by Gillian Baxter
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History of modern reining appaloosas begins in the 1970’s, when the Appaloosa Horse Club diversified the classes offered at the National and World Show. This allowed some stallions to gain recognition not only as show horses but also as sires.
In the past, every attempt to create the perfect performance appaloosa, regardless of the class discipline, clashed against the very small number of foundation sires that characterized both the Appaloosa and the Paint Horse Breed. This necessitated resorting to the wide genetic heritage of the Quarter Horse industry. This attempt has excited a strong dispute inside the Appaloosa Horse Club between the conservative faction, whose sentiments lie with preserving the purity of the Breed, and the progressive faction, open to crosses that (although with a partial sacrifice of color) could guarantee a quality of performance horse adequate to the increasing standards required by the speciality competitions such as reining and cutting. In 2002, the decision to prevent solid appaloosas out of approved outside crosses from entering competitions made the conservative position temporally prevail. It slowed down but did not stop the work started by a small group of American breeders, who, with the creation of the Appaloosa Reining Horse Association, actively promoted the culture of reining among spotted-horse enthusiasts and, simultaneously, made the attempt to compete against Quarter horses more credible.
In 2007 a progressive rule change allowing a special “competition license” for solid appaloosas changed the previous restrictions. This rule change demonstrates that the future of the Appaloosa Breed cannot get out of its own subject’s promotion, as these breeders are educated in the bloodlines and quality of horses competing in open breed associations such as NRHA, NRCHA and NCHA. Appaloosa breeders who are trying to raise and promote “open-quality” appaloosas now have much more flexibility in pursuing the best bloodlines available on the market. Reining, more than any other discipline, is the ground upon which steps made on this journey will be measured.
The success achieved by American breeders, through a progressive promotion of stallions and broodmares and the increasing number of horses exhibited at NRHA shows, proves that a deep knowledge of bloodlines and the courage to test the breeding results in the show pen may create highly-competitive and colored reining appaloosas. |
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Absarokee Sunset, a 1958 stallion by Flamingo Of AA out of Powdered Sugar, was the very first horse in the history of the Appaloosa Horse Club to earn a Bronze production plaque. Bred by Gwen McKittrick, he was mainly exhibited by Bob Hankla. The duo won the 1961 World Championship in Rope Race, the 1962 World Championship in Western Pleasure, and more than 250 trophies. Absarokee Sunset’s 451 foals have earned 2,165 performance points, 51 halter points, 10 Superior Performance titles, 1 Versatility Champion title and 15 Bronze Medallions. Among his most notable reining champions we remind Naja Chief, 1973 World Champion Senior Reining; Absarokee Sonny, 1977 World Champion Junior Reining; Absarokee Too Much, 1976 National Champion Senior Reining; and Absarokee Tico, 1979 National Champion Junior Reining. Absorekee Sunset died in 1976 and was inducted into the Appaloosa Hall of Fame in 1988.
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Absarokee Sunset |
Flamingo of AA |
Chief Navajo |
Unkown |
Powdered Sugar |
McDowells Stallion (AQHA) |
Flicka |
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Rustler Charger (NRHA Lte. $1,374.53) may be considered the first great reining sire of the modern era. The 1966 stallion is by Hall of Fame inducted Rustler Bill out of the Q.H. mare Miss Bueno Sues. Rustler Charger won 12 National & World titles in reining and roping classes, as well as a Bronze Production Plaque. Among his most famous foals is Charga Bar, 1972 World Champion Junior Reining; Presto Charge, 1973 World Champion Junior Reining; Chucka Charge, 1975 World Champion Junior Reining; Badger's Ci Tad'E, 1975 World Champion Senior Reining; Charger-Charmer, 1977 World e National Champion Senior Reining; Hy Charger, 1982 World Champion Senior Reining; Charga Sue Two, 1983 World Champion Hackamore Reining; Rocket Charge, 1976 National Champion Hackamore Reining; Charger's Quanah-C, 1978 National Champion Junior Reining; Charger's Charmer (NRHA Lte. $ 1,601.68), 1977 World Champion Senior Reining and first appaloosa in history to win the Open Reining class at the Quarter Horse Congress (1977); and Chuck-A-Luck Charge, sire of Charga Booger, 1979 World Champion Junior Reining, and Chuck's Queen A (NRHA Lte. $ 1410.57), 1982 National Champion Hackamore Reining, 1983 National & World Champion Junior Reining.
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Rustler Bill |
Matador Dun (AQHA) |
Cheyene Gold |
Miss Bueno Sues (AQHA) |
Jessie Bueno (AQHA) |
Jackies First (AQHA) |
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In 1974 Post Haste, a chestnut stallion foaled in 1971, was National Champion Men's Western Pleasure and World Champion Heading & Healing. In 1976 he earned a Silver Medallion in Endurance. Poste Haste is the sire of Hasty Harlan (NRHA Lte. $ 642.70), 1982 World Champion Junior Reining & National Champion Snaffle-Bit Reining, 1984 World Champion Senior Reining; Topper Post, 1988 World Champion Junior Reining; Jackie Post, 1981 National Champion Hackamore Reining; Penny Post (NRHA Lte. $ 103.97), 1988 National Champion Junior Reining; and Skip a Post, 1991 National Champion Hackamore/Snaffle-Bit Reining. |
Post Haste |
Mr Postman |
Connels Sleepy Cat |
Cindy 4 |
Ms Missy Kitty |
Colita |
Carlita Dowdy (AQHA) |
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