2/15/2001 – 6/10/19
Two-time World Grand Champion Command & Control passed away due to colic complications on June 10, at the age of 18-years-old. Affectionately known as “Fred”, he was enjoying his first year of retirement from the show ring where he resided in his sire’s (I’m In Command) stall when he was not grazing in his pasture. Sheryl described him as a “very special horse and friend that was fun, high strung and feisty”. Command & Control was by Crawford’s I’m In Command and out of Gen’s Golden Rose by Pride’s Generator. Gen’s Golden Rose was out of a Triple Threat mare. He was bred by Garvis Stafford of McMinnville, Tennessee.
He was started by Keith Davis and purchased by the late Donald Stephens and began his two-year-old show season with Joe Fleming. Joe Fleming won two blues with him as a two-year-old but he was considered to be too full of life to be shown by an amateur. Crawford kept track of him as she did most colts by I’m In Command and and fell in love with Fred when Sammy Day took her to ride him. They made their debut at the Celebration earning a 3rd place in the 2-Year-Old Amateur Stallion Class. Command & Control won 48 blues throughout his lengthy show ring career. The trio of Winky Groover, Command & Control and Sheryl won at most of the major shows throughout the country. He built a huge fan following and gave Sheryl many exciting and fun rides. She shared him some with Sheila Groover at multi-day shows where she could show in Auxiliary and Sheila captured four blues aboard Fred.
In 2009, he won the Amateur Specialty Reserve World Grand Championship. In 2010 the duo won the Elite Owner Amateur Ladies Stallions World Championship and the Elite Owner Amateur World Grand Championship. They returned in 2011 and won the Elite Owner Amateur World Grand Championship after a reserve world championship in the Elite Owner Amateur Ladies Stallions class. He earned another reserve world championship in the same class in 2013.
He left many wonderful memories with his faithful owner and his many fans throughout the years. The Crawford family would like to thank Winky Groover for his long-time care and training of Fred, Jeremy Carlton for his winter retreats in his earlier years, and Dr. Krista Gillam and Dr. Jim Baum for doing everything possible to save Fred.