MEET THE TOP TEN SIRES It has been five years since the official breed journal has issued a Sire Rating in its annual stallion issue. WHY THE DELAY?

Text by Stephen Kinney MEET THE TOP TEN SIRES It has been five years since the official breed journal has issued a Sire Rating in its annual stallion issue. WHY THE DELAY? It is well known that since the recession that started in 2008 registry numbers declined over ensuing years. And that s not a bad thing. Responsible breeders were not adding inventory during a time of financial uncertainty. That meant results for leading sires were not evolving or being altered significantly over those years. But times are changing. Breeder confidence is returning. At major breed events we re seeing an uptick. Two-year-old pleasure driving at Morgan Grand National brought on a fabulous group 8 January/February 2018 of young performers not the numbers we saw in the old days when the class was held in heats, but the World Futurity Pleasure Driving Two-Year-Old class had 10 entries and they were good ones. The Morgan Weanling Gala, held at Jubilee Regional over Labor Day weekend, had 12 entries and 21 nominated sires, another indicator of breeder confidence. Michigan Futurity s Weanling Spectacular last September saw 13 entries. Sixteen competed in the New York Stallion Service Auction weanling sweepstakes at New York Regional the same month. The point is breeding activity is percolating again and that means a sire rating will have renewed significance, an important way of tracking results in the show ring, but also illustrating the influence of select bloodlines from the gene pool. Bronze Morgan stallion courtesy of Maretta Kennedy Photo Debbie Uecker-Keough

WHY ARE WE USING SADDLE HORSE REPORT RESULTS? Breeding is not the only thing that has evolved. So has technology. Ten years ago, even five years ago, we would have employed someone to sit at their lonely computer and create Excel spread sheets listing the sires of world, national and regional champions, and scoring them with points to arrive at a result. It is laborious. And, despite being a Herculean effort, it has significant limitations. The weekly industry newspaper Saddle Horse Report has done an amazing job compiling an industry wide database of horse show results, which they call the Breeders REPORT. The results are not limited to Grand National and AMHA regionals. They include as well all USEF Class A shows and all AMHA Three- Star Rated shows. The show results of every individual horse they record accrue points to that horse s sire meaning their sire rating is comprehensive, to say the least. To determine a sire s standing in their Breeders REPORT, Saddle Horse Report maintains a list of show horses by that sire and their major wins (already recorded for their ancillary program the High Point REPORT ). Number of get and number of competitions entered both contribute to a stallion s standing average points are multiplied by number of get to determine final standing (see table on Page 22 to fully understand this equation in action). So, again, why are we sharing their Breeders REPORT in Your Magazine? Because we think it is authoritative. It is based on computer generated, empirical data. And because we and they go to different readerships, meaning here is an opportunity to learn from each other. We thank our valued friends at Dabora Incorporated for their generosity. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? This sire rating is based on show ring results. Those results may or may not be a yardstick by which you, personally, as a Morgan breeder, wish to make breeding decisions. But these results, from a mighty database maintained on recognized horse shows, are perhaps the only organized listing from which we can empirically determine breeding shed prowess. (There is no database for tracking carriage driving Morgans or Morgan reiners, for instance, who compete at open, all breed events of which we are aware.) For those who find it meaningful, does a stallion s appearance on such a list make him an obvious choice for breeding your mare? Maybe, but so much more goes into a responsible breeding decision. However, the sire rating provides a resource by tracking results that would otherwise only be speculative. And it predicts trends, that otherwise might not be obvious for years to come. It is a significant tool for breeders, for those standing stallions, for fans, and show ring aficionados. We welcome it to our pages and trust it will provide one more piece of Breed Research to help readers to make informed decisions. 1. MIZRAHI (HVK Bell Flaire x Schiaparelli by Wham Bam Command) There is no mystery as to why this stallion has placed at the top of the current sire rating. His get have, for instance, dominated both in-hand and performance divisions at Oklahoma for a number of years now. It has not been unusual for his get to take the World Champion Stallion, Mare, and Gelding titles all in the same year. Mizrahi is himself a World Champion Stallion. He is the signature son of the horse who influenced a generation, HVK Bell Flaire. And, being out of the great Schiaparelli, Mizrahi has an important cross to her sire Wham Bam Command. Indeed many of Mizrahi s get are trimmed in the flash of white between the nostrils which characterizes the Wham Bam look. While Mizrahi s get have succeeded across the disciplines (Treble s Patent Pending is the 2017 Reserve World Western Pleasure Champion) he has been particularly notable for siring horses that succeed in the high stepping divisions. In their case, big movement is characterized inevitably by easily discernable Morgan type. Mizrahi stands at and is owned by PlayMor Farm where Sammi Hazen bakes her super sire stud muffins, his favorite homemade treat. Top ten get earning him this designation include Treble s Patent Pending CH (WP); Lexington Steele (CPS); MLF Miz Perfect (CPS); ECP Scandalous (EP); OVT Cold As Ice (HP); Merriehill After Hours GCH (I-H & EP); Graycliff Tony GCH (EP; Playmor Jewel Of The Nile (I-H); Miyake (CPS); & Dragonsmeade Maxmara (Roadster). 10 January/February 2018

