Hunch Bid

H
Hunch Bid
(imp)
By MaryAnne Leighton
A Tribute to “The Legend”
In his later years Hunch Bid* was known
as “The Legend” but in his early life they
called him awesome. He was an
outstandingly well-balanced, deeplymuscled stallion who was refined and
elegant and had such a magnetic presence
that when you met him the hairs on the
back of your neck stood to attention.
A son of Texas, Hunch Bid* Q-591 was born
on 13 April 1970. Bred by Clarence
Sharbauer Jr., Hunch Bid* was by Tiny
Photograph by Peta-Anne Tenney,
courtesy of Flashback Images.
Charger AAAT, a brilliant racehorse who was
the winner of the Bay Meadows Inaugural
Futurity and second place-getter in the All
American Futurity. Hunch Bid’s dam, First
Bid, was an AAA race-winning mare by
Double Bid AAAT.
Hunch Bid* was a yearling when he was
bought by another legendary Texan, Matlock Rose. A legend to western horsemen
when he was still in his twenties, Matlock
Rose helped define the Quarter Horse breed
and was known for his showmanship and
his uncanny ability to select and develop
winners. Even now few horsemen have
Rose’s knack for evaluating a young horse’s
possibilities and just as few have his ability
to help a horse deliver on the promise of its
potential. During his 60-year career Matlock
Rose amassed championships in every field
of western horsemanship, including five cutting World Championships on four different
horses.
Hunch Bid - A Tribute to “The Legend”
import, with his arrival in Sydney in 1973
causing such a sensation that it not only
featured on the front cover of the Australian Quarter Horse magazine but it was also
reported in the Australian financial press.
What would that $100,000 purchase price
be in today’s terms? And how many stallions
imported since then have commanded a
comparable price? Hunch Bid* was held in
such high regard when he arrived in Australia
that during the 1970s he was the “face” of the
Australian Quarter Horse Association, with
his photograph appearing on the cover of
many promotional brochures.
When shown at halter by Matlock Rose,
Hunch Bid* was regarded as one of America’s greatest 2YO halter stallions of all time.
In 1972 they entered 26 shows for 25 wins
and one second placing. Hunch Bid* was
sashed Grand Champion Stallion 19 times,
including Grand Champion Stallion of the
prestigious Florida Gold Coast Circuit and
Grand Champion at America’s biggest Quarter Horse show in Fort Worth, Texas. He was
only the second 2YO stallion to capture this
coveted award – and he did it the year before
the Fort Worth show became the World
Championship show. One year later and
Hunch Bid* would have been Australia’s first
World Champion import. As a 2YO Hunch
Bid* received his AmQHA Superior Halter
Horse Award, which was followed by his
Register of Merit for Racing from only three
starts as a 3YO.
After his limited racing career, Hunch Bid*
was sold to Australian company, Capricorn
Estates in NSW and never saw the race
track again. However, he continued to break
records by being Australia’s first $100,000
Hunch Bid* was shown at halter sparingly in
Australia and only at the three most important
shows of that time. Once again he swept all
before him to gain the Grand Championship
at the huge County of Cumberland Indoor
Show in 1974, following that by being sashed
Supreme Exhibit at the 1974 Canberra National Show and Supreme Exhibit at Sydney
Royal in 1975.
conception rate of over 90%. Unfortunately
his fertility declined dramatically in his later
years and, from 1987 to when his last foal
was born in 1994, he produced only another
32 registered foals, an average of only four
foals each year.)
Oceanview itself had a small band of excellent broodmares including the imports Lady
Barbie (My Barbarian x Miss Bonnie Bars)
Q-1162, the dam of race winners and show
horses by Hunch Bid*; Lady Jet Q-1276, by
Fast Jet who had nine starts for 5 wins, two
seconds and two thirds, who broke the 400m
Weyba track record and was the dam of race
winners Hunchetta Lady Q-4309, Miss Lady
Jet Q-9308 (AQHA Oceanview Lady Hunch)
and Charging Hunch Q-6279 (AQHA Oceanview Lady Charger) by Hunch Bid*; Cajun
Bar Gal (Vandy To Bar x Cajun Creek Gal)
Q-1163, the dam of race winners Beauty Bars
Q-3112 (AQHA Oceanview Black Beauty),
Cajun’s Hunch Q-5281, Crystal Bird Q-11676
and Cajun’s Angel Q-9311 (AQHA Oceanview
Hunch Bid* initially stood at stud at Yass,
NSW with other such notable sprint-bred imports as Thundering Jet Q-529, Lion Deck Q880, Booty Man Q-416, With It Q201, Chick’s
Boy Image Q-420 and Tiny’s Patriotic Q-419.
