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Appaloosa History:
Ten Who Shaped A Breed
by Sue McGriff
This article was published in the Horse Lover's Magazine November-December 1969:12, 57-58
Certain stallions have contributed a wealth of blood and heritage to the modern day Appaloosa. There have been many greats among the spotted stallions foaled during the past half century, but a few stand out among the rest. These are truly the foundation sires of the breed in which no definite foundation sires have been named.
One must only scan the pedigrees of our current show and racing champions to discover the names of ten of these fine old foundation horses. These ten? Who are they?
Old Painter
[1] Old Painter (foaled approximately 1924)
Claude J Thompson of Moro, Oregon, was the founder and first president of the Appaloosa Horse Club. He based his own Appaloosa breeding program on the blood of a stallion called Old Painter. Old Painter was white with black spots on his hips, reportedly out of a mostly white Appaloosa mare and by a half Thoroughbred, half Standardbred bay stallion. Thompson never actually owned the stallion, but leased him for one year and also purchased a look-alike eighteen month old son which he dubbed Young Painter.
Young Painter
Young Painter sired a good many of the Thompson horses. Later on, the offspring of the two Painter horses were bred to Ferras, a Kellog-bred Arabian which Thompson used to improve his original stock.
The young Painter stallion was reportedly produced by a bucking string mare called Dusty Belle, who was of unknown ancestry.
The three best known Appaloosas of early Painter breeding were undoubtedly El Zorro F-108, Spotted Eagle F-208 and Red Eagle F-209. It's significant to note that of the first 338 horses recorded in Volume I of the breed studbooks, fifty-three trace directly back to Old Painter.
Red Eagle sired the fabulous Red Eagle's Peacock [F-1476] who later became a National Champion Stallion and sire of a National Champion himself. An inter-breed promotional organization has been formed to promote the Red Eagle strain and it can be contacted by writing the Red Eagle's Breeders'Association, Box 251, Woodbury, Connecticut.
This article could not be complete without a tribute to [2] Old Tony, the pre-potent California foundation sire. More horses in the California Appaloosa population trace back to Old Tony than to any other foundation horse.
Old Tony was a white with round black hip spots. His sire was a leopard named Freckles who was by Solomon Figueroa (the blind Bixby stallion) and out of a three-quarter Arabian and one-quarter Morgan mare. Old Tony's dam was an Appaloosa mare who had been sired by a red roan Appaloosa with big liver colored spots on his hips.
Old Tony sired a gelding named Chuck who starred in the classic vintage horse movie "Thunderhead." Although Chuck's spots were painted over so he could play the role of the white stallion.
Tony Boy F-1108 was probably Old Tony's most illustrious offspring. He was out of the mare La Chiquita F-1107 and bred to Dutchess F-1110 he produced numerous champions for the late Rhoma Cox, including American Eagle. [F-1452]
[3] Toby I (foaled 1939) [1936-1966])
Devoting this short section to the Tobies means eliminating a great deal of the data concerning this prepotent old bloodline.
Toby I
In 1918 a blanket hipped blue roan horse named *Knobby was foaled of Appaloosa parentage and bred by Guy Lamb of Central Ferry, Washington. Knobby was mated to an Appaloosa mare named Spot and the resulting offspring was a black blanket-hipped stallion named *Little Dan. Little Dan produced *Old Blue when bred to a red roan mare named Lucy, originally bred by old Nez Perce horse breeder, Sam Fisher. Old Blue was mated to the Northwest relay race Appaloosa mare, Trixie (who later produced Kiamak Trixie, dam of Chief of Fourmile [F-2219], from the same mating pattern) to sire Toby I F-203.
*Photos of these horses available here.
The Tobies have long been hailed as using horses supreme. Toby II F-113 by Toby I and out of a grade mare named Dappal, excelled as both a sire and as a ranch using horse. Toby I was High Point Performance Horse at the First National Appaloosa Show held in Lewiston, Idaho in 1948. Later on, he ws used as a parade horse and made one of his last public appearances at the Girl Scout Encampment a few years ago.
