Anacacho Denmark, Anacacho Shamrock Continued
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
The third daughter of Anacacho Denmark to produce a stallion son who left an ever lasting impact on the American Saddlebred was twice Fine Harness World's Grand Champion CH Kate Shriver. Her history making son was the 1976 Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion CH Will Shriver. Will Shriver had the luxury of having the blood of both of our subjects as he was a great-grandson of Anacacho Shamrock on the top side. Betty Weldon of Callaway Hills had a vision for Will Shriver and that vision came to fruition with 31 different world's champions. A majority of today's trainers credit Will Shriver with putting the rack back into the American Saddlebred and while he was alive his get totally dominated the gaited division.
It could be said that Will Shriver was a great overachiever as a sire. What his get lacked in quality, they more than made up for in drive and stamina. They were also horses that lasted. Heading the list of stars sired by Will Shriver was Callaway's New Look, the Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion in 1991 and '92 and winner of nine world titles from 1990 to 1995. One of Will Shriver's earliest stars was Callaway's Caper, winner of six world's championships and three reserve world's championships from 1982 to 1989. CH Will's Bulletin represented Will Shriver with nine world's championships and three reserve world's championships over an eight year period. Likewise, CH Callaway's Criterion racked up seven world's championships and five reserve world's championships over a 10 year span. Callaway's Hot Copy added to the star studded list with five world's championships. One of Will's most popular sons was Callaway's Mr. Republican who owned six world's titles before his untimely death.
Throughout the late '80s and into the 1990s, many times three or four of the top five winners in open, amateur and ladies championships at the World's Championship Horse Show were sired by Will Shriver. Not since Wing Commander has any one sire so totally dominated the gaited division. What made this feat even more amazing was the fact that Will was pretty much only bred to mares owned by Betty Weldon and those mares weren't dominated by blue hens and most weren't former top show mares. The Wing Commanders and Supreme Sultans of the world had the greatest show mares of the day sent to their courts.
The powerful blood of Anacacho Denmark and Anacacho Shamrock didn't end with Will Shriver. If anything it has gotten stronger and better mainly through his two sons, CH Caramac and Callaway's Blue Norther. Out of the Vanity's Sensation of Crebilly daughter, Stonehedge Vanity, CH Caramac was a reserve world's champion as a three-year-old gaited colt in 1981 and then came back to win the junior stallion/gelding and junior world's grand championship the following year. Out of the Royal Rambler mare, Royally Blue, Callaway's Blue Norther did the opposite winning the 1984 Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Stallion/Gelding World's Championship and taking reserve in both the junior stallion/gelding and junior championship in '85.
Oldest of the two senior sires at Callaway Hills, CH Caramac topped the World’s Champion Sire Rating in 1999 and has been anywhere from second to fourth over the last seven years. His list of world’s champion performers is stunning with the likes of My Chanel, Page Me, Designed (also a young sire of world's champions for Redwing Farm), Callaway’s Frank James, Callaway’s Career Girl, Carmen Miranda, Callaway’s Arbitrator, Caramac’s Capital Gain, Callaway’s Rockaway, Cecile, Caraway, Made Ya Look, and Callaway’s Newscaster only scratching the surface of his offspring with world’s titles.
Caramac’s stablemate, also under the direction of Kenda Benn and Bob Brison at Callaway Hills, is the 2004 Number One World’s Champion Sire as recorded by SADDLE HORSE REPORT, Callaway’s Blue Norther. Generally siring a different type than his half-brother Caramac, Blue Norther has also remained in the four among world’s champion sires for several years. The best of his offspring to this point have been Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion Callaway’s Forecaster, Ladies Amateur Three-Gaited World’s Grand Champion Callaway’s Sugarplum; four-times Amateur Gentlemen’s Five-Gaited World’s Champion Callaway’s Weatherman, Ladies Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion Callaway’s Born To Win, Ladies Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion Callaway’s Banner Headline, twice Five-Gaited Mare World’s Champion Adelita, and Country Pleasure World’s Grand Champion Callaway’s Blue Agate.
