The Sentola Influence, by Ina M Ish

June 28, 2007

Author’s Note:  My original intention was to write this article on Sentola, but sadly due to a lack of available information or pictures of the mare I have had to expand the subject matter.  It is hoped this article will be useful and informative to the reader.

SENTOLA 04555  Chestnut; flaxen mane and tail; foaled June  29, 1928; bred by J.C. Brunk, Springfield, Illinois.  Sire: Penrod 6140   Dam: Daisette 04264.  That is how the mare is listed in Volume V of our breed Registry.  A rather terse listing for a mare who has had the kind of influence Sentola has had.  Born exactly one year to the day after her famous brother Jubilee King was foaled , Sentola’s contribution to the breed has often been overlooked.   Certainly she has not had the attention or focus that her brother received; though her influence has been the equivalent in importance.

Very little has appeared in print about Sentola, yet I can’t think of another mare whose sons and grandsons are as well represented in the AMHA Morgan Archive Card collection !  Both the first and second set at that.  Set 1 includes the Sentola grandsons Congo and Mickey Finn, while Set 2 shows her sons Highview King, Stetson, and The Airacobra as well as grandson Mr. Breezy Cobra.  Quite impressive a showing for any one Morgan.

In hopes of gathering more information about the mare I spoke with a well known Mid-West breeder who is a long time friend of the Brunk/Greenwalt family.  According to that breeder Sentola is reputed to have had “An eye like a Jersey cow.”  Certainly from pictures of her produce one can see such an eye – large, luminous, soft and kind.  From those same pictures one can see the “Well laid back shoulder” the Mid-Western breeder mentioned.  Looking at the photos of Sentola produce one can surmise some facts about the mare herself.  In addition to the large kind eye and laid back shoulder one sees a certain ‘smoothness’ and elegance to her family.  Indeed, it is the same characteristic her brother’s offspring and family shows.  A look of quality, grace and elegance coupled with correct, strong legs and feet.  An abundance of correct action and the strength to work well and hard for a long time.

Certainly Sentola’s family did just that.  In the December 1986 issue of  The Morgan Horse,  Mabel Owen’s article Gold Star Mares was reprinted from the original 1967 date.  In that article Sentola is included as “One of the most highly respected Morgan mares in the midwest and Rocky Mountains.”  Her daughters Sentana, Black Dee, Jubilee Joy and Ann Royal are cited as having shown and produced with the best.  Sentana was a top broodmare for The University of Connecticut, Black Dee for Roy Brunk, Jubilee Joy for Mrs. L.S. Greenwalt.  Sentola’s son Warhawk was a top breeding horse from Wyoming to Ohio.  His Cross Ranch daughters were excellent producers and his son Emerald’s Big John was a top show winner in Illinois. 

Jubilee Joy , known as Joybells, “Probably produced more Illinois State Fair Champions than any other mare.”  The Jubilee Joy produced that gained that title were her sons   Foxfire, Celebration, Torchfire, Justin Jubilee and Mickey Finn.  Her daughter Highview Honey also had the title.  The July, 1974 issue of The Morgan Horse honors Flyhawk and there is extensive coverage of  Jubilee Joy’s family and The Flyhawk-Sentola cross which produced so many superior individuals for the Morgan breed.   The Autumn, 1991 issue of Classic Morgan Admirers  Vol.4, Number 1  is the Flyhawk Issue, and contains a great many invaluable photographs of the Sentola family.  Indeed, when folks think of Sentola’s produce most think of the Flyhawk /Sentola cross because they were so outstanding and so popular.  But there were foals she produced by other stallions and some are very noteworthy.

{mospagebreak}Black Dee # 04833 by the stallion Herodon was foaled in 1933.  She was the first of Sentola’s foals , and what a first she was.  A black mare bred by J.C. Brunk she took her color from her sire Herodon, he by Go Hawk out of Galva by Billy Herod out of Chista.  Black Dee just about warrents an article to herself.  She was the dam of the elegant Hylee Farm sire- Justin Dart by Squire Burger.  Sadly, this line has become very hard to find today, but is carried by the excellent Reining Horse stallion Twin Pond Disco Kid. 