During his breeding career he sired 291
registered QH foals and to confirm the validity
of his $100,000 purchase price, Hunch Bid’s
first crop of Australian foals included Victory
Miss R1-5358 (AQHA She’s A Go) and Miss
Time Bid Q1902 who won and placed second
in the very first South Australian Futurity in
1977. Another Hunch Bid* daughter from his
first foal crop, Alana’s Bid R1-4010, was the
highest money-earning mare on Australian
sprint tracks when she retired, winning and
placing 23 times from 25 starts including the
All Australian Futurity and the Dubbo Futurity.
In 1975 another Quarter Horse icon who was
imported by Capricorn Estates, Doc’s Misty
Morn* Q-594 - the dam of the mighty Morn
Deck Q-2160 - produced her first foal, a bay
filly by Hunch Bid*. This filly, Docs Hunch P11852, was bought by the late Hamish McCallum, but she died when only a weanling so
was never given the opportunity to prove that
she could equal Morn Deck’s achievements.
Such was the interest in Hunch Bid* that this
exceptional horse remained at Capricorn
for only four years. In 1977 he was bought
privately by the partnership of Peter Eton,
owner of Oceanview Stud at Dayboro, Qld,
and stud manager, George Shorten. According to George, “We had been interested in
buying Hunch Bid* ever since he arrived in
Australia and eventually we were able to convince Capricorn to part with him for $40,000.”
George added that by the time Hunch Bid*
arrived in Queensland just before the 1977
breeding season, there were over 100 mares
booked to him and he ended the season
having bred and settled 116 mares. (It
should be noted that during his nine breeding
seasons at Oceanview from 1977 to 1985 all
mares were routinely follicle tested and only
ever bred to Hunch Bid* once, at the time of
ovulation. This resulted in a consistently high
Hunch’s Gal) by Hunch Bid*; and Eternal
Faith (Eternal Dell x Poco Diane) Q-595, the
dam of race winner Eternal Gem Q-2033
(who won four races after being trained as a
cutter) by Hunch Bid*.
Hunch Bid* progeny were well-represented
in the winners’ circle on AJC registered
tracks in Queensland throughout the late
1970s and 80s. Significant winners included
Hunch’s Hobo Q-3689, winner of the 1982
Gympie Gold Sires Futurity; Hobo’s full sister
Hunchette Q-2893, who equalled the Rockhampton track record; Snazzy Bid Q-3687,
who was the winner of the first heat in the
Toowoomba Sires Produce and who broke
Hunchette’s track record; Chance to Meet
R1-10506 (AQHA Oceanview Heroine Lady),
described as one of Queensland’s most
versatile sprint mares, broke the Gympie
500m track record, was undefeated over
500 metres and consistently won and placed
against thoroughbreds over 800 metres;
Charging Hunch who had nine straight wins
from 15 starts, and Fair Hunch R1-10504
(AQHA Oceanview Picca Bid), winner of heat
3 of the Toowoomba Sires Produce and third
place-getter in the Sires Produce Consolation
Hunch Bid - A Tribute to “The Legend”
Sprint who then went on to be a champion
hack.
Other winners included Thundering Scott
Q-10164; Hit the Toe Q10147 (AQHA Candy
Bid) who retired from racing to become an
AQHA Champion and winner of AQHA Hi
Point end of year awards; Lucky Hunch
Q-5064 (full brother to Hunch’s Hobo and
Hunchette), Eternal Bid Q-7266, Ben’s Bid
R2-2882 (AQHA Miss Ebenezer Bid), Ben’s
Hunch R2-5925 (AQHA Ebenezer Hunch),
Tom’s Hunch Q11526, Gotta Hunch Q-5902
and A Flying Hunch R2-3112.
