Offering frozen semen for overseas distribution!
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In Loving Memory
Dynamic In The Dark collapses, dies May 4, at Riverside Ranch
NSBA: The Way To Go, June 2001
On Friday, May 4, Riverside Ranch in Weatherford, Texas, suffered a tremendous loss with the death of AQHA stallion Dynamic In The Dark. Later that same day tragedy struck again when the young stallion's successful two-year-old daughter, Charmer In The Dark, colicked and died.
Owned by Stephen and Cindy Stevens, along with Grant and Shannon McKenzie of British Columbia, Canada, Dynamic In The Dark was being led to the walker for some exercise before being collected, when he collapsed and died instantly. Autopsy results have not yet been completed.
"It marks the end to an incredible stallion with a thriving breeding career," the owners said in a written statement. "We will miss him greatly."
A 1995 dark brown stallion, Dynamic In The Dark (aka Calvin) had been featured on the April cover of The Way To Go and in March Equistat listed him as #11 in 2000 for Top Two-Year-Old Sires. Five of his offspring averaged $3,659 / Total Earnings of $18,296 last year.
National Snaffle Bit Association President Vic Clark said it was a shock to hear that he had died. "I feel bad," he said. "Dynamic In The Dark was producing some very nice foals." Clark said he remembers visiting the horse at Riverside Ranch and first saw him show as a three-year-old. "This is certainly a loss to the industry," he said. "Dynamic In The Dark was an up and coming young sire. He also was an ideal cross with the Zippo Pine Bar horses. He made an impact, and won't be forgotten."
Dynamic In The Dark was the second foal born out of Pocos Unique Fashion, an AQHA leading producer, and by Dynamic Deluxe.
Dynamic In The Dark and Cindy Stephens had an astonishing show career, traveling more than 15,000 miles cross country as a two-year-old, capturing championships and reserve championships at many of the major futurities. In 1996, he acquired an NSBA Two-Year-Old High Point title, and Cindy was named the NSBA High-Point Limited Rider of the Year.
Dynamic In The Dark started his career in the breeding barn as a three-year-old, breeding only a few select mares. At this time Stephen Stephens also started his training for the western riding classes. With very limited showing, Calvin finished the year as one of the Top Ten High Point Western Riding horses in the nation.
As a three-year-old, Dynamic In The Dark placed third in Junior Western Riding at the Quarter Hose Congress. The following year, despite a very full breeding schedule, Calvin captured the Tom Powers Western Pleasure Maturity Championship with Stephen Stephens, then went back to the Congress to place third again in the Junior Western Riding, and fourth in the Junior Western Pleasure class out of more than 100 entries.
Charmer In The Dark was following in her sire's footsteps. Cindy Stephens and Charmer In The Dark were finalists in the Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the 2000 Congress. The brown mare was owned by Jackie Allen of Manchester, Mich., and placed second in the Three-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure at the Las Vegas Silver Dollar Circuit in March, with Stephen Stephens.
Karen Hornick, who trained and presented Kissed In The Dark, a 1998 black mare by Dynamic In The Dark, for owner Libby Trucco, said she had "a sickening feeling" when she heard of Calvin's death. "He was a young horse," she said. "It is really sad. I know he was like a family member. He will be missed."
The Jamestown, Ohio, trainer said Calvin's friendly disposition and remarkable talent are evident in his babies. Kissed In The Dark (aka Kissy) was fifth in the Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the 2000 World Show, and finalist at the Congress that same year. "When he moved it was like he was floating across the ground, and he was a great sire," Hornick said. "You could see the talent in his babies at such an early age, and all of his babies are so friendly. They really, truly are."
Trucco is currently showing Kissed In The Dark in the Non-Pro Pleasure futurities, and has enjoyed much success, including Reserve Champion in the Two-Year-Old Non Pro Limited Western Pleasure Futurity and third in the Two-Year-Old Open Non Pro at the 2000 Congress. "My trainer called and told me about Calvin, and I was quite taken back by it all," Trucco said. "My heart is sad for Cindy and Stephen. Calvin was definitely a part of their family. They had a lot of hopes and dreams for this horse."
Riverside Ranch has asked for understanding at this time to "allow us time to get our bearings before any decisions are made about our breeding program. Words cannot express our thoughts."
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