Rex McDonald

Last updated
Rex McDonald
Breed American Saddlebred
Discipline Five-gaited
SireRex Denmark
DamLucy Mack
Maternal grandsireBlack Squirrel
FoaledMay 30, 1890
DiedNovember 13, 1913(1913-11-13) (aged 23)
BreederJoe McDonald
TrainerBilly Davis
Tom Bass

Rex McDonald was an American Saddlebred stallion. He was only beaten three times in his show career and had an influential career as a sire.

Contents

Life

Rex McDonald was foaled on May 30, 1890, in Callaway County, Missouri. [1] [2] He was sired by Rex Denmark and out of Lucy Mack. He was a black stallion standing 16  hands (64 inches, 163 cm) high and was bred by Joe McDonald. [1] After breeding Rex McDonald, Joe McDonald became ill and began selling his horses. Rex McDonald was sold to R. T. Freeman as a yearling for $105, alongside his dam. In 1894 he was sold to John Hughes of Kentucky for $3,050. He was sold several more times and at one point during his breeding career was owned by a group of businessmen. [1] Rex McDonald died November 13, 1913, and was buried in the fairgrounds at Mexico, Missouri, [3] although the body was later moved to Tom Bass's property and still later reburied at the American Saddlebred Museum in Mexico, where it remains. [4] [5]

Career

Rex McDonald was a five-gaited horse who was initially trained by Billy Davis. [3] Later on he was trained and shown by Tom Bass, a notable horse trainer born a slave, who trained horses for Theodore Roosevelt and Bill Cody. [6] In 1893 Rex McDonald was shown for the first time at the St. Louis National Horse Show and won a championship. [7] At the time, there was a strong rivalry between Kentucky and Missouri about which state produced the best Saddlebreds, and Rex McDonald was a star for the Missourians. Ironically, he was later sold to a Kentucky owner. [3] He was only beaten three times in his career. [2] At one show, he beat his own sire, Rex Denmark. He was finally retired to stud because few people were willing to show against him. [1]

Offspring

Rex McDonald sired over 200 colts that were registered with the American Saddlebred Horse Association. [1] One of his colts was a pacer and was harness raced. [8]

Sire line tree

Pedigree

Pedigree of Rex McDonald [19]
Sire
Rex Denmark
Crigler's DenmarkLail's Denmark Chief Gaines' Denmark
Brown Kitty
Bettie CrosbyEd Hawkins
Queen
Daughter of Star of the WestStar of the WestFlying Cloud
Gray Fanny
Daughter of MohawkMohawk
Copperbottom mare
Dam
Lucy Mack
Black SquirrelBlack EagleKing William
Kitty Richards
MollieGiltners Brown Highlander
Betty
StarOld Star DavisBoston
Unknown
MollieVermont Morgan
Unknown

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rex McDonald" . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Millard, James Kemper (2007). Kentucky's Saddlebred Heritage. ISBN   9780738544403 . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "REX McDONALD, ANOTHER BLACK BEAUTY - Champion Saddlebred Stallion MO" . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  4. Erwin, Vicki Berger (2010). Mexico. ISBN   9780738584485 . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  5. Chas. l. Cook, Jr (4 March 2015). Historical Memories of American Saddlebred Visionaries. ISBN   9781935538097 . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  6. "The Nevada Daily Mail - Google News Archive Search" . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  7. Harris, Moira C. (2006). America's Horses. ISBN   9781592288939 . Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  8. "The Saddle and Show Horse Chronicle". 1917. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  9. Gaines' Denmark sons and grandsons #2
  10. WORLD’S GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP FIVE-GAITED STAKE
  11. Rex McDonald Offspring
  12. Independence Chief Offspring
  13. Famous Horses of Long Ago
  14. Rex Peavine Offspring
  15. Heritage Horses
  16. Mercer Rex Offspring
  17. Society Rex Offspring
  18. Kalarama Colonel Offspring
  19. "Rex Mcdonald Saddlebred".