2. FUTURITY FRENCH COMMAND (Carlyle Command x Nobelle by Noble Command) French is a towering legend in the Morgan breeding business. It is nothing short of amazing that 11 years after his death in 2006 he remains the number two stallion on this sire rating. His sire, World Champion Stallion Carlyle Command, begat type and quality in his own right. French is out of the blue hen mare Nobelle, prized by all who have known her. Futurity French Command is intensely line bred to Waseeka s Nocturne (and that is obvious to anyone who may have visited him at Cabot where he stood and saw his exquisitely sculpted head over his stall door). In addition to Carlyle being by Waseeka s In Command, French s dam s sire is by Noble Command also by Waseeka s In Command. Nobelle s dam is sired by and out of get of Waseeka s Nocturne. French has been notable for siring across the Morgan disciplines with everything from top park horses to Western pleasure champions to hunters, all stamped with his trademark workability. His career was stewarded by Rick Lane at his Cabot Farm in Falmouth, Maine. Top get earning him this designation include: Cabot French Reflection (WP); CBMF Burn Notice CH (WP); Medomak French Invastion GCH (CPD); Hollybrook Touche (WP); One French Rose (HP); Photo Avis KN French Commandante CH (WP); Indian Creek Warbird (CPD); CFF Perfect Advantage GCH (CPD); & Cimi s Avant Garde (EP). 3. ULTRAS SPECIAL AGENT (Tug Hill Commando x Up Hyre Serene Topic by Tedwin Topic) Ultras Special Agent has a fan club all his own, who adore his obvious Morgan type and tractable disposition, all of which he passes on to his get. He is a grand representative of his sire, the gorgeous Tug Hill Commando, one of the signature sons of Waseeka s In Command. It is not unusual for daughters of Tedwin Topic to be notable both in the show ring and in the breeding shed as is the case with this stallion s dam, Up Hyre Serene Topic. Ultras Special Agent has an additional royal relative, namely his full sister Ultras Formal Request who was World Champion Mare as a yearling! Special Agent received his notable placement on this sire rating as a result of siring get as versatile as the breed itself. His leading offspring won 381 points in the Western dressage division and his second place offspring competed both in classic pleasure driving and hunter pleasure. He has been owned all his life by his breeders Steve and Annette Smith and is the herd sire at their Ultras Morgan Horse Farm. Get contributing to his placement include BLF Mission Impossible CH (Misc); Ultras Now And Forever GCH (HP & CPD); Whispering In The Wind (WP); Alphastar Special K (W-T & WP); SFS Hopelessly Devoted (CPS); Ultras Private Eye GCH (EP); Ultras Bodyguard (CPS); Cedarcrest Valentino (I-H); & Ultras Special Intention (CPS). 12 January/February 2018

