Because of a number of membership
requests from individuals whose breeding stock carries less than 3.125% Joe
Hancock blood, there was a need to come up with some basic guidelines to
help breeders determine if their breeding program is truly Hancock "bred".
Our readership comes to Hancock Horses.com to research and buy breeding
stock and performance horses that carry a significant percentage of Joe Hancock
blood, who also possess the positive physical and mental traits attributed
to that blood.
We have included some breeder memberships based on breeding programs that
are more Hancock "influenced" than Hancock "bred".
Many breeding programs influenced by Joe Hancock produce high quality individuals
that are successful in the show ring, rodeo arena, on the ranch and out on
the trails, but are they Hancock "bred" programs?
Here is the defining question: Can some of your breeding stock be
calculated to carry 10 %*, or better, Joe Hancock
blood or show a significant bloodline percentage to one of Joe Hancock's
influential sons or grandsons? (Buck Hancock, Red Man, King County Joe, Texas
Bluebonnet, Lowry Boy 36, Blue Valentine etc)
A very well known and beloved Joe Hancock "influenced" Quarter Horse was
Rugged Lark, 2X AQHA Superhorse, the sire of two AQHA Superhorses, as well
as having earned other accolades and performance earnings. His dam Alisa
Lark has two lines to Joe Hancock for a bloodline percentage of 9.375, which
gives Rugged Lark a Joe Hancock percentage of 4.68%. Is he considered a Hancock
"bred" horse or used in Hancock breeding programs? No.
To view Rugged Lark's pedigree.
allbreedpedigree.com/rugged+lark
An example of a Hancock "bred" stallion crossed on a strong but unrelated
damline to produce an individual with superior performance horse traits would
be the 1998 gelding, Freckles Taz. A top NFR quality heel horse ridden by
Allen Bach. Freckles Taz's sire is linebred to Joe Hancock (17%) and linebred
to Blue Valentine (31.25%), his dam has no lines to Joe Hancock. Had Freckles
Taz been left a stud would he be considered Hancock "bred"? His Joe Hancock
percentage would be 8.5% and his Blue Valentine percentage 15.625%. Put to
Joe Hancock bred mares, his dams outcross blood may have been considered
a way to preserve hybrid vigor, without significantly lowering the Joe Hancock
or Blue Valentine blood percentages. Bred to mares with no Joe Hancock blood,
Freckles Taz's get would be considered Hancock "influenced".
To view Freckles Taz's pedigree.
allbreedpedigree.com/freckles+taz
Buck N Badger is an example of a horse that was bred specifically to maintain
high percentage Joe Hancock blood (26.56%) as well as high percentage Buck
Hancock (31.25%). He was bred to preserve the best of Joe Hancock. Whether
he had been born a mare or stud, Buck N Badger was a horse meant to influence
the next breeding generation of Hancock "bred" horses. His conformational
traits and disposition also allowed him to earn 9 open AQHA reining points
at the age of 17. He had not been shown since he was a youngster and to make
a comeback at an age where most performance horses have long since retired
cannot be over looked. Used in an outcross program his get would still carry
13.28% Joe Hancock and 15.625% Buck Hancock blood. His contribution to a
Hancock "bred" program would be significant.
To view Buck N Badger's pedigree.
allbreedpedigree.com/buck+n+badger
A stallion or mare with one or two lines to Joe Hancock and less than 6.25%
blood cannot be seriously considered Hancock "bred" regardless of quality
or performance. This same individual would have to be bred to a horse carrying
a minimum of 13.75% Joe Hancock blood for the offspring to maintain the 10%
Joe Hancock minimum. Can your breeding program meet these very basic guidelines?
We have allowed a very open membership, but must now ask breeders to police
themselves in this area before they ask to join our group.
Maintaining a minimum 10% blood average is no easy task. Joe Hancock was
foaled in 1923 and died just two years after AQHA was formed in 1941. To
find quality breeding stock, all these years later, that can contribute a
sizable percentage of blood takes determination and a love of these horses.
Even with AI and embryo transfer certain desirable crosses will not be possible.
Many of our members have spent considerable time and money, not to mention
years dedicated, to search out, breed, promote and offer for sale the best
of the Joe Hancock bloodlines. This is why HancockHorses.com was formed.
It gives breeders a website where they can network with other breeders to
find and market their stock. It gives people who may not have the connections
made from years of experience, or lucky enough to be born into "Hancock"
quarter horse breeding families, to obtain information without having to
rely on word of mouth or outdated printed material. Nobody looking for a
true Hancock Horse wants to have to wade through dozens of websites marketing
Hancock bred(?) horses, that have very little Joe Hancock influence.
We wish those people whose horses boast lines to an AQHA Hall of Fame stallion
take pride in the influence Joe Hancock has had on the quarter horse breed
in all venues. But keep in mind what makes a breeding program and an individual
horse, truly Hancock "bred".
*10%
The minimum bloodline percentage
of an individual horse, considered by many breeders, to have a physical influence
on a breeding program. Some breeders may have determined for their own programs
that this 10% is too low and look for breeding stock with higher Joe Hancock
percentages.
We are more than happy to help individual breeders determine if they meet
our basic bloodline requirements, and will still occasionally allow membership
to Hancock "influenced" programs based on merit… years of quality breeding
and excellent reputation within the quarter horse community.
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Michelle's Disclaimer:
I do not claim to be a geneticist. But I have put together these
guidelines for Hancock Horse Breeders Group that reflects general sentiment
expressed in comments over the years from breeders, and using common sense.
These guidelines are just that: Guidelines.
---------------- Member Feedback
----------------
"Michelle,
I just love your article on this subject. You are right on the money about
what influence a Hancock bred horse. I find it very interesting the example
you post. Another I find rather interesting that I never hear mentioned is
Otoe, AQHA # 0128989. This 1960 son of Sugar Bars had a mama that
was 25% Joe Hancock. His mother was Juleo, AQHA # 0035955, a bay mare by
Leo out of Julie W by Joe Hancock. Isn't that just fascinating!! With all
that Otoe accomplished; RACE SI-95(AAA)/ROM 13-5-2-3, $4,595; AQHA Champion
1962.(H-76.0(Supr)/P-0, Sire of: 47 winners of 109 races, Open H-2384 ; Yth
H-371, Op.P-2115.5, Amtr P-15 & Yth P-1010, he definitely was influenced
by the 12.5% Joe Hancock in him. He had as much percentage as other great
Joe Hancocks that have influence the Joe Hancock legacy.
Keep up the great work, You girls are outstanding!! Thanks," Rickey
Morales
"I want to comment on the article on how much you need to be called a true
Hancock it was great. I agree if you dont have at least 10 % you really dont
have enough of it. But I have found a drop of Hancock blood is as good as
a bucket of any other. I have been around Hancocks every day for 48 yrs and
not found but very few others I liked even close. Thank you guys for starting
all this."
Mike Price
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