The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-07
THE VERMONT MORGAN HORSE.

Ethan Aliens Victory Over Dexter.
Recalled When 10000 People Saw
Race.
With the movement on foot to form
a national club of Morgan horse
BREEDERS a concerted eort will be made
to promote the interests of the Nor
gan strain of horselesh says the Brat
tleboro letter in the Springfield Re-
publican. Some six years ago the
late Senator Proctor of Vermont in
terested himself to bring about the
rehabilitation of the Morgan horse
and secured an appropriation from
the federal government for the es-
Enlistment of a breeding station at
the Vermont agricultural station at
Burlington. 1t will be remembered
ment sent a special agent, the late
John Gilmer Speed, to Vermont to
buy stations to be sent to the Phil
ippines for breeding with the Natue
mares on the islands. Mr.. Speed Sc
cured several of the finest bred Nor
gan colts to be found in Vermont and
they were shipped to Manila. DR..
George C. Rommel of the bureau of
animal industry at Washington was
designed by the department of agri
culture to devote himself largely to
tho aynarip,apf nf hran1inn q tvna Of
the old-fashioned Morgan horse in
Vermont. Soon after the appropria-
zion. was made for the work in Ver-
mont Col. Joseph Battell of Middle
bury, authority on Morgan horses.
presented the federal government with
his $4,000 stock farm at Weybridge,
Vt, and from that date interest has
been steadily increasing in the breed
ing of Morgans.
The Vermont Morgans have always
held first place in the affections of
breeders of this strain and some of
the purest bred specimens to be found
in this country are Vermont bred or
trace back to famous animals bred
in the Green Mountain State. Despite
the fame of the Kentucky bred saddle
horse in his native state the Morgan
has come to the front and n of the
largest breeders of Morgans lives in
the blue grass country. l.. l.. Dor
sey of Anchorage, KY, is the owner
of a string of Morgan horses that
have as their progenitor the famous
Golddust, son of Vermont Morgan.
Frank McGavock of Nashville, Tenn,
is another southern breeder that has
pinned his faith to the Vermont bred
Morgan largely and some of the fin
est horses that ever stood in his sta
bles were sired by Ben Franklin, son
of the world-renowned Daniel Lam
bert that died at the Bread Loaf stock
farm of Col. Battell in Ripton, Vt,
June 29, 1889. C. n. Larabee of Bel
bingham, Wash, formerly of Home
Park. Mont, is one of the millionaire
breeders that have gone into breed
ing Morgans. Mr.. Larabee's sires are
practically all direct descendants OF
Vermont animals. The Morgan horse
company of Carpentersville, Ill, is an
association of breeders that is making
strenuous efforts to put the Morgan
to the front in that part of the coun-
try. Many of their sires are Vermont
bred animals. Joseph C. Brunk OF
Rochester, ILL.,, is probably n of the
most enthusiastic breeders of Nor
gans in this country. He has a car
load of fancy bred animals at the
state fair at White River Junction
Mr.. Brunk is being mentioned as q
possible candidate for the presidency
, TO the proposed breeders club if such
an organization shall be formed.
That a stimulus has been given
the Morgan horse breeding industry
is evident throughout the country.
1t is extremely hard to buy a we'll
, bred Morgan colt or filly for less
: than 5000 while sucking colts be-
side fancy-bred mares command
prices hat 10 or ~ years ago would
have been considered eXorbitant
Unbroken two and three year-oldi
= have been sold within the past five
. years as high as $500. While these
prices are not high as compared will
!, the prices paid for speed-bred ami
= mails they are considered top-noch'
figures by the farmer breeders IL
Vermont. Though Addison County has
come to be looked on as the hom'
> of the Morgans in Vermont it cal
hardly be claimed to be so al some
of the best specimens of the old-tim'
type of small, wiry Morgans are be
ing bred in Caledonia county. Frank
lin county is producing specimens o
La heavy Morgan while Rutland ant
Orange counties have many fancy
neutrality-suspicious. iiaGa Inc INN @