winner of $217, 000 Chex Out This Remedy, $125,861; Shine Like Hail, $116,035 and Conquistador Whiz, $ 110,224.

Bueno Chex is the broodmare sire of Nu Chex To Cash, a multiple World Champion and AQHA High Point Award winner.

Nu Chex To Cash is the sire of Wimpys Little Step, 2002 NRHA Open Futurity winner and the 2002 All American Quarter Horse Congress Reining Futurity Champion. Wimpys Little Step is an NRHA $11 million sire. His leading money winner is Wimpys Little Chic the all-time leading money winning reining horse with earnings of $516,555. She is the dam of the ARC Gunnabeabigstar the 2014 NRHA Open Futurity Co-Champion and Shesoutayourleague the 2015 NRHA Open Futurity Champion.

Miss Vickie Chex and Tangerine Chex were fulls sisters of Bueno Chex and Fritz Command that have made their contribution to the Babe Dawson family. Miss Vicki Chex is the dam of Fair Chex, an AQHA High Point Reining Horse. Tangerine Chex was the dam of Doc A Chex, an NCHA Five Year-Old Classic winner. These four siblings has a half-sister in Cananea Miss is the dam of Bayeta Chex, an AQHA Champion.

The next registered foal out of Babe Dawson was Flapper Dawson. This mare was foaled in 1932. Her sire was Old Red Buck P-9. Nellie Dawn Dawson was a daughter of Flapper Dawson. This mare was the dam of Dawson’s Surprise an AQHA Champion.

Dawson’s Surprise was sired by Wimpy ll. Sugar Leo Star was a gelding by Sugar Leo and out of Nellie Dawn Dawson. This horse

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... was ROM in performance and the earner of 34 halter points.

It was during this time that a son of Babe Dawson was born that would become a legend as a great roping horse. His name was Old Baldy and many consider him to be the best roping horse of all time.

Old Baldy carried three ropers that have become legends in rodeo roping. They were Ike Rude, Clyde Burk and Troy Fort. lt was Ike Rude that first used Old Baldy as a rope horse then he sold him to Clyde Burk. When Burk was killed in a bulldogging accident his widow sold the horse to Troy Fort of New Mexico. Old Baldy was sired by Old Red Buck but he was never registered in the AQHA. The 1934 foal out of Babe Dawson was Oklahoma Star Jr. This good stallion became a sire for John Dawson and others such as Ronald Mason and R. W. Vierson.

Oklahoma Star Jr is credited with siring horses used in all areas of performance.

They include Baby Doll Combs, the AQHA Hall of Fame bulldogging mare. His AQHA Champion offspring include Mr Star Jr, Susette Clapper V, ‘s Josie, V ‘s Lady Star and V’s Sandy. V ‘s Sandy shows the type of versatility this line produces. He was a Superior halter horse, AQHA Champion and a two time World Champion Barrel Racing Horse for Jane Mayo.

The daughters of Oklahoma Star Jr were noted contributors to this family of horses. A couple of good examples include Pat Dawson and Slats Dawson. Pat Dawson was the 1961 and 1962 AQHA Honor Roll Barrel Racing Horse. He was out of Socks Dawson by Oklahoma Star Jr. Dawson’s Fan was the dam of Slats Dawson, the 1958 NCHA Open World Champion Cutting Horse and NCHA Hall of Fame member.

The sons of Oklahoma Star Jr were pretty good sires in their own right. Pat Star Jr is a great example. This horse sired 20 AQHA Champions and was the maternal grandsire of 23 AQHA Champions.

Pat Star Jr was the senior sire for Howard Pitzer until Two Eyed Jack came along and they teamed to make Howard Pitzer a leading breeder. Pat Star Jr was the sire of Babe Pat Star. Babe Pat Star was the dam of Mainly Martha. This gives Mainly Martha two links to Babe Dawson.

Babe Dawson went back to the court of Old Red Buck P-9 to produce Pistol Dawson in 1935. Pistol Dawson became the sire

Oklahoma Star P-6 [1915] - One of two AQHA Stud Book Foundation sires used by Ronald Mason photo courtesy The AQHA Hall of Fame and Museum

Oklahoma Star Jr [1934] the great son of Babe Dawson [1925] and Oklahoma Star P-6 [1915] photo from author’s files Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring 37

Mares With More continued ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... of one ROM performer in Buckskin Dawson was foaled in 1940.

Buckskin Dawson was the dam of Dawson’s Ballymark by Question Mark. This horse was an ROM Show horse with 8 performance points and 3 halter points.

