SPRINT WHORSES
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with Allan Sullivan
Amongst Quarter Horse people the debate of who has the
best horse is never ending. It often comes down to the fastest
horse and this is a discussion that only the racetrack and/or
the performance arena can truly answer. Yet as breeders or
competitors many of us do not give enough respect to speed in
the breeding, training or selection of our performance athletes.
Although we no longer have recognised Quarter Horse racing
in this country we do have many sporting events that require
short speed with its allied hair trigger responses in our
performance athletes.
In the recent years progressive breeders of performance
horses have begun to re-infuse an element of speed into their
horses. Regardless whether this was intentional or fad driven,
the results are there for all to see. One of the proven track
horses used in these programmes, and of particular interest to
Australian breeders, was Dash Ta Fame SI.113. His sire FIRST
DOWN DASH is the alltime Leading sire of money earners in
the history of Quarter Horse Racing.DASH TO FAME himself
was the leading sire of Barrel Horses for 12 years running, and
has been a prime example with his progeny dominating in the
performance arena.
Given the obvious benefits, one wonders why many in the
industry are still reluctant to breed to running bred sires.
Is there a fear that the great Quarter Horse attributes of
athleticism and temperament will be lost? My thought, as a
Page 26 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • July • August 2015
breeder who has an a