PADRONS HUDSONBEY
In March of 1985, an Arabian colt was foaled at a palatial upstate New York farm. Born into Arabian horse royalty, much was expected of this new arrival. His sire was the legendary national champion *Padron, a stallion whose exotic beauty and fiery presence had earned him legions of fans who admired him for his entire life. *Padron founded a dynasty of his own, and his name can be traced in the pedigrees of top show horses around the world today.
The colt's dam was no less a product of exceptional bloodlines. Kharmel Bey was a daughter of Bay el Bey, a national champion in his own right whose influence would last for generations. Bay el Bey was a sire of both halter and performance lines, and is still impacting the breed through sons like Bey Shah and Huckleberry Bey and their descendants. Kharmel Bey's dam was by Khemosabi, yet another national champion, with a legacy of greatness both during his long life and through his offspring.
Kharmel's colt at first appeared to have fallen short of the high expectations his pedigree had dictated. An ugly duckling of sorts, gawky, pot-bellied, and awkward, the little chestnut didn't seem to carry the nobility or quality of his esteemed bloodlines. His sweet nature made him a favorite of the barn staff, and he was dubbed with the nickname "Rocky". As he did not meet the standards of his breeders, at five months of age he was sold.
Rocky's new owner, Lynne Wormell, was starting a small farm of her own in Millbrook. She saw something in the colt, and had faith that his pedigree would eventually become apparent. Rocky was allowed to grow up, breeding a few mares as a young stallion, while always maintaining his wonderful personality. He was sent into training and soon could be found winning in western pleasure and reining at various shows in the Northeast. The bright, sensitive horse was quickly bored by the western classes, and began showing in hunter pleasure and first level dressage. He drew attention at open dressage shows, with his impressive movement and classical brilliance tempered by his good behavior. At the same time, his early foals were beginning to make their mark. Hudson Surf was a Regional and East Coast top five western pleasure junior horse, and daughter Padrika showed well in halter. It seemed Rocky was on his way to fulfilling his promise as a sire.
In '93, as his show career was winding down, Rocky was joined at Lynne's farm by a young rival. Stetson Bey was a powerful son of the mighty Bey Shah, whose offspring were dominating the show ring at the time. Stetson was also a grandson of the immortal *Bask, and like his grandsire, Stetson could move! Lynne planned to eventually breed Stetson daughters to Rocky, so the *Padron son waited patiently for these fillies to grow up.
Like so many well laid plans, life got in the way and Lynne was forced to disperse the herd in order to sell her farm. Mares left for various areas across New York, and several moved to Maryland to live with Rocky's friend and former dressage rider, Andrea Thornton. Stetson was leased to breeders in California, but the now aging *Padron son had not found a home. A local Thoroughbred farm offered to give him good care in exchange for use as a teaser, not exactly an enviable position for this kind, beautiful stallion. The decision was made to move him to Maryland, where he would live in a converted run-in shed with a paddock overlooking some of his old herd.
The Thorntons quickly realized they had very much outgrown their two acre farm with rented neighboring pasture. In 2003 the family and the herd moved to a larger piece of land in Frederick. A barn was constructed, fences were built, and the *Padron son and his girls had a new home. The following year, Rocky returned to breeding. His first mare, ironically, was the Stetson Bey daughter Enjoli Bey, now all grown up and a champion herself. He also covered several other mares, and the waiting began.
In March 2005, twenty years after the arrival of Kharmel Bey's son, Enjoli presented the Thorntons with a tall, leggy chestnut filly. She was named Entiicing, due to her rather magnetic personality, and a few days after her birth she was joined by Rocky's first Anglo-Arab foal, a big bay colt called Blue. Later that summer another chestnut filly, Sassy, was born in New York. Another Anglo colt arrived in '06, aptly named Victorious, as he was the complete package breeders dream of, with all the best qualities of both his sire and dam.
The exceptional foals Rocky was producing in his most recent crops prompted the Thorntons to invest in those of his future by nominating the 21 year old stallion to the Breeders Sweepstakes in '06. Four purebred mares were bred that year, and once again the family needed a larger facility to accomodate the growing program. A beautiful farm was found in southern Pennsylvania in the spring of '07, and the move began. Three of the mares had foaled in Frederick, three more lovely chestnut fillies from a stallion who had only produced one purebred son in his entire breeding career. The fourth mare foaled in PA, producing (finally!) a sharply marked, fancy bay colt.
Rocky stoodhis final public season at stud in 2008. While he is still consistently getting mares in foal (100% in '06, '07, and '08, again) he is nearly 24 years old and will primarily only breed inside mares and honor rebreedings after '08. A limited number of breedings will be made available through such programs as SHN Payback. His last several foal crops are proof positive that the "old man" has still got it, and as they hit the show ring the demand for Hudsonbey "Beauti-foals" will increase dramatically. For breeders with vision he offers a unique opportunity to access some of the most sought after bloodlines in the world.