Little Babe came on the scene in 1941. She was sired by Reno Lee. This daughter of Babe Dawson was the granddam of Tabano Reno, AQHA Champion; Tabano Tillie ROM in the arena, Dawson’s Lil Dee, Superior in both reining and western pleasure and Tay Bars, arena ROM. Tabano Reno, Tabano Tillie and Dawson’s Lil Dee sired by Tabano King. The dam of these horses was Dawson’s Tillie by Wimpy ll and out of Little Babe.

The last registered foal out of Babe Dawson was Cotton Dawson.

This horse sired 22 registered foals with four performers including the ROM performers Mickey Dawson and Rockey Dawson.

There are reports of several other sons and daughters of Babe Dawson that didn’t get registered and thus very hard to trace today.

A PEDIGREE OBSERVATION Our look at War Leo and the Dawson Mares in this issue has introduced us to an interesting observation about nicks and the blood affinities that often come with the nick. A nick being the phenomenon that happens when a stallion and a mare or group of mares from different bloodlines come together to consistently produce outstanding foals. Some famous nicks that have influenced the American Quarter Horse would include successful crosses between horses like Leo and King P-234; Three Bars and Leo; as well as Leo and Oklahoma Star P-6.

We find that many of the famous nicks will be between horses with different pedigrees but at the same time they will carry some common ancestors. These common ancestors will not represent what we will call traditional linebreeding and/or inbreeding patterns, but they are in the pedigrees of the horses that have nicked.

A great example of this is the Leo/Three Bars nick. When we look at the pedigree of Leo, we see that his sire Joe Reed II is out of a mare named Nellene by Fleeting Time a thoroughbred.

Fleeting Time is sired by High Time by Ultimus and he is out of Noonday by Domino. Ultimus is sired by Commado by Domino and out of Running Stream by Domino. This gives High Time a breeding pattern of 3 X 3 X 2 to Domino.

When we look at the pedigree of Three Bars, we see that his sire Percentage is out of Gossip Avenue. She is sired by Bulse by Disguise by Domino. Then we see his dam is Myrtle Dee by Luke McLuke who is sired by Ultimus the double grandson of Domino.

This gives Three Bars a 5 X 5 X 5 breeding pattern to Domino.

Three Bars and Leo have a blood affinity in Domino.

Oklahoma Star P-6 and Leo have been a great nick and they can have a blood affinity depending on the pedigree we use for Oklahoma Star P-6. Oklahoma Star P-6 was sired by Dennis Reed (TB) and out of Cutthroat. The pedigree of Cutthroat has been disputed by many. She shows up in the AQHA Stud Book as sired by Gulliver by Missouri Rondo by Missouri Mike. This is the Missouri Mike the sire of Little Earl that is the sire of Little Earl Jr and Queen the sire and dam of Babe Dawson. This gives the nick

AQHA Hall of Fame mare Baby Doll Combs [1947]. One of the greatest bulldogging horses of all time 38 Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring photo courtesy Randy Johsnston

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... of Oklahoma Star P-6 and Babe Dawson the blood affinity with Missouri Mike.

If this is the true pedigree of Cutthroat, then we eliminate the blood affinity between Leo and Oklahoma Star P-6. But the pedigree of Cutthroat was disputed, and Ronald Mason believed her to be sired by Bonnie Joe and out of Big Em by Rocky Mountain Tom. Leo was sired by Joe Reed II by Joe Reed P-3 and out of Little Fanny by Joe Reed P-3. This gives Leo a breeding pattern of 2 X 2 to Joe Reed P-3. Joe Reed P-3 was sired by Joe Blair (TB). Joe Blair was sired by Bonnie Joe, the sire of Cutthroat in this version of her pedigree.

As they say, “proof is in the pudding.” When we step back, we see that the blood of Babe Dawson worked well with both Oklahoma Star P-6 and Beggar Boy forming a nick with these two stallions. Then we saw that Oklahoma Star P-6 and Beggar Boy nicked well with each other. But we get a blood affinity between Oklahoma Star P-6 and Beggar Boy with Oklahoma Star being out of Cutthroat and her sire being Bonnie Joe. When we see that Beggar Boy was out of Useeit by Bonnie Joe with Bonnie Joe being the source of the blood affinity. So when we add Leo with the Oklahoma Star P-6 and Beggar Boy we have a nick between the three through Bonnie Joe providing the blood affinity.

Now for the proof for this hypothesis comes in an article for SPEEDHORSE magazine in the May 1981 issue. This was a three part series called “The Man On The Hill” by Lyn Jank with Part 1 coming in this issue. This one was titled “On the Road To Beggars and Stars.”

