Blondy’s Dude
November 18, 2011
He put the Freemans in the horse business.
This photo of Blondy's Dude and Morgan Freeman was taken in 1971. Blondy's Dude stood 15.1 hands tall and weighed 1,395 pounds. AQHA file photo.
From America’s Horse
In 1960, Morgan Freeman was looking for a good stallion to breed to his band of mares.
But it had to be a good one. He wasn’t about to spend a lot of time or money hauling an average horse back to his ranch in Skiatook, Oklahoma.
So when Morgan saw Harold “Huddy” Hudspeth take a sorrel stallion named Blondy’s Dude through a reining pattern at a show in Skiatook, he knew he’d found his horse.
Blondy’s Dude, a 1957 model by Small Town Dude and out of Blondy Queen, went on to win the reining that day, and by the time Freeman inquired about him, the horse’s owners, J.T. Walters and Nick McNair of Pryor, Oklahoma, had already priced him pretty high. They knew they had a good thing, and they wouldn’t sell the stallion for less than $5,000, which was a lot of money to spend on a horse 50-some years ago.
“I needed to spend $5,000 on a horse about like I needed pneumonia,” Morgan said in a 1969 issue of The Cattleman. “Luckily, it turned out to be the best investment I ever made.”
As the story goes, it took Morgan a few months to scrape together the money to buy Blondy’s Dude, but he finally made a deal that consisted of cash, some feed and a few horses thrown in to boot.
Morgan and his son, Jerald, would earn 18 grand champion and two reserve awards in two years on the road with Blondy’s Dude. “Dude” loved reining, was good at cutting and could stand at halter and walk out a winner, thanks to his superior, compact conformation and graceful, flowing neck.
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“He was a real intelligent horse,” Jerald says. “My dad bought him on the basis of what a performance horse he was, but he could go on and do it all.”
After nabbing the grand champion title twice at the Tulsa State Fair, Morgan decided to take Dude on down the road. In January 1962, the pair headed to Fort Worth (Texas) Fat Stock Show.
As Morgan eased a borrowed pickup and trailer onto the black ice that covered the pavement in northeastern Oklahoma, he wondered if it was just a dude’s dream to take his stallion to the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show. But if Blondy’s Dude could be in the top 10 at Cowtown, it would make a great story to tell visitors at his feed store in Skiatook.
At 48, Morgan had only been to Fort Worth once before. Back in 1941, he’d seen Wimpy named grand champion, then followed other horsemen to the Blackstone Hotel for the first meeting of the fledging AQHA.
A lot had changed in 21 years.
He found the new show grounds but then realized he’d forgotten to bring Dude’s health papers. He yanked off Duke’s blankets, then staked him out on a grassy median near the carnival and went off in search of a veterinarian. He saw license plates from states he’d never even visited, the grandest trucks and trailers imaginable. His confidence ebbed when he heard a passerby say there were 795 Quarter Horses entered; it would be the largest show in the breed’s history.
Dude had left Skiatook wrapped up like a grandbaby going out to play in the snow. Along the way, his hair had turned every direction under two layers of blankets and a hood. As they headed south into warmer weather, sweat started to trickle down his legs. So, while staked on the median, Dude’s hair dried in the sun, cementing itself out of place. Morgan returned to find a horse who looked starched, but not ironed.
Now what was he going to do? Dude was just recovering from a cold. Did he dare bathe him? A goose egg had come up on the sorrel’s neck where the veterinarian at home had given him a shot. Morgan thought he could hide it by strategically combing his mane, but the mane now had a stubborn mind of its own.
He found a water hose and soaked the sorrel horse, then scavenged around for something to squeegee the water off. He found a piece of broke glass on the ground and started using that. An exhibitor stalled nearby walked over and silently handed him a scraper.
His confidence still hadn’t returned by the time the 30 aged stallions were called into the arena. Several in the class had established reputations, and their owners and handlers had even greater acclaim. Dude’s thin little halter made out of bridle rein leather looked meager now, and the twin imitation silver buckles looked cheap.
Judge Ernest Browning’s first move was to jerk his thumb toward Dude, gesturing him out of the lineup. Morgan was shocked. He thought they’d been the first ones called. He wanted to say “Wait! This is the reigning champion of the Tulsa State Fair!”
“Trot him,” the judge said curtly.
Ah! So they weren’t out of the running yet!
They took off in a straight line, Dude jerking and bouncing more than trotting.
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When the ranks thinned to the top 10, he was still a contender. Judge Browning lined up the finalist with Dude at the end. Tenth was great, thought Morgan. That’s the most he’d ever expected. Then they started announcing the winners, beginning with tenth place at the other end of the line.
Slowly it dawned on Morgan that they were going in descending order, and Dude’s name hadn’t been called yet. Then, there it was: “First place goes to Blondy’s Dude.”
While Morgan was still deciding if he was dreaming or awake, the other class winners entered the arena for the championship drive. Among them were Leo San Siemon, who Morgan knew had been grand champion almost every time he’d been shown.
