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Appaloosa History:
Joker B
F-678

Introduction

jokerbvb
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jokerbwithbill

Owner Bill Benoist riding.



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At age 25

Basic Info

ApHC Studbook data:
Joker B
Sire: Red Dog AQHA P-55
Dam: Blue Vitrol
Bred by Jack Casement, Westplains, Colorado
(pedigree at bottom of page)
July 21, 1941 - July 13, 1966
Sire of 202 registered foals from 1946 to 1967.
1988 inducted into Appaloosa Horse Club Hall of Fame

References:
Appaloosa News 1-70:2, 2-65:77, 7-65:86, 10-65:64, 2-66:79, N-D 57:12, Nov-Dec59:32, Jan61:17(article)/36, 6-61:50, Oct61:18/28, Nov61:34, Jan62:56, Feb62:65, 3-73:155(painting), 1-71:33, 9-82:74, 6-67:25, 3-68:3, 10-69:12, 6-74:16, 12-97:20-21, 96 (article)

Included below are comments from various folks, ads from Appaloosa News, complete list of progeny, and articles from Appaloosa News, and other publications.

Comments about Joker B from various sources:

From the blog, Looking Back, by J Bryan Wasson:

..."Fifth Annual Horse Sale in November of 1965 at the West Texas Fairgrounds in Abilene. At the end of this sale, the great stallion Joker B was to be sold."

"Joker B was the unexpected result of 52 years of planned breeding by Jack and Dan Casement at their ranch in northern Colorado. Blue Vitrol, a blue roan mare the Casements had purchased from Coke Roberds produced a foal with a loud blanket on his hips. The Casements were in the Quarter Horse business. Spotted horses were not welcome at that time in the Quarter Horse world. The sire of this spotted colt was Red Dog Š P-55 in the fledgling Quarter Horse Stud Book. Blue Vitrol provided the Appaloosa influence for her foal. VitriolÕs dam was a mare named Leopard. Leopard was by the great Quarter Horse foundation sire, Old Fred."

"*During the bidding, Carl Miles made an announcement. He stated that he would be willing to sell Joker B into syndication. In his announcement Carl stated that this old horse could still be used to rope calves at age 25. I was present when the great stallion on November 20, 1965 sold for $26,500.00, a very high price for a 25 year old horse, to a four man syndicate. Carl Miles was a member of that syndicate. The great stallion died on July 13, 1966."

"*Foot Note: Only the parties to the transaction know the complete details. Jack Ryan of Corpus Christi, Texas is the person who made the purchase. At the time he was President of the Texas Appaloosa Horse Club. When the smoke cleared, so to speak, there was four man syndication. The syndicate consisted of Jack Ryan, Frank Harlock Jr., and John Lyle as well as Carl Miles. My personal opinion is that Carl Miles just could not completely give up the old stallion that had served him so well."

From the Barnlot of Joe Daniels" - Joker B's owners:

"He [Joker] was given to Casement's wife Xenia. In short order, Xenia sold the spotted misfit to Jack Blasingame, a neighbor who'd admired the youngster, for $250, then promptly purchased herself a vacuum cleaner.

Blasingame's appreciation for Joker B lasted only two weeks. Bob Cantrall of Reno, Nevada, purchased the colt for $750, but a short time later Joker B changed hands again when he was sold to Tommy Young of Las Vegas, Nevada. It was to Young that Joker B owes his name. (Prior to Young's purchase the young colt was simply called "Domino." Young named him "Joker.")

Young broke Joker, who incidentally roaned out to a dark blue, and began using him on the ranch. He also entered Joker in rodeos and used him as a bull-dogging, hazing and pickup horse. While on the rodeo circuit, Joker began to earn a reputation for himself as a steady, versatile horse. Although Young didn't concentrate on breeding Joker, he was willing to offer the stallion's services whenever needed -- for free.

1946 was a turning point in Joker's life. Lee Berry of Barstow, California, bought the five-year-old stallion for $1,500 and registered Joker with the fledging Appaloosa Horse Club. It was upon registration with the Club that Joker's name was finally completed with the addition of the letter B for Berry.

Bill Benoist became his sixth owner and the first to campaign the stallion, entering him at the National Show and building a breeding program around him. Benoist surrounded Joker B with such mares as Miss Ritz, who produced Joker Boy, and Norell's Myrtle B and Bayarda-B who produced many champions including M.J.B., Mr. J.B., Arda-Joke B and Moka B.

