JOE CODY: CREATING A REINING DYNASTY IN CELESTIA

Not all noble and great horses are thoroughbred race horses or movie/t.v. stars. Take Joe Cody for example. He is arguably the most famous and influential American Quarter Horse ever! Little Joe was born on Tom Cochran's ranch in Buckholt, TX in 1952. As a yearling, he was purchased by Robert F. Roberts of Tyler, TX. With Doc Spence in the saddle, he earned the AQHA Championship in reining in 1955...just a 3 year old! 

He was eventually purchased by the well-known breeder, photographer, magazine publisher (Practical Horseman and Performance Horseman) and movie producer (The Horse America Made,) C.T. "Tom" Fuller of Catasauqua, PA. In 1964, Tom moved the stallion to Willow Brook Farms where he became the basis for his quarter horse breeding operation. This was all thanks to his daughter's love of horses I might add and a groom who brought two of Joe's daughters to the ranch. Tom decided he loved the mares so much, he might as well own their father.

Joe Cody is considered the founding sire of Reining horses even though he won championships in both reining and cutting. A little side note, just before Tom bought him, he was invited by the government of Bermuda to perform reining and cutting at their agricultural fair and he stunned everyone with his performance.

Both Joe Cody and C.T Fuller have been inducted in the AQHA Hall of Fame. Joe Cody died in 1989 at the age of 37 and is buried on Willow Brook Farm. 

A little commentary: Tom Fuller's father had purchased the land for the farm in an effort to keep the area rural and to stop development and industrial encroachment. Currently, much of the farm is now under the airport when the land was taken (stolen) by the government claiming eminent domain! 

GREAT NEWS! I have just finished writing my third equestrian trail guide book for Colorado: Riding Colorado III - Day Trips and Over-Night Trips With Your Horse.  YES- Over-Night Trips! So, all you Colorado wanna-be's who have always dreamed of riding your horse in the Colorado Mountains can find out where to come! I'll let you know when it is published. For a sneak preview, here is the picture for the cover: 

Start planning a summer trip to Colorado!

PETER McCUE - Famous horse-Future Unicorn

Peter McCue (cute name isn't it!) is a member of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. He is was a very famous stallion that lived from 1895 to 1923. His genetic make-up had more to do with the development of the Quarter Horse breed in the first forty years of the last century than any other horse. Everyone into Quarter Horses wanted his sons. Everyone knew a son of Peter McCue would out perform all others!

Peter McCue's sire is clearly responsible for his greatness. His father, Dan Tucker (I love that name, too!) was huge...16 hands tall and 1,430 pounds!

Peter McCue first became famous on the race track. As with other quarter horses, he was a sprinter. He ran most of his races in Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois. In the quarter horse racing world, he was another Secretariat! (See the blog post about Secretariat on December 8, 2010.) His speed for a quarter of a mile was phenomenal.

His last owner was Coke Roberds who cared for him until the big horse died in 1923 at the age of 28. Before his death he sired many sons and daughters that have contributed to the Quarter Horse racing world and the breed in general.

I got this information from:

http://www.karengriffith.com/foundation-quarter-horse-history/foundation-quarter-horse-peter-mccue-aqha-hall-of-fame-stallion.html

Peter McCue is also written about in the book: Quarter Horses: A Story of Two Centuries by Robert Moorman.

Peter McCue is clearly a noble and great horse that deserves to become a member of the Legion of the Unicorn!

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