Brison and his staff continue to turn out world class performers by the privately bred Caramac and Blue Norther in addition to the offspring of the other Will Shriver sons and grandsons at Callaway Hills.
With the number of great performers and producers from the Anacacho Denmark line it wouldn’t seem like there was much room for another stallion to have that kind of impact, however, Anacacho Shamrock made a pretty good case. As already mentioned his impact when crossed with the Anacacho Denmark line has been remarkably successful as with the case of Will Shriver. Shamrock’s greatest claim to fame was as the sire of the king of his day, CH Wing Commander. When speaking of the greatest gaited horses of all time his name is always right there with Sky Watch, My My, Lady Carrigan, and Imperator.
Foaled in 1932, Anacacho Shamrock (by Edna May’s King) had a mix of the most prolific producers among the founding families of the American Saddlebred. In addition to his famed top side, he was out of the highly regarded Forest King granddaughter, Sally Cameron. The name Black Squirrel appeared three times on her pedigree joining other top sires Harrison Chief and Montrose.
Under the direction of noted horseman B.B. Tucker, Anacacho Ranch campaigned Anacacho Shamrock and won Five-Gaited Stallion Stakes as well as championships at the major shows from coast to coast. Represented by another well-known character in Saddle Horse lore, Wallace Bailey, Anacacho Shamrock was purchased by the famed Dodge Stables in 1941 and crossed with their great band of former show mares while also continuing his show ring career. He was the Reserve World’s Champion Five-Gaited Stallion that year for Dodge Stables.
Anacacho Shamrock would prove to be even more successful in the breeding ranks. Some of his noted get included Meadow Dew, Main Title, Another Blue, Shannondale, Glorious Starlite, Star Of The Show, Deal Me In, Mark Of Success, My King’s X, Rocket Patrol, Fluffy McDuffy, Gay Lover, Priceless Heritage, King Of Harmony, Rita’s Dream, and Royal Affair, among others. This group of world class performers and producers would be enough to make any breeder happy with his success, but Anacacho Shamrock went to even greater heights as a sire when crossed with the King’s Genius daughter Flirtation Walk.
When breeders talk about the greatest mares of all time right at the very top with Dixie Duchess and Denmark’s Radiant Society is Flirtation Walk. She had 11 foals with Anacacho Shamrock and a good many of them were history makers. A former champion gaited mare for Dixiana Farm, Flirtation Walk’s first foal for Dodge Stables and Anacacho Shamrock was Lover’s Lane who was foaled in 1942. With Earl Teater aboard she won the World’s Champion Five-Gaited Mare title in 1948 and ‘49, as well as every other championship from Kentucky to New York.
The blood of Anacacho Shamrock continued to prevail in another generation as Lover’s Lane would go to produce one of the most beautiful walk-trot mares ever shown, twice Three-Gaited Reserve World’s Grand Champion Lover’s Sensation.
Anacacho Shamrock’s last three foals out of Flirtation Walk were also fillies. Foaled in 1950, Dream Waltz was the 1956 Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion and two years later the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited World’s Champion for Judy Marks. Dream Waltz also proved to be a producer as the dam of the noted sires Supreme Spirit and Waltz King.
The next filly born to Anacacho Shamrock and Flirtation Walk was Gay Sadie. Her daughters turned out be good producers when crossed with Broadland’s Kilarney. The next year saw the arrival of the last of the famous family, Primrose Path. She too carried the Dodge Stables banner to winner’s circles which included Devon, Harrisburg, the New York National, Washington International and the Illinois State Fair. She then produced the breeding stallions Baron de Bastrop, Prim Style, and Primrose Trail.
Anacacho Shamrock had even greater success through his sons who were out of Flirtation Walk. The 1947 foal was Private Contract who grew up to be a top show horse, winning the Junior Five-Gaited Stakes at Lexington Junior League, the Chicago International, New York National and the Ohio and Illinois State Fairs. He was also the Junior Five-Gaited Reserve World's Champion that year.
