At Merriewold Morgans we considered ourselves very fortunate to have known this lovely mare. She was not only a talented, beautiful and gentle individual but also a wonderful mother who gave us so many extraordinary foals.

During her life Majesty had three owners:

The Rohrs who bred her and took her to a world championship.

UVM Morgan Horse Farm, where she produced five foals including her most famous, Farah.

And finally, Merriewold Morgans, she lived at Saralin and produced six foals including Diplomat and JS Bach.

Majesty was born in 1987 at Majesty Morgans to Bill and Linda Rohr.   Below are some of the photos and memories Linda Rohr sent to be included in this tribute.

MAJESTY MY FAIR LADY 

Majesty My Fair Lady lived up to her name in all regards. Like Eliza Doolittle, she went from a romping flower girl in the pasture to a high society Morgan show horse in a matter of months. We owned her sire, Arrow Hill Adonis, and her dam, Townsend Tamara, both of whom were stabled with Bob Kellert when he was in Santa Paula, CA.

She spent her yearling year with us in El Cajon, CA.   I remember her as a very shy, timid little filly, running away and not wanting to be caught.  She always had skin problems as a youngster mostly due to living in the pasture. When it came time to treat the problem, and to have her body clipped, it was at that moment that she learned that humans were not that scary. 

From that day forward, the transformation began. She was transported to Mitchell Clark Stables in Del Mar, CA and became the training project of apprentice, Philip Jackson. Philip turned her into a Princess and a “Lady” of high society. Her chestnut hair became shiny and beautiful and she began to bloom. 

Her athletic ability was inherited from her sire, Arrow Hill Adonis, and as she matured, she became his spitting image, of course not as bold, but very classy and majestic!  She loved to be driven. The minute she was hooked up to the pleasure cart, one could see in her eyes that work was to be done. 

And so, she continued to work and went on to win her debut in the 2-year-old pleasure driving division culminating in winning the 1989 World Champion 2-year-old Pleasure Driving Futurity Championship.  

There were so many entries, it was an honor to have been chosen from such a large field. She stood graciously for the win and photo shoot, and trotted a proud victory pass out from the coliseum.

“Lady” continued her winning ways in both Pleasure Driving and English Pleasure, ending her career after spending a successful year showing under Peggy Alderman.  A decision was made to close Majesty Morgans, and in so doing Majesty My Fair Lady was donated to The Vermont Morgan Horse Farm’s breeding program, and from that time forward until her demise, she became an important mare leaving behind a legacy of beautiful, athletic, and talented offspring.

“Lady” thank you for the gift that you gave to the Rohr Family and for all whose lives you have touched. You are a very special mare and you will be missed!

With fond memories,

Linda Rohr

She truly was a magnificent mare. Her legacy will live on!!!!

After her World Champion win with the Rohr’s, Majesty was given to UVM Morgan Horse Farm to begin her career as a broodmare.  She had five foals while she was there.  Steve Davis remembers her well and here is his contribution to her Tribute:

 

 

Dear Diana,

 

I, too, am sorry to hear of  “Lady’s” passing.  As you know, she made a significant contribution to the UVM program, producing five quality foals, from 1994-1998.  

As you may also remember, I am personally involved with the Morgans at UVM on a daily basis.  I recall Lady as a kind, easy to manage individual – good ‘mother’ to her foals, and a sociable herd-mate in our broodmare band.

In a broader appraisal, when mated to UVM Stallions, her offspring exhibited tractable, trainable dispositions and above average athletic ability.  

Probably her most versatile UVM product is UVM Glimmer, purchased by the Molin family in Delaware.  The UVM Dexter daughter continues a remarkable sport career as a youth/adult mount on a local to national level.  UVM Farrah, full sibling to your Merriewold Bella was perhaps the most ‘glamorous’ product for UVM.

In the end, however, my esteem for Majesty My Fair Lady is told by the lessons her offspring have taught those in the UVM sphere.

The image of UVM Chance with an apprentice intern up, tells a universal tale.

To paraphrase the venerable Horse Master, Colonel Alois Podhajsky, “…’my horses my teachers’ – thank you Lady, your lessons have been many.”