It is no surprise that Hunch Bid* consistently
produced sprint winners. What may surprise
is that, after his successful first breeding
season at Oceanview, George Shorten, who
founded the well-known Dayboro Cutting
Club, began cutting training on him. A successful cutting trainer in the 70s, George
saw what Matlock Rose had identified in the
horse, his ability to excel at more than just
halter and sprint racing. “I believe Matlock
intended doing the same with Hunch Bid*
as he did with the brilliant Jessie James
- showing him first at halter before cutting
on him.” George said. “Hunch Bid* was one
of the best cutting horses I’ve ever ridden,”
he added. “I had him in cutting training for a
while but never showed him because I felt
he could be better promoted as a sprint sire.”
And so he continued to sire sprint horses and
so they continued to win but, commenting
recently on Hunch Bid’s abilities in the cutting
pen, respected western journalist, photographer and publisher, Margaret Oakden (who
was a frequent visitor to the Dayboro cutting
club days), agreed that, “Hunch Bid* was
awesome on a cow.”
In 1982 management of Oceanview Stud
changed and it was MaryAnne Leighton who
saw the potential for Hunch Bid* to extend his
influence into the show ring. The wonderful
little mare, Velvet Hunch was the first Hunch
Bid* to gain a ROM at halter and then to be
named an AQHA Champion; but she was
soon followed by an army of Hunch Bid* sons
and daughters who won points and awards in
every sphere of equestrian activity from polocrosse to roping to dressage and side saddle,
consistently taking out Hi Point and National
Champion titles before going on to produce
offspring who are equally as talented.
Hunch Bid’s significant show and performance progeny include: Velvet Hunch Q-9067,
AQHA Champion, AQHA Eventing Horse of
the Year, AQHA Show Jumping Horse of the
Year and dam of halter, western pleasure and
hunter under saddle futurity winners, including More Than Impressed Q-29158, AQHA
Champion and the only horse ever to win
the NPHA 2YO and 3YO Western Pleasure
Futurities. More Than Impressed is the sire
of the brilliant all-round gelding, More Than
Enough Q-44357, AQHA Trail Horse of the
Year 2005, runner up AQHA Performance
Horse Category 1 – Gelding 2005. Velvet
Hunch is also the dam of AQHA National
Youth Dressage Champion and runner up
AQHA National Dressage Champion, Velvet
Riff Raff Q-36159.
Candy Bid Q-10147, race winner, AQHA
Champion, AQHA Stud Book Stallion of the
Year at Halter, runner up AQHA Bridle Path
Hack Horse of the Year, runner up AQHA
English Pleasure Horse of the Year, Champion Stallion Brisbane Royal.
Willa Hunch Q-27935, AQHA Eventing Horse
of the Year for two years running.
Snazzy Bid Q-3687, race winner, track
record-holder, halter champion and sire of:
Lazy D Classical Snazzy Q-26268, AQHA
Champion, AQHA A/O Champion; Lazy D
Snazzy Lady Q-20525, AQHA Champion,
AQHA Champion Youth Horse.
Hunchette Q-2893, race winner and track
record-holder, is an AQHA leading dam of
AQHA Champions with six point-earning
progeny, including R Touch of Class Q33742, Elusive Trail Q-29007 and Kulgoa
Show and Tell Q-25874, all AQHA Champions and multiple AQHA National Champions,
and Kulgoa Liberty Trail Q-24419, multiple
halter futurity winner.
Snazzy Bid (Hunch Bid* x Sparkle Mist*)
winning Toowoomba Sires Produce Sprint
320 metres on 5.12.81
Samantha Levick on MaryAnne Leighton’s Velvet
Hunch (Hunch Bid* x Yarrawonga Short Circuit), AQHA
Champion, AQHA Eventing Horse of the Year, AQHA
Show Jumping Horse of the Year and dam of halter,
HUS and WP futurity winners.
Oceanview Candy Bid R1-8780, AQHA
Polocrosse Horse of the Year.
Oceanview Little Jeenee Q-15609, AQHA
Champion, AQHA Eventing Horse of the Year,
runner up AQHA Show Jumping Horse of the
Year.
Splendid Hunch Deck Q-27792, Champion
Stallion at Sydney Royal and three times
AQHA National Dressage Champion is the
sire of: CV Gifted Q-41077, AQHA Dressage
Horse of the Year 2005, runner up AQHA
Hack of the Year 2005 and AQHA National
Champion in all four classes in which he
competed at Q5; and CV Impressed Q46538, runner up AQHA Dressage Horse of
the Year 2005.
