2002 PPHRNA National Show

2004

US National Show

The Silver Creek Peruvian Paso:  Sound, Strong, and Sane!

Silver Creek Ranch

About Us

Silver Creek Ranch has dominated in the show arena for the past 15 years. 

¨ 10 times U.S. National High Point Breeder

 

U.S. National Awards as of 2005

¨ 19 National Champion of Champion Awards in Breeding and Pleasure

¨ 12 National Champion Awards in Breeding and Pleasure

¨ 3 National Best Gaited Horse of Show Awards

¨ National Best Bozal Horse of Show

¨ 22 National High Point Awards in Breeding, Pleasure, Gait, and Bozal

¨ 2 National Laureado Awards

¨ 2 National Hall of Fame Winners

 

We now have a herd of over 90 beautiful horses and look forward to sharing our good fortune and our knowledge to help people get off to the right start owning, showing, and breeding these extraordinary horses.

 

Please feel free to call us or come visit — we love to talk about our horses!

 

Harrison McDonald and Cathleen Sullivan

An Introduction to Harrison McDonald, AAOBPPH Judge

 

My first horse was a Quarter-type gelding. 
 
If I had to guess, he probably was about 14-2 hands and 8 or 9 years old when he was given to me by my uncle Edwin in 1952.  I used him like most kids use a motor scooter.  I seldom used a saddle or bridle, instead he and I went everywhere with just a halter and a lead rope for reins. When I graduated from high school and left to study engineering, the gelding was returned to my uncle. 
 
I graduated in 1961 from the University of Florida with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and married the same year.  By 1971 we were in Houston, Texas, with two children.  We thought owning a horse would be a good way to spend some time as a family.  So most of the time we had a couple of "KIDS" horses.

In 1976, my late wife was rear ended by another motorist while entering the freeway and this caused some injury to her back.  The Doctor said that she should give up riding horses.  Everyone that knew Charlotte understood she would not give up that easily.  Soon Charlotte was reading books about "Gaited Horses". Based on her research she decided that the Peruvian Horse was the one that would be the best for her.

 

While in Florida, visiting family, we paid a visit to a breeder of Peruvian horses and Charlotte got to ride a couple of Peruvians.  After dismounting from the second horse, Charlotte exclaimed, "Harrison, I can ride this horse with no pain!!!! “   In 1977, Charlotte bought her first Peruvian horse, a gelding named Tupac Amaru. 
 
When we were just getting started, we made a couple of purchases for what I will describe as "social reasons", i.e., trying to help a friend, that sort of thing.  It is OK to help a friend but one should never buy a breeding animal for that reason.  The other thing was to believe what we were told was the whole truth.  Most people will at least "shade" the truth, and leave important things unsaid to make a sale,  especially if their livelihood depends on it.

 

I was to realize later that much of the "hospitality" that was shown to us by "horse sellers" had a lot to do with us flying in to visit with a pilot and new airplane.  Later on this was to be enhanced by my getting a much larger airplane, a twin engine Commander 500B. 

 

Never start any venture with just emotion – knowledge is an absolute necessity.  I sought out the man who was, in my opinion, the most successful breeder of Peruvian Paso horses – Sr. Alfredo Elias.  His counsel and guidance were instrumental in my success. Talk to successful breeders, learn from their experience, and practice what they preach. 

 

The other thing to remember is that there are few "bargains" in this world.  Usually if a horse’s price seems too good to be true, there are concealed problems that will show themselves only after you have paid for it.  
When starting out , make sure you know why you are buying a horse. Write the reasons down.  Keep looking at your list while looking at horses.  Don't be dazzled by a fancy presentation, champagne, or insincere hospitality.   

 

The best decision we made when getting started was to buy our original herd sire, *AEV Cascabel.  Like most things in life, good fortune played an important part.  Charlotte, through her research, had decided to breed our first mare to *AEV Cascabel because he was a direct son of Sol de Oro V, the most important sire of the modern Peruvian horse.  Also AEV Cascabel was himself a National Champion in Peru.

 

One morning, in March of 1985, with the help of Kim Verbsky our groom, I loaded the mare Nieta and drove to Burleson, Texas, where *AEV Cascabel was standing at stud.  When we arrived, he was being ridden by a young lady, bareback with only a lead rope and halter.  I was very impressed with what I saw.  *AEV Cascabel was all at the same time: smooth, proud, handsome, my favorite color (chestnut), and very tractable. 

 

You have to understand that *AEV Cascabel was a direct son of Sol de Oro V, and perhaps only one of three in the US.   Based only on what I had just seen, I resolved to buy him, if I could.  So after we unloaded the mare, I broached the subject of purchasing him.  I did this knowing full well that my wife Charlotte had vowed never to own a stallion. Well the bottom line was that we were able to agree on a price and make a deal, subject to Charlotte`s approval.  The next weekend Charlotte and I flew to Dallas so she could see him. It was not difficult to convince her to agree, she was just as impressed as I was. 

 

*AEV Cascabel was a great producer for Silver Creek Ranch.  His offspring are still winning Champion of Champion, and "Best Gaited of Show" awards.  Better still, his grandget are doing just as well.  His contribution to our breeding program has enabled Silver Creek Ranch to win U.S. National High Point Breeder ten times – no one else has ever won it more than twice.  Even though *AEV Cascabel  was exported to the USA in 1979,  his lines are among the most successful in Peru and his few remaining daughters are highly sought after as brood mares. 

 

My fondest memory is that of riding MCD La Rosa, the first offspring of *AEV Cascabel to be born at Silver Creek Ranch, to the prestigious title of “Champion of Champions Breeding Mare.” 
 
After buying *AEV Cascabel he did indeed get the mare Neita pregnant. Nieta gave birth to MCD La Rosa on March the 1st of 1986, at about 1:00 AM. Charlotte and I were at the ranch with a friend, Rita Rothenberg.  We were taking turns going back and forth from the house to the barn to check on Nieta.  She had lots of milk and we were sure that this was going to be the night.  It was my turn to go to the barn and I decided to take a hand held, 2-way radio with me.  When I got to the barn, Nieta was lying down and just beginning to deliver. "Barn to Charlotte, get here right now!!"  Well, Charlotte and Rita were there in an instant, I was dispatched to the house to get some towels.  MCD La Rosa was born in Charlotte`s arms. 
 
Four years later we were attending the Lone Star Peruvian Classic in Houston, Texas, one of the largest and most competitive Peruvian shows in North America. Silver Creek Ranch was in 2nd place for High Point Breeder.  For us to win, MCD La Rosa, ridden by me, had to beat by at least 3 places the best mare of Dr. Bob Noble of Dallas.  You can imagine the intensity of the pressure I was feeling. 
 
It was a very large class with about 20 mares in competition.  MCD La Rosa and I won the class and also High Point Breeder, as Dr Noble`s mare was 5th place.  I will never forget the elation of that moment.  Even though there have been hundreds of championships since then, I still love to see my horses win.  Silver Creek Ranch focuses on creating the finest show horses in the world.  To us, a show horse must be strong, smooth, and sane.  They must be willing and full of energy.  We breed for champions and aggressively cull horses from the breeding herd that do not maintain this high standard.  The result is some of the most well-rounded horses in the breed – horses that will carry their rider to a Champion of Champion title and then come home and carry their rider on the miles of trails at the ranch.

 

The dream of the ultimate Peruvian Horse has been ours for many years.  We continue to refine our breeding herd by selecting only the most outstanding individuals.  Only those that carry the true spirit and strength of the Peruvian Horse carry the initials “MCD”.  My goal now is to help others achieve their dreams.

Harrison McDonald riding MCD Tridento