 

All the best wishes to you and all at Merriewold

 

Sincerely,                         Steve Davis (for all at UVM MHF)

 

 In the summer of 1998 Jackie Brittain and I went on one of our “Morgan” trips to Vermont and surrounding areas. One of the farms we visited was UVM Morgan Horse farm and that is where we found Majesty.  She was lovely, and when we saw the quality of her foals we knew she was a superior mare. We purchased her in foal and sent her to Florida.

We had about 6 months to get to know Majesty and loved every minute. Then Majesty went to Kentucky to live with our other broodmares at Saralin with Sally Longenecker. Sally probably knew her better than anyone and has many memories of Majesty, here are just a few:

 Majesty My Fair Lady was a lovely chestnut mare, inside joke!!!   (Diana always insisted she was brown) She lived a large part of her life here at Saralin under my care. She was a gentle mare with great dignity and that wonderful user friendly Morgan mind.

Although not overly gregarious, she was pleasant to all her pasture mates. The only time I saw her with an unpleasant expression was when we were teasing her and she was, to the best of her ability, telling us she was not ready.

The only area where she was a bit contrary was when it came to foaling. She did not want an audience. She went to extraordinary lengths through the years to avoid having me present at the birth Such as… rubbing out foal alerts, foaling early with no udder, foaling mid day out doors, foaling five minutes after a barn check… Oh I could go on.

She will be remembered through her wonderful foals but we will miss her anyway.

Sally Longenecker

 

As Majesty had her Merriewold foals and Jackie Brittain handled, started and trained them, she noticed that they had a number of wonderful qualities in common, a sense of self worth and dignity, a willing and trusting nature, and a friendly attitude all given to them by their mother, Majesty.

 

Majesty My Fair Lady , 1987-2012

 

Majesty was truly our ” Blue Hen Mare”. She put all of the special qualities into her foals that set the “Morgan” breed standards apart from other breeds. The best quality of her foals is their trainability. They all performed in many disciplines and excelled.

 

Majesty’s last foal named Merriewold Kandie is my personal favorite of any of the horses bred at Merriewold. “Kandie” has that inner spirit you can feel when you ride her and she connects with you completely. It is a very special bond few horses allow their rider to feel.

I am honored to have had Majesty’s offspring to raise and enjoy.

Jackie Brittain

 

Majesty My Fair Lady , 1987-2012

Majesty My Fair Lady produced six foals for Merriewold: Bella, Diplomat, Flaire Lady, Gaysha, JS Bach, and Kandie. Each one is an outstanding individual and we are extremely proud of all of them. I knew Majesty best through her babies and our visits to Saralin. This last photo sums up how I feel about her.   I will really miss her and am so glad we have her wonderful offspring to remind us of her.

Majesty was a very special Mare. She was a star in the Show arena, an exceptional Mom, had a gentle demeanor and was loved by all.

Diana Wold

 

 To see more photos of Majesty please visit… Majesty’s Info page and photo album

Read the “The Morgan Horse” article about important Morgan mares.

Majesty’s Merriewold Foals:

Merriewold Bella
Merriewold Diplomat
Merriewold Flaire Lady
Merriewold Gaysha
Merriewold JS Bach
Merriewold Kandie

We are honored and pleased to announce that the popular equine magazine, The Morgan Horse, featured one of Merriewold’s broodmares, Majesty My Fair Lady, in their February Mares Issue in the article entitled, “My Blue Hen Mare – Queen Mums”!

Wikipedia says the term “Blue Hen” means “a mare who has proved herself exceptional in producing high quality foals, almost regardless of which stallion might be the sire. These sons and daughters would also have an impact on the breed.”

For the February mares issue of The Morgan Horse we asked some owners and breeders to write about their own “Blue Hen Mare.” Some of these mares are already legendary, others, we learned when we plumbed the registry database, should be.

To know horses by their show record or their production record is not the same as knowing a horse at home. Here is a close up, first person glimpse into the lives of a handful of the most consistent and predictable producers in the Morgan breed

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Click on the .pdf link below to read and/or print the article.