Oceanview Rapid Bid R2-2884, race winner,
A Grade polocrosse champion and AQHA
leading dam of AQHA Champions. Rapid
is the dam of Koolatahs Pride and Joy Q24412, AQHA Champion, AQHA Champion
Youth Horse and AQHA Amateur Owner
Champion Horse, and Koolatahs Special Edition Q-27227, AQHA Champion and AQHA
Champion Youth Horse.
Bula Bid Q-4995, side saddle champion and
competitor at 14 consecutive Brisbane Royal
Shows.
Neva Craig and Candy Bid (Hunch Bid* x Dickey’s Candybar*). AQHA Champion, AQHA Stud Book Stallion of the
Year at Halter, Champion Stallion Brisbane Royal. Photograph by MaryAnne Leighton
Benwerrin Chance Bid R2-3475 is the dam
of: BS Mingo’s Lucero Q-14676, AQHA National Champion Snaffle Bit Cowhorse, AQHA
runner up Cowhorse of the Year, QRCHA
High Point Snaffle Bit Reining and Cowhorse
of the Year and the highest money-earning
working cowhorse and reining horse in 1989;
and Iddy Biddy Bars Q-18692, AQHA Champion and AQHA Champion Youth Horse.
Hunch Bid - A Tribute to “The Legend”
kilometre endurance ride. However, in 1989
he changed hands again and over the next
seven years he was sold or leased another
four times: to Paul Bancan (who advertised
that Hunch Bid* was being prepared for
film work in the Australian version of “The
Electric Horseman”), to Bruce Eacott, then
to Jack Richardson and eventually to Robyn
Pearson, the registered breeder of his last
two foals, one in 1993 and the last, a brown
filly, in 1994.
Hunch Bid* - the face of the Australian Quarter Horse
Association in the 1970s
Coralie Burnett and Splendid Hunch Deck (Hunch Bid*
x In Front I’ll Stay). Champion Stallion Sydney Royal,
Supreme Exhibit, Three times AQHA National Champion Dressage Horse and Silver Century Dressage.
In February 1986 Oceanview Stud was
dispersed and Hunch Bid * was sold to NSW.
Unfortunately the next 12 months were not
kind to Hunch Bid* and when he entered the
sale ring at the 2nd Premier State Sale in
Dubbo in March 1987, his condition was so
bad that the crowd was shocked into silence.
Well-known Australian horsewoman, Jacky
Lewers, was so incensed she wrote the following to the Editor of the AQHA magazine,
“I would be surprised if this is the only letter
you receive concerning the condition of a
well-known stallion at the Premier State Sale.
I don’t believe there was a dry eye in the sale
ring when he went through…the condition
and obvious neglect of the horse brought a
lump to everyone’s throat... This well-known
stallion was virtually unrecognisable, his
coat was poor, he had no flesh on him and
he had severe muscle wastage, noticeable
as he wavered round the ring. His heart was
great, however, and he found some sparkle
somewhere which caused tears from the
onlookers.”
In spite of his physical condition, Hunch Bid*
was bought at the sale by Coral and Ivan
Sanderson of Corvid Stud in Victoria. Coral
said she had gone to the sale to buy a filly
but when she saw Hunch Bid* she could not
resist taking him home to breed sprint horses.
During the two short years he was at Corvid
Stud, Hunch Bid* regained his health to the
extent that he was able to complete a 40
Following her return to Australia, and on
being made aware of the direction Hunch
Bid’s life had taken since she last saw him in
1986, MaryAnne Leighton tracked him down
and persuaded Robyn Pearson to part with
him. MaryAnne was determined that this
magnificent horse who had given so much to
so many people should live out his life in the
style he deserved, being accorded the dignity
and respect due to him.
On Hunch Bid’s return to Queensland, Margaret Oakden, Editor of the QH magazine,
wrote, “Well, you can call me sentimental, but
yours truly is, and always has been, an avid
Hunch Bid* fan since I met him the year he
moved from Capricorn Estates to Oceanview
Stud. I remember my first encounter with the
horse – he just seemed to fill the breezeway
with his gentle magnificence. I think my heart
actually skipped a beat and afterwards I
saved like the devil just to be able to breed
a couple of mares to him, which I did. One
of the ensuing foals, Benwerrin Chance Bid,
became the best-producing mare that I’d ever
bred.” (The other is the paint gelding, Bonza
Bid, mentioned below).