Then, in 1959, at the ripe old age of 18, Joker B was to change hands again. However, this transaction was to be the most significant of his life. He was purchased by an oil man from Texas -- Carl Miles. The stallion who wasn't worth more than a vacuum cleaner to his original owners was purchased for $10,000."

From Sherry Byrd:

Joker B is always credited for his QH side because that is what everybody "sees" when they look at his pedigree. Seldom is Blue Vitrol ever recognized on paper as an Appaloosa, as she is usually noted as being a QH (which she is not). She is promoted by her sire Brown Dick, because he is well known, not by her 'unknown ' Appaloosa dam. Leopard (a.k.a. "Pard in QH records because of the Appaloosa inference Leopard brings), is an Appaloosa by breeding, as is her dam the Roberds mare, as is her dam the Roberds mare, as is her sire The Arab. Joker B is just a circumstance of paperwork, and Appaloosa credit is not given where it is due.

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From Darol Dickinson at his Dickinson Cattle Co website

After Joker B became a Texas resident Miles commissioned me to do a portrait of the soon to be "more" famous horse. Carl ordered several hundred color photos of the painting, framed them and through his connections had them hung it hotels all over the nation.

From Bob Spain, trainer at Cee Bar Ranches:

At that time, Carl [Miles] was the largest Appaloosa breeder in the United States. His top stud, Joker B, was the best horse I ever put a saddle on. He won halter, racing, roping, reining, and just about everything except cutting. Joker B put conformation and doing ability in all of his colts.

I remember once when I showed him at Ft Worth, where he was grand champion. I was in the stalls putting a blanket on him when two men approached and asked me who owned the horse. I told them and they asked if he was at the show. I went and got Carl and they introduced themselves and asked if Joker B was for sale, Carl said no and one of the men pulled a wallet from inside of his coat pocket and said he would give $100,00 for him. Carl laughed, said no thanks and walked off. He would have sold every horse on the place before he would have gotten rid of the "old horse".

From Linda Smith:

He was a great stallion. When I was a kid, my Mom and Dad were best friends with Lee Berry of Slash X Ranch south of Barstow, California. I have some old photos that were from Lee's collection of Joker and the B was added to his name because of Berry. Joker B is in "Great Horses of the Past" and it talks about when Lee used him as a ranch horse. I should give the photos to the Appaloosa Museum in Idaho. Also have a photo of Lee's wife, Mary, riding Joker B in Barstow Rodeo parade leading Lee's pet Brahma bull with Lee riding it. Great family. Lee died of a brain tumor. They were both like family to us. After he sold him to Carl Miles and he was syndicated, Lee had one of his colts named "Speckled Butt". Great memories!

"Joker B" Ads from Appaloosa News

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anjun61p50

Appaloosa News June 1961 p 50
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Appaloosa News October 1961 pp 28-29
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Appaloosa News November 1961 p 34
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Appaloosa News January 1962 p 56
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Appaloosa News February 1962 p 65
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Appaloosa News February 1965 p 77
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Appaloosa News July 1965 p 86-87

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Western Horsemen 1954 Image from Pat Mefferd

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Compliments of Pat Mefferd/Penny Whitehead

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Joker B 1965 Sale Catalog Cover - Compliments of Pat Mefferd

Joker B Production Record

Any additonal photos would be most appreciated!

Pedigree of Joker B per Sherry Byrd and Quarter Horse Spot

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Red Dog AQHA P-55
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Desmond TB
Derring Doe TB
Action TB
Brown Dick
Labold TB
Dawson mare (mare by Labold TB)
mare by Primero
Blue Vitrol
Black Ball
Old Fred
mare by John Crowder
Leopard
Primero TB (Coke Roberds breeding)
Roberds mare NR Appaloosa
Roberds mare (sired by The Arab NR Appaloosa)

Articles and Excerpts

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Appaloosa News January 1957 - courtesy of Pat Mefferd
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Horse Lovers Magazine 1959 - courtesy of Pat Mefferd
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Western Horsemen 1961 - courtesy of Pat Mefferd
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Appaloosa News January 1961 p 17
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Appaloosa News October 1961 p 18
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Appaloosa News October 1962
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Horse and Horsemen by Bryan Wasson. Chapter on Joker B by Johnny Baker. 1965 - courtesy of Pat Mefferd
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Appaloosa News February 1966 p 79
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anjan71p32 anjan71p33 anjan71p34

Appaloosa News January 1971 pp 32-34

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Sundance Newsletter 1992
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Western Horsemen 1993 - courtesy of Pat Mefferd
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Appaloosa Journal December 1997 pp 20-21,96

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This page last updated on June 2020.