Read the full article here… (.pdf)

 

Letter from Majesty’s breeder, Linda Rohr:

 

Hi Diana and Jackie,

A Morgan friend of mine emailed me the article that was in the Morgan Magazine about “Queen Mums”.  Majesty My Fair Lady was featured with a delightful write up.  So, I immediately emailed AMHA for a copy of that issue and it arrived today.  I also went to your website and was pleasantly surprised to see photos of some of her produce.

 

There is a fondness in my heart for “Lady” as we called her.  She was always pure elegance and class.  My husband and I are so pleased that she became a valuable brood mare, after her show career.  We had “donated” her to UVM, when we made the decision to find homes for all but two of our Morgans.  It was a difficult decision, but a good one, since she produced UVM Farrah, and others, from that time forward!

 

Congratulations on your breeding program.  I am excited to see that Robert Hughes bought Merriewold Flaire Lady and it will be interesting how her show career develops.  Or is she being used as a broodmare?  Do you know?

 

We have an interest in the Morgan Sport Horse too!  My first Morgan who taught me everything was a stallion, named Mehlwood McKylo, who later went on to be a three time World Champion Jumper and one time Reserve World Champion in the late 80’s.  He also showed at some open shows in Del Mar!  He was my best friend for 24 years when he died at the age of 31!  I truly miss him and the other Morgans that became a part of our family.

 

Our daughter showed Intrepid Bay Ruler, during her junior exhibitor years in English Pleasure.  Arrow Hill Adonis was our main stallion who won many regional Grand Championships in Hand and Park Harness, but never was a winner at the Nat’ls.  Third place seemed to be his “forte”.  We had a lot of excitement with him.

 

I just wanted to let you know how happy we are that Lady (Majesty) has such a good home.  Is she at Saralin now in retirement?  She must be about 24 or so?

 

Good luck with this year’s show season.  I’ll keep a watch out for Merriewold and Majesty’s produce.  Please let me know if anything else exciting happens with any of her young ones.

 

Thanks,

Linda Rohr

 

 

UVM Rarity 1990-2006 UVM Elite X UVM Happy

UVM Rarity was my first Morgan mare.  I was introduced to the Morgan breed thru my family’s two mares: Laine’s Dawn and Diana’s Dawn, but Rarity was the first mare that I purchased.  Jackie Brittain and I found Rarity when we went on our first horse adventure in Vermont.  We were looking for a few good Morgan geldings, all-purpose riding horses for the ranch.  On our rounds we visited several wonderful Morgan Farms including East of Equinox (where I purchased Jazzman), UVM Morgan Horse Farm where we met UVM Happy, a UVM top producer and a gorgeous, big, feminine mare, and Destiny Morgans where we saw several young prospects for sale.

While looking around at Destiny Morgans Jackie pointed to a horse out in the pasture and said, “Look at that mare!”  Rarity was stunning and everything a Morgan mare should be: huge eyes, little ears, chiseled, feminine head, elegant arched neck, short, smooth back and a full flowing mane and tail. She was a shiny dark brown and she knew she was special.  Coincidently she was a UVM Happy daughter.  Rarity was not on the sales list but after a little persistent pestering, her owner Gladys Severance sold us this exceptional mare.

Rarity’s pedigree reads like a who’s who of the UVM Breeding program. Her sire line: UVM Elite by the great UVM Watchman, her dam’s sire line: UVM Highlight by Orcland Vigildawn, and of course her dam the great UVM Happy considered one of UVM’s top mares.   While with Gladys at Destiny Morgans, Rarity had two very nice sons, Breeders Maestro and Breeders Crescendo both by the stallion, Santini.

When Rarity came home to Central Florida we started riding her with the thought of going to a show or two.  She soon earned the nicknames, Madame Zoom Zoom and Rare Mare.  She was a hot one!  So, after conversations with owners of UVM bred Morgans we learned that the “hot’ runs in some UVM lines and they are perfect to cross with large, athletic, solid minded Morgans that will result in an ideal Morgan offspring.  We decided to send Rarity to Courage of Equinox to be bred.

