Gaines' Denmark

Gaines' Denmark was foaled in 1851 in Bardstown, Kentucky. He was a black stallion with two white hind socks, sired by the Thoroughbred stallion Denmark out of a part-bred mare known as the "Stevenson mare".{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XK50CQAAQBAJ&dq=gaines+Denmark+Saddlebred&pg=PA9|title=Historical Memories of American Saddlebred Visionaries|publisher=|isbn=9781935538097|last1=Chas. l. Cook|first1=Jr|date=4 March 2015}} Gaines' Denmark sired four influential sons: Washington Denmark, Diamond Denmark, Star Denmark, and Sumpter Denmark.

Upon the start of the American Civil War in 1861, offspring of Gaines' Denmark were put into a cavalry troop led by Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. Although Gaines' Denmark survived the war, he did not accomplish much as a sire after it. Prior to the war, he was used as a show horse. Today, he is considered one of the progenitors of the American Saddlebred horse breed.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CdJg3qXssWYC&dq=gaines+Denmark+Saddlebred&pg=PA24|title=International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds|publisher=|isbn=9780806138848|last1=Hendricks|first1=Bonnie L.|year=2007}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2d03AQAAIAAJ&dq=gaines+Denmark+Saddlebred&pg=PA64|title=United States Congressional serial set|year=1903|publisher=}}

As a stud, Gaines' Denmark first caught the attention of American Saddlebred Horse Association founder and president John B. Castleman in 1857. Castleman, then a 16-year-old teenager, purchased a 3-year-old, "three-fourths Thoroughbred" gelding named Lightfoot that was sired by Gaines' Denmark out of "a mare by Boston". With the assistance of Isaac Byrd, an enslaved African American who was owned by Castleman's family, Castleman trained Lightfoot to be a "saddle" show horse, and entered him into a local horse show. The horse fetched an "unprecedented price", and Castleman became further interested in Gaines' Denmark as a foundational sire for the Saddlebred.{{cite book |last1=Castleman |first1=John B. |title=Active Service |date=1917 |publisher=Legare Street Press |location=Louisville, Kentucky |isbn=978-1015639072 |url=https://ia801301.us.archive.org/17/items/cu31924032780649/cu31924032780649.pdf |access-date=27 September 2024}}

Gaines' Denmark was owned and bred by Edward P. Gaines, a breeder of "saddle horses" who lived near Georgetown, Kentucky and Lexington, Kentucky.{{cite web |title=James Gaines House |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/c25834fb-8b3c-4820-9c34-3079fda7608a |website=National Park Service |access-date=27 September 2024}}

{{tree list}}

• Gaines' Denmark{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2d03AQAAIAAJ&dq=gaines+Denmark+Saddlebred&pg=PA64|title=Bureau of Animal Industry|date=20 May 1903|via=Google Books}}[http://justtherighthorse.com/about.htm Just the right horse: about][https://books.google.com/books?id=CdJg3qXssWYC&dq=gaines+Denmark+Saddlebred&pg=PA24 American Saddlebred][https://www.pressreader.com/usa/equus/20230403/281964611961836 Gaines' Denmark sons and grandsons #1]
• Washington Denmark
• King William
• Black Eagle[https://sporthorse-data.com/offspring?horse_id=10440704 Black Eagle Offspring]
• Black Squirrel
• Chester Dare
• Happy Dare
• Beechwold Chester
• Cromwell
• Washington
• Preston
• Jewel Denmark[https://sporthorse-data.com/offspring?horse_id=10650685 Jewel Offspring]
• Beau Brummel of Kenmore
• Star Denmark
• Diamond Denmark
• Montrose
• Moss Rose
• King Lee Rose[https://wchorseshow.s3.amazonaws.com/2019/05/Past-WCHS-Championship-Winners.pdf WORLD’S GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP FIVE-GAITED STAKE][https://sporthorse-data.com/offspring?horse_id=10441290 King Lee Rose Offspring]
• Nickel Plate
• Guided By Love
• Cascade
• Lail's Denmark Chief
• Crigler's Denmark
• Rex Denmark[https://www.pressreader.com/usa/equus/20230403/281998971700204 Gaines' Denmark sons and grandsons #2]
• Rex McDonald
• Rex Donnell
• Sumpter Denmark

{{tree list/end}}

{{Pedigree

|name = Gaines' Denmark, black stallion, 1851

|f = Denmark{{cite web |title=Gaines' Denmark |url=https://www.saddlebred.com/horse?uid=122 |website=American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association |access-date=26 September 2024}}
br. 1839

|m = Stevenson mare
b. 1848

|ff = Hedgeford (GB)
br. 1825

|fm = Betsy Harrison (USA)
b. 1828

|mf = Cockspur (USA)

|mm = Canadian Horse mare{{cite web |last1=Esther |first1=Janet |title=Missouri Fox Trotters From the Past…Nancy Ann |url=https://mfthba.com/education/nancy-ann/ |website=Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association |access-date=26 September 2024}}

|fff = Filho da Puta (GB)
br. 1812

|ffm = Miss Craigie (GB)
b. 1811

|fmf = Aratus (USA)
b. 1820

|fmm = Jenny Cockracy (USA)
ch. 1813

|mff = Cock Robin (USA){{cite web |title=Cockspur |url=https://www.saddlebred.com/horse?uid=270051 |website=American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association |access-date=26 September 2024}}

|mfm = Daughter of Hotspur

|mmf = unknown

|mmm = unknown

|ffff = Haphazard (by Sir Peter Teazle)
1797

|fffm = Mrs. Barnet (by Waxy)
1806

|ffmf = Orville (by Beningbrough)
1799

|ffmm = Marchioness (Eclipse line)
1797

|fmff = Director (by Sir Archy)
1811

|fmfm = Betsy Haxall (by Sir Harry)
18??

|fmmf = Potomac (by Diomed)
1803

|fmmm = Saltram mare (by Saltram)
1799

|mfff = Son of Janus (USA) (Janus line)

|mffm = Daughter of Meade's Celer (Janus line)

|mfmf = Hotspur (USA) (Sir Archy line)

|mfmm = Roan Racking Mare

|mmff = unknown

|mmfm = unknown

|mmmf = unknown

|mmmm = unknown

}}

{{reflist|group=Note|refs=

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association (MFTHBA) lists the "Stevenson mare" dam as a Narragansett Pacer, but most academic and pedigree sources indicate that the Pacer had largely gone extinct as a breed by 1848. Another source lists the dam as a "Canadian Horse mare", which is more likely.

}}

{{reflist}}

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Category:Individual American Saddlebreds