American Maternal lines
Written by Truls Sonsteby
Published 1999
Translated by Lawrence H. Cohen
Since the middle of the 1800's, breeders in the United States have chosen top racehorses with the right breeding ingredients and top bred horses to develop the American trotter. One important factor when choosing horses for breeding purposes, is what Maternal Family the stallion or mare represents. The importance of the Maternal Family is often cited by breeders in the US, and also by the previous leading writer and editor of Hoof Beats (published by the United Stakes Trotting Association), Jim Harrison. Harrison is well known for being the co-author of "The Care And Training of the Trotter and Pacer", translated and called "Champion" in Scandinavia. In addition, Jim Harrison gave advice to the people that founded Hanover Shoe Farms and Lana Lobell Farms several years back.
The definition of a Maternal Family can be described as: a group of horses bound to each other through dam, second dam, etc. until they reach the earliest known dam. From this definition we have mares noted as the tap root mare or as the principal mare. The tap root mare is the mare that is the earliest registered foundation mare of the Maternal Family. The principal mare is a mare descended from the tap root mare that has meant a lot to develop the Maternal Family further. Examples: Medio (tap root mare) and Miss Bertha C (principle mare representing Medio). This is called the Tail Female which follows the convention of showing the mares along the bottom of the pedigree when shown graphically, vs. the Tail Male which is shown along the top of the pedigree (stallions is on top, historically and consistently in pedigrees).
In the US, the Maternal Family for each yearling is often mentioned in the Sales Catalogue. In recent years it has become more common to list the yearlings as representatives of their principal mares. To know the Maternal Family of each horse, is even more interesting when one considers the new theories like the X-factor. The theory behind the X-factor is that certain important physical conformation traits (i.e. large heart) are inherited only through the X chromosome (sex linked inheritance).
It is sometimes difficult to find the Maternal Family for certain European horses, simply because the tradition for registering Maternal Families does not have the same tradition in some European countries as in the US (see Wallace Registers, Harness Speedlines by M. Neal and E. Ryan, etc.). French Maternal Families are just as well documented as American Maternal Families.
We have listed a few horses representing different Maternal Families, including all stallions accepted for breeding in Norway 1999. The tap root mares are listed alphabetically.
Ab (US) through Kata Bonner (US) - Dell Ridge Image (CA), King Kruzer (CA), Mark Six (US).
Contention (US) - Alv Richcrop (S), Classical Way (US), Everglade Hanover (US), Express Sund (N), Florican (US), Galophone (US), Go Get Lost (US), Matastar (US), Rotation (US), Super Bowl (US).
Daylight (US, 87J947) through Emily Ellen (US) - Florida Pro (US), Gypsy Thief (US), Kit Lobell (US), Noble Victory (US), Pine Chip (US), Silver Pine (US), Southwind Pinnacle (US), Spencer Scott (US).
Daylight (US, 87J947) through Great Patch (US) - Ayres (US), Buck Newton (US), Coktail Jet (F), Meadowbranch Elmo (US), Texas (US).
Esther (US) - BJ's Super Star (US), Damons Pride (US), Final Score (US), Fine Shot (US), Speedy Scot (US), Victor Victor (US).
Jessie Pepper (US) - Active Bowler (S), Armbro Goal (US), Atas Fighter L. (S), Ata Star L. (S), Evergreen Stahr (N), Guy McKinney (US), Hickory Pride (US), Hickory Smoke (US), Master Thoj (N), Scotland (US).
Kathleen (US) - Caribbean Sea (US), Express Ride (US), Harry's Bar (US), Gallant Pro (US).
Kit (US, 21J664) through Mary Thomas S. (US) - Defiant Yankee (US), Muscles Yankee (US), Scan Timberlake (N), Yankee Paco (US).
Lady Abdallah (US) - Nashville Lobell (US), Nick Lobell (US), No Devil (US), Recourse (US), The Prophet (US).
Lida (US) through Young Miss (US) - Bingen (US).
Lizzie Witherspoon (US) through Isotta (US) - Carlisle (US), Crown's Invitation (US), Ideal du Suede (S), Kramer Boy (S), Nevele Diamond (US), Noble Gesture (US), Pay Dirt (US), Rapido (US), Rosalind's Guy (US).