One of the best organized of the breeders organizations is Toby Breeders, who offer a comprehensive brochure picturing many of the famous Toby horses along with full pedigree information. This brochure is mailed free upon request to: The Toby Breeders, c/o Palmer Wagner, Route 1, Box 4, Garfield, Washington 99130.
El Morrocco F-18
[4] El Morrocco F-18 (foaled 1935)
El Morrocco was both one of the first horses in the registry and one of its most prolific sires. In addition, the horse starred in several early day "horse operas" which helped put the Appaloosa breed before the public.
El Morrocco hailed from South Dakota originally, by a black spotted leopard horse and out of a black part Standardbred. Like his sire, El Morrocco was a leopard with his spots starting just behind the withers and covering his entire hindquarter area. He was foaled with a plain uncolored roan. [?]
He was purchased from his breeder, Bob McCombe, by Glenn Spiller of movie horse training fame. Spiller trainer El Morrocco to jump, as a dressage horse, and as part of a three horse Roman riding team. While owned by Spiller he sired over 100 foals in a three year period. Spiller later sold him to western film star Gene Autry, who used him in films and as a personal appearance mount. Later on, Autry sold El Morrocco to AN McBride of Bad Axe, Michigan.
El Morrocco made his biggest mark in the midwest. He was probably the one horse most responsible for the spread of Appaloosa interest in the midwestern area and many El Morrocco descendants are still showing off their winning ways there.
Dark Cloud F-330
[5] Dark Cloud F-330 (foaled 1944)
Oklahoma produced one of the premier sires of ranch using Appaloosas when Dark Cloud F-330 was foaled. His sire was a black leopard named Sonny Boy by a dun Thoroughbred that once stood at the Fort Reno Remount Station. Dark Cloud's dam was a marbleized roan named Lulu Belle, who was originally shipped to Oklahoma in a shipment of Wyoming ranch horses.
Dark Cloud was bred by Gerald Mitchell of Star Route, Checotah, Oklahoma. Mitchell remains one of the largest scale Dark Cloud bloodline Appaloosa breeders in the nation today. Two of Dark Cloud's famous sons, Smokey Joe M [F-2318] and Salt N Pepper [F-4657], stand at the second largest Dark Cloud breeding farm at Ruswin Ranch in Montello, Wisconsin.
From these two sources, Dark Cloud blood has gone to breeders nationwide. They are used for just about everything and are especially color prepotent.
The Dark Cloud Breeders Association is centered at Ruswin Ranch and they will be glad to send literature upon receipt of a business sized, stamped envelope. Write to the Dark Cloud Breeders, c/o Mrs Windy Erd, Montello, Wisconsin.
[6] Patchy F-416 (foaled approximately 1939)
Patchy
Patchy was both a performance horse and an outstanding sire. However, his paternal breeding is shrouded in mystery.
One volume of the stud books states that Patchy was sired by a horse named Patches, but other sources claim he was sired by Seattle Chief. Both Patches and Seattle Chief were reportedly sired by Baby Patches (a Knobby descendent), so Patchy was probably at least a Baby Patches grandson. Patchy's dam was definitely a registered Thoroughbred mare named Miss Rosalia, by Ponce de Leon out of Miss Tempo.
Patchy was Grand Champion Stallion at the first National Appaloosa Show and came back to win High Point Performance Horse honors at the fifth annual National. His most famous son, Patchy Jr F-1380 (out of Sundance F-500 daughter, Leopard Lady F-167), was reserve Champion Stallion at the seventh National in 1954 and came back to win the Grand Champion Stallion in 1955. The list of show and race winning Patchy descendants could fill a book. A few of the best known are Shavano [F-1679], Magic [F-1381], Kathy [F-895], Lolo [F-462], Apache Patch [F-3088], Toby Patch [25726], (Patchy Jr's) Oo Wow Ee [8227], Ladyfinger [23730], Patchy Jr's Shaun Tonga [19565], Warren's Red Dog [17253/ApHCC 1222], Boxby [?], and Patchy Jr's Lila Gleska [T-2176/ApHCC 404].
Patchy was a striking blanket hipped horse who sired predominately blanket and leopard patterned offspring. The very active Patchy Breeders can be contacted by writing Ben Johnson, The Appaloosa Ranch, Route 2, Road 22, Grand Junction, Colorado.
