The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-04-24

The first 3:3O trotter of HambIetonian. it
will be dissolved, was George Wilkes foaled
in 1886. This horse trotted more races than
any other entire sou of Hambetonian, max
ing record of 222. and he has more 230
performers to his credit, 80. than any other
grandson of the Charles Kent mare. If this
proves anything it proves that Il reasonable
amount of work on the turf intensites rath-
er than destroys the prepotent power OF Il
stallion In 1860 and in 1862 there We're no
new additions to Hambletonian's 2:3O list -,
and at the close of 1855 Mr. Rysdyk's horse
had sired fifteen sons and daughters which
won places under the .. 20 standard. Up to
this time he had produced 96l foals, or
about one performer III "a. 1t was in 1864
that HambletOnlan was mated with III
mares and had dropped. in 1860, 14S foals.
In 1866 there came 12S foals ont of 1913
mares. This terrible drain upon his vitali-
ty began to make iuroads upon his system.
He WAS able to do less service in 1867 and
was so debiitated in 1868 that he was with
drawn entirely from the stud. After the
spring of 1866 there were dropped twenty
three foals which entered the 2:3O list. AS
these were developed out of 81 foals the
percentage of trotterS was a fraction over
unein fifteen. After the drain upon the vi
tally of HambletOnan had begun to make
Roadway the stallion proved more than four
times as prepotent rs previous to that peri
Oh. MS II Il very CURIOUS TACT anu Tue on
ly logical explanation is that the mares sent
to him nicked better with him and that his
colts were developed on the track with
more persistence and skill. Another strik-
ing fact. While trotters came in shoals aft
er 1866 the majority of his prepotent sires
were dropped before that time. The forty
eight stations foaled previous TO 1866 have
to their credit 2l9 2:30 trotters, the average
being less than five performers to each stall
lion. The overshadOwing sires are George
Wilkes. As; Volunteer. "a; Happy Medium
p; Ldward Everett IL; Messenger Duroc.
9: Dictator \: Harold. y, and Sentinel, \.
From 1866 including that year, mp to this
time, there are "a sires with 80 performers,
which makes an average Of less than three
trotters to each stallion. The greatest of
these are Strathmors IA: Aberdeen. IL; Elec-
| tioneer. 10; Cuyler, ), and Sweepstakes D.
| 1t will be observed that n number of these
| have arrived at the age of eighteen without
producing more than one 2:3O performer A
common farm bsrse could scarcely have
done less had he been mated with good
mares and hsd his progeny been trained
| The question naturally arises, WAS il not
| largely through weight OF numbers that the
| Hambletonian family achieved greatness
The above table shows the interesting
fact that Hambletonian' power to get fast
and stout trolters was not diminished by
old age. On the contrary, of the FL foals
got by him in his first five years of service
only one proved II 2:30 trotter while of the z
foals go, in the last five years of his ser
vice tive were 2:3O trott-rs. and Of the two
got in MS last year when he was 70 years
old. one has record OF %.
That the power of horse to beRet off
spring of the highest merit is not diminished
by advanced age may he illustrated by the
fact that Justin Morgan got his two great
sons, Bulrush and Woodbury., at the
age of % and - respectively. Il
is true that the Morgans are long-lived
race and retain their vitality and vigor to 4
great age But the same thingis apparent
| ~ proving true in respect TO those grea
sires of trotters, Blue Bull and George
that any horse whose constitution is unim
paired is likely to get his best and creates
colts at all advanced age.
The following from the pen of J. W,Gray
ESQ. of the Wayside Farm has been sem
to MS as Il reply to the above article.
From the New York Sportsman
| NEW YORk, Dec. /, lisa
| Editor Sportsman-Dear Sir; Having read il
the Iurf, Fieid AMI Farm, Of the 18th inst, The
article entitled "rhe Family of liambl tonian,'
and the table annexed thereto. "HambletoniaI
and his Trotters," we deny the statement that hi,
centre and daughters fell into hands VIII,
pushed them for all they were worth" and VT
emphatically deny that HamOetonian receive
his greatness Through the weight OF numbers
The reverse of this statement is the Truth If we
were TO accept the possibilities, as expressed II
the table OF our chance 10 select successful sir,
or AN undevelopcd trottcr from the lons OF Ham
bletonian. we should hesitate 10 invest our money
in such Il hazard. To our mind, the table Is mis-
leading and discouraging to both breeder ant
purchaser The man who attempts to measur,
the greatness of llambletonian by "the weight %
numbers" or 10y the number of his get with
record uf2 80 or better, may join hands with Mr.
Helm, and forecast the future. and determine the
ultimate speed of the trOtting horse with tap,
line. Twenty-lOur years of public service, dur
ing which time he was coupled with ,f.6 mares
attest the great and exceptional vigor OF thi
horse The sos, $50 received for his service evi
p dence his money value above any other sire, liY
ing or dead. The distribution OF his prepoten
blood through his illustrous descendants ha
produced not only the best and highest type o
trotting horses, but has contributed to the wealth
OF countless breeding interests from Maine {,
Oregon The majority of the great celebrities II
; the stud and on the turf have been nulttul anC
profitable, because the magic touch of Handle
! tonian gave quality and value to both classes
Strike out from the roll of slres the names o
; Volunteer. George Wilkes, Happy Medium, Die
tatOr, AeNandcr's Abdallah, EleCtOneer, I'D
, ward Everett, Aberdeen, Harold, strathmOre
5 Messenger Duroc, CuVier and other eminent son
2 of Handle tonians, and erase from the record
the splendid achiey of their sons an,
daughters, and what IS there letlF Since tn
close of Hambletonian's long service in the stud
the desire e. place the greatest number of the ge
of a stallion IN the 80 list ha~ been intensified
, and tue facilities for Its accomplishment i'm
) proved. From memory we name the following
sons and daughters OF Hambetonian, without
record, that have trotted in 30 or better. whic
TACT can be established without a question of
8 doubt They are Startle, Socrates. Happy Me
S dium, Twilight, Elecuoneer, Blackstone, ship
timber, Aberdeen, Bruno, Brunette, DAME
o Done, Molie Smith, Romulus, Lockjaw, tn
2 WeItLe mares, The Andy shehan mare, the Beau
3 ty mare, Belle, the dam of Elmer, the Barrel
| Head team Molle Carew, Skenewa, and man
more names can he given, and the statement tina
every one of them has trotte'l in 80, or better
3 proven.
| Referring to the table, it has Its significance
| but for obvious reasons would not reject sir
4 toaled during Hambletonlan's Season OF prepC
9 tency to get trotters OF a prospective trotteI