Wing Commander (horse)

Wing Commander

Breed	American Saddlebred
Sire	Anacacho Shamrock
Grandsire	Edna May's King
Dam	Flirtation Walk
Maternal grandsire	Kings Genius
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1943
Country	United States of America
Color	Chestnut, four white socks and star
Owner	Dodge Stables
Trainer	Earl Teater
Major wins
6 Five-Gaited World Grand Championships

Wing Commander (foaled 1943) was an American Saddlebred show horse out of the mare Flirtation Walk and by the stallion Anacacho Shamrock. Wing Commander was a chestnut with four white socks and a white star on his forehead. He was trained to be a five-gaited horse, meaning he performed the walk, trot, canter, slow gait and rack.^[1] Through both sides of his pedigree, Wing Commander traced back to the highly influential Saddlebred stallions Rex McDonald and Bourbon King, who were themselves successful show horses.^[2] In 1948, the stallion won his first Five-Gaited World Grand Championship, a title he kept for a total of six years. In total he won 6 Five-Gaited World Grand Championships, and was the first of only two horses to accomplish this. In 1950 Life magazine featured Wing Commander as an example of a fine athlete and an American Idol. He was owned by Dodge Stables, and trained and ridden by Earl Teater. Wing Commander stood at stud at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and died at the age of 29.

Pedigree

See also

• American Saddlebred
• Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show
• Saddle seat

References