4. MINION MILLENNIUM (Minion Valentino x Pompp And Pazazz by Serenity Masterpiece) All his people agree, Minion Millennium is a great sire because all his get are wonderfully useful in one or other of the show ring disciplines. He sires versatility and good minds, prime for training. Noted for his size and brilliant copper color, MM is genetically gifted due, in part, to being a double grand son of the immortal Serenity Masterpiece, sire of both sire and dam in this pedigree. Old-timers like to point out the influence of Dee Cee Mr Trophy, the maternal grand sire of Pompp And Pazazz as an important link to athleticism in this pedigree. The combination of Millennium on the blood of Arboria Noble Victor is considered a golden cross by breeders today, having produced the likes of the flashy pleasure driving horse Millennium Force. Already his daughters are proving themselves as broodmares (World Champion Mare Cherrydale Casseopia was the dam of two individuals with world titles in 2017, both in the park divisions). Minion Millennium is owned by Roxanne Sardelli Greenway of Sarde Morgans and he has stood at Triumph Stable throughout his fabled breeding career. The versatile get who have placed him on this list include Millenniums Masterpiece CH (WP); Paddyngtons Keepsake CH (HP); Miles Of Fortune GCH (CPD); Manhattan Sunrise (EP); Cherrydale Ariella (HP); Newmonts Miss Moneypenny (CPD & CPS); Meadowmist Man On The Run (HP); Inimitable (EP); Crown Continuum (CPD); & Bri-B Crystalpiece (HP). Photo Scott Trees 5. ASTRONOMICALLEE (Futurity French Command x Liberation Starbrite by Wham Bam Command) There is little doubt that, in the breeding shed, Astro is the leading son of his sire Futurity French Command, already named on this list as number two sire (and French has a number of sons representing him as breeding stallions). Some of this is due to the fact that Astronomicallee comes from one of the greatest mares in the history of the Morgan breed, the Wham Bam Command daughter Liberation Starbrite (she is a kingmaker having also given the breed the genetic giant Liberation First Star). If you ever get to visit Astro at home, you will note he parades every step of the way with his tail flagged over his back, a trademark of both his and his dam s (he did not have a show career due only to an injury at an early age). Like others on this list, Astro s get fair well in many disciplines, which is as it should be with our versatile breed but it is surely worth mentioning that he sired the 2017 World Champion Mare, Ledyard Octavia. Astronomicallee was bred by (and wears the suffix of) C. A. Tony Lee III and has stood throughout his breeding career at Broadmoor. His placing on this list has been secured by get such as Sea Cloud Cosmo (Misc); Dreamaker Cochise (EP); Ledyards Midas Touch (EP); Cedar Creek Flambeau GCH (PS); Ledyard Octavia (I-H); Ledyard Perfect Manhattan (HP); Cingate Lucky Star (HP); Sea Cloud Cosmo (HP); & Centaurus Rising GCH (CPD). The Morgan Horse 13

6. TOWN ASSETS (Man About Town LPS x Honeytree s Simply Unique by Born To Boogie) Town Assets is the trainers horse. From the family of World Champion Stallions bred by trainer Lynn Peeples (he s bred four of them, an historic record), Town Assets was shown rarely. That s OK. He s done just fine being a breeding stallion with many successful get to his name. He s also been popular with a number of breeders, including the Amish who breed Morgans for the show ring. His sire Man About Town LPS (Tug Hill Celebrity x MI First Love), obviously also bred by Lynn, has been foundational to this family of lookers (and doers) who have had such a claim on the World Champion Stallion title (he also sired WC Man In Motion and WC LPS The Boogie Man GCH). Town Assets dam descends from Morgan royalty. Her parents, Born To Boogie and UVM Unity, are both in-hand world champions. They also both exude presence and pizazz and add greatly to the allure of this pedigree. As already stated, Town Assets is both owned and bred by Lynn Peeples and stands at his stable in Pennsylvania. Placing him in this rating are get such as HRH Cleopatra CH (MIsc); EKL Assets Vision GCH (HP); Danells Lovely Assets (W-T); Ledyard Rare Assets (CPD); EKL Town Finals (HP); Cherrydale Shock The Town (CPD); EKL Prize Contender (HP): FCM Prince Of Rock N Roll CH (PD); & Liquid Assets (PH). 7. HOLLYBROOK STAGE RAGE (Cedar CreekHarlequin x Bery Banke Arboria by Anthracite) Stage Rage is a horse breeders go to when they want to put a bit of size and stretch into the mix. He delivers a touch of the exotic one example of which is Merriehill After Hours GCH, 2014, 2016 & 2017 World Champion Stallion. No, Puck, is not by Stage Rage, he is out of a daughter of Stage Rage, namely Merriehill Dusk To Dawn who seems to have added these elements to the successful young stallion. Stage Rage s sire, the late Cedar CreekHarlequin, was himself utilized for these very purposes both the size and stretch factor and as a sire of broodmares. Bery Banke Arboria has been a stand out broodmare. She produced Hollybrook Duchess (full sibling to Stage Rage) who in turn is dam of the Western pleasure champion Hollybrook Boy Toy. And Arboria is also the dam of Western Pleasure World Champion Hollybrook Touche. The stallion is owned by Dr. James and Karen Shields. His placing in the sire rating was secured by get such as LBJ Pure Elegance CH (HP); SpiceOLife B Cool (WP); Treble s Take The Stage (W- T); Dragonsmeade Alinea (EP); Joyfully (WP); RCV All The Rage CH (CPD): RJMF Hudson (CPD); Indian Creek War Paint (HP); Indian Creek Master Chief (WP); & JW Love At Last (PS). 18 January/February 2018

