Part 1–The Ancestors

THE SIRE LINE

Go Hawk 7457 bred by Henry Schlotfeldt of Dixon, Iowa was the sire of Flyhawk. Go Hawk was a very large, long-necked, up-headed black stallion foaled In 1923. The story goes that J.C. Brunk traded a short horned cow to Mr. Schlotfeldt for the sight unseen Morgan colt known as Go Hawk. Go Hawk was one of the few outside stallions J.C. Brunk used in his breeding program. He was unique in that he represented a blend of Sherman blood with the scarce old Bulrush blood. As a Bulrush descendent Go Hawk contributed both speed and endurance to his son Flyhawk Sunny Hawk 7456 the sire of Go Hawk was a black foaled In 1918 and also bred by Mr. Schlotfeldt. Sunny Hawk was by Morgan Star 6891, also a black bred by RB. Huff of Muscatine, Iowa. Morgan Star was 15 1/2 hands and weighed 1160 pounds. He was foaled in 1897 and got by Goldfinder son of Pathfinder Jr. 190. Pathfinder Jr. was by Buell’s Pathfinder, son of Benedicts Pathfinder, son of Black Hawk by Sherman Morgan. Thus on the sire line Flyhawk is an own descendent of Black Hawk not only in color, but in size, and speed.

THE MARES OF THE SIRE LINE (Thistle & Whitefoot)

The dam of Morgan Star was Thistle sired by Star of the West 98. Star of the West was another big, black horse. He stood 15 1/2 hand and was by Jackson’s Flying Cloud a son of Black Hawk. The dam of Star of the West was Gray Fanny, she by Eureka a son of Long Island Black Hawk, another Black Hawk bred horse. Thus on Flyhawk’s sire line he is Black Hawk bred almost exclusively. Whitefoot the dam of Sunny Hawk was by Hercules 4166 out of Topsey by Major Despot. Hercules 4166 was by the Black Herod 88 another 15 hand, black. He in turn was sired by King Herod a son of Sherman Black Hawk by Black Hawk.. It is only the unregistered Topsey by Major Despot who is not a direct Black Hawk descendent on the sire side of Flyhawk’s family. All the other lines are big, black horses; all of whom are richly Sherman bred.

THE LINE OF THE SIRE’S DAM

The granddam of Flyhawk on his paternal side is who brings the quality of uniqueness to the pedigree. She was Bombo 04379 by Hawkins 6893 out of Goldie 03156. Hawkins was a son of Hercules 4166 who was also sire of Whitefoot dam of Sunny Hawk. Hercules was as stated by Herod by King Herod by Sherman Black Hawk by Black Hawk Gipsey was the dam of Hawkins. She was by a brown son of Brown Flying Cloud 4559. He in turn was sired by Golden Forrest 514. Golden Forrest was a son of Indicator son of Golddust a very, very fast Woodbury bred horse. Brown Flying Cloud also carried the blood of the Macomb Horse an own son of Magna Charta son of Henderson’s Morgan Eagle by Morgan Eagle by Woodbury. Magna Charta had a recorded race time of 2:31 for the mile in harness. The dam of Brown Flying Cloud was Nora by Flying Cloud (Corbin’s) 170. Corbin’s Flying Cloud was got by Black Flying Cloud son of Black Hawk. This is the sire side of Bombo’s family and on the face of it, it is speed bred to speed, bred to yet more speed to produce a big, fast horse. Bombo’s dam was Goldie 03156. Goldie brings yet another speedy component to the 2 mix as she was by Hero of Manilla 4521 out of Lill by Paw Paw Chief. Lill was out of a mare said to be Arabian. Hero of Manilla was another speed blend. He was by Herod 88 who is the sire of Hercules 4166 that was present on the sire line of Flyhawk. Hero of Manila was out of Morrill Queen. Morrill Queen brought the blood of Bulrush into the blend. She was by Winnebago Chief 263. Winnebago Chief was by Mountain Chief by Morrill by Jennison Colt by Little Randolph by Bulrush Morgan. Winnebago Chief was out of Nell Weldon a mare of Green Mountain Morgan and Black Hawk breeding. Interestingly, it was the Winnebago Chief line that Richard Sellman used so heavily in his breeding program that gives endurance, courage and speed. This then is the sire side of Flyhawk’s pedigree. It is a blend of all three of Justin Morgan’s famous sons Sherman, Woodbury and Bulrush. It is precisely because Go Hawk was the blend he was that Flyhawk was able to pass on so many good qualities to his many get.{mospagebreak}