When the judge told Morgan to trot his horse, he added, “in a circle this time.”
Morgan was already off in another bouncy sprint before the command registered, but as soon as he turned Dude into the circle, the stallion slowed down, leveled out and traveled like a champion.
“Make him reserve,” the judge said pointing to Leo San Siemon. “Make him grand,” he concluded, pointing to Blondy’s Dude.
In 1968 and 1969, the stallion was AQHA’s leading sire of halter winners.
In addition to AQHA competition, offspring of Blondy’s Dude have earned some $630,000 within the National Reining Horse Association and more than $21,000 in the National Cutting Horse Association.
“He (Blondy’s Dude) and Dad were quite a pair,” Jerald says. “At the time, the Lord really used Blondy’s Dude to put us in the horse business. We’d roped and shown before, but he really put us in the industry.”
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16 Comments on “Blondy’s Dude”
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November 18th, 2011 at 7:41 am
I had the privilege of owning a double bred Blondy’s Dude mare. To this day she is the best horse I have ever owned. We currently still own her 21 yr old son, who as a stallion has produced some wonderful offspring.
November 18th, 2011 at 8:50 am
I too own a double-bred Blondys Dude mare, and she is the most athletic, responsive horse I have ever sat upon. From her very first ride, she would steer perfectly from body cues. She’s amazing.
November 18th, 2011 at 10:45 am
I too was blessed having had the privilege of owning the stallion
MISTER ZIPPER DUDE for twenty plus years,a grandson of BLONDYS DUDE.ZIPPER was truely a blessing & he is missed!
November 18th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I wish you would have posted a confirmation photo of Blondys Dude in this article. It would be interesting to compare/contrast the confirmation of Blondys Dude with the confirmation of current halter horse champions.
November 18th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
I owned a daughter of Blondy’s Dude – Zippity Dude Dah – for 24 years…I showed her in 4-H, Open & AQHA shows…I could ride her without a bridle and place a hoof anywhere I cued her to place it. We have two of her daughters, 3 grand daughters and a son still…they have the best personalities and are VERY athletic horses. Like does beget like…God blessed us with some good horses!
November 20th, 2011 at 9:52 am
I owned Shes a dude, a big red roan, and me to had a wealing out of her, that won out of like 50, and just couldn’t believe it, my grand father gave me the money to breed to silver deller and i was 15, it was a big deal for me!! they were very great horses
December 1st, 2011 at 7:59 am
I too owned a decendent of Blondy’s Dude “Dudes Honey Bear”. Absolutely remarkable animal.
December 1st, 2011 at 3:24 pm
The best mare I ever owned was by Par Three and out of an own daughter of Blondy’s Dude. We kept her last stud colt just because we admired the mare so much we wanted to be able to pass those genes onto some of our Western Pleasure horses. She was a compact stout mare with a beautiful neck and strong back. The day she died she still looked good enough to show in a halter class.
December 1st, 2011 at 5:47 pm
I owned an own son of blondys Dude (Mr Morgan
Freeman) and an own daughter Leanne Dude. Both were outstanding Morgan had an ROM in cutting and was a good producer, I’m still riding his daughter Sheza Foxie Morgan that won over 15K in team penning and is an NRCHA money earner, an FQHA title winner, an AQHA world and youth world qualifier and was top 10 at the AQHA select world. Lea Anne Dude produced 2 world champions and 4 NRHA nad NRCHA money winners. I won the first non pro reined cow horse futurity east of the Mississippi oh her daughter (Zans Diamond Doll) and am still riding her last foal, Dudes Boomer who was a finalist at the Reno Snaffle Bit Futurity, was also regional NRCHA Hackmore champion, SRCHA champion 2 rein horse and is this year a youth qualifier at the NRCHA world show. The Dudes are great horses
December 2nd, 2011 at 2:04 pm
My first horse was of Blondys Dude lines and she has a superb mentality. When doing orienteering competitions you could drop the reins at any speed and read the map, she would carry on as if on autopilot and steering was done with subtle body weight changes. The mare is now retired but I have her son who looks to be of the same mentality and he is double line bred Blondys Dude. Both horses will try anything you ask them. I wouldn’t trade in either of them.
December 11th, 2011 at 8:34 am
I own a Zan Parr Bar, and Watch Joe Jack bred stallion. His lineage goes back to Blondys Dude on both sides. I have been on the fence about whether or not to keep him as a stallion, or if I should keep him period. I started him under saddle this past summer, and to tell you that he did great would be the understatment of the year. I have started alot of my own horses, and thoughout my life I have owned a lot of horses and started a lot of them, I have also trained race horses, and trail horses, but never have I had or encountered a horse with the mind, and disposition that this young stallion has. I have ridden him down the side of the road with dump trucks, and cars, and motorcylces going by, soome slowing down other not, and he went on like it was nothing to him. He was just given to me in trade for some riding I was doing on another horse; his half sister, and given his papers along with him. The guy really didn’t know what he had, and he didn’t want him because of an injury that he aquired as a yearling, and they thought would affect him performing. I just turned him out and let nature take its course. He is not that big, but he is only three this year, and he is blossoming more with each day, but he doesn’t seem to have the mind of a stallion that most young studs do. I have bred him to my 6 year old mare, she is Poco Bueno,Easy Jet, and Leo bred. She is very athletic, and has some speed though I never ran her, I have only trail rode with her, and she is very agile. I think that her, and this stallion will make a nice baby. I also have a Jessie James, and Doc Bar Bred filly that will be coming two this year, but that I don’t plan on breeding until she has either accomplished something, or I have clearly decided to sell him. I doubt that the later will happen, but I think that filly, and my stallion would make a great cross. I truely feel blessed to have been blessed to have such royalty in my life as well as my barn.