The colt's dam was no less a product of exceptional bloodlines. Kharmel Bey was a daughter of Bay el Bey, a national champion in his own right whose influence would last for generations. Bay el Bey was a sire of both halter and performance lines, and is still impacting the breed through sons like Bey Shah and Huckleberry Bey and their descendants. Kharmel Bey's dam was by Khemosabi, yet another national champion, with a legacy of greatness both during his long life and through his offspring.
Kharmel's colt at first appeared to have fallen short of the high expectations his pedigree had dictated. An ugly duckling of sorts, gawky, pot-bellied, and awkward, the little chestnut didn't seem to carry the nobility or quality of his esteemed bloodlines. His sweet nature made him a favorite of the barn staff, and he was dubbed with the nickname "Rocky". As he did not meet the standards of his breeders, at five months of age he was sold.
Rocky's new owner, Lynne Wormell, was starting a small farm of her own in Millbrook. She saw something in the colt, and had faith that his pedigree would eventually become apparent. Rocky was allowed to grow up, breeding a few mares as a young stallion, while always maintaining his wonderful personality. He was sent into training and soon could be found winning in western pleasure and reining at various shows in the Northeast. The bright, sensitive horse was quickly bored by the western classes, and began showing in hunter pleasure and first level dressage. He drew attention at open dressage shows, with his impressive movement and classical brilliance tempered by his good behavior. At the same time, his early foals were beginning to make their mark. Hudson Surf was a Regional and East Coast top five western pleasure junior horse, and daughter Padrika showed well in halter. It seemed Rocky was on his way to fulfilling his promise as a sire.
In '93, as his show career was winding down, Rocky was joined at Lynne's farm by a young rival. Stetson Bey was a powerful son of the mighty Bey Shah, whose offspring were dominating the show ring at the time. Stetson was also a grandson of the immortal *Bask, and like his grandsire, Stetson could move! Lynne planned to eventually breed Stetson daughters to Rocky, so the *Padron son waited patiently for these fillies to grow up.
Like so many well laid plans, life got in the way and Lynne was forced to disperse the herd in order to sell her farm. Mares left for various areas across New York, and several moved to Maryland to live with Rocky's friend and former dressage rider, Andrea Thornton. Stetson was leased to breeders in California, but the now aging *Padron son had not found a home. A local Thoroughbred farm offered to give him good care in exchange for use as a teaser, not exactly an enviable position for this kind, beautiful stallion. The decision was made to move him to Maryland, where he would live in a converted run-in shed with a paddock overlooking some of his old herd.
The Thorntons quickly realized they had very much outgrown their two acre farm with rented neighboring pasture. In 2003 the family and the herd moved to a larger piece of land in Frederick. A barn was constructed, fences were built, and the *Padron son and his girls had a new home. The following year, Rocky returned to breeding. His first mare, ironically, was the Stetson Bey daughter Enjoli Bey, now all grown up and a champion herself. He also covered several other mares, and the waiting began.
In March 2005, twenty years after the arrival of Kharmel Bey's son, Enjoli presented the Thorntons with a tall, leggy chestnut filly. She was named Entiicing, due to her rather magnetic personality, and a few days after her birth she was joined by Rocky's first Anglo-Arab foal, a big bay colt called Blue. Later that summer another chestnut filly, Sassy, was born in New York. Another Anglo colt arrived in '06, aptly named Victorious, as he was the complete package breeders dream of, with all the best qualities of both his sire and dam.
The exceptional foals Rocky was producing in his most recent crops prompted the Thorntons to invest in those of his future by nominating the 21 year old stallion to the Breeders Sweepstakes in '06. Four purebred mares were bred that year, and once again the family needed a larger facility to accomodate the growing program. A beautiful farm was found in southern Pennsylvania in the spring of '07, and the move began. Three of the mares had foaled in Frederick, three more lovely chestnut fillies from a stallion who had only produced one purebred son in his entire breeding career. The fourth mare foaled in PA, producing (finally!) a sharply marked, fancy bay colt.
Rocky stoodhis final public season at stud in 2008. While he is still consistently getting mares in foal (100% in '06, '07, and '08, again) he is nearly 24 years old and will primarily only breed inside mares and honor rebreedings after '08. A limited number of breedings will be made available through such programs as SHN Payback. His last several foal crops are proof positive that the "old man" has still got it, and as they hit the show ring the demand for Hudsonbey "Beauti-foals" will increase dramatically. For breeders with vision he offers a unique opportunity to access some of the most sought after bloodlines in the world.