THE DAM LINE

Flyhawk’s dam was Florette 04233, bred by J.C. Brunk. Florette was a chestnut mare foaled in 1922. Florette was sired by Allen King 7090 and out of Florence Chandler 03082. Allen King was a full brother to Penrod, the sire of Jubilee King. Florette and Daisette – the dam of Jubilee King were very closely bred. Indeed, Florence Chandler, dam of Florette was a full sister to Senator Knox – sire of Daisette. Senator Knox and Florence Chandler were sired by the incomparable Knox Morgan and out of the exquisite mare Senata. Knox Morgan was purchased from the Chandler family of Vermont and it seems reasonable to assume that Florence Chandler takes her name from the Chandler family. Knox Morgan was Grand Champion stallion at the World’s Fair In St. Louis in 1904, which is where J.C. Brunk first saw him and it is where Mr. Brunk had brought his mare Senata to be shown. Senata won the Sweepstakes Championship at the same event. Senata was also the winner of the Stillman Sweepstakes Cup for mares at the prestigious Vermont State Fair in 1909. She was considered to be one of the best bred mares of her day as well as one of the most lovely. She was a dark chestnut, very typy mare. The Knox Morgan was sired by Mountaineer Morgan by the Vincent Horse by Shedd Horse by Vermont Morgan Champion. These were all large horses with good trotting speed. They were of Black Hawk blood. They were considered to be typy and strong-going horses. The dam of the Knox Morgan was a bay mare by Sagadahoc by General Knox by Vermont Hero 52. Florence Chandler was accidentally killed as a young mare leaving behind only her daughter Florette, but what a legacy. Florence Chandler, Senator Knox, and Double Daisy were three full siblings out of Senata and Senata was named a Gold Star Mare by Mabel Owen. Senata was by Senator 4505 out of Daisy by Billy Bodette 814. Senator was by Morgan Rupert 700 out of Lucy by Billy Bodette 814. Morgan Rupert was by Ethan Allen 3rd by Ethan Allen 2nd. Lucy, the dam of Senator was out of a daughter of Streeter Horse 674. Streeter Horse was by Billy Root 9 by Sherman Morgan This was royal old Vermont breeding at its best. Senator was a high percentage horse who was a chestnut and stood 15.2 hands. He was bred by Frank McGavock of Nashville, TN. Daisy, the dam of Senata was no less royally bred. By Billy Bodette, a great grandson of Sherman Morgan, and out of a mare by Billy Folsom 677 by Streeter Horse by Billy Root 9 3 by Sherman Morgan. The maternal granddam of Daisy is not as well traced as her sire, though she was by Prince Albert 396 by Green Mountain Morgan by Gifford Morgan by Woodbury Morgan. Daisy was considered the best foundation mare of the Brunks. She was a spirited, pretty, compact mare and was a high percentage mountain bred mare. Flyhawk was Florette’s first foal, and after his weaning she was sold to the U.S. Government Morgan Horse Farm where she became matriarch to an incredible family of producing mares. She is the dam of Annadale by Monterey who was a foundation source for Merry Legs Farm being the dam of Belldale, & Conniedale. Damsel, another daughter of Florette was the noted producer of Narcissa the mare behind so many Bay State horses. Fawn was another daughter who appears behind many UVM and Ledgemere horses through her daughter Naive. Jemima still another daughter, appears behind many Royalton and other horses. Allen King who was the sire of Florette, was as stated a full brother to Penrod, the sire of Jubilee King. Allen Franklin was sire to the brothers. Allen Franklin was a chestnut bred by J.C. Brunk and foaled in 1909. He was an exceptionally nice headed horse according to Mabel Owen and she has described him as such, having in addition good clean legs, a well-laid back shoulder and cleanly defined withers. He won the Morgan Horse Club Trophy for the best Morgan at both the Iowa and Minnesota State Fairs. His sire was Jasper Franklin another chestnut foaled in 1887 and bred in Vermont by George Wells. Both the sire and dam of Jasper Franklin were sired by Daniel Lambert. They were Ben Franklin and Twilight. Daniel Lambert was a Black Hawk grandson. Ben Franklin’s dam was Black Kate also a Black Hawk grandchild. Twilight, Jasper Franklin’s dam was out of a mare by Ti Boy, son of Black Hawk. Allen King’s sire line therefore represents intensely concentrated Black Hawk blood. The dam of Allen King was Black Bess, she by Jubilee de Jarnette out of a black mare by Tom Corwin. Jubilee de Jarnette was the only son of the famous Lady de Jarnette and sired by Jubilee Lambert who was an own son of Daniel Lambert. Lady de Jarnette was by Indian Chief by Blood’s Black Hawk by Black Hawk. In her day, Lady de Jarnette was the absolute top show mare. Her reputation and beauty were such that no others could be found to show against her and so the Lady (as she was known) would put on demonstrations of her ability for the audience. Jubilee de Jarnette was a bay, foaled in 1883 in Kentucky. He was a large horse, standing a full 16 hands. He was 19 years of age when J.C. Brunk purchased him. He was found standing in filth, with a terrible thrush infection. But in the end he lived to sire close to sixty foals at the Brunk’s Cotton Hill Farm before moving on at the age of 21 to Bellingham ,WA where he sired Troubadour who in turn sired Troubadour of Wlllowmoor. Tom Corwin, the grandsire of Black Bess was a son of Colby’s Young Green Mountain 469. He in turn was a grandson of Hales Green Mountain 42. Tom Corwln also traced back to Gifford Morgan. Morrill, and Gen. Gifford 46 on other lines. These are the ancestors of Flyhawk. It is an illustrious family, most heavily carrying the blood of Sherman. but with additions of Bulrush and Woodbury blood. It is fitting that a horse who was to have such an influence on the Morgan breed should be such a well bred example of the old, old blood.{mospagebreak}

