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We went on to see Fancy and from the first time
we ever saw her she was outstanding. She was not strong on her
feet but she did so much. She could barely carry a saddle at eighteen
months. She shook her head and she was absolutely "Zane
Grey type" all the way. Jerry broke her and then we
brought her home for three months during the cold weather. (Jan
sold her horse and Julie gave her 49.9% ownership of Fancy.) We
took her back about the last of February so that Jerry could get her
ready for the Two Year Old Futurity. He had several horses in his
barn at the time but he was also riding Zane’s Royal King for
Judy Fiend (Middleton). When it came down to who Jerry was going
to ride at the Futurity, Jerry chose to ride Royal King for Judy
in the Stallions and Geldings and Fancy in the Mares. At that time
the Futurity was only a two-night show. Jerry won on Fancy in the
preliminary Mare Division on Friday night. On Saturday night, he
rode Fancy to the Two Year Old Mare Championship. In the Stake class
later that same night, he got Jerry Jackson to ride her. (Jerry
Jackson was a pretty big man then.) Fancy had already gone one
full class but she put on a tremendous show and won third behind Quentin
Middleton on Boss Man and Paul Thompson on Smokey D.
This was the beginning of a wonderful, wonderful era in the fox trotting
horse breed, I think. It was the best of all times. Everyone
was really excited and competition was sportsman-like in the true spirit
of competition. People didn’t just pick their shows.
Everybody went to the shows on Friday night and then again on Saturday
night. Almost every town around would have one show and maybe two.
There would be ribbon shows in the spring where they would get their two
year olds out. Looking back now, those young horses were barely
broke. There weren’t any inside training barn to any extent
until Jerry went to Strafford and built that big barn.
As far as I am concerned, the crop of foals born in 1972 was Zane
Grey’s best. There were many outstanding fillies born that
year. The two top ones were Zane’s Fancy Girl and Zane’s
Queen of Hearts. But there were many, many other good
individuals born that year - Zane’s Bay Lady E., McCullough’s
Bay Lady, and Tom Jennings Bay Lady. Competition was
really, really strong. The next year, of course, there wasn’t as
big a crop but still strong competitors like Bobbin Robbin and Zane’s
Merry Princess.
Fancy Girl was extremely successful throughout her career.
We have had the good fortune to have a lot of very good horses but if we
could have just one, it would be Fancy. She was always the
same with three strong gaits and she has a wonderful disposition. You
could ride her four days a week and keep her ready to show. She
would always perform well for you, never letting you down.
Zane’s Fancy Girl is fifteen hands, seal brown or bay, with no
white markings. She was known everywhere for her tremendous head
shake and natural ear flop. She was shown consistently throughout her
career. Jerry Middleton showed her as a two-year old and I showed
her a little, wining the State Fair Two Year Old Championship.
As a three-year old, I was having a little bit of trouble getting her to
fox trot after Quentin Middleton put the canter on her. Fancy
just seemed to have "canter" on her mind. We were riding
in our arena one day and Jan said, "Let me try her." She
got on her and was able to get her to fox trot again. From that
point on, I lost my horse. Jan took her over and then later Julie
started riding her.
As a four-year old in 1976, she was High Point Horse of the Year in the
Southwest Association. This was quite an accomplishment because
there were a lot of classes for saddlebreds, Arabians, walking horses
and fox trotters. It was intense, fierce competition. Fancy
went through the gate sixty-six times as a four-year old. That
seems unreal but she did. Often times she would show on Friday and
Saturday nights with Julie showing her in the Youth Class and Jan would
show her in the Senior Mare and Stake Classes. Fancy was Four-Year
Old World Champion Mare with Jan riding her. Julie showed her
successfully in the Youth division and won her class.
The next year was the first at the new show grounds, 1977, which was
exciting. Fancy was Reserve World Grand Champion that year behind
Zane’s Queen of Hearts. It was a thrilling class of
horses that also included Yankee’s Town Clown and Black Rex
E. We showed Fancy successfully again in 1978 and
‘79, retiring her at the end of that season.
We were very fortunate to have a mare like Fancy. She was
always dependable, sound and healthy. If everybody had a horse
like Fancy, everyone in the world would want to ride a fox trotter
because she made it so easy and fun. Fancy is now
twenty-seven years old and is still with us on the farm. When it
is cold, she is put up and when the sun shines, she is put out with her
friends.
As a broodmare, she has never produced anything as talented as she is
herself. We have thought about it a lot. It seems to be true of
the Zane Grey daughters. The granddaughters of Zane Grey
seem to be the good broodmares. Fancy’s second daughter is a
very good producer for us. (Fancy only had two daughters
and one died when she was nursing her first foal.) Her second
daughter’s name is Sheer Elegance and she has produced four foals.
The oldest one, Prides’ Top Brass, is a big black stallion that
Julie has shown very successfully. He is Fancy’s
grandson. Besides Top Brass, there is Pride’s Bold
Ruler and a black filly, Pride’s Sheer Elegance.
Fancy produced two bay fillies by Merry Boy Sensation, and then
six stud colts in a row; two bays by Missouri Outlaw C. and 3
buckskins and 1 bay by Bronze Pride. All were show horse
quality but not of the caliber of Fancy.
The show career of Zane’s Fancy Girl had one final addition in
1994. She proved how natural the fox trotter is when, at the age
of 22, she made one more appearance at the Celebration. John was
on board of directors of the MFTHBA at the time. In the opening
ceremony on Stake night the board members always ride in to be
introduced. We thought it would be a great idea if he rode Fancy.
She was in good health and looked great. We carefully started
riding her. Fancy proved that time and age make no
difference when you have a great natural ability. It was just amazing
when we got her to the Celebration. She had a great time and all
the fans who remembered her were delighted to see her. She went
around the arena and just picked up where she left off. Great show
horses do not forget the thrill of competition at any age.
Article is taken from Fox
Trot Trackings Too
by Nadine Moeller, 417-732-2213
E-Mail: n-g.moeller@pcis.net
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