In Memory of

STATESMAN

1974-2003
Chestnut Thoroughbred/draft gelding
Sire line: Eclipse, 1764

STATESMAN was something of a collector's item, being one of only two colts born when Triple Crown winner Secretariat was test-bred to some non-Thoroughbred mares after his retirement from racing in 1973.

Statesman, whose dam was a draft horse mare, was bought by Don and Jennifer Montgomery of Lima, Ohio. The Montgomerys established the American Performance Horse Association and assigned Statesman No. 000001. Their intent was to create an American warmblood by crossing top Thoroughbred stallions on mares with Thoroughbred and draft breeding.

A versatile sport horse, Statesman was trained to Fourth Level dressage, taught to jump, and also used as a polo pony. As the flagship stallion of the Montgomerys' lineup, he sired a number of athletic dressage performers, including: Caveat (Chief of State), a grand prix dressage horse who was the American Horse Shows Association Intermediare II Horse of the Year; Courier, who competed to Fourth Level; Something Stately; and State Trooper. Despite Statesman's success as a sire of sport horses, interest in him eventually waned. He was gelded and sold to Shelley Ebel of Scottsdale, Arizona in 1992.

By the time I met Statesman ("Twinkie") in 1996, he had been retired after a leg injury rendered him useful for only light riding. I was able to take some lessons on him, which went a long way toward restoring my confidence after a series of falls. In 1999 Shelley Ebel gave him to me on a long-term lease. Words cannot express how fortunate I felt to have him at my home for the next few years. I wrote about my adventures with Twinkie in articles that appeared in Dressage Today and The Blood-Horse (view the article* in PDF form), as well as in an anthology, An Apple a Day.

Twinkie was a wonderful schoolmaster, trail horse, and friend. I have many fond memories of the time we spent together, and I miss him very much. In May 2006 Dawinnah produced a strapping bay colt, Immaginn. He is by the Secretariat son Innkeeper, and thus a nephew of Twinkie!