Hunch Bid* spent his last years on lush
pasture in the beautiful Coomera Valley
at the foot of Mt Tamborine. His paddock
companions in this idyllic retirement were his
daughters, Velvet Hunch, Oceanview Rapid
Bid and Oceanview Picca Bid. Over these
last years he received a steady stream of
Oceanview Candy Bid (Hunch Bid* x Mummulgum Candy
ASH) Polocrosse Horse of the Year.
visitors from as far away as Western Australia
and far north Queensland. One visitor was
Graham Heffernan, a leading Australian stunt
and trick horse trainer and the subject of
the documentary, “The Buffalo Whisperer”.
Graham regards his tobiano trick horse,
Elijah (Bonza Bid by Hunch Bid*), as, “The
best horse I have ever trained. He never,
ever put a foot wrong in all the years he was
with me.” Graham and Bonza Bid appeared
in movies such as “In Pursuit of Honour” and
in the US TV drama, “Lost World”. They also
demonstrated trick riding at too many equestrian events to count, but including Equitana
Brisbane in 2002.
To celebrate Hunch Bid’s 27th birthday in
1997, twenty seven friends and admirers
joined MaryAnne and her family to reminisce
and raise a glass to a legend. In brilliant con-
Stephanie Leighton’s Willa Hunch (Hunch Bid* x Willesee). AQHA Eventing Horse of the Year two years running.
Hunch Bid - A Tribute to “The Legend” HVQHA
Hunch Bid* died on 17 August 2000, just four
months after his 30th birthday. Up until his
last few weeks he was in excellent health,
displaying the style and aura of the champion
that he was and looking and acting much
younger than his 30 years. In commenting
on the passing of this remarkable horse
MaryAnne said, “Hunch Bid* truly epitomised
all that is good in the Quarter Horse. His
conformation and temperament were superb,
he was amazingly athletic and would willingly
turn his hand to whatever was asked of him.
Not only was he an outstanding individual
in his own right but he was a prepotent sire
who passed all his good traits on to his foals.
Hunch Bid* was that very special horse you
are lucky to meet once in a lifetime and my
world is a much sadder place without him.”
The Legend - no horse deserves
the title more than Hunch Bid*.
Zelie Thompson on Graham Heffernan’s Bonza Bid
2473 by Hunch Bid. Photo courtesy of the Graham
Heffernan collection.
Photo:
Beaudesert
Times.
Allendale Twin Arenas
- Cessnock
UP AND COMING
SHOW DATES
9th October 2005
A Class Show
Mr John Goodworht
12th November 2005
A Class Show
Mr Don Northey
13th November 2005
AA Class Show
Ms Deanne Warwick
11th February 2006
A Class Show
TBA
“This to be a Jackpot Show”
dition and looking at least a decade younger
than his 27 years, Hunch Bid* played to his
audience all day, demonstrating his superb
temperament and the indomitable spirit which
had enabled him to survive the many hardships scattered throughout his life. His photo
call was like something accorded a major
movie star and his guests at this emotional
reunion included his previous part-owner,
George Shorten, the national president of
the NCHA, two of his strappers from his days
at Oceanview and many proud owners and
breeders of his offspring.
When MaryAnne was at the 2000 AQHA
Championships with her Hunch Bid* grandson, Velvet Riff Raff, two visiting Americans
stopped her to ask after Hunch Bid* and to
share their memories of him from 28 years
previously, when he and Matlock Rose
caused such a sensation on the US halter
circuit.
Hunter Valley Quarter
Horse Association Inc.
12th February 2006
AA Class Show
TBA
CLINICS
Carolyn Johnson
Date: 22nd and 23rd October 2005
Jacqui Illa with Bula Bid (Hunch Bid* x Elgin Downs
492), side saddle champions and competitors at 14
consecutive Brisbane Royal shows.
Hunch Bid* on his 30th birthday.
Photograph by MaryAnne Leighton.
For further information in regards to
above please contact the secretary
on 0419 274 616 or download all
information/forms etc. off website
www.hvqha.com