AQHA Quarter Running Stallion Johnny Dial

Since most of the great foundation Quarter Horses came from short distance straightaway sprinters, I would like to talk about a not so heard of horse called Johnny Dial. He was a brown horse foaled on July 1, 1948 and he racked up the fastest time recorded by any stallion running during the first eleven years of organized Quarter Racing. A spectacular competitor, he was always the horse the rest had to beat. He had a heart that was bigger than all outdoors. Few jockeys could ride him. Disposition had nothing to do with this; he got away from the starting gates so quick and with such a bone jarring leap they simply could not stay with him. Part of this trouble, Ray Boyland thought, grew out of the fact that "in the gate he seemed half asleep."He was very calm not easily rattled". Many times he would just stand there and yawn, but as quick as the gates opened he'd be off like a bat out of Carlsbad. He always broke with such a terrific burst of speed; it was often said that he could not have moved faster had he been jet propelled!

During the years he was campaigned on the straight-aways 1950 thru 1953 Johnny Dial smashed the records of such outstanding sprinters as Black Easter Bunny, Tonto Bars Gill, the celebrated Barbara L, not to mention such hard knockers as Clabbertown G,Tonta Lad, Mona Leta, Billy Van Dorn and I could go on to an almost never ending list.

Johnny Dial was bred by Charles E Hepler, of Pinon, New Mexico. He was sired by the great Depth Charge out of the great mare Black Annie by Rodney, a son of Old D J. Black Annie reputed to have been one of the greatest match racing mares ever to come out of Louisiana.

Through 1961 Johnny Dial had only 29 starters; 17 were winners, 19 were Register of merit qualifiers, and 10 with a AAA speed index.

Ray Boland once said over a phone call: Johnny's racing carrer really got started at Carlsbad, his first actual race being the Carlsbad Futurity, in which he beat the great mare Hy Dale (a former World Record Holder at 440 yds.) by a head. He was only 19 months old at that time. It was also said that any of the Strauss boys will tell you about him. When Johnny set the World Stallion Record at Bay Meadows he drew the No. 3 gate. There was some discussion about the track being plowed so deep along the inside there. Felex Durroseau told Bill Grounds the jockey up to just pray that gate comes all the way open, grab you a hand full of hair and ride to the finish, which he did and Stetsons went to flying all over the track! It was also said that a jockey by the name of R D Hay once said that he never rode Johnny that he did not have the feeling that he was going to win. These are the type story's that keep my blood flowing when I talk about a good Quarter Horse! I just hope and pray that there are Quarter Horses in heaven!

Horseback History….The Great Horse Leo

As we sit at breakfast tables, barns, etc. we talk about great Quarter Horses. One that always crosses my mind is Leo. A majority of our greatest Quarter Horse stallions have been moderately appreciated when they were available for stud service. This was true with Sykes Rondo, Traveler, Yellow Jacket, Question Mark and Joe Reed II, among many others. For quite some time this was also true with Leo; only in the later years of his life have breeders come to admit his worth. A chestnut sorrel, Leo was foaled in Cameron, Texas, in 1940, bred by J. W. House and sold for a handful of dollars at a very young age. Following a trials at back country sprints he showed up at Pawhuska, Oklahoma, the property of John W. Tillman. Mr Tillman ran him mostly at Pawhuska, where he established a track record (300 yards in 16.0) which stood for several years. Mr Tillman stated: “I bought him as a two year old from Lester Manning at Gatesville, Texas. He was an extremely fast colt that spring, racing with and defeating such good sprinters as Red Sails, Johnny Barns, Good Eye, and Cyclone. These were all in their prime when he met and defeated them. I never knew of a poor foal sired by him, he was probably the best sire brought to Oklahoma at that time. He always had a fine disposition, was easy to handle, was a perfect gate horse and had the heart and ability to come from behind and outrun good horses.

Leo defeated Cyclone, a very regarded horse, at Pawhuska, going 220 yards in 12:0 for a purse of $3,600 when he was three years old. Blondy Meyers, trainer of Cyclone, said he didn’t believe any horse living could outrun Leo that day. The current record at that time at 220 yards was 13:0 set by Clabber in 1937. Three years after defeating Cyclone, Leo nearly had both of his front legs cut off in a trailer accident. Then taken out of stud service, and with his handicap, he ran his last race at Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1947, where he was defeated by a head by Little Joe at 375 yards. Leo was said to have won 20 out of 22 match races.

