The Matron Among Matrons - Denmark’s Radiant Society
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Denmark’s Radiant Society died as arguably
the greatest producing mare of all time.
by Bob Funkhouser
“It has been and honor and a privilege to own her. I’ve loved her since the first time I laid eyes on her as a two-year-old with Nelson Green,” said Dr. Simon Fredricks of the Hall of Fame Broodmare Denmark’s Radiant Society who was humanely euthanized on Tuesday, Oct. 23. She was buried at her longtime home, Woodstock Farm, Danville, Ky.
“Her presence and expression are what captured me, as well as the way she moved. She had the most incredible hocks.”
Bred by John L. Hutcheson of the famed Happy Valley Farm, Denmark’s Radiant Society was a daughter of the fiery and sometimes unpredictable World’s Champion Fine Harness Stallion Ronald Reagan who was by the prolific breeding stallion Stonewall’s Beau Peavine. On the bottom side she was out of Denmark’s Society Sue, a daughter of Oman’s Captain Denmark and the Society Rex mare Bohemian Sue. In addition to Denmark’s Radiant Society, Denmark’s Society Sue produced a great number of champion show horses and champion producers including Ivory Coast, Newtown, Denmark’s Runaround Sue, Gypsy Spirit and Bonnie Blue Ribbons.
Dr. and Mrs. Simon Fredricks’ Simbara Farm purchased the outstanding two-year-old from Hutcheson and after a short but successful career in harness, she began a career in the broodmare ranks that is unequalled.
First bred to Supreme Sultan she produced The Ultimate Sultan and then a colt by Wind Storm named I Go By Vic. Next came the eventual two-times Fine Harness World’s Grand Champion Be Happy who was sired by Mountain Highland Majesty.
Sent to the court of World’s Champion Merchant Prince, Denmark’s Radiant Society produced the first of a string of world’s champions from that cross. The Radiant Prince was a world’s champion both under saddle and in harness as a two-year-old and then went on to be a world’s champion junior exhibitor star.
Next came the extremely gifted and big-hearted mare CH Rejoice. Her show career in harness and as a walk-trot horse is legendary. She is also the dam of the 2007 Fine Harness Reserve World’s Grand Champion Seaforth’s Bonnie Lass.
A Buck Rogers foal died as a yearling and her next one was another Merchant Prince star, Simbara’s Samba Jamba. At the 1995 Kentucky State Fair Denmark’s Radiant Society had two world’s champions, both by Merchant Prince. National Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Futurity World’s Champion A Sweet Treat and ASHA Kentucky Futurity Yearling World’s Champion Simbara’s Cara Mia both began their long and illustrious careers that year. A Sweet Treat went on to make history as the only mare to win World’s Grand Championships in two different divisions (fine harness and three-gaited).
The strength of her genes continued to shine for the Simbara breeding program. When crossed with Carter Cox’s top producer Sultan’s Starmaker, Denmark’s Radiant Society foaled Simbara’s Audacity who would eventually win several world’s championships in the three-gaited pony division. Also by Sultan’s Starmaker, Simbara’s Rising Son has already sired a few world’s champions including Simbara’s Sweet Lorraine. Again crossed with Merchant Prince the great mare produced Simbara’s Exclamation a multi-titled world’s champion who just won another title this year with Dr. Scott Cairns in the amateur gentlemen’s harness class.
The progeny of Denmark’s Radiant Society have been managed and developed by Carter Cox of Woodstock Farm. Besides the above mentioned champions she also produced Louisville ribbon winners Distraction, Simbara’s Special Someone, Simbara’s Sweet Bess, Simbara’s Stars And Stripes and Simbara’s Living Legend.
Simbara’s Living Legend is one of two stallions out of Denmark’s Radiant Society. Only a four-year-old, his first foals hit the ground in 2008 and are greatly anticipated.
“I think her importance to the breed is still to be determined,” said Dr. Fredricks. “The impact her sons and daughters have as producers will be seen for years to come.”
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