Rarity was a survivor!  She experienced two near fatal events in her life that would have ‘done in’ a lesser horse.  Not Rarity.  She was determined to make it through both of these disasters.  Her first near death experience came when her rectum was severely torn.  No one knows exactly how it happened but if she had not been taken to the equine hospital immediately she surely would have died.  After seven months in the hospital, and a bill several times larger that her purchase price, Rarity went to Meg Preston’s Rumbrook Farm to complete her recuperation.   Meg took good care of Rarity for about a year and when she was ready to resume a normal horse life we decided to send her to Saralin Morgan Horse farm and Sally Longenecker.  She would have a good life there and possibly even return to breeding.

Rarity paid me back for all the worry and expense by giving me three beautiful foals: Emma, Fabien and Harmony.  Merriewold Emma is by Nemours Noble Elegance and was purchased by the Bodnar family of Merriehill Morgans while still at Rarity’s side.  Emma was shown as a yearling and became Reserve World Champion Yearling Filly in hand.  Merriewold Fabien, by Lyonhil Quasar started his training in working western, reining and cutting, and was then purchased by Stacy Mclain as her all around pleasure horse and trail partner.  Fabien has Rarity’s gorgeous looks and energy along with Quasar’s size and athletic ability.  Rarity’s last foal is Merriewold Harmony by Beethoven.  She is an elegant filly with that extra attitude needed to be a top contender in the show arena.  She is currently in training with Luman Wadhams.

Rarity was bred one more time but lost the foal early in the pregnancy. This was the beginning of her second life threatening challenge.  Rarity lost all control of the muscles in her hindquarter, including her tail and rectum (not legs).  She was in the hospital for several weeks and at one point her chances of living were not good.  But she wasn’t in pain and while there was hope we didn’t give up.  More importantly, Rarity wouldn’t give up: she wasn’t ready to go!

Rarity returned to Saralin and was slowly and lovingly eased back to a “retired” routine.  She lived happily one more year out at pasture.  She had her friends, good Kentucky grass and the leisure she had earned.  One afternoon when she was on her way to the barn for the evening meal she just lay down and was gone.  She picked her time.  She always was in charge.

 

Click here to view Rarity’s Pedigree Page and Photo Album.

 

Additional Comments by Diane Benoit:

 

My daughter was reading the tribute to UVM Rarity and showed it to me.  We bought Breeders Maestro from Dawn Severence, Gladys daughter, in 2005.  He was one of the first foals from UVM Rarity.  He is living the good life still in Vt, we built a 4-stall horse barn this past summer ( Dawn refers to it as a house not a barn!) and brought him to his forever home.  He is fourteen now and is ridden by my three girls 10, 12, and 14.  They trail ride him and show him in the local Morgan circuit.  He still  takes the blue ribbons!

He is an awesome horse and treats each one of my girls differently when they are riding him. He still has the energy of a 2 year old but is kind and very safe . It was fun to read how Rarity was nicknamed zoom-zoom!   I hope we will be lucky enough to have him 26 years like Rarity.

Your website is great and its fun to see how beautiful some of Maestros relatives are!  If your interested I can send a picture of him.

 

Diane Benoit

Moonset’s Reflection (Whit Akers Sensation x Highmeadows Bluemist), 1989-2007.

Our wonderful mare ‘Reef’ – dam of Rocket, Honey and Hanah, passed away  July 17, 2007 from an acute case of colic.  She was a big, easy-going mare and we will miss her.  This is our tribute.

Reef, was born July 31, 1989 and became a part of our program after the purchase of her son WNC Rocket Man.  We were so impressed with Rocket’s abilities that we had to have his Mom as well.  Reef passes on her size, athletic conformation and steady disposition to her foals.

Her foals are smart, tractable, tall and are able to compete in the larger ‘open’ multi-breed market.   Below are some special comments by her previous owners and Diana Wold, Reef’s last owner.  Then a list of Reef’s foals.  Diana had three of her lovely offspring, a gelding and two fillies…WNC Rocket Man, Merriewold Hanah and Merriewold Ima Honey Moon.