December 11th, 2011 at 8:41 am
I own a Zan Parr Bar, and Watch Joe Jack bred stallion. His lineage goes back to Blondys Dude on both sides. I have been on the fence about whether or not to keep him as a stallion, or if I should keep him period. I started him under saddle this past summer, and to tell you that he did great would be the understatment of the year. I have started alot of my own horses, and thoughout my life I have owned a lot of horses and started a lot of them, I have also trained race horses, and trail horses, but never have I had or encountered a horse with the mind, and disposition that this young stallion has. I have ridden him down the side of the road with dump trucks, and cars, and motorcylces going by, soome slowing down other not, and he went on like it was nothing to him. I have even ridden him around other mares, and horse, and he acts like a gentleman, and he is freindly around other people. He was just given to me in trade for some riding I was doing on another horse; his half sister, and given his papers along with him. The guy really didn’t know what he had, and he didn’t want him because of an injury that he aquired as a yearling, and they thought would affect him performing. I just turned him out and let nature take its course. He is not that big, but he is only three this year, and he is blossoming more with each day, but he doesn’t seem to have the mind of a stallion that most young studs do. I have bred him to my 6 year old mare, she is Poco Bueno,Easy Jet, and Leo bred. She is very athletic, and has some speed though I never ran her, I have only trail rode with her, and she is very agile. I think that her, and this stallion will make a nice baby. I also have a Jessie James, and Doc Bar Bred filly that will be coming two this year, but that I don’t plan on breeding until she has either accomplished something, or I have clearly decided to sell him. I doubt that the later will happen, but I think that filly, and my stallion would make a great cross. I truely feel blessed to have been blessed to have such royalty in my life as well as my barn.
December 15th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
I owned a 1982 Blondy’s Dude granddaughter, Wimpys Poco Pine, aka Chessi. She was 3 when I got her and was my first quarter horse. She sold me on the breed. She was broke when I got her, but not trained for any particular event. The barn I boarded at then specialized in contesting events and roping. She really liked barrels and poles and was very athletic. We did very well at it. She was very light and you could drop the reins and ride her with just subtle body cues. She’d do flying lead changes with the slightest of cues. She would do anything you asked of her. I boarded her at another barn where there were several dressage riders and 3 day eventers. One day one of the gals was putting down quarter horses earlier to another person, calling them “clunky quarter horses.” She was having a problem trying to get her non-quarter horse to do what she wanted. I collected Chessi up and got her to do the dressage moves that she was attempting and asked her if that was what she was trying to do. She said, “Yes! Wow, she’s(my mare) pretty good. You should start showing her in lower level dressage classes,” I replied, “Nah, she’s just a “clunky old quarter horse.” We gave her a new opinion of quarter horses that day! She didn’t even know a quarter horse when she saw one! Chessi taught my girls to ride and show. She raised 3 nice foals. I still have her son. She was the best horse and is really missed. I also have a really nice bay gelding, MR TARI REY DUDE (aka Dude) by MR MORGAN FREEMAN mentioned earlier here by Joe Cunningham. He is an awesome horse. He’s 18 now and still looks great. My daughters showed Dude in 4-H and open shows. He was undefeated in halter in every age group they showed him in. They did every class with him: western pleasure, trail class, reining and cattle classes, contesting, even a few English classes. Can’t say enough about the Blondy’s Dude horses. They are great. I too, feel blessed to have owned five, including an own granddaughter and grandson of the great Blondy’s Dude.
May 24th, 2012 at 8:47 am
I own a Blondy’s Dude grandson. He is remarkably only 14 at this time, his dam (a Leo bred mare) was 24 when she had him.
Unfortunately he does have some unsoundness issues, but even so, wow… can he move. I absolutely love him
July 5th, 2012 at 11:07 am
I own a granddaughter of Blondy’s Dude. A most remarkable mare who at 14 runs her herd with absolute authority and can do anything I ask her to. Her mind is her greatest asset – smart and willing. She is one of the finest horses I have ever owned.
September 11th, 2012 at 8:12 am
I recently acquired a grandson of Blondy’s Dude that needed to be re-homed. Doctor’s Gaucho. I whould love to learn more of his history. He is 30 and still has a lot of get up and go. I understand that he was a police horse for many years. What a gentle spirit he has.