Old Sorrel
Encyclopedia
Old Sorrel, sometimes known as The Old Sorrel, (1915–1945) was a Quarter Horse
stallion
who was the foundation of the King Ranch
linebreeding program for Quarter Horses, and the cornerstone of the King Ranch horse breeding program.
. He proved himself worth breeding on through ranch work on the ranch, before being used as the foundation of the King Ranch Quarter Horse linebreeding program. He died in 1945, with his last foal crop being in 1943. He was a sorrel
stallion
bred by George Clegg of Alice, Texas
and sold by Clegg as a foal
along with his dam for $125 to the King Ranch. The King Ranch owned him until he died.
J. K. Northway, the veterinarian
on the King Ranch, described Old Sorrel as
When the American Quarter Horse Association
(or AQHA) was founded in 1940, The Old Sorrel was already twenty-five years old, but the King Ranch registered him amongst the very first horses that the AQHA accepted for registration. He was given number 209 in the registry, and registered as bred by George Clegg of Alice, Texas. His sire was Hickory Bill by Peter McCue and out of a Dr. Rose mare. The dam was a mare of Thoroughbred
breeding that Clegg had bought from a Dr. Rose who was a dentist in Mexico as well as running a few ranches. Rose had bought some Thoroughbred mares in Kentucky
to improve his horses, and eventually sold some of the mares to Clegg, without any breeding being attributed to any of them.
The Old Sorrel sired 116 horses registered with the AQHA, but through the linebreeding program the King Ranch used, almost every horse the King Ranch registered from 1940 to the early 1960s was at least a descendant of Old Sorrel, and most were heavily inbred to him.
Among his famous offspring were Cardinal, Solis, Little Richard P-17, Tomate Laureles P-19, Silver King, Macanudo and Hired Hand. His grandsons included Wimpy P-1, Ranchero, Peppy, and Pep-Up.
He was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame
.
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
who was the foundation of the King Ranch
King Ranch
King Ranch, located in south Texas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, is one of the world's largest ranches. The ranch, founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, with...
linebreeding program for Quarter Horses, and the cornerstone of the King Ranch horse breeding program.
Life
Old Sorrel was foaled in 1915 and was sold that same year to the King Ranch of TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He proved himself worth breeding on through ranch work on the ranch, before being used as the foundation of the King Ranch Quarter Horse linebreeding program. He died in 1945, with his last foal crop being in 1943. He was a sorrel
Sorrel (horse)
Sorrel is an alternative word for one of the most common equine coat colors in horses. While the term is usually used to refer to a copper-red shade of chestnut, in some places it is used generically in place of "chestnut" to refer to any reddish horse with a same-color or lighter mane and tail,...
stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
bred by George Clegg of Alice, Texas
Alice, Texas
At the 2000 census, there were 19,010 people, 6,400 households and 4,915 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,597.4 per square mile . There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of 588.0 per square mile...
and sold by Clegg as a foal
Foal
A foal is an equine, particularly a horse, that is one year old or younger. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, but these terms are used until the horse is age three or four. When the foal is nursing from its dam , it may also be called a suckling...
along with his dam for $125 to the King Ranch. The King Ranch owned him until he died.
J. K. Northway, the veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
on the King Ranch, described Old Sorrel as
I saw Richard Kleberg and George Clegg ropeBob Kleberg, the Bob in the quote from Northway, who one of the owners of the King Ranch and who managed it during from the 1920s through the 1950s, said that the Old Sorrel was "the best cow horse I ever rode, but he was also a good running horse. He had that well balanced look and the feel of a racehorse."Team ropingTeam roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around...
off him and ride him all morning, and then race him in the afternoon. Although a stallion, and treated as such, his daily work consisted of regular ranch routine with the remudaRemudaA Remuda is a herd of horses from which ranch hands select their mounts. The word is of Spanish derivation, for "change of horses" and is commonly used in the American West. The person in charge of the remuda is generally known as a wrangler.-Necessity:...
. Bob had made him into a superior cow horse in every respect. You could rope, cutCuttingCutting is the separation of a physical object, or a portion of a physical object, into two portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. An implement commonly used for cutting is the knife or in medical cases the scalpel...
, or do any other ranch work on him, and he was not just adequate – he was superior in every respect.
When the American Quarter Horse Association
American Quarter Horse Association
The American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive events and maintains the official registry...
(or AQHA) was founded in 1940, The Old Sorrel was already twenty-five years old, but the King Ranch registered him amongst the very first horses that the AQHA accepted for registration. He was given number 209 in the registry, and registered as bred by George Clegg of Alice, Texas. His sire was Hickory Bill by Peter McCue and out of a Dr. Rose mare. The dam was a mare of Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
breeding that Clegg had bought from a Dr. Rose who was a dentist in Mexico as well as running a few ranches. Rose had bought some Thoroughbred mares in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to improve his horses, and eventually sold some of the mares to Clegg, without any breeding being attributed to any of them.
The Old Sorrel sired 116 horses registered with the AQHA, but through the linebreeding program the King Ranch used, almost every horse the King Ranch registered from 1940 to the early 1960s was at least a descendant of Old Sorrel, and most were heavily inbred to him.
Among his famous offspring were Cardinal, Solis, Little Richard P-17, Tomate Laureles P-19, Silver King, Macanudo and Hired Hand. His grandsons included Wimpy P-1, Ranchero, Peppy, and Pep-Up.
He was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame
American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
The American Quarter Horse Association has created a Hall of Fame in Amarillo, Texas to honor both people and horses who contributed to the growth of the American Quarter Horse. Any one may nominate either people or horses to be considered. Nominations from the membership are due by October 1. They...
.