LEGENDS

Calico Waggoner

Bred by the Waggoner Ranch of Veron, Texas, to be a solid-colored Quarter Horse, Calico Waggoner came out a loud-colored overo Paint. Born into a family of horses renowned for its steadfast working ability, she spent the bulk of her life ungentled and in a rodeo bucking string. Unregistered with APHA until the twilight of her life, she went on to become the founding matriarch of one of the most enduring Paint families in the history of the breed.

Calico Waggoner’s exact foaling date and location are unknown. That she was Waggoner Ranch-bred was evidenced by the backwards “D” brand she carried on her left shoulder and the “3” brand that was burned on the left side of her neck.

“Calico’s” birth year and breeding was always a matter of record; she was a 1943 red dun overo mare sired by Pretty Boy (QH). As famous as the top side of Calico Waggoner’s family tree was, it is to the distaff side of her pedigree that she was most likely owed her loud cropout coat color. Buck Thomas, Calico’s maternal grandsire, was bred by Coke Roberds of Hayden, Colorado. A 1925 sorrel stallion, he was sired by Peter McCue and out of Stockings by Old Fred.  Old Fred-progenitor of the popular Skipper W. Quarter Horse line- was in reality, a sabino Paint. An 1894 palomino stallion by Black Ball and out of a mare by John Crowder, he sported a bald face and four high stockings. His left front stocking extended well past his knee, both hind stockings extended up the stifle, and he was reported to have white spots on his belly.
Simply put, history records Old Fred as one of the most potent breeding stallions of all time and the fountainhead of a family of Paint Horses, Quarter Horses, and Appaloosas distinguishable by their superior conformation and excessive “chrome”.  Certainly, Calico Waggoner, Old Fred’s great great granddaughter, was imbued with both characteristics.

Calico apparently made it plain from the start that she had an aversion to being ridden. As a result, in the middle 1940s she was sold to J. H. “Goat” Mayo, a well-known amateur rodeo stock contractor from Petrolia, Texas.  

While attending a 1955 Mayo rodeo, “Chilli” a 1945 brown stallion by Oklahoma Kid and out of Ribbon Wiemer- untied himself and got in with Mayo’s bucking string. As luck would have it, Calico Waggoner was in season and got bred. The result of that “rodeo romance” was a loud colored 1956 sorrel overo filly.  Eventually acquired by Dick Barrett and registered as Calico Doll #25, she went on to become one of the breed’s first halter champions and a top producer in her own right.

Calico Doll, the second branch of the tree, also did her part to uphold the family name.
“As I recall, I bought Calico Doll in late 1960 or early 1961,” Dick Barrett says. “She was a mature mare when I got her and by far the best individual in that whole line. She was taller and more heavily muscled than the other mares and studs, and she had a beautiful head.”
“I showed her at halter in Waurika, Oklahoma, in June of 1961. The show was held at Junior Robertston’s place on the outskirts of town and it was really the first show ever put on by the group of people who formed the APSHA. “’Doll’ was grand champion mare that day, and Papoose, my black tobiano mare, was reserve. I continued to show Doll throughout 1961 in halter and she was always at or near the top. Mary Ruth, my wife, also showed the mare in Western pleasure and they got along well together. “But in those years,” he continues,” we were all anxious to get the mares into production, so I retired Calico Doll to the broodmare band in 1961 and bred her to Flit bar. From that cross, I got a real nice sorrel overo mare named Calico Flit.”

Calico Flit, although unshown, went on to become a famed producer. Sold first to Dough Edwards, and later owned by R.B. Shields of Saginaw, Texas, she went on to become yet another premiere producer. Among her top performers were:

• Bid Bar, a 1972 sorrel tobiano stallion by Long Tall Texas – APHA Champion, Superior Halter.

• Miss Flit, a 1973 sorrel tobiano mare by Skippa Streak – 1976 Reserve National Champion Junior Western Pleasure, APHA Champion, Superior Western Pleasure.

• Calico Sonny, a 1982 sorrel overo stallion by Sir Sonny Go (QH) – APHA Champion, Superior Western Pleasure.

• Calicos Image, a 1983 sorrel overo mare by Triple’s Titan – APHA Champion, Superior Western Pleasure.

• Terrific Titan, 1984 sorrel overo gelding by Triple’s Titan – 1990 World Champion Senior Western Pleasure, 1989 Reserve National Champion Senior Western Pleasure, APHA Champion, Superior Western Pleasure, 1990 World Champion Amateur Aged Halter Gelding, APHA Amateur Versatility award winner, APHA Amateur Champion, five Amateur Superiors.
   

In addition, Calico Sonny did his part to embellish the Calico Waggoner name by going on to become one the breed’s top sires during the 1990s. Among his top offspring were:

• Calico Sugar Dee, a 1991 sorrel overo mare out of Cross Over Sugar – 1995 Reserve World Champion Trail, Superior All-Around award winner, Performance Versatility award winner, APHA Champion, nine Superiors, 1,318 halter and performance points.

• Calico Sugar Flit, a 1994 sorrel overo mare out of Cross over Sugar – Superior All-Around award winner, Performance Versatility award winner, APHA Champion, Superior Halter and Steer Stopping.

• Calico Bobby Soc, a 1995 buckskin tobiano gelding out of Crossed Sonnys Sox - 1998 World Champion Heading, 1998 World Champion Steer Stopping.

• Calicos Top Gun, a 1996 sorrel overo stallion out of Miss Tequila Smoke- 2002 World Champion Heading and Heeling, 2000 Reserve World Champion Working Cow Horse, six Superiors.

• Calico Beau Sox, a 1996 buckskin tobiano stallion out of Crossed Sonnys Sox – 2000 World Champion Heading.

• Calico Pleased Me, a 1998 sorrel overo mare out of Versas Lindi Lace – 1998 World Champion Weanling Filly.
   

As far as Calico Waggoner – the grand dam of the entire line goes – her contributions were far broader and far more profound.  Unbroke and unaccomplished as she was, and undiscovered by the Paint Horse fraternity until late in her life, the colorful Paint matron proved once and for all that ‘blood will tell’.
From Pretty Badger to Calico Doll, all the way down to Titans Flit Too and calico’s Top Gun, the Calico Waggoner line has been an incredibly potent one. And one that continues to re-write the record books and impact the breed!