[7] Sundance F-500 (foaled 1933)
Sundance F-500 remains the best known, most prepotent descendant of that legendary figure, the Starbuck Leopard.
Sundance F-500
The Starbuck Leopard was bred on the Indian Reservation near Riverton, Wyoming. He was a black leopard of unknown breeding. Late in his life he was bred to a mare by the Thoroughbred stallion Sands Of Tme. The resulting foal was an Appaloosa named Daylight. This Daylight was, in turn, mated to a black mare named Chico who had been shipped to Colorado with a carload of wild horses. Chico obviously had Appaloosa blood in her veins as she later produced two Appaloosa foals by solid colored stallions. The result of this Daylight and Chico mating was Sundance F-500, the stallion that made Colorado bred Appaloosas famous.
Perhaps the best known American Sundance breeders have been the Ed Webers of Money Creek Ranch in Houston, Minnesota. They owned Woodrow Sheik F-502, by Sundance and out of a part Morgan mare named Stockings, for several years until his death. Their broodmare band still contains many Sundance granddaughters.
Two famous red leopards which have done much to promote the Sundance bloodline are Sunspot Revel [F-1904] and Bambi E [F-2497]. Another up and comer is Patchy Sun [39620]. Needless to say, the Sundance strain produces fine, flashy leopards.
[Some more info and photos of Sundance.
Note: A Sundance breeders association started in 1973 by Ralph Cannon, owner of Sunspot Revel F-1904, and is still going - rather making it the most successful breeders' organization - in a way.~AT]
[8] Apache F-730 (foaled 1942)
Apache was probably the "winningest" Appaloosa of the past few decades. In the days before pari-mutual Appaloosa racing, he outran everything that challenged him on the northwestern brush tracks. He was not only a premier race horse, but a halter horse, and a horse that could show in and win calf ropings, team ropings and cutting contests. He won in all kinds of pleasure and reining classes. To add the final frosting, he was a prolific sire of halter and "doing" horses.
Apache was High Point Performance Horse at the National Appaloosa Horse Show in 1951. He was Reserve High Point Performance Horse at the 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1956 Nationals. To top it all off, he brought home the Grand Champion Stallion award from the 1954 National.
He was a marbleized red roan horse with large blanketed hip.His sire was the Thoroughbred Remount service stallion, Better Still, and his dam was an Appaloosa of undetermined ancestry who was simply named Queen. Apache was owned all his 22 years by Orvil Sears of Elba, Idaho. A few of his most famous offspring included Apache King S [10858], Apache Patch [F-3088], Sizzle Britches [F-2112], Flake [T-1216], Chicaro [F-2028], Chic Supreme [40656/grandson], Chic Appeal [18658/grandson] and Minidoka Belle [T-3451]. His get are not especially loud colored, but they are well built and top using or racing horses.
The Appaloosa Hores Club so realized the part this horse had in making the breed that they honored him with an impressive retirement ceremony held at the 16th National Appaloosa Show.
[8] Tip F-1486 (foaled 1953)
A big snowcap Appaloosa with black forequarters and legs, Tip did an outstanding job of improving the Northwestern area Appaloosa. Never shown extensively himself, Tip's get have shown and won and repeatedly proven their sire's worth.
Tip
Tip was sired by the old Chief Joseph Rex F-688 horse and out of the mare Nifty F-1136 who was by Butch and out of Ferguson's Snowfalke F-1130. While Tip wasn't overly loud himself, his sire was a very loud blue blanket horse. Tip seemed to combine the two color patterns and he often sired black blanketed offspring. The Tip blankets have become famous all through the Northwest.
He was owned all but a few years of his life by Cliff and Dolly Klemo of Butte, Montana. Klemos used him as a general ranch horse as well as at stud. He was especially docile, well mannered stallion. He was crossed chiefly with mares of Appaloosa and Thoroughbred ancestry, which resulted in well made foals with loud coat color.