When asked why these two stallions worked, he told that they each brought something physical to the cross that complimented the cross and then he added this, “After a lot of years, I came to the conclusion that Star’s dam, Cutthroat, was in truth the daughter of the Thoroughbred Bonnie Joe. Bonnie Joe just happened to be the sire of Uncle Jimmy Gray and Joe Blair and Useeit, the dam of Beggar Boy and his blood brother, the 1924 Kentucky Derby winner Black Gold.”

Mason went onto explain that one of his all-time favorite racehorses was Discovery, a major winner and influential sire. He found that Discovery carried a “double dose” of Isonomy and he believed that was a key to Discovery’s success. He then added, “So, If you hold the way I do, that Star’s and Beggar’s maternal grandsire was one and the same, Bonnie Joe, well that put a double dose of Bonnie Joe in the pedigrees of crosses between Star and Beggar.”

Not all nicks will have a blood affinity, but they still work. The key to Oklahoma Star P-6 and the Dawson mares was the they were an outcross on each other promoting hybrid vigor producing good foals.

So we will never know the full truth of the pedigrees of Oklahoma Star, but we do know that no matter what is correct those Dawson mares contributed a great deal to the American Quarter Horse.

Slats Dawson [1947] a maternal grandson of Oklahoma Star Jr. An NCHA Hall of Fame cutting horse photo from a painting by Carol Bush

Old Baldy [1962] the great roping horse. This picture was a gift sent to you when you got a subscription to the magazine HOOFS AND HORNS

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Reiki | Healing for Horses

By Jody Hall ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... y horse has ulcers.” “My horse won’t relax.”

“My horse is not healing as quickly as I think he should.” “My horse seems depressed.”

Horses are living beings. They have emotions, they have physical aches and pain, and they have mental challenges. All these issues can be treated and often relieved by Reiki.

Reiki is a Japanese technique that reduces stress and promotes healing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Translated it means Universal Life Energy, and is gaining popularity with horse enthusiasts. The benefits for horses and their owners are immeasurable. More and more people are affirming the healing powers of Reiki.

Reiki is also known as energy work, and it is just that.

Energy flowing from the practitioner to the recipient. The practitioner will run their hands over the recipient without touching them. Most people who have received Reiki state they feel warmth from the practitioner’s hands. They usually feel a release; physically, mentally or emotionally, and there is a deep relaxation that occurs. In horses this evident when the horse starts to lick and chew, yawn, close their eyes, and hang their heads.

“Animals are so open there is no resistance whatsoever,” says Jeff Baird, Reiki Master, and owner of Sunrise Reiki in Evergreen Colorado. “Sometimes it works better for animals because they aren’t skeptical. They get it. In a lot of ways, they are much wiser than we are.”

Jeff has helped many horses with Reiki. From bone cysts, Cushing’s disease, depression and trouble focusing on training.

Chex’s owners tried numerous treatments for a bone cyst on his hind leg without much success. When Jeff started Reiki treatments on Chex, a 22-year-old quarter horse, his owners noticed a significant change. They plan regular treatments to make Chex more comfortable. Shortly after Chex’s Reiki treatment they were able to go on a ride for the first time in a long time.

Star, a 10-year-old Draft cross has issues with trust and trouble relaxing during training and in new environments.

Star’s owner is having Jeff give Star Reiki treatments so she can learn to relax and to trust her handlers. This will make her training go smoother, quicker and be more efficient, while reducing stress.

Stress is the number one component in non-trauma related diseases, horse and human alike. The key to Reiki’s healing power is reducing stress. In doing so it lowers risks to all kinds of debilitating and costly conditions. Stress in a horse will trigger the “fight or flight” reaction that is caused by the release

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of the cortisol hormone. Frequent release of cortisol can affect the digestive system, the immune system, the cardiovascular system. It can also cause diarrhea, gastric ulcers and colic.

Holistic Veterinarian Diane Wagner says of Reiki, “It helps a horse shift from sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) to parasympathetic (rest and recover).” She also says, “It seems to help horses become more grounded, less distracted and more in tune with their bodies.”

After spending years in corporate America before becoming a Reiki Master, Jeff Baird is very familiar with constant stress.

“Most diseases, illnesses are triggered by stress. When you’re in flight or fight mode all the time your defenses are shot. It’s the same with animals,” He says. “If you take care of the emotional, mental and spiritual stuff, the physical stuff follows.”

Dr. Priscilla Dressan DVM says she would recommend Reiki for animals. She says that when the deep relaxation occurs in a Reiki session it allows the blood to become more oxygenated which in turn reduces inflammation, cleans up toxins and relieves stress.

