Leo (horse)

Leo
Breed Quarter Horse
Discipline Racing
Sire Joe Reed II
Grandsire Joe Reed P-3
Dam Little Fanny
Maternal grandsire Joe Reed P-3
Sex Stallion
Foaled 1940
Country United States
Color Sorrel
Breeder J. W. House
Owner Bud Warren
John Tillman
Gene Moore
Awards
A speed rating
Honors
American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame

Leo (1940–1967) was one of the most influential Quarter Horse sires in the early years of the American Quarter Horse Association (or AQHA).

Life

Leo was foaled in 1940.[1] He was a double grandson of Joe Reed P-3, as both his sire and dam were by Joe Reed P-3.[2] He was registered with the AQHA as number 1335, a sorrel stallion bred by J. W. House of Cameron, Texas and owned by E. M. Salinas of Eagle Pass, Texas.[3]

Leo raced in the early years of the American Quarter Racing Association, being rated with an A speed rating and earning a Race Register of Merit in 1944. However, his exact racing record isn't available.[4] He raced mainly at Pawhuska, Oklahoma in the ownership of John W. Tillman. Leo set a track record at Pawhuska, running 300 yards in 16.0 seconds. He is claimed to have won 20 out of 22 match races.[5]

Tillman told Nelson Nye that "He always had a wonderful disposition, is easily handled, was a perfect gate horse, and had the heart and ability to come from behind and outrun good horses."[5] Tillman sold Leo to Gene Moore of Fairfax, Oklahoma, who stood him at stud for a number of years. In 1946 Leo had a trailer accident that nearly cut off both hind legs, he recovered enough to race, but never as well as before. In 1947, Leo ended up in the hands of Bud Warren, who retired him to full-time stud duties.[6] He died in 1967.[1]

Leo was the sire of many outstanding horses, including Miss Meyers, Palleo Pete, Robin Reed, Hygro Leo, Holey Sox, Leo Tag, Leolita, Okie Leo, and Tiger Leo.[7] He sired twenty-four horses that earned an AQHA Championship, and 211 Race Register of Merits.[1] One of his foals, Leo Maudie, earned the highest showing and racing honor the AQHA has when he earned an AQHA Supreme Championship in 1971.[8] He was an outstanding sire of broodmares, many of his daughters going to on produce racehorses as well as show horses.[5]

Leo's daughter Leota W was the 1947 Co-Champion Quarter Running Two-Year-Old Filly. Leola, another daughter, was the first Quarter horse to win three futurities, winning the Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming Futurities. His son, Palleo Pete, was the 1954 Champion Quarter Running Stallion.[5]

Leo was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame.[9]

Pedigree

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bonnie Joe (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joe Blair (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miss Blair (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joe Reed P-3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Old DJ
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Della Moore
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Belle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joe Reed II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
High Time (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fleeting Time (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
British Fleet (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nellene
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brown Billy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Little Red Nell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Red Nell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bonnie Joe (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joe Blair (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miss Blair (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Joe Reed P-3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Old DJ
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Della Moore
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Belle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Little Fanny
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*Alloway (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ashwell (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*Melton Mowbray (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fanny Ashwell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fanny Richardson
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sister Fanny (TB)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Close and Simmons Legends: Outstanding Quarter Horse Stallions and Mares pp. 157–165
  2. ↑ Leo Pedigree at All Breed Pedigree retrieved on June 22, 2007
  3. ↑ AQHA Official Stud Book and Registry Combined 1–5 p. 122
  4. ↑ Wagoner Quarter Racing Digest pp. 631–635
  5. 1 2 3 4 Nye Complete Book of the Quarter Horse pp. 399–408
  6. ↑ Nye Great Moments in Quarter Racing pp. 66–69
  7. ↑ Pitzer Most Influential Quarter Horse Sires pp. 68–69
  8. ↑ Mattson Real American Quarter Horse pp. 26–27
  9. ↑ AQHA Hall of Fame

References

  • All Breed Pedigree Database Pedigree of Leo retrieved on June 22, 2007
  • AQHA Hall of Fame accessed on October 30, 2011
  • American Quarter Horse Association (1961). Official Stud Book and Registry Combined Books 1-2-3-4-5. Amarillo, TX: American Quarter Horse Association. 
  • Close, Pat; Simmons, Diane (editors) (1993). Legends: Outstanding Quarter Horse Stallions and Mares. Colorado Springs, CO: Western Horseman. ISBN 0-911647-26-0. 
  • Mattson, Paul (1991). The Real American Quarter Horse: Versatile Athletes who proved Supreme. Wamego, KS: Premier Publishing. ISBN 1-879984-77-6. 
  • Nye, Nelson C. (1964). The Complete Book of the Quarter Horse: A Breeder's Guide and Turfman's Reference. New York: A. S. Barnes and Co. 
  • Nye, Nelson C. (1983). Great Moments in Quarter Racing History. New York: Arco Publishing. ISBN 0-668-05304-6. 
  • Pitzer, Andrea Laycock (1987). The Most Influential Quarter Horse Sires. Tacoma, WA: Premier Pedigrees. 
  • Wagoner, Dan (1976). Quarter Racing Digest: 1940 to 1976. Grapevine, TX: Equine Research. 

Further reading

  • Groves, Lesli Krause (May 1994). "Leo: How They Almost Lost Leo". Quarter Horse Journal: 18. 
  • Wilkinson, Garford (April 1940). "Mainly About Leo". Quarter Horse Journal: 17, 19, 69–72, 126. 

External links

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