Maggie H. (US) - Armbro Plush (CA), B. Gent L. (N), Boss is Back (SF), Crowning Point (US), English Tea (US), Firm Tribute (US), Gunslinger Spur (US), Mr. Moxy (N), My Nevele (US), Nearly Perfect (US), Nuclear Kosmos (US), Power Seat (US), Royal Prestige (US), Running Sea (US), Self Possessed (US), Sierra Kosmos (US), Speed In Action (US), Speedy Bones (US), Sugarcane Volo (N), Take Chances (US).
Mambrino Beauty (US) through Nervolo Belle (US) - Blaze Frost (US), Cumin (US), Fern (US), Flak Bait (US), Garland Lobell (US), Gin Tonic (US), Glasgow (US), Market Leader (S), Napoletano (US), Nealy Lobell (US), Peter Volo (US), Prince Mystic (US), Super News (US), Super Nick (US), Tamin Sandy (N), Tomali Sandy (N). Windsong's Legacy (US), Yankee Glide (US).
Mamie (US) - Armbro Kissed (US), Comets Tail (US), Mystic Park (US), Shane T Hanover (US), Somollison (US), Stanley Kosmos (US), Sugarcane Hanover (US), Valley Victory (US).
Medio (US) - American Winner (US), Andover Hall (US), Angus Hall (US), Arndon (US), Brandy Hanover (US), Cameron Hall (US), Conway Hall (CA), Crown Sweep (US), Counts Pride (US), Enjoy Lavec (S), Frosty Hanover (US), Green Speed (US), Living Pride (N), Peace Corps (US), Pleasure Prince (US), Mack Lobell (US), Mr Drew (US), Mr Vic (US), Ride the Wave (US), Speedy Tomali (US), Why Not (US).
Minnehaha (US) through The Thompson Sisters (US) - Benign Chaplin (N), Brisco Hanover (US), Cornstalk (US), Crown's Cristy (US), Davidia Hanover (US), David Raymond (US), Demilo Hanover (US), Desert Night (US), Desert Ruler (US), Ditka Hanover (US), Fiction (US), Gift Box (US), Hoot Mon (US), J R Broline (US), Lord of All (US), Lord Valentine (US), Netted (US), Royal Trouador (US), Sack Pack (US), Sir Taurus (US), Santana Lobell (US), Somatic (US), Speed Merchant (US), Speedy Somolli (US), Spotlite Lobell (US), Victory Dream (US), Workaholic (US).
Minnie (US) through Maud Winton (US) - A.C.'s Orion (US), A.C.'s Viking (US), Lindy's Super Kick (US), Probe (US), Super Mon (US).
Miss Copeland (US) through Fruity Worthy (US) - Madison Avenue (US), Nuke It Freddie (US), Speedster (US), Speedy Rodney (US), Wholly Arnie (US).
Miss Sears (US) through Great Medium (US) - ABC Freight (US), Another Miracle (US), Dallas Lobell (US).
Molly (US) through Mary M. (US) - Game Pride (US), Keystone Gabriel (US), Keystone Pride (US), Soir des Tibur (N).
Nell (US) through Letha Express (US) - Bon Vivant (US), Continentalvictory (US), Dream Lover (US), Fancy Crown (US), Frisky Frazer (US), Giant Chill (US), Homesick (US), Little Devil (US), Shatter Way (US), Top Quality (US).
Nelly (US, 10I884) through Flaxy (US) - Inherit Me (US), Lindy Lane (US).
Nelly (US, 04I247) through Honeymoon H. (US) - Continental Spirit (US), Deliberate Speed (US), Delmonica Hanover (US), Delvin G Hanover (US), Delvin Kosmos (US), Moni Maker (US), Nordin Hanover (US), Park Avenue Joe (US), Ron B Hanover (US).
Old Fanny (US) - Arnie Almahurst (US), Astro Hill (US), Go Hammering (S), Moment of Magic (US).
Sally Ann Shuter (US) - Amigo Hall (US), Giant Volcano (US), Hoot Speed (US), Waikiki Beach (US).