Comments by Claudia Grimes of Windcrest Farm, Reef’s 1st Breeder:

“Reef, was so very special to us.  She was our first broodmare, as well as, a companion and show horse.  She produced several beautiful babies for us and her oldest was our first Grand National Top 10 horse.  She opened up a while new world to us, but even more, she was our special friend that greeted us each morning, gave kids pony rides, took care of all the babies, took Mike on his first saddle seat ride and shared the foaling of her babies exclusively with him.  She was the bestest of moms, teaching her babies all the right things and disciplining them as only a fantastic broodmare could do.  She taught them to love people, understand our requests and to tolerate whatever we asked of them.  She will be so missed, but her legacy lives on in her get!”

“Eleanor Brackman owned her first foal, Windcrest Legacy, until she passed away.  Sandy and Calvin Sessnick took “Legs” to Nationals a couple of years and she placed well in the hunter division.”

“The next foal was Rocket that, of course, you own.  Then came WNDC Compadre’s Reflection (x Holiday Compadre) owned by Rick Gaeckle and Shara Davis.  He is doing great (placed with his Junior owner at Nationals last year) and I will tell him.  He does hunt and western and just started dressage.”

“Next was WNDC Peace of the Action (x War and Peace).  We sold him as a yearling and they are using him for stud in Penn.  Next was WNDC Eclipses’s Reflection that we showed at Nationals with Calvin and Sandy as a yearling.  He placed in his futurity.  We showed him ourselves as a 3 year old in hunt and he was 8th in his world futurity and 3rd at OKC in stallions and geldings hunt.  We sold him to a lady in Utah last summer (I will contact her).”

“Then, WNDS Magnum Force, which is owned by Jennifer Carr.  She has shown her English Pleasure very successfully and now at 4 is changing her to hunt and she looks awesome…That is the list of foals.”

Comments by Jennifer Carr, Reef rider and foal owner:

“I had the pleasure of knowing Reef for many years.  I was granted the distinct pleasure by Mike & Claudia Grimes of being allowed to show Reef several times.  She was a dream to ride, full of motion and power, so much fun.”

“In 2004 I was given the grand pleasure of purchasing one of her foals, WNDC Magnum Force, a tall chestnut yearling filly by Arboria Top Gun.  “Maggie” has so many traits of her mother and she and I have formed a great bond that is carrying us to the winners circle in the show ring many times over.  She is carrying on her mother’s legacy very well.”

“Reef will be greatly missed.  She truly was a special horse and touched the hearts of all who had the privledge of knowing her.  Until we meet again…”

 

Pictured left is Jennifer and Reef, during the show years.

 

Comments by Sally Longenecker, Reef’s last caregiver:

“Moonset’s Reflection, Reef, was a dear Morgan mare, a gentle soul.  She was a good mother and an athletic representative of the breed.   Her pasture mates and I will miss her.”   Sincerely, Sally Longenecker.

Reef lived her last years at Saralin Morgan Horse Farm in Kentucky.

*Pictured right is Sally, Reef and Honey.

 

Comments by Diana Wold, Reef’s last owner:

“I purchased Reef – sight unseen, after getting to know her son, WNC Rocket Man (by Holiday Compadre).  Rocket is an exceptional sport horse and has the qualities we are looking for in our breeding program.  Reef went directly to live at Saralin in Kentucky, where she produced two foals for us, Merriewold Hanah (by Lyonhil Quasar) and Merriewold Ima Honey Moon (by MEMC Tequila Cuervo).  I know Reef mostly through these three individuals.  The traits they share are their tall athletic conformation, their smooth ground covering gates, a pretty head with large intelligent eyes and their inquisitive playful nature.  Loosing Reef in such an unexpected way is a tragedy.”

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 WNC Rocket Man	 Merriewold Hanah	 Merriewold Ima Honey Moon

Moonsets Reflection Info Page and Photo Album

Moonset’s Reflections foals:

1.  Windcrest Legacy
2.  WNC Rocket Man
3.  WNDC Compadre’s Reflection
4.  WNDC Peace of the Action
5.  WNDC Eclipses’s Reflection
6.  WNDS Magnum Force
7.  Merriewold Hanah
8.  Merriewold Ima Honey Moon