DHJ:: Featured Stallion - Justamere Showtime

Our Featured Stallion: Justamere Showtime
by Bruce Roy
published in The Draft Horse Journal, Winter 2003 - 2004

No one can question the fact, the World Percheron Congress held in 1983 at Calgary’s Exhibition & Stampede was a breed milestone. This for one reason, which shadows all others.

Sixteen entries trotted forth in the class for Three Animals, the Get of Sire. This class sponsored by Margaret, Sheila and Dorothy Young, honored the Young Family’s great breeding horse, Justamere Showtime. It was no fluke that the judges, Jim McPeak, Okotoks, Alberta, and Richard Lee, Hilbert, Wisconsin, placed entries sired by Justamere Showtime’s sons: Highview Dragano, South Valley Did-It, Foremark Forest Pride, Lucasia Big John and South Valley Showmaster first, second, third, sixth, eighth and ninth. An entry by Count On It, a Justamere Showtime grandson, placed fourth. Offspring by Justamere Showtime stood fifth and seventh. This sweep was reported in The Draft Horse Journal, which stated, “It is a rare and memorable occasion when any stallion so completely dominates the Get of Sire class at a major show.”

Successful horse breeders have always placed great emphasis on the mother of a sire prospect. She had to be a top mare, that came from a proven female family. However, even the veterans little knew how credible their ideas were.

Scientists now know the female ‘X’ chromosome is the biggest horse chromosome and carries much more genetic information than the male ‘Y’ chromosome, which is the smallest horse chromosome with regard to genetic information. Most body cells contain up to 10,000 mitochondria that are passed on to the foal almost exclusively by the dam. These genetic information carriers seem to contain performance related information such as heart and lung capacities, etc. The results of molecular research are explaining the ongoing success of certain mare families over the decades and supply scientific proof for the infinite validity of strict mare selection for successful horse breeding. Up to now this has only been known in many areas through statistics and breeder instincts.

One can better appreciate the record of Justamere Showtime, given this information, for few Percheron stallions came from a greater female family. Generation following generation the female antecedents, found in the distaff of Justamere Showtime’s extended pedigree, were respected by knowledgeable horsemen of their time.

Justamere Perfection was the dam of Justamere Showtime. A female rightly named, this big, powerful mare had joints of steel. She was supported on the bone and bottoms of a Clydesdale. A mare before her time, she had height and stretch, plus feminine character. Shown with success as a filly, she matured as the bottom fell out of the trade.

Dragano, the Iowa-bred sire of Justamere Perfection and Justamere Mona.

Justamere Perfection was out of Justamere Mona. Both mother and daughter were sired by Dragano, an Iowa-bred son of Treviso, Grand Champion Stallion in 1921 at the Ohio State Fair. Justamere Mona was out of Rosalie, another closely bred matron of exceptional quality. Prophet, the sire of Rosalie, was by Nixy and out of Birdett, a son and daughter of Kaptain, the good Dunham-bred horse purchased by Jonathon Fox. Mabel, the dam of Rosalie, was by Clayton and out of Mona, a son and daughter of Bessy. Not one of the females found in the distaff of Justamere Showtime’s extended pedigree carried a white marking. All were dark dapple greys except Justamere Perfection, a mare that was ebony black in color.

Bessy and her greatest daughter Mona, found in the southeast corner of Justamere Showtime’s extended pedigree, were purchased early in 1914 by Jonathon Fox & Son, then resident at Simpson, Minnesota. Both mares were bred by L. W. Orr, Afton, Minnesota. These two females came from a family of mares, well documented by Alvin H. Sanders in A History of the Percheron Horse, which was printed in 1917. In this book, the author quotes a letter received from L. W. Orr, concerning the mare Fany, the maternal grandmother of Bessy.

“I bought the mare Fany in 1900 from J. Koester of Minnesota. She was foaled in 1895 and had produced some colts before I bought her. During the years 1901 to 1916 inclusive, a period of sixteen years, she has never failed to get in foal, and I have saved and reared twelve colts produced by her in the sixteen years. Of the colts foaled by her in my possession, I sold the first, Rosalie, as a mature mare for $500; her second colt, Picador, a stallion, I sold for $800; her third colt, a mare, Gladdis, I sold at maturity for $500; her fourth colt, a stallion, Canton, I sold for $1,000; her fifth colt, a mare, Blanche (the mother of Bessy) and her sixth colt, a mare, Rosette, I still own and consider the pair easily worth $1,000; her seventh colt, a stallion, Donald, I sold for $600 as a yearling rising two; her eighth colt, also a stallion, Pluton, I sold for $800; her ninth colt, a mare, Hazel, I reared but she died before she foaled a colt for me; her tenth colt, a stallion, Tripoli, I sold for $800; and her eleventh colt, a stallion, Superior, I still own, and consider him easily worth $800. Her last colt, foaled in 1916, is one of the best stallion foals she has ever produced, and I think $350 is a modest estimate of his value.