A few of his better known get have been Miss Tip Toes [?], Rattler C [6175], Mon Ami [10688], MisTip [9405], Klemo's Kip [9404], and Speedie Spots [?]. Since Tip's untimely death, the Klemos have worked to breed a suitable replacement stallion. The results of this careful linebreeding is a marbleized stallion named Bay Tip [?], a linebred own grandson of the famous old Northwest premier sire.
The Tip Breeders is a brand new promotional organization formed in early 1969. Information will be sent upon receipt of a large stamped, self addressed envelope sent to: The Tip Breeders, RR 3, Box 218, Plymouth, Indiana 46563.
[9] Rainy Moon F-181 (foaled 1933)
Rainy Moon [F-181] was foaled on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. He w1 a blue blanketed horse, blind for most of his lifetime. People who knew this horse claimed he lived a normal life despite his handicap.
Rainy Moon was sired by Iron Tail [29281 foaled 1952...] who was by Iron Jaw [?] and out of Sisuki Kiye [?]. His dam was Popo Agie [F-2725 - foaled 1949] by Bovernment Draw [?] out of Ashurava [?].[Note: Pedigree may be incorrect. From horsehistory.us: Pedigree corrected 1976: He Patches/Rainy Moon was born in Lander Wyoming...the brand on him is mine... Randall Van Patten. Sire is Idaho Reg. Morgan, out of a blue roan Windriver mare by a Standarbred, Erlander. K. Parsons made up the Irontail Pedigree and his history.]
Of course, Rainy Moon was not shown, but he sired several horses whose offspring made him famous. Yellowstone Traveler [F-1987], Granite Canyon [F-2049], Rincon Buck [F-769], Sage Dog [CRHA 288-R], Wyoming [CRHA 316-R] and Huerfano Leopard [F-890] were a few of his sons and other notable descendants included Choya [F-1951], Dotsmababy [F-2414], Tejas Punto [T-882 ], Tom Tom [I, F-2090], Nudo [F-3008] and Ayoka [F-3354].
[10] Mansfield's Comanche [F-3096 1933-1959]
Mansfield's Comanche was a little blanketed horse who spent his entire lifetime as a herd sire on the Jack Mansfield ranch near Vega, Texas, and through the passing years, this horse has become famous through the winning ways of his descendants.
Mansfield Comanche
Comanche was sired by the Thoroughbred Remount stallion, Dr Howard. His dam was a marbleized roan blanket hipped mare named Juanita, she was sired by the famous Quarter horse Pancho Villa, and out of an Appaloosa mare named Senorita who was sired by an Appaloosa named Jose. Needless to say, the blood of Dr Howard and Pancho Villa combined to give Comanche strong running genes.
A few of Comanche's famous sons were Double Six Domino [F-2646], Cherokee A [F-2847 ], Oklahoma [F-2398 ] and Speckled Butt [T-3810]. Other descendants are Buttons B [F-1681 ], Beau Quavo [F-2769], Cheri Kiowa [T-1130], High Spot [F-3559], Dusty Tomahawk [21112] and Bo Bo Spot [36707], to name only a few.
The Mansfield Comanche Breeder's Association was the very first interbreed organization formed and it has progressed to a fine degree. They gladly mail a well-illustrated Breeders Directory upon request. Their address is: The Mansfield's Comanche Breeders' Association, c/o Jerry J. Duncan, Route 2, Box 1141, Midland, Texas.
Other Appaloosa stallions have left their mark upon the breed, but not to as great a degree as these ten. Stallions such as Blanco [ F-45], Cheetah [F-125], Pal [F-201], Morgan's Leopard [F-437], Freel's Chico [F-715], Joker B [F-678], Quanah [F-706], Paisano [F-1023], Chief Malheur [F-1274], Peter K [F-1054], Sheikh [F-1795], Dude Dandy Sr [F-3325], Sir Oliver [pre-registry] and others whose names don't immediately come to mind...they all deserve a special honorable mention. But those ten - Old Painter, Old Tony, Toby I, El Morrocco, Dark Cloud, Patchy, Sundance, Apache, Tip and Mansfield's Comanche...these were the ten who shaped the breed.
Note: any text presented in "[ -]" was added by AT. Links on a number go to a studbook listing. Links on a name goes to a webpage on that horse.
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This page published December 2019.