8. HVK BELL FLAIRE (Noble Flaire x HVK Belleek by HVK Hotspur) So much has been written about this seminal sire. Probably the best-known son of Noble Flaire, Bell Flaire was unstoppable in the show ring (he s the only Triple Crown winner World Champion Stallion, World Champion Park Saddle and World Champion Park Harness) and he s been a stallion who took charge of the breeding landscape for his generation. And, yes, his get have been standouts in multiple divisions (Indian Creek Bali Ha i is twice Hunter Pleasure World Champion), but he s especially notable as a sire of action horses. These would include the likes of JW That Special Flaire, who tore a swath through the park harness world championship starting as a two-year-old and Flairetation, the Morgan breed s powerhouse roadster. He was loved by Barbara and Arthur Jones throughout his career and, since their deaths, has belonged to their niece Marsha Garone at Fairfield South. Get who have contributed to his standing include: Gradell Ring My Bell GCH (HP); Cedar Creek Zephyr (Carriage); Bellerophon GCH (PD); Tomeri Tango (PD); Mini Cooper (W-T); Arcolas Last Harmony (WP); Indian Creek Cipriani (W-T); VVM Just The Ticket (EP) & Tara s Firewalk (PS). 9. DBA STREET TALK (Serenity Masterpiece x Kinglow s Cherish by Devan Pride) Street Talk has represented his Masterpiece heritage well, clearly a bellwether for the type of horse that sire line produces and a remarkable breeding horse in his own right. While Masterpiece is a mainstay of contemporary Morgan breeding, it is interesting that Street Talk carries the old Devan breeding of Merle Evans. His dam s sire is Devan Pride and her dam is Devan Danvere. This breeding is rare in today s bloodstock, but when it is used has produced outstanding results, Street Talk among them. We look to this statuesque stallion to beget horses successful in the saddle seat traditions. Street Talk is owned by and standing at Sebring Stables. Get contributing to his standing on this sire rating include: CBMF Sweet Talking Guy (Misc); Pondview Chardonnay (HP); Indian Creek High Stakes (CPS); CBMF Irreceable (HP); CBMF Look Whos Talking (CPS); CBMF Street Legal GCH (W-T); Flintwood In The Red (Misc); CBMF Still The One (EP); SSLLC Flyte Tyme (CPS); & CBMF Streetwise GCH (PD). The Morgan Horse 19

10. STAND AND DELIVER GCH (Queens Vanity Flair x NBN At Your Command by Carlyle Command) Stand And Deliver has been a notable athlete in both the park saddle and park harness divisions demonstrating an amazing range of motion. He is notable as well for his Morgan good looks. His sire Queens Vanity Flair also exhibited extreme motion as a park harness horse. His dam, NBN At Your Command, was a World Champion Mare and a stellar broodmare (she also produced world champion Love Her Madly and the mare So Vain, who in turn is the dam of Get Busy it s a royal family). Stand And Deliver has an admiring fan club who breed to him regularly and who come to the barn to spend time in his regal presence. He is owned and bred by Tara Good at Thornwood and has stood throughout his career at Broadmoor. He is represented on this listing by such get as: SPR Wing It (HP); HVMF Finally Pay Day (WP); Orrwoods Alexander (CPS); Whitemud Sky Captain CH (PD); Chine Gove (CPD); Raintree Rebecca GCH (HP); Deliver The Dream (CPS); RWF On Display (EP); Livewire (CPS); Willohaven Wild Child CH (WP); & RJMF Standing Ovation (PS). ***** Placing 11 th through 15 th on this list are the stallions Serenity Masterpiece; SpiceOLife Present Tense GCH; And The Beat Goes On; GLB Bell Pepper; and Tug Hill Whamunition. 22 January/February 2018 SIRE RATING RESULTS AT A GLANCE OVERALL STANDING *Points: The total number of points earned by all individual get relative to the category. *Classes: The number of overall classes that make up the point total. *APG: The average number of points for each get making up the sires point total. SIRE POINTS # CLASSES APG GET 1. MIZRAHI 7,542 537 100.6 75 2. FUTURITY FRENCH COMMAND 5,215 455 89.9 58 3. ULTRAS SPECIAL AGENT 4,464 417 85.8 52 4. MINION MILLENNIUM 4,412 377 86.7 51 5. ASTRONOMICALLEE 4,071 308 90.5 45 6. TOWN ASSETS 3,218 264 103.8 31 7. HOLLYBROOK STAGE RAGE 2,515 219 81.1 31 8. HVK BELL FLAIRE 2,399 198 66.6 36 9. DBA STREET TALK 2,358 210 90.7 26 10. STAND AND DELIVER GCH 2,062 157 89.7 23