Flyhawk

Part 2–The Individual

Flyhawk was foaled in August of 1926 in the east pasture of Cotton Hill Morgan 4 Stock Farm, owned by J.C. Brunk. Though he was a late summer foal, he had no problem becoming one of the leading group of the earlier foals. From the beginning he was recognized as having something special about him. He was compact and smooth with ample breed characteristic. He had personality plus, alert, bright prominent eyes and a happy disposition which he kept all of his 32 years. As a coming two year old he was purchased by the LU. Sheep Company Ranch where for the next ten years he shared stud duties with the stallion Linspar and earned his keep as a working stock horse. He worked cattle as well as locating bands of wild horses on the range. In 1936, Flyhawk was sold to the adjacent Padlock Ranch, Inc and while under that ownership he was loaned to the Belden’s Pitchfork Ranch and the May’s (TA) Antler’s Ranch for breeding purposes. He was repurchased by the Brunk family and returned to Illinois in 1939 where he lived the remainder of his life at Highview Farm, part of the Brunk Farms. At Highview a new phase of his life began. In winter he pulled members of the family on skis or ski-joring in the pasture. He enjoyed swimming in deep water, with or without a rider. He loved water and would play in it whenever possible. He was an excellent mountain trail horse as well. In 1940 and 1941 he was judged Champion Stallion at the Illinois State Fair, despite having a short cow-horse tail. That tail took two years to grow out. At age 14 and then 15 Flyhawk lead the Annual livestock Parade of Champions at the State Fair. He loved every minute of tt, all the noise, crowds, flags and excitement pleased him. He participated at the Inter Collegiate Champions Horse Shows held in St. Louis in three abreast classes. Flyhawk would take the middle position between the mare Betty Barr and Chief -a gelding. The well mannered and active trio were frequent winners. In 1951, when Flyhawk was approaching his 25th birthday he was asked to give a halter exhibition at one the first Illinois All-Morgan Horse Shows. He lead four of his get for the Sire and Get class and later on in the day when the little girl of seven couldn’t use her horse in the Children’s Class Flyhawk was loaned to her, and under Western tack they won the class. That was Flyhawk’s last show..