As a sire Private Contract was best know for The Contender, the thrilling gelding shown by Tom Moore to the 1965 World's Champion Five-Gaited Gelding title and reserve world's grand champion honors. He also sired the 1963 Amateur Five-Gaited World's Champion The Tempest as well as the many times amateur three-gaited champion Tender Mist.
As the years went by, Private Contract broodmares were highly coveted by breeders. Among his daughters, CH Contract's Lady Anacacho was the dam of Status Symbol who topped the futurity charts for years and was also the sire of the two-time Fine Harness World's Grand Champion CH Night Prowler who in turn sired some highly regarded world's champions including CH Reedann's Nitey Night, CH Perfect Prowler, and CH Nite Lite as well as Blythewood Farm's world class breeding stallion CF First Night Out.
Another Private Contract daughter who gave the industry an outstanding breeding stallion was Contract's Dusty. She was the dam of Mountain Highland Memories who sired Memories Citation, the only horse in history to win the Five-Gaited and Three-Gaited World's Grand Championships. Mountain Highland Memories is also the sire of Happy Valley Farm's great sire, Merchant Prince who among others, sired CH A Sweat Treat, the only horse in history to win the Three-Gaited and Fine Harness World's Grand Championships.
A Private Contract mare also had something to do with another highly successful sire for Walter Bush's Desert Oasis Ranch. With-A-Star was the second dam of his stallion Desert's Supreme Admiral who has been a top sire of world's champions, most notably two-time Five-Gaited Stallion World's Champion Desert's Supreme Memories who has gone on to be one of the top young sires today for Virgil Helm and Roberta Rassieur. Desert's Supreme Memories has sired a nice group of world's champions so far highlighted by four-times Amateur Five-Gaited Mare World's Champion Such Sweet Memories.
Command Decision was another full brother to the famous Anacacho Shamrock/Flirtation Walk family. He too made a top show horse and then was noted for siring champions like A Man's Decision and Memories Cherie.
The greatest of the greats was Anacacho Shamrock's second foal with Flirtation Walk, the legendary CH Wing Commander. An explosive powerhouse, Wing Commander debuted with a winning performance in the 1946 Three-Year-Old Five-gaited Stake at Lexington Junior League. As a three-year-old he also won the Five-Gaited Stallion Stake at the Chicago International.
The following year he won the World's Champion Five-Gaited Stallion title as a four-year-old. It was the first of seven consecutive stallion world's championships. He would come back to win the Five-Gaited World's Grand Championship from 1948 to 1953. Wing Commander met all challengers recording 167 lifetime wins against only two defeats, both coming in Five-Gaited Championships at Louisville and Chicago during his junior year at the hand of Daneshall's Easter Parade, the 1947 Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion and eventual dam of six-times Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion My My.
Wing Commander retired to stud in 1954 and in '59 he recorded the first two of many, many world's champion offspring. Commander's Love was the Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited World's Champion that year. He became such a dominant sire in all divisions with his get consistently taking the majority of the top ribbons at the World's Championship Horse Show.
He led Saddle & Bridle's performance sire rating for six years and starting in 1969 he was the sire of the Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion for four consecutive years. It was Valerie Emerald in '69, followed by Yorktown for three consecutive years. Tashi Ling was the Fine Harness World's Grand Champion for four consecutive years and ended her career with nine world's championship wins. For three straight years Wing Commander daughters won the amateur gaited mare stake: Tinsel Wings (1970) and Wing's Fair Lady (1971 and '72). Wing's Fair Lady was also the amateur world's grand champion in '71. Grape Tree's Limelight racked up the world's championships in both the junior exhibitor and ladies gaited divisions, while Sheer Blue was the 1970 Amateur Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion. Dream Lover, Wing Flame, Dixie Wing were all high powered gaited mares who won world's titles in the ladies, amateur and junior exhibitor divisions for Wing Commander. The New Look and Rebel Command were high profile world title holders in the mid to late '60s as two of wing's best geldings during that era.
