National Stallion Register
January 10, 1947
This roster of Thoroughbred sires is the largest ever compiled by the Chronicle during the past eight years. It is interesting to note the definite line created by *Sir Gallahad III. Once it was the *Teddy line and yet today with 31 stallion sons of *Sir Gallahad III standing throughout the United States (7 of these in the U.S. Remount) it is a great credit to an immortal sire of classic lines. *Teddy, himself, has 20 stallion sons standing throughout the United States, of which 3 of these are in the Remount.

Eighteen stallion sons of *Bull Dog, by Teddy, are on the Roster, of which 1 is in the Remount; this brings the total to 69 stallions, sons or grandsons of *Teddy.

There are 18 stallions by Blenheim II, 17 by Man O’ War, 15 by Blue Larkspur, 14 by *Pharamond II, and 9 by *Challenger II.

A number of stallions have been relocated in the United States, with Kentucky benefiting in numerous instances in stallion shifts.

[In 1947, California came close to equaling Kentucky in number of Thoroughbred stallions standing; Virginia listed more sires than Maryland, and now important Thorough-bred breeding states of New York and Florida only offered 10 and 2 sires, respectively.

The Army Remount, in its last months of existence, still listed sires in 37 states. The bulk of these were Thoroughbreds, the majority of which stood in Western states, where they would come to influence the developing Quarter Horse breed. Other breeds offered included Arabians and a handful of Morgans, along with half-breds from the Army’s famous Reno line. The most controversial sire on the list, and one of the most successful, was the German import *Nordlicht, taken as war booty and whose registration became a subject of much controversy.
  
Air Travel
January 10, 1947
With air transportation of horses now a matter of everyday practice the United States will see its first International races of 1947 at Hialeah Park and Santa Anita, with the recent imports from England having been flown over to scarcely miss a day’s training.

Air travel has broken down the last frontier of the Thoroughbred horse and now an outstanding Thoroughbred is no longer limited to localities for campaigning; 1947 will see such as Assault, Stymie, Armed, in fact all the best of the handicappers, flying North to South, East to West, engaging in all the rich prizes of the turf.  Air travel has already had its effect in rich stakes.

Bobby Davis Recovering
January 10, 1947
J.V.H. “Bobby” Davis, well known gentleman rider who came out of the Service and uniform to get straight back to ’chasing, is currently in charge of launching The Steeplechase Rider School in Aiken, S.C.

This school, underwritten by Mrs. F. Ambrose Clark, well know patroness of steeplechasing, has S.A. Warner as “prexy”. Mr. Davis, who instructed at the Cavalry School, Ft. Riley, Kansas, for a spell before going overseas, had planned to ride with the ’chasing undergraduates attending the school while instructing.

Competition Keen In Jumping Classes In Lone Star State
By Hobby Horse
February 7, 1947
The new jumping blood in Texas cropped up with a pleasant bang at the San Antonio Benefit Horse Show held Nov. 9-11.

The co-eds of Texas University did very well for themselves in their first official appearance in jumping circles. In most cases both horses and riders were making their debuts. Both horses and riders receive their tutelage under the expert instruction of that seasoned and experienced Charles F. Zimmerman (formerly of Sacramento, Calif.). He spent four years at Ft. Riley, Kan., as an instructor for the U.S. Cavalry.

Riding Ponies Of Hunter Type
By Hark Forrard
January 24, 1947
The title of this article is chosen advisedly. There are many ponies; the Norwegians use ponies primarily for farming, the Criollos for working cattle, the Highlands for shooting and carrying game, the Shetlands for carrying peat and hauling mine oars, and the Hackney for driving.

The pure breeds of riding type, and, more specifically, of hunter type, are very few however. Under 12 hands 2 inches are the Welsh Mountain ponies and the Moorland breeds of Dartmoor and Exmoor in Devonshire and Cornwall. Over 12.2 hands there are the Connemara ponies from the west of Ireland and the New Forest ponies from the south of England.

Unfortunately in this country, we are poorly off for purebred ponies of hunter types. So many different types of stallions have been turned loose on the Chincoteague Islands that, if the Chincoteague pony had ever been considered a pure breed, it has long since lost that claim. The purebred Shetland is definitely not a riding breed. In this country, due to a rather loose system of registration, one does see ponies registered in the American book that make a good ride.

We do have a few Welsh ponies, most of them fairly recent imports, and still fewer Dartmoor—at the McDonogh School in Maryland and at Farnley Farm in Virginia.  But most of our better riding ponies are the result of cross breeding. The pony part of the pedigree may leave a good bit to be desired as far as a type is concerned, but there is usually Thoroughbred or Morgan blood that supplies a better shoulder and withers and longer front.

