Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-05-17
Vermont Horses.
Valley Farm, West Randolph, VT, A.
u. Manchester g. Sons, Proprietors.
Home of the Grandly-Bred
Stallion, Solicitor 1925. Its
Brood Mares and Young


Stallion, Solicitor 1925. Its
Brood Mares and Young
sters.
The American Horse Breeder, one Of the
leading equine journals OF the world, re.
Gently sent correspondent here to look
over some of Randolph's stock farms. Be.
low we give what that paper had to say in
reporting the visit, under date Of May 6
A few years ago the Hon. Benjamin +
Tracy, ex-Secretary Of the Navy and well
versed in the light harness horse industry
OF this country, compiled an elaborate ar
ray OF arguments and figures supporting
his conclusion that Belmont was clearly
entitled to be called the greatests living
stallion.
Belmont has since died. Other stations
have come prominently before the public,
but II the statement OF the well-informed
compiler was then correct, Belmont must
yet be considered the greatest sire that has
ever lived. He was foaled in 1864 and died
in 1889.
What constitutes the incompatible
greatness of Belmont? This: that he and
his descendants have given to the world,
up to the close Of 1892, 631 performers with
records in 2.3O, 257 with records in 2.25,
and III with records in 30. Isn't the
power to transmit speed TO succeeding
generations the true standard OF stall
lions greatness? Can you name stallion
the equal of Belmont in this respect7 II
you can, the Year Book fails to give his
name.
A. 3. Manchester q Sons, proprietors OF
Valley Farm, West Randolph, VT, desir-
Gus OF securing first-class stallion-one
that would enable them TO carry out their
very laudable desire to produce the high
est type and most valuable class of trotting
horses, those that combine with speed,
good size, finish, beauty and courage
purchased, in March, 1890, Solicitor 1925,
son of Belmont; dam, Blandina, by Nam
briDo Chief. Here is wealth OF founda-
tion blood-Mambrino Chief blood-at
the very start. Solicitor, by Belmont, and
BelmoDtis dam, Belle, 10y Mambrino Chief,
while Solicitors dam Is Blandina, by Nam
brino Chief.
A doubling-up OF the richest of rich
blood at the outset Two pure streams OF
creative and provocative blood direct from
the fountain head. We say fountain head,
for surely Mambrino Chief was the foun-
tain head of the Mambrino Chief family.
There would have been no Lady Thorn
(2.1S La toIappear upon the turf to defeat
Goldsmith Maid (2.14) in every one OF the
six races in which the two mares started,
had it not been for Mambrino Chief.
Wipe out Mambrino Chief, and you wipe
light and glory to the turf. Without him,
no Mambrino Patchen, with his long list
OF brilliant descendants. Without Nam
brino Patchen, no Guy Wilkes (2.15 1-4)
with his sensational produce; no William
l.. and no Axteil (2.12) nor Allerton
(2.09 Ia; no Alcantara( (2.23) nor Alley one
(2.27), with his Martha Wilkes (2.06).
Without Mambrino Chief, no Woodford
Mambrino (2.21 1-2) and no Eventide to
have nursed Kremlin (2.07 3-4); no
Queen Dido to have given US Red Wilkes,
with his 10 performers; no Dolly to have
given us Onward (2.25 Id, with his 81
record holders, nor Director (2.17), with
his lightning fash Direct (2.05 12); no
Sally Anderson, to have given us Almont,
with his great retinue OF powerful per-
formers and transmitters. No Belle Vara
(2.0S 3-4); no Algona, to sire Flying Jib
(2.05 3-41; no Patchen Wilkes (2.29 1-2)
or Wilkes Boy (2.24 1-2). Take out Nam
brino Chief, and wouldn't there be sick
ly hue cast over the history and records
OF American trotters? Wouldn'tthe chasm
be deep and black and awful?
With the exception OF one other stall
lion. brother to Solicitor, where will you
go in New England to obtain SO much
Mambrino Chief blood close up as in So
licitor? 1t is not so much that Solicitors
dam is Blandina, daughter OF Mambrino
Chief, but that Blandina is great produc-
ing and famous daughter OF Mambrino
Chief. Her sons and grandsons have add
ed wealth Of fame to the name Blandina.
Her son Swigert, standing in Wisconsin
nearly all his life, is credited with "a per-
formers, and % OF his sons have sired 80,
and II OF his daughters have produced 10
performers.
Another son, King Rene (2.30 12J,
is one of the notable premium winning
horses OF this country and is the sire OF
var frl hnrcac xuh bfo
trotters below 2.30 number 10, and he has
four producing sons that are the sires OF
six with records from 2.12 3-4 to 230, and
his daughters have produced seven. Her
son, Abdallah Pilot, is the sire of Pickard
(2.1S la and two others. Her son Gigler
was fast. Rienzi is the sire of Pence
22S 1-4), Dunnell (2.22 10y. Redwood is
the sire of five.
Blandina's daughter Barcena is the dam
of Bayard Wilkes (2.I5), and Barcena's
daughter Bertha is the dam of Diablo 3,
(2.4 Id
Solicitors second dam is the Burch
Mare, by Parker's Brown Pilot, that sired
the dam OF Old Sophy, grandam of Nancy
Hanks, with her peerless trotting record
of 2.04. The Burch Mare is the dam OF
Rosalind (221 3-4), dam of Intrigue, sire
of 3 in 2.30, and Chss. Caffrey, sire of 13
from 21S 3-4 to 2.30, and a producing son.
She is the dam of two in the list
and two producing daughters. Spring
Hill, sire of Careless, PAGER e % Ia, Don
(2.27), grandam of AmerIcus trial, two
years, 2.15 1-2). The Burch Mare has at
least 164 descendants in the 2.30 list. Solic-
itor, while never given a record, has trot-
ted half-mile track In 2.32; was bred at
Woodburn Farm, KY; sold at auction
when yearling for q 900, at that time
price. From tn IN till 1881 he
was kept, practically, private stallion at
the farm of Hon. E. w. Kittredge of Gin
cinnati. Solicitor then passed to NJ. j.
Tucker of Jamestown, n. Y, who kept
him until 1884 and sold him to Geo. Van |
Capen, Jr., OF Olean, n. Y, who sold him
to the proprietor of the Concord Farm
Mass in 1887. from whom the proprietois
Of Valley Farm purchasei him in March,
1890.
Under these circumstances it can readily /
be seen that Solicitors OPT orsunities for 4
string speed have been exec sdingly nea-
ger. At eight years of age he had butI1s +
living foals. OF these two are in the list,
two are producers. He is the sire of JUS
tinian (2.27) Tiny (2.29 1-2) ,Chancery, dam
Of Chance, (22S), Quibble, dam ofsNancy