Driftwood (horse) facts for kids
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| Breed | Quarter Horse |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Rodeo |
| Sire | Miller Boy |
| Grandsire | Hobart Horse |
| Dam | mare by Barlow |
| Maternal grandsire | Barlow |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1932 |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Bay |
| Breeder | Mr. Childress |
| Owner | Catherine A & Channing Peake |
| Honors | |
| Honors | |
| American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame | |
Driftwood (1932–1960) was a famous American Quarter Horse known for his amazing skills as a rodeo horse. He was first called Speedy when he competed in rodeos. Later, Driftwood became very famous for being the father of many top rodeo and ranch horses.
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Meet Driftwood: A Rodeo Legend
Driftwood was a special horse who made a big name for himself in the world of rodeo. He was a stallion, which means a male horse, and he was a bay color, meaning he had a reddish-brown body with a black mane and tail.
Driftwood's Early Life
Driftwood was born in 1932 in Silverton, Texas. His first owner was Mr. Childress. Later, he was owned by Catherine A and Channing Peake from Lompoc, California.
When Driftwood was registered with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), he was given the number 2833. The AQHA is a group that keeps records of Quarter Horses. It took a few years to find out enough about his family tree to register him.
Speedy's Rodeo Adventures
Driftwood was first known as "Speedy" when he was a rodeo star in the late 1930s. He was owned by a rodeo cowboy named Asbury Schell.
A Horse for All Rodeo Events
Speedy was a very talented horse. Asbury Schell rode him in many different rodeo events, including:
- Calf roping
- Team tying
- Steer roping
- Steer wrestling (also called "bulldogging")
Speedy even competed in stock saddle races sometimes! He was a true all-around rodeo horse.
From Speedy to Driftwood
In 1941, the Peake family wanted to buy Speedy. But Asbury Schell made his living from rodeo, so he didn't want to sell his star horse. Instead, he let the Peakes breed seven of their mares (female horses) to Speedy.
The next year, in 1942, things changed. World War II caused a shortage of supplies, which meant fewer rodeos were happening. Because of this, Schell finally sold Speedy to the Peakes for $1500.
It took the Peakes three years to find out enough about Speedy's parents and grandparents to register him with the AQHA. By then, the name "Speedy" was already taken by another horse. So, the famous rodeo horse was registered as Driftwood instead.
Driftwood's Amazing Offspring
After his rodeo career, Driftwood became a very important breeding stallion. He was known for siring (being the father of) many top rodeo and ranch horses.
Champions from Driftwood
Driftwood's children and grandchildren were also very successful.
- Two of his foals (baby horses) earned a special award from the AQHA called the Race Register of Merit.
- Nine of his daughters also had foals that earned this award.
- Nineteen of his foals earned a Performance Register of Merit, showing they were great at performance events.
- One of his foals even won a year-end High Point Award, meaning it was the best in its category for the whole year!
Many of Driftwood's offspring competed in professional rodeos, just like their dad. He was famous for producing more top rodeo horses than any other stallion of his time.
Famous Offspring
Some of his most famous children included:
- Driftwood Ike
- Firewood
- Poker Chip Peake
- Henny Penny Peake (who won the Pacific Coast Hackamore Championship in 1953 and 1954)
Driftwood's Legacy
Driftwood passed away in 1960. His impact on the Quarter Horse breed and rodeo world was so great that he received a very special honor.
Hall of Fame Horse
In 2006, Driftwood was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor, like a sports hall of fame, for horses that have made a lasting difference.
In 2007, Western Horseman magazine, a popular horse magazine, named Driftwood as number five on their list of the top ten ranch horse bloodlines. This shows how important his family line was for creating great ranch horses.