For some time Leo was owned by Gene Moore of Fairfax, Oklahoma, who said Leo was a great sire because he was able to mark his colts with the same conformation and style as himself. Later Leo was bought by Bud Warren. Before Mr Warren bought him he was bred mostly to cow horse mares. After two of Leo’s daughters later started kicking up the dust (Leota W and Flit) on recognized straight-aways a number of top breeders began to assess his abilities, with the result that in 1950 Bud Warren had to turn away 33 mares. From those days forward Leo’s get became a great success to the Quarter Horse racing industry. One of Leo’s finest sons, and very possibly his greatest was Palleo Pete, Champion Quarter Running Stallion of 1954. This fine young stallion appeared to have inherited all his sires best qualities, plus the ability to pass them along to his get.

Leo was known as one of the best broodmare sires of the breed. The celebrated get of many other leading sires came with the help of having been bred to Leo daughters and granddaughters. In later years his name still has honor among cutting and performance horses such as Peppy San, Mr San Peppy, Peppy San Badger and even as modern as Smart Chic Olena. His Legend Lives On!

Horseback History...Cornerstone To A Great Breed

I’ve now written two articles about two great Foundation Quarter Horses, Wimpy P-1 and King P-234. I think, this month I’ll go back and dwell a little on some factual generalities of the Quarter Horse.

The Quarter Horse is the oldest American family of horses. His tribe strongly flourished in Colonial times and it has been said that Paul Revere rode a Quarter Horse. He possessed in those days the same characteristics as he exhibits now-which may in some measure explain the remarkable prepotency still displayed in his often marked ability to stamp his get with peculiarities seldom discovered in any other branch of the equine family. Perhaps the most notable characteristic of the true Quarter Horse is and always has been his  astonishing versatility. From earliest times he’s been a using horse-good at whatever he is put to, be it pulling a wagon or plowing a field. He did those things in Colonial times, and gave the planters relaxation by running for them on weekends. He was marvelously adapted to pioneer pursuits.

In a book titled The Quarter Horse, published by the AQHA at Amarillo in 1950, Bob Denhardt says: “The Spanish horse was a horse whose heritage had from the first been dominant”. All his masters for a thousand years had used him to drive livestock from pasture to pasture. Spain and America proved no exception. Even when he was with Cortez and De Soto he always had at least a drove of pigs along to keep in line and on which to practice his trade.

Cow savvy was built into this breed of horses and has always been evident. Speed is the prime essential for any multipurpose horse. It is the nonreplicable cornerstone from which he was geared to his many endeavors. Ott Adams and his mentor Dow Shely understood this better than most. Naturally, Quarter Horses fit into the scheme of things to do on a ranch.

Once again let me hark to Bob Denhardt: Since the modern Quarter Horse has largely been bred on the range alongside cattle,since he has generally received his breaking and usually earned his oats between races and at cow work, it is only natural that he should be a master of two trades-cattle and short races. Centuries of specialization for quick speed make him today a thing of beauty mighty pleasing to the cowman. Every contour of his conformation reflects the purpose for which he was bred, and they make him the superior of all other breeds in pure feet-per-second movement…..The unusual conformation of the Quarter Horse is his greatest asset in working cattle, as most cattlemen agree. They make him the stoutest at the end of a rope, the handiest to cut on in a herd and the fastest and safest when heading off a wild one. As long as our great country possesses fabulous wealth in natural forage, just so long will this horse be an economic necessity.

The Quarter Horse is the world’s best cow horse: he is also the finest sporting horse to be found in the world. In addition to early foot, most sporting horses require handiness, an ingredient for which he stands second to none. He has proved by test to be the best in arena competition today and will be found to give tremendous satisfaction-with proper training in any arena sport to which he is trained. This my friends is why I can’t wait for the sun to rise in the mornings, so I can look out across my pasture and sight a Quarter Horse.

Passion for the Horse Business

My name is J.L. Giamalva and I was raised in Dickinson,Texas. I grew up on a cattle ranch that my father owned and operated. For as long as I can remember, I have always had an interest in good breed horses. I began to study quarter horse bloodlines in the early 70's and decided to start my own breeding operation. I always have felt there was a category or level of business for every individual that loved the horse business. My theory was to find out what horse was so called, the highlight horse of the local area and base my breeding operation on those popular bloodlines.