Justin Dart the horse, received his name in honor of the man Justin Dart who took his sire Squire Burger to Arizona to found a breeding program there which produced superior working/stock animals.  Disco Kid comes by his talent honestly as Squire Burger was Arizona State Champion  Black Dee produced Monty  Dee 9125 by Lamont who was a full brother to Squire Burger.  By Juzan, the sire of both Squire Burger and Lamont, Black Dee produced the full sisters Dee Dee 05334; Dee Nette 06227; Donna Dee 06812; Jean Marie05956, and De Ann 05414.  Dee Nette  was the dam of Rex’s Lannette by Monte L., Chocolate -and her full sisters, Rex’s Don-Nette and Rex’s Jan-Nette.  By Hedlite’s Bob E.A, Dee Nette produced her son Briquete.  

In addition to the above offspring, Black Dee produced Josie 08491 by King Jo; April King 11578, Rocky Roll 12046 and Syntrella 09730 – all by Mango.  By Trinango Black Dee produced Trinandee.  It was when Black Dee was bred to Tarron that she really became immortalized, for that cross produced the black Congo 8354 in 1940 and his full sister Mau Dee in 1944.  Mau Dee produced America’s Own by King Mick; Red Beauty,  and Syndee by King Jo; Alando, Demando,  Red Velvet, and  Mardell by Mango.  Maudette by Trinango and Maureen by Whippoorwill Duke.  Her full brother Congo sired and sired and sired . 

He was the start of a dynasty which still is going strong today.  Congo blood is still highly sought for the incredible motion it frequently gives to show horses.  I refer the reader to Classic Morgan Admirers Issue # 26, page for more detail and depth on Congo’s get.  I will discuss some of his daughter’s produce and families in this article.  Today, Congo blood is easily found in many popular show stallions such as : the Black River stallions Thor , Comet, Leo, and Trojan.  Caduceus Fortran, Tedwin Topic, Merriehill Chicagoan and Bojangles, Thunderbay, Trijas Mr. Pepperpot, Van Lu Starbuck, Hylee’s Black Tie Affair, Rapidan Double Cross, and Z Lippitt Whitindale among others.  Congo not only sired horses for show, many of his get and grand get went on to be good working ranch and stock horses since in addition to his use by J.C. Brunk he stood at stud for The Mosher Brothers in Utah, and the Keenes in Indiana.

The Congo daughters Sue of Keeneland and Tarr of Keeneland were good producers.  Sue produced Dorset’s Due by Flying Jublie who was crossed with Archie O to produce Archie’s Dorset Sue and Archie’s Lass and then Sue produced for Waseeka Farm by Upwey Ben Waseeka’s Darch and by Flyhawk Waseeka’s Nighthawk.  Her sister Tarr of Keeneland produced an entire family that had and has influence in the south.  They were the DeBoyd named Morgans sired by Lamont and by Edward Ash and include: Tarrmont DeBoyd, Tarrla, Tarranne DeBoyd, Daisy DeBoyd, Ashley DeBoyd and others whose names are still on  pedigrees today. Congo’s daughter Debra Dee produced the good producer Barbara Dee by Merry Knox.  She in turn is granddam to Van Lu Starbuck.

It is Black Dee’s daughter De Ann 05414 by Juzan who helped put the Waer’s horses on the map – so to speak- for De Ann was the dam of the Waer foundation mare Gontola 06811 by Flyhawk.08227 Gontola  produced at least ten foals for the Waer’s including Waer’s Lucky Hawk by Rex’s Major Monte who in turn sired the well known Waer’s Lanette and Fawnette.  The Gontola daughter Waer’s Miss Moffett o8547 by Monte L. produced  Waer’s Cameo 012972 by Rex’s Major Monte who came cross country to Mary Jean Vasiloff’s McCullock Farm and produced the well regarded stallion Windon Snow by Windcrest Winfield.   In addition to Gontola, De Ann produced seven other foals among them Morning Mist 07457 by Flyhawk. And three by Congo.  They were Bickel’s Black Knight 11165, Ink Spot 10383, and Jody 07724.

