by Sara Engel
2009 marked the third year for the World Champion Sire Rating. This program was created to give top breeding stallions in the industry the great due they so rightfully deserve by recognizing them for their influence on their offspring. The Walking Horse Report has compiled this program where points are accumulated by all stallions’ offspring at the 2009 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Horses who placed first through 10th are awarded points, which are then tallied according to their sire. From there, the list is broken down into three divisions: performance, pleasure and halter. The following is an analysis of exactly how the top 25 stallions got to where they are and the world and world grand champion offspring that pushed them to the top.
Since the inception of the program, Waterfall Farm’s famous stallion, José José, has topped the charts in the overall and performance divisions with impressive sweeps of both categories. José José also earned the third place position in the pleasure division. At this year’s Celebration, José José was the sire of 14 world champions, three world grand champions and numerous top placing ribbon winners, which earned him a total of 333 points. Helping to skyrocket their sire to the top were such champions as A Victoria Secret, ACC, Catastrophic, José Dolly, Jose’s Rhythm Lady, Jose’s Sweet & Spicy, Miss Hosanna, Muchos Colores, Roll The Gold, Santa Emelia, She’s One Hot Tamale and Suiza.
Continuing in the second place position from last year was A Jazz Man, who collected a total of 226 points, although he is deceased. Eleven of his offspring went on to claim top honors including one world grand championship, which earned him the second place finish in the overall, performance and pleasure categories. She’s Pretty Jazzy pushed her sire to the front with not one, but three victories. Other world championship victory passes were captured by Jazz Country, Jazz Eclipse, Jazz Valor, Jazzalicious, Jazzed Up, Jazzy Sally, Pushin That Jazz and Who Knew.
Coming in just behind the second place stallion with 223 points and an impressive eight top honors is Gen’s Armed And Dangerous. His talented offspring once again earned him the title as number one ranking pleasure sire, along with fifth in the performance division. It was the world championship victories from A & D’s Regal Prince, Arm’s Scarlett O’Hara, Gold Danger, The Prime Suspect, They Call Me Samson and Yao Ming, along with the world championship and world grand championship honors from Sam Whiskey, that pushed him to the top.
Making his presence known in the number four position is Generator’s Silver Dollar, who moved up from the seventh position in last year’s rating. Climbing up the charts to take the fourth place spot in the pleasure division as well as the fourth place in performance is this well-known stallion. Offspring by the popular stallion were in the winner’s circle on 14 separate occasions, earning a total of 173 points. Three world championship victories were captured by Gen’s Million Dollar Baby, two world championship honors by Absolute Proof, along with their preliminary win and world grand championship win by Moonstruck Dollar and My First Dollar. High Fashion Statement walked away with the world grand championship honors, while Foolish Dollar, Generator’s Top Dollar, Last Dollar and Silver Dollar Intimidator each earned world championship awards to add to their sire’s total.
Accumulating 163 points from his champion offspring, Lined With Cash takes fifth place in the ranking. Six of his get earned world championships along with Lined Walkin’ capturing a world grand championship title, putting him in the third position on the performance chart, along with fifth on the halter and pleasure charts. Carrying on their sire’s impeccable name are World Champions Bustline, who earned two top honors, Dressed For Cash, I Walk A Fine Line, The Dixie Lineman and The Lineman.
Another major player in world champion pedigrees is Gen’s Major General, whose offspring commanded attention, landing him in the sixth place position on the overall chart with 127 points. Gen’s Major General also came in fifth on the pleasure division chart and sixth on the performance division chart. Four world champions pushed him up in the charts, including A Major In Business, A Private Benjamin, Major Orders and More Of The Major.
Barnmate to the top ranking stallion is He’s Puttin’ On The Ritz, claiming the seventh place honors with a total of 120 points. This top stallion proves to be a consistent producer, earning the third place spot on the halter chart and eighth place on the performance chart. Five world championships and one world grand championship pushed him up in the charts, including those from All American Ritz, who walked away with two top awards, Kid Callahan, My Cowgirl Dale Evans and The Who.
Capturing eighth place in the overall ranking with a total of 105 points is The Skywatch, who shot up three places from last year. This year The Skywatch gets to carry the honor of being the sire of the World Grand Champion Watch It Now. Four of his other get earned world championships at this year’s Celebration, putting him in the seventh position in the performance chart. Also carrying on their sire’s good name are Sky Jam, Sky Miles, The Coach and Watch For Glory.
Ninth place overall honors go to Out On Parole, whose get amassed him an impressive 101 points. He also captured the first place spot in the halter division, along with ninth place on the performance chart. Folsom Prison Blues and Good Ole Rocky Top warranted their sire’s fate in the ratings with each of them toping their preliminary classes and world grand championship classes. Paroled In Texas also helped add to the numbers by walking away with a world championship.
Sky rocketing up the charts an impressive seven positions from his last year ranking is I’m In Command to round out the top 10 World Champion Sire Rating with 82 points. I’m In Command also made his mark on the performance charts, capturing the seventh place position. Along with the many top ribbon earners, it was the work of Push In Command JA that added to the point tally.