During the late 60's and early 70's we had a horse in the area named Whizotoe and I had the opportunity to own a son of Whizotoe out of a daughter of the Gus Scroggins horse, Scroggins Little Star. His name was Otoes Whiz. Later I bought a son of Tee Jay Scamp and also a son of Mr Brazoria County. I later owned and bred a couple of Obvious Conclusion stallions of which I produced a Palomino World Champion and a National Champion in Mexico. I've always owned a few good mares and had several routes that I could do business. The main thing I learned is how to condition a good horse. I've always believed that you can own the greatest horse in the world, but if the horse didn't have that shine you couldn't sell one. You don't have to have a lot of money to be successful in the horse business, just good common since and a yearning for the love of the breed. I've told many people, that I can't wait for the sun to rise in the morning so I could look at a horse.

My goal at the present time is to try to bring back the old foundation breed and cross over to some good performance bloodlines to maintain what the quarter horse was first meant to be, and that's the world’s most versatile horse. I think we've drifted away from that theory and I would like to see the days of the AQHA Champion come back. A horse has to excel in both conformation and performance.

I have just a few words of advice for newcomers to the industry- absorb as much horse savvy from the old timers of the horse business that you can! When the economy is down in the horse business, I look at the situation as a good time to upgrade your mare program at a very cheap price...Everyone has to die loving something and I've always said as a joke, that if there's no horses in heaven, I ain't goin! Remember, no matter where you ride to, that's where you are!   

Remembering King P234

DICKINSON, TEX (Horseback) – The Ott Adams bred stallion Zantanon spent most of his life racing south of the Texas border,where he was known as the “Mexican Man O’War!”

Zantanon sired King P234 whose dam was Jabalina by Straight Horse by Yellow Jacket, by Lock’s Rondo. Jess Hankins acquired King in 1937 for a sum of $800 and built his fame as a breeder around King’s get and accomplishments. The stud book lists 608 registered foals by King. Seventeen have become AQHA Champions; 67 have become Register of merit in the show ring; 36 have started on recognized tracks; 11 have qualified for the racing register of merit; one of these Squaw H achieved AAA.

When Jess Hankins first started breeding King his stud fee was $15 and after gaining his fame the fee went to $2500, not bad for a $800 horse. A list of his more notable sons were Royal King, Hank H, Old Taylor, Little Tom B, King Banner, King April, D Day, Clovis King, Jimmy, Jess Hankins, King Joe,Zantanan H, and Cactus King, and there are many others.

None of those were as popular as King’s renowned son Poco Bueno P-3044, who set the stage for the cutting horse industry! The ole cowboys use to say, that all quarter horses go back to King at least once, and the reply would be; Yea, and that never was known to hurt one.
Most people were under the impression that Jess Hankins, long time owner, was the breeder of King, but the stud book lists Burney James of Encinal, Texas, as breeder, but some believe that Benavedas Volpe was the original breeder. King P 234 died on March 24, 1958 at 26 years of age.

Horseback History: Cornerstone Of A Great Breed, Wimpy P1

DICKINSON, TX (Horseback) – Wimpy P1, was the first registered quarter horse for The American Quarter Horse Association. He was foaled at King Ranch around the year of 1935, some say 1937. He was by Solis, by Old Sorrel, the King Ranch foundation stallion out of a mare called Panda, also by Old Sorrel.
Panda was a roan mare that went back to Hickory Bill three times. Wimpy himself was a chestnut stallion with a star and a sock on his left hind leg. He was right at 15 hands and weighed around 1,200 pounds with a very stocky build.
In 1941 the newly formed American Quarter Horse Association voted to give the Grand Champion Stallion of The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo the honor of being registered as number one and he was labeled as Wimpy P1, the first horse registered by the AQHA. After the registry of Wimpy P1, the association went back and registered other known foundation horses with the letter P in front of the number, which stood for permanent registered.
Wimpy then became a top sire!
 In addition to his offspring being top competitors in both show and rodeo arenas, many were top producers of great horses. Wimpy sired more than 150 foals for King Ranch, and in 1958 was given to George Clegg, the breeder of Old Sorrel. Clegg was later forced to sell Wimpy to Rex Cauble, owner of Cutter Bill who owned Wimpy until the legendary horse died in 1959 at the age of 22.
Wimpy sired sons and daughters of great horses such as Bill Cody, Silver Wimpy, Wimpy II,  Lauro, Showdown and Marions Girl. He was the grandsire of Joe Cody, Codalena, Pandarita Hill and Show Maid.
In 1961 a bronze statue of Wimpy P1 was erected in front of AQHA headquarters in Amarillo and in 1989 he was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame.