Page 32 - August 2019

SPEEDLINES
A COMMON BOND
Part 2
The common bond between Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds came from the same foundation sires . . .
by Larry Thornton
Our look at the common bond between the American Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred shows how the early sire lines of
these two breeds came from the same sources - The Byerley Turk, the Godolphin Arabian and the Darley Arabian. But where did these three foundation stallions come from?
The Byerley Turk was foaled in the 1680’s. The legendary story of the Byerley Turk tells us that he was captured at the Battle of Buda in 1686. This was an early name for Budapest in Iraq. The English
were a part of the Holy League that fought
to overcome the control that the Ottoman Empire had on the City of Buda. The Byerley Turk was reportedly one of three “Turkish Stallions” imported to England after this battle. Another one of these stallions was the Lister Turk. The Byerley Turk’s coming to England led to his being the War Horse of Robert Byerley, a captain in the British Army. He served Byerley in the King William’s Wars in 1689 in Ireland, and it has been reported that Byerley was almost captured scouting
for the Army - with the speed of the Byerley Turk saving him. When Byerley retired from the Army, he took his charger with him. The pedigree of the Byerley Turk is unknown, but speculation today says that he may have been bred in England and not imported as the legend portrays him. He has also been listed as a Barb in some places, giving an indication that he may have been a Barb stallion from the Barbary Coast of North Africa. This would include countries like Morocco. He stood at stud from 1691 to 1702.
The Godolphin Arabian, foaled around 1724, was immortalized in the Marguerite Henry book King Of The Wind as originating in Morocco and then traveling through life to France and then England. He became
the property of the 2nd Earl of Godolphin (Francis Godolphin) and as they say, the
rest is history. The Henry story tells us that he was once given to the King of France
and then he was sent away by the King. He became a cart horse before becoming a great foundation sire for the American Quarter Horse and the Thoroughbred. He died in 1754. He was the leading sire in England in
THE
BYERLEY
TURK
was foaled in the 1680’s and stood at stud from 1691-1702.
THE
DARLEY
ARABIAN
was foaled around 1689 and was the leading sire in England in 1722.
THE
GODOLPHIN
ARABIAN
was foaled around 1724 and was the leading sire in England in 1738, 1745 and 1747.
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SPEEDHORSE, August 2019