Congo’s daughter Triconga 06523 produced Sleepy Hollow Gayconga by townshend Gaymeade, Deerfield’s Head Man by Tutor,  the dam Deerfield’s Stormy Miss by Flyhawk, and by her uncle The Airacobra she produced the very well known Frosty Gale 09171 who in turn was the dam of Deerfield’s Pamala by Upwey Ben Don.

{mospagebreak}Sentola’s second foal was the mare Ann Royal 05322  a dark chestnut by Raragraph.  Though her family is considerably smaller than that of Black Dee it is of note never-the-less.  Ann Royal was the dam of Royal Colors by Flying Colors, Royal Ann by Flyhawk, Glogold by Prince Dandy and Mountain Mist also by Flying Colors.  Glogold, Royal Ann, and Mountain Mist bred on.    Royal Ann produced Colonel Kellogg 9720 , Royal Kellogg C.K 10098, Ann Kellogg C.K. 07884, Daisette Kellogg C.K. by the stallion Captain Kellogg.  She also produced Baranetto 12110 by Jubilee Kellogg C.K.. 

Glogold the Ann Royal daughter by Prince Dandy produced Chief Dark by Jubilee’s Quicksilver as well as Starglo, Cedar Buck,  and Miss Lightfoot by him.  Miss Lightfoot was a good producing dam for Ramul Dvarishkis of Wyoming.  Glogold also produced Cactus Red by Stetson and Precious Princess also by Stetson.

Mountain Mist the Ann Royal daughter by Flying Colors produced Mist Morning , Misty Quicksilver, and Tuscon Copper by Jubilee’s Quicksilver.  Misty Quicksilver went to L.D. Robbins in Missouri and produced for him.  Mr. Robbins bred Miss Bundy by Neal Colonel out of Mountain Mist.  Mountain Mist also produced Princess Daisy by Prince Dandy. 

Her best known foal was Red Mountain Layne 13543 by Stetson, a most prolific and well regarded stallion in the Pacific North West.Montana  His grandson Kidd Kel-Layne by Jubilee Jazz out of Misstey Kal-Layne bred on as did daughters of his. Ann royal came by her name because the Thomas Royal family ( part of royal English family) married into the Brunk family. (Ann Royal’s)

Sentola’s third foal was King Copper 8101 a chestnut by Hiro foaled in 1936.    Her fourth foal was  chestnut Sentide 05265 by Night Tide foaled in 1938.She in turn was the dam of Sentilee 06297 by Illawana Ruban.  I do believe Sentilee was well known as a show mare.  Sentola’s fifth foal was Plainsman 8268, chestnut by Plains King , foaled in 1939.

Her sixth foal was Highview King 8339 by King De Jarnette foaled in 1940.  King De Jarnette was sired by Jubilee King  and quite successful at stud for Mrs. Helen Greenwalt.  He sired 44 foals, 16 colts and 28 fillies .  Many of these were bred and used at the LU Sheep Ranch.  Some came east such as Vivian La Sorciere. I suggest the reader invest in a set of Archive cards and see a more complete listing of his get.  

Varga Girl made a name for herself in the show ring and produced  two for Waseeka Farm by Nocturne.  Both stallions, both gelded.  They were Waseeka’s Sure Shot and Waseeka’s Grand Duke.  Pikaki also bred on and she produced Chestnut Dee by Congo; who in turn produced Kaki Bon by Bonfire.  Kaki Bon was also a well known show mare.  Kaki Bon also produced  Freeman’s Rockfire by OCR and Freeman’s Agabon by Agazizz, bred by Herman Speck estate.