SIRE RATING RESULTS AT A GLANCE TOP THREE OVERALL OFFSPRING OF THE TOP TEN SIRES WITH POINT TOTALS SIRE GET DIVISION POINTS 1. Mizrahi 1. TREBLES PATENT PENDING CH Western Pleasure Open 216 2. Lexington Steel Classic Pleasure Saddle 213 3. MLF Miz Perfect Classic Pleasure Saddle 180 2. Futurity French Command 1. CABOT FRENCH REFLECTION Western Pleasure Amateur 201 2. CBMF Burn Notice CH Western Pleasure Open 178 3. Cabot French Reflection Miscellaneous Morgan 171 3. Ultras Special Agent 1. BLF MISSION IMPOSSIBLE CH Miscellaneous Morgan 381 2. Ultras Now And Forever GCH Hunter Pleasure Junior Exhibitor 154 3. Ultras Now And Forever GCH Classic Pleasure Driving 110 4. Minion Millennium 1. MILLENNIUMS MASTERPIECE CH Western Pleasure Amateur 159 2. Paddyngton s Keepsake CH Hunter Pleasure Amateur 152 3. Miles Of Fortune GCH Classic Pleasure Driving 139 5. Astronomicallee 1. SEA CLOUD COSMO Miscellaneous Morgan 222 2. Dreamaker Cochise English Pleasure Amateur 160 3. Ledyards Midas Touch English Pleasure Junior Exhibitor 149 6. Town Assets 1. HRH CLEOPATRA CH Miscellaneous Morgan 172 2. EKL Assests Vision GCH Hunter Pleasure Junior Exhibitor 162 3. Danells Lovely Assets Walk-Trot Pleasure 149 7. HollyBrook Stage Rage 1. LBJ PURE ELEGANCE CH Hunter Pleasure Amateur 162 2. SpiceOLife B Cool Western Pleasure Open 108 3. Trebles Take The Stage Walk-Trot Pleasure 103 8. HVK Bell Flaire 1. GRADELL RING MY BELL GCH Hunter Pleasure Junior Exhibitor 155 2. Cedar Creek Zephyr Carriage 141 3. Bellerophon GCH Pleasure Driving Amateur 127 9. DBA Street Talk 1. CBMF SWEET TALKIN GUY Miscellaneous Morgan 162 2. Pondview Chardonnay Hunter Pleasure Amateur 126 3. Indian Creek High Stakes Classic Pleasure Saddle 120 10. Stand And Deliver GCH 1. SPR WING IT Hunter Pleasure Amateur 165 2. HVMF Finally Pay Day Western Pleasure Open 150 3. Orrwoods Alexander Classic Pleasure Saddle 142 Photo Ken Martin, Terry Young, Jonathan McCarthy, Howard Schatzberg, Shane Shiflet The Morgan Horse 23

SIRE RATING RESULTS AT A GLANCE OVERALL DIVISIONAL SIRE STANDINGS: TOP THREE WITH POINT & GET TOTALS DIVISION SIRE POINTS GET CLASSIC PLEASURE 1. Mizrahi 1,582 16 2. Futurity French Command 1,566 19 3. Minion Millennium 834 7 ENGLISH PLEASURE 1. Mizrahi 1,466 22 2. Astronomicallee 1,033 14 3. Ultras Special Agent 489 7 HUNTER PLEASURE 1. Minion Millennium 1,427 18 2. Mizrahi 1,305 15 3. Futurity French Command 1,144 16 IN-HAND 1. Mizrahi 936 11 2. Man In Black 625 8 3. SpiceOLife Present Tense GCH 581 7 PARK HARNESS 1. Mizrahi 315 3 2. Tug Hill Whamunition 268 3 3. Stonecroft Trilogy 207 3 PARK SADDLE 1. Ultras Special Agent 381 5 2. Mizrahi 374 5 3. And The Beat Goes On 327 3 PLEASURE DRIVING 1. SpiceOLife Present Tense GCH 634 8 2. Astronomicallee 440 7 3. HVK Bell Flaire 436 7 WESTERN PLEASURE 1. Futurity French Command 1,211 11 2. Minion Millennium 959 10 3. Mizrahi 826 10 MISCELLANEOUS MORGAN 1. PKM Gamborian 785 2 2. Ultras Special Agent 715 21 3. Windcrest Highlander 592 3 CARRIAGE 1. Ulenfield Elation 549 4 2. Lacys Black Mike 413 1 3. Crown Superlative 383 2 26 January/February 2018 More extensive results can be found at saddlehorsereport.com. n