PG . 34
AQHA HISTORY
LETS TAKE A LOOK BACK ON THE HISTORY OF THE AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
ARTICLE BY : AQHA - www . aqha . com . au / hall-of-fame
QUARTER ELGRANDO R1-167
Sire : MESCAL ( IMP ) Q-35 Dam : SNOW JOY ( TB ) FM-15573
Elgrando was a remarkable horse who , with limited opportunity , has left a considerable legacy . He was bred by Sam Hordern and purchased at the age of 13 months by Max McTaggart . He was broken in at 14 months and spent 22 months on the road droving sheep .
They formed a unique partnership which encompassed many years together showing in all eastern States promoting the equine skills and versatility of the Quarter Horse .
Cutting was Elgrando ’ s game , but he had other talents as well . At the Quarter Horse Show at Penrith in 1973 he won the $ 1,000 Open Reining and at the same show his three year old daughter , Elamo , won the $ 1,000 Open Cutting .
In those days there were limited opportunities for crossbred stallions so he was gelded as an eight year old , but not before Max McTaggart built his breeding program on a small band of well performed Elgrando mares , having left their mark on the AQHA Performance registry in a significant way .
From 1976 onward , Elgrando was owned and shown successfully by Hugh Sawrey , one of Australia ’ s most famous artists . He was retired from Open Cutting at the age of 19 .
SOME OF ELGRANDO ’ S ACHIEVEMENTS ARE : -
• AQHA Special Crossbred Award
• Silver and Bronze Century Award for Cutting
• AQHA ROM Performance , Achievement Halter and Cutting
• AQHA Leading Maternal Grandsire of Performance Point Earning Progeny
• AQHA High Point Cutting Horse of the Year several times
• 1984 NSW Quarter Horse Association Certificate of Appreciation
• NCHA Hall of Fame inductee
• 1973 , 1974 and 1975 NCHA High Point Horse of Australia
• 1975 and 1976 NCHA High Point Gelding
In 1981 , five of Elgrando ’ s daughters were given Q status by the AQHA Board on their performance and / or the performance of their progeny . Elgrando was the sire of NCHA High Point Mare of Australia , “ Elamo ” in 1974 and that brilliant little grey gelding , “ Wagga ”, who was shown by some of the best AQHA Youth riders of his era .
Elgrando ’ s daughter , “ Lee Jay ” won every round of the Calf Roping with Gary McPhee at the National Finals Rodeo in Cootamundra . She was in foal at the time !
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION - WWW . AQHA . COM . AU