Sultan's Great Day (March 22, 1981 – March 22, 2004) was a black American Saddlebred stallion sired by Supreme Sultan, out of the mare Supremes Cassandra. Great Day, as he was commonly called, was a twice World's Champion Fine Harness Stallion. In his debut performance, he earned the title 1983 2-year-old World's Champion fine harness stallion. Other prestigious wins followed during his 2 and 3 year old years. He was retired to stud at the age of 4, but was shown a few more times in later years. Great Day was referred to as "one of the most prolific sires of world's champions throughout the 1990s".[3] He sired 387 registered offspring of which 106 were ribbon winners, 63 were futurity ribbon winners, and 24 went on to become champions in their respective disciplines.[4]
| Sultan's Great Day | |
|---|---|
.jpg) William Shatner riding Sultan's Great Day in 1993 | |
| Breed | American Saddlebred |
| Sire | Supreme Sultan |
| Grandsire | Valley View Supreme |
| Dam | Supremes Casindra |
| Maternal grandsire | Stonewall Supreme |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | March 22, 1981 – March 22, 2004[1] |
| Color | Black |
| Breeder | Mrs. Hymel Fishkin |
| Owner | William Shatner |
| Trainer | Royce Cates[2] |
| Major wins | |
| World's Champion Two-Year-Old Fine Harness Stallion/Gelding[1] | |
Early life and performance career
editSultan's Great Day 76479 was foaled March 22, 1981. The breeder of record is Mrs. Hymel Fishkin of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.[4] His sire was Supreme Sultan, and his dam was the mare Supremes Casindra by Stonewall Supreme. His haircoat was a deep black color, as were his mane and tail.
Great Day made his performance debut as a two-year-old competing in fine harness competition [1] He was sold after his title of champion to Donna Moore for Linda Johnson.[5] Sultan was purchased by William Shatner after he won his second World's Championship Horse Show. He then started living at Belle Reve Farm.
Shatner commented on Sultan's Great Day, “Great Day is to me what a Rodin statue is to an art collector, except that this work of art is alive.”[6] Shatner said "the magnificent part of owning horses is breeding horses." Sultan's Great Day was bred to champion Saddlebred mares, and produced champions.[7]
Breeding and offspring
editSultan's Great Day became a breeding stallion at age 4 under the management and supervision of Donna Moore. Among Donna's top breeding selections were daughters of New Yorker, a widely recognized sire of champion Saddlebreds.[3][8]
During his breeding career, Sultan's Great Day sired 106 Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show ribbon winners with 454 ribbons (1st-8th), 24 champions, and 63 futurity ribbon winners.[9] The Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show is said to be the same "to saddlebreds in August what Churchill Downs is to thoroughbreds in May."[10]
Pedigree
editSultan's Great Day's grandsire, Valley View Supreme is the only stallion ever to become Three Gaited World Grand Champion.[11]
| Sire Supreme Sultan |
Valley View Supreme | Genius Bourbon King | Bourbon Genius |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blessed Event | |||
| Diana Gay | The Genius | ||
| Lady Alice | |||
| Melody Olee | Anacacho Denmark | Edna Mays King | |
| Jane Black | |||
| Judy Olee | Leatherwood King | ||
| Aces Orchid | |||
| Dam Supremes Casindra |
Stonewall Supreme | Stonewall King | My King |
| Glorian | |||
| Mamie Peavine | Richmond Choice | ||
| Queen | |||
| Casindra Beaverkettle | Denmark Beaverkettle | Admiral Denmark | |
| Mary Flowers | |||
| Candace Kalarama | Kalarama Rex | ||
| Jean Bohemian |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Tragic Month for Equine Losses". April 13, 2004. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ "A horse of one's own". Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Tragic Month For Equine Losses". SaddleHorseReportOnline. April 13, 2004. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ a b "Journal of the American Saddlebred" (PDF). Sultan's Great Day 76479. 2015. p. 218. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
- ^ "Saddlehorsereport Donna Moore". Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ "Celebrity Equestrians". Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ Funkhouser, Bob (2004-01-08). "Again Supreme Heir - Fifteenth Annual World's Champion Sire Rating". The Saddle Horse Report Online. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ "NEW YORKER ch. H, SADDLEBRED, 1970". All Breed Database. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ^ "Sultan's Great Day" (PDF). Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ "Horse Stars Hall of Fame—Macadamia". Equus Foundation. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ^ Ross Millin. "supremsultanusa". Retrieved 9 May 2016.
- ^ "Sultan's Great Day pedigree". Retrieved 31 March 2016.