Sons and daughters alike continued to produce for Wing Commander. His mares produced show ring champion after show ring champion, crossing with a number of different lines but none more successful than with Supreme Sultan. Empress Wing was the dam of World's Grand Champion CH Imperator. A twice reserve world's champion herself, Starlike produced King Of Siam, Candle Dance, Sultan's Royalty and Starlike Sultan among others when crossed with Supreme Sultan. Another Wing Commander daughter, Jasper Lou, was the dam of Worthy Son (by Supreme Sultan) who proved to be a top sire of world's champions for Randy and Glyndle Tabor.
Wing's Commander's stallion sons were most impressive and today his grandsons and great grandsons are prominent among the top sires. His stallion world title holders included CH Yorktown, Flight Time, Chief Of Greystone, Wing's Fleet Admiral, Sunset Commander, Wing Again, Wingmaster, Lucky Commander, and Super Command. Among his stallion sons who didn't win world titles but did sire world's champions, we find Callaway's Johnny Gillen (sire of CH World's Grand Champion Will Shriver), Mr. Magic Man (a great broodmare sire and the sire of multi-titled world's champion Magic Marvel), Wing Shot (sire of Three-Gaited World's Grand Champion Cameo's Angel Wings), Rhythm Command, Wing Commander's King, Wing Rhythm, Wing Society, and Wing's Over Jordan to name a few.
Being out of an Anacacho Denmark mare, we've already traced the impact Yorktown has had on the breed. Several other Wing Commander sons have given just as much. With five world's titles including the 1978 Five-Gaited World's Grand Championship, CH Cora's Time was one of two Five-Gaited World's Grand Champions sired by Flight Time. The immortal CH Sky Watch was the other.
Chief Of Greystone passed along the championship traits of the family and his son, Attache, besides being a world's champion gaited performer, he was an outstanding producer in his own right siring such stars as CH Unattached, CH Attache's Three Of A Kind, CH Vintage Lace, CH See The Sights, CH Satan's Seductress, Bluegrass Attraction, Kaladar, Moet, and many more. In turn, Attache's sons have produced world class show horses. Attache's Born Believer is the sire of the multi-titled world's grand champion CH Hollywood Excellence (herself, now a world's champion producing dam); Attache's Liquid Asset was a Five-Gaited World's Champion Stallion and is now siring world's champions like Talented Asset, Undulata's Georgie Girl, Undulata's Georgie Girl, Mr. Revere, and CH Assets and Attitude.
A full brother to Attache's Liquid Asset, The Mean Machine sired show ring champions CH Madame Machine, Playing With Fire (the dam of 98 Degrees), CH Lady Samantha, CH Renowned, Strapless, Princess Shalimar, CH Hear The Music, and CH Wild Harley before his death.
In addition to Attache's Liquid Asset standing in Wisconsin, there are two Attache sons at Joan Lurie's Willowbank who are siring today's world's champions and they are Finally Attached and Attache's Thunderbolt.
If you keep examining the Wing Commander sons who became great producers you have to put Wing's Fleet Admiral. One of Missouri's leading sons, he was a world's champion performer and then made history in the breeding shed as well. His sons, Courageous Admiral, Grape Tree's Fox and CH Superior Odds have all contributed heavily to the pedigrees of many of today's champions. Their sons, Catalyst, Periaptor, Top Spool, The Cheetah, Fox Creek, Desert's Supreme Admiral, Desert's Supreme Memories, General Steel, Penny's Superior Stonewall, and Rare Treasure all trace back to Wing's Fleet Admiral.
Some 75 years since the birth of Anacacho Denmark and Anacacho Shamrock their presence is still felt. Their blood has proven to stand the test of time. The core characteristics which made them so superior back then are still coming through loud and clear today. There have been other lines like Stonewall King, Society Rex, and King's Genius which have added greatly to the American Saddlebred we know today, however, it is hard to argue that any two stallions have had a greater impact than Denmark and Shamrock.
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