Themselves And By Themselves
February 14, 1947
Horsemen everywhere should appreciate the statements made recently by the two organizations concerned on the status of the horses imported from Germany. The Jockey Club and Col. Hamilton speaking for the American Remount have made carefully prepared briefs the net result of which is considerably clarified prepared viewpoint possessed by the general public and a far more sympathetic understanding of the difficulties which surround each side of the question.

As it stands now, The Jockey Club admits a natural repugnance to everything Nazi, dislikes the idea of recognizing horses whose credentials depend on a Nazi system. Admittedly those who kept the German Studbook may not have been Nazis, but nevertheless the book was under complete control of the system.
[The U.S. Army captured a number of German horses that were imported to the United States as war booty. These included German Thoroughbreds and warmbloods as well as horses taken by the German Armies from breeders in other European countries.]

Jockey Club Report On German Horses
February 14, 1947
Regarding the applications made to the Jockey Club in 1946 by the Remount Service of the United States Army for the registration in the American Stud Book of horses imported from Germany… The Jockey Club cannot be equipped to make is own investigations in foreign countries. It must necessarily depend upon the records and certificates of the established and trusted turf authorities in those countries. In respect of German Thoroughbreds, it formerly accepted certification of the organization known as the Union Club of Berlin.

Two applications were made by the Remount Services in 1946 for registration of imported horses. The first application was made in January. . . for various horses, some of which are stated to be the produce of horses taken by the German Army from France. By the second application was requested for 18 horses stated to be of purely German origin.

The French turf authorities had established a basis on which horses taken by the Germans from France and the produce of such horses might be “repatriated” into France. They requested that these horses not be registered in The United States or Great Britain pending determination of their eligibility by the French Breeders Syndicate.  . . [the Jockey Club] has not made eligible any of the French horses.

Regarding the generally confused conditions in Germany, we had received a letter from the French Breeders Syndicate as early as October, 1945 (the war ended May 7 that year): “Moreover, the chaos which actually
exists in Germany has the effect that far from remaining where they were originally exported to or reared, these animals are now dispersed to the most diverse places.

[Col. Hamilton of the Remount reported] “Upon my arrival in Germany, I found that the Union Club had been dissolved and absorbed by a government agency. The registrar of this agency was Herr Altenburg, whereabouts unknown.”

Combating Hoof And Mouth Disease
By A. Mackay-Smith
March 14, 1947
If you are in the cattle business, you had better think about hoof and mouth disease. For many years stockmen in this country have congratulated themselves on the fact that the disease is unknown here and have looked down their noses at England and Argentina, where the disease is prevalent. Our complacency has recently been severely jolted. In fact many of the people best qualified to know are extremely doubtful as to whether we can keep it out.

To date, the disease has broken out in 10 Mexican states with a cattle population of 2,000,000. If it spreads to the states along the border there will be very little hope of keeping it out. It can be spread quite as easily through birds or straw (often used to wrap importations of pottery) as through importation of stock. The last outbreak in this country, in California, is believed to have been introduced by seagulls that had eaten infected garbage jettisoned from foreign vessels.

The best method of control is by the enormously expensive slaughter program, which still gives only a 50% chance of success. There is a vaccine available which is less effective and also expensive since only 12 animals can be treated with blood from one infected animal.

Cattle, sheep, and hogs do not ordinarily die from hoof and mouth disease, but the losses from lowered production of milk and meat are enormous. If the disease were to become widespread, the pressure to abandon the sanitary code, which now excludes beef from countries like Argentina, would probably be irresistible.

[The disease did eventually reach the border, leading to wholesale slaughter of cattle in several Southwestern states.]

Gerald Webb, Horseman And Editor
April 25, 1947
The road has come to an end for Gerry Webb of The Chronicle. Going as he would have liked to have gone, riding his own horse, a race for gentlemen in pink, he rode his last race and rode it to the end with all the fire, the gameness, the zeal and determination that was for him a way of life, a creed, his whole being. Knocked immediately unconscious in a racing accident, his fine sporting career has been cut tragically short.

Now that these days are past for him, he leaves friends behind him everywhere. Emmett who kept his horses, the Duffeys where he made his home, The Chronicle, and all those in sport with whom he worked to develop sportsmanship and better sport will not forget. Gerry wanted more than anything to be a good horseman and a good journalist. All his waking hours, he thought and wrote and rode with these things in mind and always the result was good.

If one were to say what were the outstanding attributes of this horseman/journalist, one would say an immense sincerity of purpose, an everlasting loyalty to that purpose and the courage to do and say and write what he believed was best for the sport, the people and the life he loved. He has gone now, gone, wrapped in his ideal, a restless, splendid man, a great friend, who died, as he would have liked, with his boots on riding his last race. God rest you Gerry Webb and thank you for the work you did.

[Gerald Webb served as managing editor to The Chronicle from the time he and Stacy Lloyd founded the periodical in 1937 until his death 10 years later.]

Compiled by Jackie Burke