“I have sold seven of her colts for $5,000 in cash, and still own four, valued conservatively at $2,150. Fany has been a regular work mare, and has done as much work as any mare I have ever owned. She has never been shod except when I have chosen to take her to county and district fairs, but it is interesting to note that I have won more in prize money by exhibiting her than the mare herself cost. Her daughters have been prolific, have reared excellent colts, and I believe that two of them, in time, will make a better record than the old mare.

“I have never made an investment that has paid me as well as the purchase of this mare.”

Breed enthusiasts! I challenge you to name a family of Percheron mares that have bred with greater success for more than a century.

Justamere Showtime was sired by Riverbend Monkoncarlaet, reserve grand champion stallion in 1947 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Like his son, Justamere Showtime, Riverbend Monkoncarlaet had a great mother. This was Monet, grand champion mare in 1933, 1934, 1937 and 1938 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. With good reason, Monet was the topic of considerable debate.

Twenty-five of the breed’s best mares were measured in 1938 by the Percheron Horse Association of America. The measurements were taken on eighteen American-bred, four Canadian-bred and three French-bred mares, then well known in breed circles. Weighing in at 2,220 pounds, Monet was the tallest of the mares. Her dimensions will interest contemporary horsemen.

Monet’s front leg measured 2’-11”. She was the longest legged mare in the study. Her front cannon bone, at the narrowest point, measured 11”. Her hind cannon bone measured 12-1/2”. A prototype of today’s Percheron, Monet carried a wealth of genetics.

Monet was sired by Rolaet, a full brother to Jerome and Sir Laet. Her dam, Monarch’s Ruby, was reserve grand champion mare in 1932 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Monarch’s Ruby was also the mother of Monarch’s Laet, grand champion stallion in 1932 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Sired by the celebrated breeding horse, Monarch, grand champion stallion in 1926, 1927 and 1929 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Monarch’s Ruby was out of Florencette, a fertile Illinois-bred matron, brought to Manitoba by C.D. Roberts of Osborne.

Remarkable as Monet, Monarch’s Ruby and Florencette were as brood mares, one cannot ignore Riverbend Monkoncarlaet’s Nebraska-bred sire, Rookwood Grandeur. He was a blind horse, that bred mares with success, when held in hand. A popular sire in Manitoba, Rookwood Grandeur was a stallion of inordinate quality. And he could tramp. However, this came as no surprise, for Rookwood Grandeur was a son of Koncarcalyps, whose paternal grandsire, Calypso, was unusually active.

Purportedly Justamere Showtime carried Shire blood. There were two reasons for this innuendo, which was once widespread across the continent.

Early in the 1900s, T. B. Bowman, Boone, Nebraska, bred pedigreed Shires. However, the Percherons had replaced the Shires by 1914. Envious of the success this horseman achieved, a rumor circulated in the breed that Koncarcalyps was out of a Shire mare that Bowman had retained. The white markings on Koncarcalyps fueled this innuendo. So did the abundant feather that furnished his underpinning.

It is widely known that Riverbend Monkoncarlaet, Rookwood Grandeur, Koncarcalyps, Calyps and Calypso, had abundant feather. Considerable white appeared on the feet, on occasion a leg, of Riverbend Monkoncarlaet, Koncarcalyps, Calyps and Calypso. Counter to the innuendo circulated throughout the breed, these traits did not originate with Koncarcalyps. Americans first saw them on Koncarcalyps’ imported grandsire Calypso. Given these facts, plus the fact each circulated story differed, I dismiss this innuendo as fiction.

The abundant feather found on Justamere Showtime was found on the stallions in the topcross of his pedigree. His solid colored limbs and body were inherited from Justamere Perfection, Justamere Mona, Rosalie, Mabel, Mona, Bessy, Blanche, Fany, etc., mares found in the distaff of his pedigree.

Many offspring sired by Justamere Showtime had abundant feather. This trait was common among his sons. However, few carried white markings other than a star.

Justamere Showtime carried the recessive sorrel gene. This gene was inherited from the chestnut brood mare, Chloris, a mare that also had a blaze and white left hind leg. One can track the recessive sorrel gene from Chloris to Justamere Showtime, through Rozelle, Rolaet, Monet and Riverbend Monkoncarlaet.

Many descendants of Justamere Showtime carry the sorrel gene. Hence, it is not uncommon for a Percheron to arrive sorrel in colour, if Justamere Showtime is repeatedly found in the pedigree of their sire and dam.

Jonathon Fox III, Justamere Stock Farm, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, bred Justamere Showtime. The big, gawky colt was foaled June 8, 1956. Sold as a yearling, he was purchased by Dan Krause, Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, in whose possession the stallion had no opportunity to breed purebred mares. Cognizant of the stallion’s potential, Allan Bexson, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, approached Krause in December, 1960, to ascertain if the black horse could be bought. A price was negotiated. Allan Bexson took possession of Justamere Showtime.