New to the top 25 overall sire’s list this year to be named the 11th overall stallion is Seve. Earning him a total of 60 points and putting him second on the halter chart are World Grand Champions He’s 3 Under Par and Miss Cheyenne. These two contenders also amassed Seve points by capturing three world championship titles.
A two-way tie occurred in the 12th place position with barnmates Generator’s Santana and JFK each earning 57 points. It was the work of Santana’s Coin and Star who captured three world championships and one world grand championships that earned their sire’s placing. JFK was pushed to the top of the charts by FDR, including his world championship and world grand championship win, He’s Wild Eyed & Wicked, I’m Rocky Balboa and JFK’s Fancy Lady Leslie.
Although he is now deceased, Prides Generator’s offspring have continued to do well in the show ring and earned him 56 points and the 13th place position on the overall chart, up one place from last year. Prides Generator passed on his impressive bloodlines to multiple top ribbon winners along with Gen’s Color Me In and Private Charter.
Prime Design’s offspring have continued to do well in the show ring and earned him 54 points and the 14th place position, another new sire on the list this season. Three of his prodigy, Elegance Of Design, I’m The Gambler and Prime Fashion, won world or world grand championships, placing him seventh on the pleasure chart.
Hard Texas Cash settled into the 15th position, up three places from last season, with 52 points. Hard Texas Cash also climbed the pleasure chart to land in the eighth place position. Along with other top placings in many classes, Terror On The Border (owned and ridden by Hard Texas Cash’s owner Nancy Groover) and Tijuana Tex earned two world championships and one world grand championship to push their sire to the top.
Due to his untimely death, The Black Night Shade only had a limited amount of time spent in the breeding barn. During that short time though he was able to pass along his talented genes. Accumulating 49 points from his champion offspring, including an impressive two world championship victories and one world grand championship was He’s Slim Shady, which put The Black Night Shade in the 16th place in the overall ranking and 10th place in the performance chart. The Black Night Shade is another sire who is new to the list.
Another world grand champion in his own right, The Whole Nine Yards landed the 17th place position on the overall chart, up an amazing five spots from last season, with 45 points. 9 In The Sky who earned two world championships and Nine Yard Blitz who topped his preliminary and walked under the spotlight pushed The Whole Nine Yards up in the charts.
Sweepstakes claimed the 18th place honors with a total of 44 points. Along with numerous ribbon winners, Tony Montana helped push his sire up in the charts with his world championship performance.
Nineteenth overall honors go to Masquerading, whose get amassed him an impressive 42 points and moved him up four positions from last season. The White Mask and Zulu, along with his many top ribbon winners, swept up their sire’s fate in the ratings.
A two-way tie occurred with 40 points apiece to round out the top 20 placings on the overall chart. Gen’s Way High Willie and I’m Dumas Walker each had offspring that captured three top titles. General Willie, High Jacked and Willie Mays earned the points for Gen’s Way High Willie, and I’m Rose Walker earned the points for I’m Dumas Walker. I’m Rose Walker’s performances pushed I’m Dumas Walker to the 10th position on the pleasure chart as well.
The 21st place in the overall ranking with a total of 35 points was another tie, this time between Generator’s Showboat, Gold Power and Pushin For Cash. Each sire had one contender who pushed them to their placing on the chart. Showboat’s Heartstopper helped Generator’s Showboat, Playin’ Hooky, who topped her preliminary and earned the tricolor, is sired by Gold Power, and Honor My Cash with his three world championship honors and one world grand championship earned points for Pushin For Cash. It was those victories of Honor My Cash that also earned Pushin For Cash the seventh place honors on the pleasure chart.
Both A Greater Generator and Pusher Busting Loose came in with 33 points in the 22nd place spot. New to the charts this year is A Greater Generator, who earned his points with the world championship win with GiGi’s Majestic. He’s Our Durmax walked to a world championship victory, which helped push Pusher Busting Loose to his placing on the chart.
Another tie came in the 23rd position with 32 points apiece between Gen’s Black Gin and Red Sun Rising, each new to the chart for this year. Gin And Juice and Poison’s Splash Of Gin earned the points for Gen’s Black Gin, while A Red Ruby and Red Sunday’s Best earned the points for Red Sun Rising.
Supported by Cash’s All Star and He’s Dr. Cash with each capturing a world championship, Coin’s Hard Cash took the 24th spot with 29 points. This shows that even though Coin’s Hard Cash is deceased, his great genes and traits continue to carry on through his offspring.
Rounding out the top 25 world champion sires is The Grand Collection, who is also deceased. Offspring of Ozone earned him a total of 28 points.
As mare owners get ready to think about their stallion choices in the fall and coming spring, the World Champion Sire Rating provides a useful guide to those who wish to breed the best show ring champions possible. In the years to come, younger stallions will prove themselves by rising through the ranks while older ones will continue to prove their worth. With each new colt or filly that is born, a breeder’s hopes and dreams are carried into the future and a stallion’s pedigree lives on.