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Appaloosa History:
The Alias - Silver King Who?

by Sherry Byrd

Many Rangerbreds were sold into Canada during the early years of the registry. It appears that almost all of them were sold with great secrecy- no recorded transfers, no production records, no sale records, loss of documented pedigree and names often changed without record. Why such tranactions occurred remains a mystery. This leads to the possibility of many of the early bloodstock used in building Canadian programs could in fact be "lost Rangerbreds", but alas unprovable for the most part.

The Rangerbred stallion Silver King 153-P, fortunately falls into the provable category of "lost Rangerbreds" in Canada. CRHA records show Silver King, a white horse with brown spots over loin and hips, was foaled June 11, 1938. He was sired by Polar Bear CRHA 19-N [Ranger CRHA 4 x Nellie II], out of the mare Pippin CRHA 14-L [Leopard CRHA 3 x Snort]; tracing to max CRHA 2 through both sire and dam. He was bred by Mike Ruby of Anton, Colorado, and owned by the McDonald Brothers of Burlington Colorado. After that point, this horse simply disappears, with no recorded transfer or production. This stallion reappears in the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada's first stud book, renamed White Chief (with a notation to his previous name in the States.) White Chief is noted to be white with black spots over loin and hips and was foaled in 1938 (no month or day). He has no recorded pedigree, with both parents being listed as unknown. The difference in the spot color can be due to early age (baby fuzz) at CRHA registration, or one's different view of coloration. His recorded owner is H. Burgoyne of Delbourne, Alberta. He has no recorded breeder. Silver King/White Chief is an important find for CRHA, as this horse had a major influence on the developing Appaloosa breed in Canada with a very large number of progeny, some of which did return to the United States. Many of his progeny were double registered with both Appaloosa clubs

The most influential breeder of this bloodline was James Wyatt of the Wyalta Ranch, of High River, Alberta. He chaired the first meeting of Appaloosa breeders who were interested in forming the organization that was later to be called the Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada. Angus MacDonald of the Marmac Appaloosa Ranch, at Midnapore, Alberta was also very influential breeder of this bloodline. H. Burgoyne, J Sydney Wyatt, Frank Sablik and Alex Peacock (all of Alberta) also need to be recognized as being influential in this family line. Long time CRHA member Cecil D. LeVoir has used this bloodline in his program Cee Dee Appaloosas, owning Wyalta Question Mark ApHCC 164/ApHC T-20382 - the Reserve Champion weanling colt at the first International Appaloosa Show held in 1956. The famous rodeo clown Slim Pickens owned Speckel's Three Dot, a grandson of White Chief. A photo in an article titled "Appaloosa In Canada", by Lois McLeod, in the March 1954 issue of The Western Horsemen, shows Speckels' Three Dot and how he got his name - a very distinct spot pattern of a number three with a dot over it. In an article called "Canada's Best" in the October 1990 issue of the Appaloosa Journal, Yo Patch ApHCC 275 is noted as a leading sire in Canada and an established sire in Saskatchewan. Yo Patch was said to be a great pleasure horse, that was also shown in halter and used for ranch work. One of his sons, Golden Eagle Snow Patch was a trick horse and noted sire in Quebec. ApHC Director and long time Appaloosa breeder Dick Stanger owned and showed Junior's Speckel King, another noted sire. Stanger was very much impressed with the silvery blue roan with large blanket with big black spots stallion, as well as his get which were exhibited at the Canadian National Show that he judged. Yo Boy Lady ApHCC 121/ApHC F-1969 was Grand Champion mare and colt of the current year (1956) at the first International Appaloosa Horse Show.

This article will provide a partial listing of the progeny of Silver King CRHA 153-P/White Chief ApHCC #36. All registration numbers are ApHCC unless denoted otherwise.

Note: Bold = sons and daughters. Underline = grandget. Emphasis = extended progeny