Razor thin when he was purchased, it took Bexson a year to condition Justamere Showtime. The high-withered, long-necked stallion, stood a measured 18.1 hh in his prime. No stallion in the Percheron breed had a better hind leg. A horse with a wealth of clean, flat bone, the great bottoms that anchored this sire, were open at the hoofhead and wide at the heel. His deep, wide hocks, sharp as hound’s teeth, moved tight behind. These were the traits that won Justamere Showtime fame, and brought his final owner, William Gordon Young, Cayley, Alberta, considerable fortune.

Justamere Showtime was grand champion stallion in 1962 at the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede. However, everything was foreign to the upstanding, young sire. When he arrived at Edmonton’s Exhibition one week later, he had lost a hundred pounds. Forced to stand down, Justamere Showtime was the reserve grand champion stallion. He was defeated by Delreo Major, the Riverbend Monkoncarlaet son he placed above at Calgary.

Campaigned for a second year, Justamere Showtime was grand champion stallion at Calgary and Edmonton in 1963. That fall he was shipped to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, a 2,000 mile trip made by rail. Placed second in class to Delreo Major, he towered over the competition. The subject of considerable conjecture, the added height, stretch and shallow rib on Justamere Showtime were questioned. However, the underpinning beneath Justamere Showtime was much admired.

While most horsemen felt Justamere Showtime was too extreme, Allan Bexson addressed the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Percheron Association, informing members Justamere Showtime was the Percheron of the future. While the comments Bexson made were dismissed, Ontario horseman Bill Hughes, stated some years later, “The greatest mistake I made with Percherons was my failure to purchase Justamere Showtime!”

Allan Bexson failed to receive a single offer for Justamere Showtime, when he exhibited the horse at Toronto. Weeks following the stallion’s return to Saskatchewan, Earl James, Balzac, Alberta, offered to stand the horse for public service. Bexson felt a greater number of registered mares could be attracted to his court, if he was placed near Calgary. Bexson was not wrong.

The foals by Justamere Showtime, bred in Alberta, offered promise as yearlings. One was South Valley Lady Grey, a filly that would rattle the breed’s rafters. Her owner, William Gordon Young, Cayley, Alberta, recognized her promise. This dour Scot travelled to Lloydminster in December, 1966, where he negotiated the purchase of Justamere Showtime. The price Young paid Bexson is remembered –a figure of $500.

Gordon Young bred few outside mares to Justamere Showtime. However, without exception these outside mares foaled progeny that served the breed with distinction. These were the stallions Lucasia Big John, Lucasia Sir William, Highview Dragano and Highview Just-In-Time, plus the mares Lorette Showtime and Alberta Rose.

Justamere Showtime lived to the age of twenty-six. This is a considerable age for a breeding stallion. He successfully served the brood mares Gordon Young owned at South Valley until the final year of his life.

Unlike many sires in the Percheron breed that became well-known, Justamere Showtime bred relatively few mares. He sired fifty offspring, at most, that were registered in a stud book. However, these few sons and daughters won him fame.

Envied by horsemen of every breed affiliation, Justamere Showtime’s offspring stood on splendid underpinning. Most were supported on great bottoms. Foremark Forest Pride was an exception. While patterned more like his sire than most Justamere Showtime sons, he lacked both hoofhead and heel. This fault is common in a percentage of his descendants. However, there was no question, Foremark Forest Pride could tramp, as could Queen’s Commander, his best-bottomed son. Percherons descended from Justamere Showtime, through Foremark Forest Pride and Queen’s Commander, often exhibit the action of Calypso. There are other descendants of Justamere Showtime that manifest this desired trait, including the stallions Spirit Poseidon and Stardust Royal Command, plus the mare High Hope Heather.

The structure of Justamere Showtime’s hind leg was ideal. His offspring were known for their sharp hocks, which were closely placed well above the ground. Free of flesh and fluid, his sons and daughters had hocks tempered like steel. They were built to withstand stress. However, it must be noted, the hocks found on many of Justamere Showtime’s descendants are easily capped. Fortunately, veteran horsemen consider capped hocks a blemish–not an unsoundness.

Justamere Showtime’s great grandsire, the celebrated Nebraska-bred stallion, Koncarcalyps, sired foals with a thick navel cord. Percherons that carry excess Koncarcalyps breeding are often ruptured at birth. Is there a connection between these two traits? I suspect so. Right or wrong, both conditions are widespread in Percherons repeatedly descended from Koncarcalyps, the offspring of Justamere Showtime included. These are inherited traits common to the bloodline.

Justamere Showtime is the architect of the contemporary Percheron. His offspring established a standard of excellence that no other breeding horse surpassed. He ranks above Brilliant III, Carnot, Laet, Don Degas, Koncarcalyps, Chief Laet, Ostralien, Koncarhope, La Don, Drake Farms Chief and Blackhome Duke, given his influence on the breed. His descendants are widespread in the United States, Canada and England. They can be found in France. He was a prepotent sire, one that had no equal!