The seventh foal of Sentola was her first by Flyhawk and the start of another dynasty.  That was Jubilee Joy 05767,  chestnut, foaled in 1941.  Jubilee Joy really deserves an article to herself, but in brief, she  was the dam of Celebration 10786 by Bonfire; Foxfire 10601 by Bonfire, Mickey Finn 10387 by King Mick; Torchfire 11184 by Senator Graham, Sweet Talk 07463 by the Senator Graham son Senator Bain; La Joya 09723 by Senator Graham;Highview Honey 07113 by Fillmore; Belafina 010333 by Senator Graham; The Daisy Chain 011456 by Lucky Stone; and Justin Jubilee 10160 by King Mick .

These are her better known produce and quite a group of notables they were.  Jubliee Joy  was rated as one of the top ten Morgan mares in the United States  by Marilyn Childs .  A top broodmare she certainly was, but she was also a top show mare from the time she was a weanling.  She was undefeated in mare and foal classes as well.  Jubilee Joy had an exquisite head and eye which showed the influence of her dam Sentola.  Her foals were shown and won and won and produced  for owners all throughout the Mid-West and West. 

{mospagebreak}The Daisy Chain went to Stuart Hazard.  Celebration was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Coats of California.  Torchfire was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Behling,, operators of Hylee Farms.  Mickey Finn was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Milo Duggan of Michigan wo took him to Colorado where he was purchased by Peggy Nichoalds.  This was a prolific, productive and very impressive family .  From their pictures they give the impression of correct elegance.  Horses who were quality and knew it, they all showed a great deal of pride in themselves, yet they were not aloof horses, they were inclined to ‘put on a show’ at the drop of a hat, and some as youngsters especially, were inclined to be very impish, but all with big expressvie eyes and tons of Morgan personality.    For more specific information I refer the reader to both Classic Morgan Admirers Issue on Flyhawk – Autumn 1991 and The Morgan Horse Magazine July 1974.

Sentola’s eight foal also by Flyhawkwas Warhawk 8605 foaled in 1942.  Warhawk was purchased by George Cross and used as a herd sire there as well as a top working stock horse.  He was sold to robert riley of Iowa and among his get sired there was Big John- a well known stallion winner owned by the Osmans of Emerald Acres Farm.  Warhawk was written up most recently in the August, 1995  Morgan Horse magazine.

Her ninth foal also by flyhawk was Seahawk 8863 foaled in 1943.  Seahawk was follwed by the  Sentola’s tenth foal the chestnut Flyhawk son Stetson 9039.    Stetson was originally purchased by E.C. Judd of Salt Lake City, Utah who used him a pleasure saddle horse.  He was bought by the Moshers and later sold to Ramul Dvarishkis of Wyoming.  Mr. Dvarishkis bred him and Stetson sired many foals in WY.   Stetson daughters  were selected by the Neeleys in Idaho as foundation stock, and Mrs. Neely was heard to say  “Stetson is the most beautiful horse I have ever seen.”  From Wyoming Stetson went to the L.U. Ranch where he brought Flyhawk blood back to that herd.  He was sold when he was well past 20 to Nancy Falk and Charles Nosher of Renton, Washington where he lived to be 28 years of age.  Stetson’s best known sons are of course Flight Commander and Domino Joe.

Stetson was followed by Sentana 06535, chestnut foaled in 1945.  She was Sentola’s eleventh foal, and the fifth by Flyhawk.  Sentana was sold to Mr. Harry Wood in Massachusetts, he later sold her to the University of Connecticut.  TGhere she produced U.C. Sentora, U.C. Taffy, and U.C. Pantana among others.  At 19 she was bought back by Mrs. Helen Greenwalt and bred to Windcrest Mr. Success.  By him she produced Glamadonna, a well known show mare.  Sentana’s last living foal was Piccadaisy by Senator Graham, another
good, well known show mare and later on, broodmare., U.C. Sensation, U.C. Leader , and U.C. Ecstacy  Sentana also produced Billy Brookhawk by Dyberry Billy and Petersham Royal by Ruthven’s Alexander Geddes.