Annette Price is a Gestalt Equine Coach. She uses Reiki with her clients, her client’s horses and her own horses.

She says she runs her hands down the horse from the top of the head past the tail. She says she can feel different vibrations and heat. In this way she can tell if there is any kind of blockage. A blockage can be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.

“It’s an instinct kind of thing. It’s not scientific. You can feel an energy current moving from the palm of your hand to the other,” Annette says. “I think that horses and animals really have a much better understanding than we do.”

How Reiki Benefits Make a Healthier, Happier Horse The physical benefits of Reiki are linked to the deep relaxation that occurs. The blood becomes more oxygenated and circulation is improved. Better circulation and oxygenated blood can translate to stronger muscles, optimal hoof health, faster recovery from injury and reduction in inflammation.

The mental benefits of Reiki help to ground a horse and help apply his training more effectively. The horse is less stressed and can focus. Less distraction means during the training sessions the horse and rider will be able to process and absorb the lesson better.

Horses like humans are emotional beings. They are sensitive and extremely perceptive. They can become depressed, suffer loss, mistrust and many other emotions. Often seen in

....................................................................................................................................................................................................... rescue horses past traumas can manifest in problem behavior. These behaviors can be as small as head weaving in a stall to being mistrustful and hard to catch. Reiki, with its ability to remove stress and promote deep relaxation is a game changer when dealing with negative emotions and bad behavior. It lessens the risk of detrimental physical conditions that can be generated by the negative emotions.

Prevention and being proactive are usually worth the time and investment. Reiki is not meant to replace veterinarian care but it can be a healthy addition. Why not try some Reiki on your horse. When they are done with your horse you can get some Reiki too.

How Reiki Can Benefit Your Horse Physically • Helps blood flow and oxygenates the blood • Decreases inflammation • Reduces cortisol levels

Emotionally • Helps release past traumas or abuse • Breaks defensive walls • Builds trust in handlers

Mentally • Horse can become more focused • Less distracted • Less stressful/ not worried For more information on Jeff Baird and Sunrise Reiki go to his website at SunRiseReikiColorado.com.

For more information on Holistic Veterinarian Diane Wagner go to her website at ElementalEquineServices.com. For more information on Annette Price go to her website at OnTheWingsOfAHorse.com.

TOP PHOTO | BY JODY HALL Star a 10-year-old Draft Cross is learning to relax with Reiki treatments from Jeff Baird of Sunrise Reiki TOP PHOTO | BY JODY HALL Annette Price feeling for blockages with Reiki on her horse Lakota TOP PHOTO | COURTISY OF FACEBOOK Diane Wagner of Elemental Equine Services working on a clients horse

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On the Road with SeeYa

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By SeeYa [Bye Bye Biankus] ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ y name is SeeYa, a quarter horse mare, my human is Sharee, and we live in Oregon. Notice that I said, “My human.” Humans don’t own us, we own them. We own their time, their love, their care, their worries and we own a lot of their money.

I have been writing my column since 2004 and my main focus is to train humans. I will take you with me on the rodeo trail as a barrel racer. You would not believe the adventures I have in store for you. What is even more interesting, is the things that happen when I am at home.

October 2009 Life has been pretty mellow around here, if you can believe that. So I have decided to tattle on Sharee and her best friend, Heidi for what they did in the past. A woman NEVER forgets.

It was back in 1997 when Sharee was pregnant with her first son. She was about four months along when a horse she was barrel racing on went end over end on the first barrel and sent her to the hospital. No it was not me! His name was Bob. Her Doctor told her, “NO MORE HORSES!” Well, that went over like a fart in church. Sharee and her doctor finally agreed that she could show horses as it was not as dangerous; as if the Doctor had a choice. Sharee called Heidi and told her the news and Heidi couldn’t believe that the barrel racer would come to her side of the fence. That is when Sharee and I started our show career.

It wasn’t long before the barrel racer in her decided that she needed more excitement. “I want to jump,” announced Sharee one day. “What,” replied Heidi? “You heard me, I want to teach Whiskey, another horse that lives with me, to jump,” demanded Sharee. “That is NOT a good idea,” pleaded Heidi. Heidi got about as far with Sharee as the Doctor did. Finally, Heidi agreed on one condition, Sharee would ride KonJiick, Heidi’s tried and true mount, and Heidi would teach Whiskey.

It wasn’t long before Sharee announced, “Let’s go to a jumping show.” Knowing that they weren’t going to stop her, Heidi, Shane (Sharee’s husband), Whiskey, KonJiick and

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Sharee headed off to a local show.

