Saturday, February 23, 2013

Chief Of Greystone and Other Illustrious Ancestors

Editorial Hijack:

I was merely going to respond to this recent comment from one of our readers, but I felt it was important enough to share with everyone.

A reader writes:
"Happy Birthday. I thought it might interest you to know that we stood Chief of Greystone at our farm in New Jersey, and his first colt was Attache -- I think that would be the background that is your heritage, William.
There are all kinds of wonderful horses in this world - I believe you just might be one of the gifts."


When I grew up, my grandmother subscribed to Saddle and Bridle, the premier magazine of the Saddlebred industry then and now, back when the cover looked like leather... loved them.  I poured my heart over those pages day in and day out.  Grandma kept them in stacks beneath a great, round, oak coffee table with huge claw and ball feet.  I lived under that table, especially on rainy days. One of my all time favorite photos was that of Chief of Greystone, the headshot in the oval, with the now rare, traditional stallion bit.  Fellow ASB nuts will know the one I mean.


William's dam's sire was Attache', the first son of the great Chief of Greystone.  That eye is William's eye.  That muzzle so familiar.


Attache'
Camilla Fox
William's grand dam Camilla Fox and Attache' also produced Champion Unattached, 
Finally Attached and Moet

CH Unattached

Finally Attached

Moet
William's dam Attache's Galatea (Attache' x Camilla Fox)

  William is the first foal by his own sire Deep Blue, who is out of Yorkshire Pudding the full sister to the immortal WGC CH Harlem Globetrotter.  His pedigree reads like a who's who of Saddlebred greats.  When non-Saddlebred people come to the barn and say "but what breed is this one?  He doesn't look like the lanky, narrow Saddlebreds we are used to seeing." I find myself defending his bloodlines and saying "This is how they are supposed to be built.  Like Iron.  Deep. Wide.  Well sprung ribs.  Solid bone.  They should last all day."

This is the blood of Attache', Will Shriver and Yorktown.  Of Wing Commander, Grape Tree's Fox, Wing's Fleet Admiral, Mr. Magic Man, The Rambler and the great Stonewall King.  These are the names I memorized as a child.  Come to life in one wonderful package.

William



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