FLYHAWK’S Descendants Part 3

Flyhawk was the sire of 103 progeny. Thirty five stallions, fifty seven mares, and eleven geldings. There were twenty seven chestnuts, thirty bays, sixteen browns, and twenty four blacks. For the LU. Sheep Company and the other two ranches, he sired sixteen mares. Among that early group was Larkspur and Coalie and Teepee and Shoshone as as well as Grace, Black Dinah and KayCee. These mares were daughters of the Linspar daughters Sox Mallow, Duchess, Shasta and Dinah. From Duchess alone, Flyhawk sired eight daughters. 1941 saw the birth of Jubilee Joy, the first of the great Flyhawk – Sentola cross. Sentola was a full sister to Jubilee King and by Flyhawk she produced, in addition to Jubilee Joy, Warhawk, 1942 black colt, Stetson 1944 chestnut colt, Sentana 1945 chestnut filly, Top Flight 1948 black colt, The Airacobra 1950 chestnut colt Jubilee Joy was the dam of Foxfire and his full brother Celebration. both of whom were sired by Bonfire and are behind many well known show horses such as Foxy Sentora by Foxfire and Foxfire’s Suzay. From Celebration came Fascination and Celebrity to name two of his five get. Jubilee Joy produced as well the Senator Graham son Torchfire, and his full sisters the mares Belefina, and La Joya. Jubilee Joy’s last foal was The Daisy Chain by Lucky Stone. The Daisy Chain went onto become an important breeding mare at Funquest Farms in Kansas. Stetson was sire to the mares purchased by the Neeley’ s in Idaho as foundation mares for their herd. The Neeley’s also used Domino Joe a Stetson son as herd sire. He (Stetson) had been owned by The Moshers of Utah and by Ramul Dvarishkis, for whom he sired numerous foals of excellent quality. Warhawk went to the Cross Ranch and later to Robert Riley in Iowa He was the sire of Emerald’s Big John as well as sire of Sunday Hawk, Birdie de Jarnette, Dixie de Jarnette, and Ellie May to name some of his get. Sentana, the full sister to Jubilee Joy, Stetson. Warhawk. Top Flight and The Airacobra was sold to Mr. Harry Wood of Massachusetts, later he sold her to the University of Connecticut. For U.C. Sentana produced U.C. Sentora, U.C. Taffy, U.C. Pantana. Sentana’s last two foals were the mares Glamadonna and Piccadalsy. Top Flight became the sire of Flight Admiral, Robbins Night Flight, June Flight and Big Bend Stewardess. The Airacobra founded a mini dynasty which includes the well known Mr. Breezy Cobra, Hurricane Lake, and Annacobra and Ironbrook Sun Hawk. Mr. Breezy Cobra was sire to the mares Irish Velvet, Irish Breeze, and Breezilee. But it is his son Beamington for whom he will best be remembered. That is just one branch of the Flyhawk family. Flyhawk sired the mare Modelette out of Elberty Linsley for Doris Ryan. The stallion Shadow Hawk, out of Sentimental whom the Greenwalt’s stood as a replacement for his sire and many, many more Morgans of note. Among them are The Brown Falcon out of Allan’s Fancy L. who was senior stallion for Funquest Morgans. The get of The Brown Falcon are so numerous as to be impossible to list here. The Flyhawk son Chief Red Hawk, brought east by Maxy Jean Vasiloff has become grand-sire through Whippoorwill Tsukihawk to an entire family of champion Competitive Trail horses for Betty Welles of Ct. Gallant King a full brother to Chief Red Hawk, out of Neliza, a Jubilee King daughter out of Nella; became known as “The Speedy Son”. Gallant King was bred by Stuart Hazard of Funquest and sold to Everett Reed of Colorado as a six year old. Shown successfully as a roadster under saddle, he was the sire of Reed’s Gallant Star, Reeds Gallant Bess, Reed’s Gallant Hawk and many more. It is an interesting side note that though Gallant King was known as “The Speedy Son”, it is The Brown Falcon (who was shown as a Park Horse) and Chief Red Hawk who are behind the very fast recent winner of The John Phillips Memorial Harness Race – Pinehaven Beauchief. Another member of the family Siridan Marhawk who is a Chief Red Hawk son also raced in that event.{mospagebreak}

