Suds was the WINNER of the 1962 NATRC Old Presidents CUP - one of his most significant accomplishments.

Suds was born in 1950, and was of Sid Spencer's breeding of the Hearst-Sellman Morab crosses. His Morab sire, Antman (reg. Morgan), was bred by William Randolph Hearst who also bred Antman's Morab dam, Pontez (50/50). Longtime Morgan breeder and historian, Joanne Curtis, says "The stuff behind Suds was nearly identical to both my Morgan lines and to Sandy Cleveland's early California Morgans of early Jubilee King, Sellman and Hearst Morabs. Those lines can go on forever as they are so sound and so willing."

Suds' owner/rider, Maxi, tells me "He was truly the best horse I ever had, and I've had ponies and horses since age 3. All the stories in the book about Suds are true. He was an extremely intelligent and dear little 14.3 hand horse who only weighed 750 pounds in racing condition. After spending 17 years with him, my admiration of Morgans soared, and I am interested in their accomplishments."

Maxi went on to say, "Suds could do a very fast plantation walk, singlefoot and rack...I also showed him in elementary dressage. He could trot on diagonal, trot and canter in place, spin on either hind legs or front, canter in a straight line, changing leads every 5, 4, 3, and 2 steps, and bow with one knee on the ground. They don't ask for that anymore. And my pre-teen daughter won many English classes on him." A truly versatile endurance Morgan/Arabian!

Maxi tells us about Suds' Arabian grandsire, "*Antez was owned by my father, General J. M. Dickinson. Dad bought *Antez from the Kellogg Ranch in Pomona, raced him against time to equal a world's record for any other contestant at that particular distance, and sold him to Poland where they are particularly interested in racing Arabians. Dad bought 13 Polish Arabians before WWII." Maxi's father wrote in his "Traveler's Rest Catalogue", "He (*Antez) is one of the few five-gaited Arabians." This could help explain Suds' four-beat gaits of which Maxi spoke.

For pictures and information on *Antez, check out this webpage: arieana.com/nbantez.html

From a rider who rode with Maxi and Suds: "I competed againest Maxi and Suds. He was a nice, level headed chestnut Morgan gelding.It's been years since I saw Maxi, but remember what a grand picture she and Suds made together."
Nancy Smith Kasovich (2005)

A couple of Suds' NATRC rides: March 1962 - Mt. Diablo Ride, Suds came in second in the Lightweight Division. Later that same month, he took first place in the Lightweight Division in the Desert Circus Ride.