Driftwood (horse)
Encyclopedia
Driftwood was originally known as Speedy while he was a rodeo
horse. Driftwood was known for siring rodeo and ranch horses.
(or AQHA). His stud book entry lists him as a bay horse (meaning stallion
in this situation) foaled in 1932, and bred by Mr. Childress of Silverton, Texas
. His owners at the time of registration were Catherine A and Chaning Peake of Lompoc, California
. His breeding was mostly unknown, with only two lines traceable past the grandparents. Both of those lines traced to Lock's Rondo, however. His second dam was a Thoroughbred
mare from Kentucky
, although her exact breeding was unknown. His paternal grandsire, the Hobart Horse, is of unknown breeding.
Driftwood made a name for himself in the late 1930s as a rodeo horse, when he was known as '"Speedy". He was owned by a man named Asbury Schell, who calf roped
, team tied, steer roped and bulldogged
off the stallion he called Speedy, as well as occasionally stock saddle races. In 1941, the Peake's tried to buy Speedy, but since Schell earned his living as a rodeo cowboy, they were only able to talk Schell into letting them breed seven mares to the stallion that spring. The next year, with World War II
rationing
curtailing rodeos, Schell finally sold Speedy to the Peakes for $1500. There was some confusion about the stallion's pedigree
, and it took three years before the Peakes were able to track down the previous owners before Schell and find out enough of the horse's breeding to register the stallion with the AQHA, and by that time the name "Speedy" had already been registered, so the horse was registered as Driftwood instead.
Driftwood sired two horses that earned their AQHA Race Register of Merit, as well as nine daughters that produced Race Register of Merits. He sired nineteen foal
s that earned a Performance Register of Merit from the AQHA, and one foal earned a year end High Point Award. Many of his offspring competed on the professional rodeo circuit, where Driftwood made a name for himself by siring more top rodeo horses than any other sire of his time. Among the outstanding rodeo horses he sired were Driftwood Ike and Firewood. Others included Poker Chip Peake and Henny Penny Peake, who won the 1953 and 1954 Pacific Coast Hackamore
Championship. He died in 1960.
Driftwood died in 1960 and in 2006 he was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame
. In 2007 Western Horseman magazine chose Driftwood as number five on their list of top ten ranch horse bloodlines.
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
horse. Driftwood was known for siring rodeo and ranch horses.
Life
Driftwood was registered as number 2833 with the American Quarter Horse AssociationAmerican Quarter Horse Association
The American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive events and maintains the official registry...
(or AQHA). His stud book entry lists him as a bay horse (meaning stallion
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
in this situation) foaled in 1932, and bred by Mr. Childress of Silverton, Texas
Silverton, Texas
Silverton is a city in Briscoe County, Texas, United States. The population was 771 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Briscoe County.-Geography:Silverton is located at ....
. His owners at the time of registration were Catherine A and Chaning Peake of Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
. His breeding was mostly unknown, with only two lines traceable past the grandparents. Both of those lines traced to Lock's Rondo, however. His second dam was a Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
mare from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, although her exact breeding was unknown. His paternal grandsire, the Hobart Horse, is of unknown breeding.
Driftwood made a name for himself in the late 1930s as a rodeo horse, when he was known as '"Speedy". He was owned by a man named Asbury Schell, who calf roped
Calf roping
Calf roping, also known as tie-down roping, is a rodeo event that features a calf and a rider mounted on a horse. The goal of this timed event is for the rider to catch the calf by throwing a loop of rope from a lariat around its neck, dismount from the horse, run to the calf, and restrain it by...
, team tied, steer roped and bulldogged
Steer wrestling
Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Like all rodeo events, there are concerns from the animal rights community that the competition...
off the stallion he called Speedy, as well as occasionally stock saddle races. In 1941, the Peake's tried to buy Speedy, but since Schell earned his living as a rodeo cowboy, they were only able to talk Schell into letting them breed seven mares to the stallion that spring. The next year, with World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
curtailing rodeos, Schell finally sold Speedy to the Peakes for $1500. There was some confusion about the stallion's pedigree
Pedigree chart
A pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance or phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next, most commonly humans, show dogs, and race horses....
, and it took three years before the Peakes were able to track down the previous owners before Schell and find out enough of the horse's breeding to register the stallion with the AQHA, and by that time the name "Speedy" had already been registered, so the horse was registered as Driftwood instead.
Driftwood sired two horses that earned their AQHA Race Register of Merit, as well as nine daughters that produced Race Register of Merits. He sired nineteen foal
Foal
A foal is an equine, particularly a horse, that is one year old or younger. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, but these terms are used until the horse is age three or four. When the foal is nursing from its dam , it may also be called a suckling...
s that earned a Performance Register of Merit from the AQHA, and one foal earned a year end High Point Award. Many of his offspring competed on the professional rodeo circuit, where Driftwood made a name for himself by siring more top rodeo horses than any other sire of his time. Among the outstanding rodeo horses he sired were Driftwood Ike and Firewood. Others included Poker Chip Peake and Henny Penny Peake, who won the 1953 and 1954 Pacific Coast Hackamore
Hackamore
A hackamore is a type of animal headgear which does not have a bit. Instead, it has a special type of noseband that works on pressure points on the face, nose, and chin...
Championship. He died in 1960.
Driftwood died in 1960 and in 2006 he was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame
American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
The American Quarter Horse Association has created a Hall of Fame in Amarillo, Texas to honor both people and horses who contributed to the growth of the American Quarter Horse. Any one may nominate either people or horses to be considered. Nominations from the membership are due by October 1. They...
. In 2007 Western Horseman magazine chose Driftwood as number five on their list of top ten ranch horse bloodlines.