Janus (1746–1780),[1] also known as Little Janus, Young Janus, and Janus II, was an English Thoroughbred stallion imported to Colonial America, which would later become the United States.[2] Noted for his quickness and compact conformation, he has subsequently been acknowledged as a foundation sire of the American Quarter Horse.[3]
| Janus | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Janus I ("Old Janus") |
| Grandsire | Godolphin Arabian |
| Dam | Fox Mare |
| Damsire | Fox |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1746 |
| Country | |
| Breeder | Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin |
| Owner |
|
| Last updated on 27 August 2023 | |
Background
editBred by Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin, Janus was foaled in England in 1746. He was a grandson of the Godolphin Arabian, and like his grandsire, was chestnut in color.[4] Subsequently, owned by Anthony Langley Swymmer, a founding member of the Jockey Club and an English MP.[5] He raced under various names including Little Janus and Stiff Dick. His English racing career took place between 1750 and 1752. Janus won twice at 4 miles and was retired due to injury. Janus was sold to George Grisewood, a horse breeder and turf enthusiast.[6]
Life in America
editAfter becoming lame, Janus was imported to Virginia Colony by Mordecai Booth in 1752,[7] and resold to Mildred Willis.[8]
Janus was able to fully recover and went on to race again.[9] He won races in Virginia and North Carolina.[10] Janus was compact, standing just over 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm), yet large boned with powerful hindquarters.[11][12][13]
In late 1771 or early 1772 he was sold to Jeptha Atherton and was moved to North Carolina.[14][15] In 1773 he was at stud at what would later become Northampton Courthouse, in Jackson, North Carolina.[16][17]
Janus died in 1780, aged 34. His offspring included Celer, foaled in 1774, and Spadille.[18]
Manly Wade Wellman wrote a fictionalized account of the life of Janus.[19]
Sire line tree
editReferences
edit- ^ Wallace, John Hankins, ed. (1877). "The printer stock of horses". Wallace's Monthly: An Illustrated Magazine Devoted to Domesticated, Volume 3.
- ^ Denhardt, Robert Moorman (1967). Quarter Horses: A Story of Two Centuries. ISBN 9780806122854.
- ^ "American Quarter Horse Museum".
- ^ "Jeptha Atherton, Horse breeder". www.ncpedia.org.
- ^ "Historic Sires". Thoroughbred Heritage.
- ^ "Historic Sires". Thoroughbred Heritage.
- ^ The General Stud Book Containing Pedigrees of English Race Horses – Volumes 1–2. 1834.
- ^ Harrison, Fairfax (1930). "The Roanoke Stud, 1795-1883". Priv. print., Old Dominion Press.
- ^ Campbell, Julie A. (2010). The Horse in Virginia: An Illustrated History. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 9780813928166.
- ^ Johnson, Patricia (1967). "Meet the horse". Grosset & Dunlap.
- ^ Robert Moorman Denhardt (1982). Foundation Dams of the American Quarter Horse. ISBN 9780806127484.
- ^ Parise-Peterson, Amanda (2018). American Quarterhorses. p. 9. ISBN 9781543500387., ISBN 978-1-5435-0032-5
- ^ Haynes, Glynn W. (1976). The American Paint Horse. ISBN 9780806121444.
- ^ Alexander Mackay-Smith (1983). The Colonial Quarter Race Horse: America's first breed of horses. America's native breed of running horses, the world's oldest breed of race horses, prime source of short speed.
- ^ "Colonial Horse racing". Washington Post. 1999.
- ^ "Atherton, Jeptha – Old Janus". The Virginia Gazette. 18 March 1773.
- ^ "Atherton Jeptha Atherton, Old Janus". The Virginia Gazette. 25 March 1775.
- ^ Denhardt, Robert Moorman (1991). Quarterhorses, the Story of Two Centuries. ISBN 9780806122854.
- ^ Wellman, Manly Wade (1968). Brave Horse: The Story of Janus. ISBN 9780910412810.
- ^ Foundation Sire: Little Janus
- ^ a b The Bloodlines Chart