Justcuttin History Sir Archy

THE Foundation Sire.

Inbreeding Co-efficient 5.2%
Line Breeding: 18.8% Herod S3, D4
15.6% Godolphin Arabian S5:2, D6:4, D7:4
11.5% Crofts Partner S5:2, D6:3, D8:2

Twenty Five years after Janus's death, and the same year as Randolph's Celer's birth, Sir Archy was imported in eutero (although there are conflicting reports on that) to the United States and was foaled on US soil in 1805. His dam had her ears cropped and was going blind, and as legend has it she was not the prettiest of things to look at. Originally named Robert Burns, Sir Archy was a lot taller in stature than Janus at 16 hands, but he still had the very powerful hind quarters that is synonymous with the American Quarter Horse. They also shared a few ancestors like, The Godolphin Arabian , Bartlett's Childers, Leedes Arabian, Betty Leedes, and Darley Arabian to name a few.

His racing career as a three year old was less than impressive, recovering from a bout of distemper with his best performance a fourth place in the Carolina Stakes. But this was enough to tempt Marmaduke Johnson into purchasing him. The remarkable thing about Sir Archy's four year old turf career, of seven starts and four wins, was the impression he made upon those who saw him. Johnson himself said, "I have only to say, that in my opinion Sir Archy is the best horse I ever saw." No one knows how fast Sir Archy could have run four miles; he was never extended. General William R. Davie, among the spectators at Scotland Neck, was so impressed that he purchased Sir Archy for the then stratospheric sum of $5000 and immediately retired him to stud. Sir Archy's influence at stud was unprecedented in North America. Year after year he continued to sire exceptional sons and daughters and when his offspring went to stud they did the same. He earned the nickname "The Godolphin Arabian of America", the Godolphin Arabian having made such a profound impact on English bloodstock that it was noted in the General Stud Book. Hervey said
"Before nor since, nothing has been known in America to equal the manner in which the Archy's dominated both turf and stud for over half a century, beginning with the debut of his first crop of foals, in 1814 and culminating with the last of the sixteen seasons of premiership of his inbred great-grandson Lexington in 1878.

One of the strengths often attributed to the offspring of Sir Archy, like those of his sire Diomed before him, was the ability to withstand intense inbreeding. Sir Archy was bred to his own daughters and to those of Diomed, and his offspring were bred to each other. Timoleon, who was said to have "won more races, run more miles and traveled farther than any other horse that ever lived"; Bertrand (1821) who was probably Sir Archy's best son next to Sir Charles can be traced to todays modern day Quarter Horses and Cutting Horses. Sir Archy died at Mowfield in June of 1833. Trevathan sums up his impact, "He got more distinguished racers than any horse in America, perhaps in the world, from all sorts of mares, with all kinds of pedigrees, and some with no pedigrees at all". It might be said with truth that he filled a hemisphere with his get.Sir Archy became indisputably the foundation stallion of the American Quarter Horse and at the end of his reign began the split between the Quarter horse and the American Thoroughbred. After the transition period was completed the Quarter horse fell primarily into the role of being a cowboys mount and secondly his week ends entertainment. Eventually the Quarter Horse became the most versatile horse in the world. Thus Sir Archy stands as the cornerstone of the Quarter Horse as we know it today. Take a look at any top cutting horse sire today and in the past from Highbrow Cat to Poco Beuno, they all trace back to Sir Archy.

read on - Copperbottom.

DIOMED	FLORIZEL	HEROD	TARTAR	CROFTS PARTNER
				MELIORA
			CYPRON	BLAZE
				SALOME
		CYGNET MARE	CYGNET	GODOLPHIN ARABIAN
				GODOLPHIN BLOSSOM
			CARTOUCH MARE	YOUNG CARTOUCH
				EBONY
	SISTER TO JUNO	SPECTATOR	CRAB	ALCOCKS ARABIAN
				SISTER TO SOREHEELS
			PARTNER MARE	CROFTS PARTNER
				BONNY LASS
		HORATIA	BLANK	GODOLPHIN ARABIAN
				LITTLE HARTLEY MARE
			SISTER ONE TO STEADY	FLYING CHILDERS
				MISS BELVOIR
CASTIANIRA	ROCKINGHAM	HIGHFLYER	HEROD	TARTAR
				CYPRON
			RACHEL	BLANK
				REGULUS MARE
		PURITY	MATCHEM	CADE
				SISTER 2 TO MISS PARTNER
			PRATTS OLD MARE	SQUIRT
				MOGUL MARE
	TABITHA	TRENTHAM	GOWERS SWEEPSTAKES	GOWER STALLION
				BROWN CROFTS
			MISS SOUTH	SOUTH
				YOUNG CARTOUCH MARE
		BOSPHORUS MARE	BOSPHORUS	BABRAHAM
				CHILDERS MARE
			FORESTER MARE	WILLIAMS FORESTER
				COALITION COLT MARE