Sentana was followed by Sun Up 9371 in 1946, and he was followed by black Top Flight 9963 in 1948.  Top Flight and his neice Highview Honey were sold to Mrs. Melvin Morse of California as weanlings.  When bred together they produced Flight Admiral, a well respected stallion in the Pacific N.W.  Top Flight was sold back to Mrs. Greenwalt who in turn sold him to the John Warner Ranch of Dodge City, Kansas.  From there he eventually went to Mr. Robbins of Kearney, MO were he sired Robbins Night Flight 18251 .  Top Flight also sired numbers of foals in Kansas.  His daughter Big Bend Stewardess was in the broodmare band of Merriehill Farm in Illinois.

After Top Flight , Sentola produced the flashy chestnut The Airacobra 10386 – her eight foal by Flyhawk.   The Airacobra was shown as a weanling, yearling and two year old  to win the Illinois Futurity .  He was shown sucessfully in open Parade Competition as well.  He was a many time winner in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois in open Parade classes.  He sired Mr. Breezy Cobra and Hurricane Lake – both out of Jenny Lake by Senator Graham.  Another daughter Annacobra lived at the Ryan’s Irish Lane Farm.  Mr. Breezy Cobra, in addition to being the sire of Beamington and therefore permanently establishing his name in Morgan history, was a popular show winner and sire of winners in the Mid-West.  Mr. Breezy Cobra daughers include Irish Breeze, Breezilee, and Irish Velvet – all of whom were top producers and show winners.    It is through the blood of Beamington that Sentola comes down to us most frequently.  Those descendents include Merriehill Chicagoan and Bojangles as well as Thunderbay, Nostradamas, WHF Whistle Jacket and Windhover Regency among others too numerous to mention. Greentree Bonniejohn is a Stetson grandson.

Sentola’s last and fifteenth foal was the chestnut filly Decoration Lady 010935 by Flyning Jubilee foaled in 1952. Flyning Jubilee foaled in 1952, bred by Helen Greenwalt of Pawnee, Illinois.

Quite a production record, quite a mare.  Sentola can be found in virtually every kind of pedigree available today – literally from A to Z.   Starting with Arkomia Barrington  a Warhawk grandson to Z Lippitt Whitindale a Congo descendant.  Her blood is available to us in all colors and almost all bloodlines.  The rare CW’s Sterling Silver a gray stallion carries Highview King behind him, the flashy WHF Whistle Jacket carries Beamington, Savage Arms carries her blood through Tedwin Topic, HVK Bell Flaire carries Mr. Breezy Cobra, Bourban Street carries The Airacobra, Aranaway Ali Kas carries Gontola, Twin Pond Disco Kid carries Justin Dart and on and on.  If you check through the 1991 or 1995 Morgan Horse Breeder’s Guide you will find Sentola just about everywhere.  Being a mare she could not produce as many foals as her brother could and did sire, but like Knox Morgan her ancester and like her brother, her influence is strong and important.

Pictures can be found as follows:

Top Flight p. 22 TMH 7/57
Gontola,  TMH Sept 64 p. 66
Waer’s Red Hawk TMH p.3/ 1960 Mid-American section.
“” Lucky Hawk TMH Jan/Feb 1960 p. 26
“” Royal Hawk TMH April 70 p. 16
Justin Dart TMH p.18, 4/60
Rex’s Lannette Vol. IX p. 403
Highview Honey Vol. VII p. 281
Celebration TMH 4/57 and Foxfire and Torchfire Justin Jubilee- East Stallion Section TMH 4/57; his son Justenson 4/57 Nat. Morgan Show section.
The whole Flyhawk issue 7/74.  Sentola Info12/86 p.