Western Horses on Parade in Phoenix Show

Phoenix Show DRAWINGS BY ROSS SANTEE

Never before in the history of Arizona has there been as great interest in fine horses as there is today. This is due to the war perhaps, which has centered attention on the cavalry's requirements in sound, wellbred mounts.

Or, perhaps it is due to the work of horse lovers, everywhere, and the pioneering of the army's remount service in spreading the gospel of sound breeding among those who are raising the country's horses.

At any rate, there are today in Arizona more fine horses than have ever been bred or owned here in the state's history.

And the cream of the crop will vie for the coveted ribbons and prizes at the fifth annual charity horse show of the Arizona Horsemen's Association at the state fair grounds in Phoenix, April 16, 17, 18 and 19.

From a rather insignificant beginning, this show has come up, through its four previous years, to be one of the leading shows of the southwest, offering sharp competition to shows held on the Pacific coast.

Before the event of the first horse show, back in 1938, few people in Arizona, other than a handful of breeders, had any real idea of what a horse show really was, or what the differences there were between a saddlebred, a thoroughbred, or a stock horse. They had heard perhaps, of Morgan stallions, of Steel Dust, of Tennessee walking horses, and knew the names of a few outstanding race horses, but other than that the range pony and the Indian pony constituted their knowledge of horseflesh.

The first show was held at the fairgrounds in Phoenix

At the last of March in '38, with C. F. Sullivan acting as manager. It was held under the auspices of the Phoenix Horsemen's Association and featured 400 horses entered in 68 events.

There was stiff competition, that year, between coast horses and Arizona horses, with the honors eventually being about even, as decided by Henry Cullins of Van Nuys, Calif., who was the judge.

Some of the important exhibitors that first year from outside the state included Harold C. Morton, B. C. Tremaine, Alex Sysin, Mrs. J. A. Smith, Miss Dorothy Rodgers and Miss Aubrey Scott.

The famous Sky horses, along with Alta Loma, Joanna Jones, Harmony Ann and Lark were among the well known names to compete.

The Tremaine entry, Ski Hi carried off the hunter's stake with Alta Loma taking the jumper stake. Judge LaPrade's Arizona Sport took the American Fancy Fashion, owned by Mrs. C. R. Pennington of Phoenix, American Saddlebred filly, will be seen in the junior fine harness class this year.

Dorado D, owned by the Dart Cattle Company, is a fine Palomino stallion and will compete in Palomino classes this year.

Saddlebred colts and fillies of 1937 ribbon, and has been a consistent winner since.

Joanna Jones, owned by Mrs. Harold C. Morton of Los Angeles, came out of retirement at the age of seventeen to distinguish herself by carrying off the $200 five-gaited stake. Harmony Ann, the Meanley three-gaited mare from Miramar, Calif., took the $200 threegaited stake, and Polly, a well known mount here, won the cow horse stake for her owner, Mrs. James Irvine of Tustin, Calif.

One of the most thrilling classes of any horseshow is the roadster class.

Mrs. E. L. Swikard of Chicago drives Montgomery Duchess, American Saddlebred mare, purely for pleasure.

Thrills for the spectators were added in the 1941 show by the steeplechase, held that year for the first time.

Frankie Lou Brown was awarded the Jot Travis trophy as the best child rider in the '41 show. Sonny Lockhart will be a contender in the children's western classes.

Mrs. Herman Helbush taking Space-to-Spare over the gate at the 1940 show in Phoenix in a hunter class. The mare is a typical ladies' hunter.

Sheriff Lon Jordan's Maricopa County mounted sheriff's possee will add color to the show this year.

Red Light Chief won the five-gaited Arizona-owned for Gene Allen, and for the Arizona bred and owned, five-gaited, Miss Dixie came in first for her owner, Mrs. Thomas Glass. Lark carried off the blue for Jerome Eddy of Prescott and Skull Valley in the Palomino with western equipment class.

Before next show time rolled around in late March of 1939, the Phoenix Horsemen's Association had found that its scope was wider than first thought, and so with a membership of 60 from all over Arizona, the association changed its name to the present one. W. A. Thompson was elected president at the reorganization meeting held in May of '38, with Mr. Sullivan as vice-president, Mr. Refsnes continuing as treasurer and Mrs. Florence Kistler named secretary. And they decided to give the show for charity.

The 1939 show had six performances instead of the five of the previous year, with 500 entries in 90 classes.

Outstanding of the horses to carry off the stakes was Buccaneer, three-gaited Meanley entry, which later was taken to the Golden Gate show in San Francisco to compete with the greatest of the three-gaited champions, Golden Avalanche. Buccaneer came off a close second, but he had won his spurs in the Phoenix show, hands down, no mean feat considering that it was his first showing.

Chief-of-All won the five-gaited stake; Jake Garner the roadster stake; Wild Fire the Shetland stake, Sky Crown the hunter stake; Rocky Road the jumper stake; Admiral, Palomino stallions; and Comet won the grand national championship, $1,000 cow horse stake.

In the Arizona classes, Mrs. E. L. Thomas won with her Arizona King in the Arizona bred-and-owned and Tom Goodnight's Cyclone Rhythm took the five-gaited Arizona owned.

Still another departure was inaugurated with the third show which was held the latter part (Continued on Page Forty) Boys from the Judson School (lower left) won the shuttle relay in '41. Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Campbell and their four children will again be seen in the family class.