More Flyhawk get include Flying Jubilee -favorite horse of the late Ern Pedler, Dare Devil another breeding stallion. Patty Pratt, noted broodmare, Dennis K., sire of many show horses, Betsy Ross prolific broodmare and favorite of Mary Woolverton. Betsy produced the park horse stallions Jaunty Justin and Paramount Ambassador, the mares Binny Bee, and Seneca Maid, Victory’s Uncle Sam, Victory Blitz, Victory’s Coquette, Victory’s Reverie and six other foals. The Black Rose was Flyhawk’s 1957 daughter, Velvet Brown was a 1951 daughter, Flyhawk’s Fancy was a full sister to The Brown Falcon. The mare Betty Barr produced Barbette, Jubilee Alexandra, Beau Barr, Bette Belle, Fort Knox, Flying Betty and Fair Lady. Katette, another Jubilee King daughter produced the stallion Melody’s Morgan, while her daughter Polly Forrest produced the stallion Melody Hawk and the mare June Melody. The mare Rhosen produced Illiniwek, Illini Flyhawk, and Polly Pratt. The Senator Graham daughter Kamiah produced Ozark Firefly dam of Fire Cloud sire of Arboria Excellency who is currently standing at stud at Cotton Hill Farm where Flyhawk was foaled. The Flyhawk family is so large and so diverse it is not possible to list all the get, grandget and great grandget of note. It is far easier to find Flyhawk on a modern pedigree then it is to find a pedigree without him! For example currently standing at stud are the following Flyhawk descendants: Arboria Excellency, Beam’s Nighthawk, Big D Contigo, BMM Flash Command, Bourbon Street, Brentwood Command, Centurion Command, Century Free Spirit, Chub, Lake Tea Time, Downer Hill Magenta, Duke of Wynne, Elm Hill Bay Pilgrim, Fiddlers Tizacommand, Fire Breeze, Fletcher Banjo John. Forevermore, Funquest Altair, Greentree BonnieJohn. Harlem Nocturne, Hicourt Vigilaire, Hollybrook Wham Bam, HVK Fancy Dan, Funquest Erick, Funquest Monarch, Funquest Black Hawk –here again, the list goes on and on. These names were taken from one reference source only and as you can see I only went as far as the names beginning with the letter H! This is in no way a comprehensive list of Flyhawk stallions or mares whose blood is still very readily available to us today.

FLYHAWK The Legacy Part 4

To sum up this article on Flyhawk without mentioning what has come down to us in the third, fourth, fifth and even sixth generation would be to leave unfinished the work. So what then can we expect when Flyhawk’s name turns up on a pedigree? Perhaps the most striking characteristic the descendants most likely will have is the big, true, open trot that has become synonymous with Flyhawk. Then will come the sound feet and typy bodies, some will have the smooth topline and most will have the big eyes that twinkle, the sense of humor and fun that Flyhawk himself had. The speed will be there, the toughness, the endurance, the boldness and the high couraged nature of all the horses behind Flyhawk will also be there. It was said that the Bulrush horses were tough and enduring the Woodbury’s high mettled and quick, the Sherman’s tractable and fast — the Flyhawk family has all these qualities in abundance. They can be bold, competitive horses and they have lots of “bottom”, some of the family are known for their “cow sense”, some for their will to win in harness, some for the willingness to go on and on. but all of them in what ever discipline, on the range or in the ring or on the track or on the trail all will carry themselves proudly and give until they drop.