Sharee showed KonJiick and Heidi showed Whiskey and all was good. No one even knew that Sharee was seven months along because she was small and her English jacket covered her belly just right. Then it was time for the jumping to begin. Sharee was very excited.

She entered the twelve-inch foot jump class and won it. She then entered the two-foot jump class, and won it too. Sharee then decided to enter the three-foot class and Heidi said, “Are you sure this is a good idea?” “KonJiick can do it, he can do anything and so far we have only done baby jumps and I didn’t come here to be a baby,” reasoned Sharee. “Yes he will jump three feet but your balance isn’t very good,” said Heidi. “KonJiick has my back,” said Sharee and off the two went. Well she did have one thing right.

Now I have to tell you that KonJiick is amazing at jumping. He is only 14 hands tall and has a heart that would carry him over any jump you pointed him at.

There were about ten jumps in the competition and they sailed over the first seven with grace. Sharee was grinning ear to ear. The last three jumps were right in a row with only one stride between them.

Over the first one, Sharee lost a stirrup, over the second one, Sharee lost the other stirrup, Heidi is now yelling, “Sit down, sit down,” and Shane is already headed towards the arena at a fast pace.

Sharee thinks, “Sit down my foot, I got this covered.” That is when KonJiick cleared the third jump and Sharee went sailing over his head. KonJiick’s babysitting side kicked in and he gently stopped and as she grabbed onto his neck and her feet passed his head. KonJiick, now with a much longer neck, took a step over the finish line and Sharee put her feet on the ground. Heidi quit having a heart attack and Shane quit running.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Sharee’s jacket came up over her belly and she got a scolding from the judge for jumping while being that pregnant. But the judge

did mutter, “Nice save,” as she walked away. Sharee handed Heidi the reins and said, “I think I’m done jumping for a while,” and petted KonJiick with a smile.

Sharee was right about one thing, KonJiick had her back and Heidi was right that Sharee had no balance. By the way, they won that class too.

Until next time…don’t learn to jump while you are pregnant – don’t go to your first competition seven months pregnant – AND ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR COACH…SeeYa.

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About the Author | Bye Bye Biankus, AKA SeeYa, is an AQHA mare by The Sovereign (Ettabo) x Mzpath Biankus (Biankus). She had a 10 year barrel racing career. She has published two books “On the Road with SeeYa,” volume I and II, along with being published in several newspapers and magazines. SeeYa went to heaven in July of 2017 at the age of 26.

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13723 E CASEY LN, SCOTTSDALE

This Beautiful Custom Home sits on 2.19 acres and has 2 Parcels included with this sale. This is a one of a kind Luxury home and Horse ready property. 4 bedrooms and 3 Baths and is a split floor Plan, the 4th bedroom has its own private entrance. The Patio is built for entertaining with beautiful custom rustic finishes and a roof top deck. 4 stall pipe rail mare motel with large runs and a large riding arena. It is steps away from the McDowell Sonoran preserve with 10,000 acres to ride your horse! #5852390

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37 Ranch 62 AHL Firewater N Ice 23 Alvin Farrier Supply 68 BIF 8

Boar Wheel 68 Boby Norris Properties 72 Brookstone Bay 67 C4 A Darknight 42 Cannon Falls Trailers 50 Caseys Pick 5 Central Iowa Exchange 21 Chore Boot 68 Clovis Horse Sale 63 Cowboy Silver 69 Cross Country Ranch 71 Cudd QH 12 Decorah Horse Sale 54 Denisen Horse Show 6 Dualin Stargun 32 Farmers and Ranchers 48 70 Working Horse Magazine 2019 Spring

Fischer Horse Sale 3 Flemming QH 63 Forco 24 French Streakin Jess 46 Frenchmans Big Bucks 13 Grandon Group 57 Happy Toy Maker 69 Heber Valley Horse Sale 9 High Plains Genetics 41 Hockenson QH 30 Hoof Cinch 64 Hunter QH 66 IBF 66 IOWA Horse Fair 11 James Martinez 40 L&H Branding 66 Lauing Ranch 51 Long Horn Saddlery 66 Lucky Paders 49 Mason & Morse 58 Next Home 60 O3 Animal Health 10 Quick Be A Cat 43 Rafter W 62 Re/Max Alpine View 61 Reveal 4n1 64 Rope Race Ride 67 Schaack 33 Socia 20 Spurr’s Big Fix 22 St Clair 2 The Kandyman 47 Total Feeds 55 UWRF Horse Sale 31 Waukon Spring Sale 65 Waverly Horse Sale 65 Weber QH 25 Wetzel QH 66 WYO Horse Sale 4

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