We offer artificial insemination, or chilled
transported semen.
Greystone McErrill
At 31 years of age, the Connemara stallion,
Greystone McErrill, was euthanized on January 29, at Triple Creek
Farm in West Winfield, New York, where he had spent the last 18
years of his life. He was bred by Marianne Alexander, at Greystone
Farm in Ithaca in 1978. His sire was Hideaways Greystone Alex and
his dam was Erin’s Lassie. Melanie Alexander Fuchs, Marianne’s
daughter, trained and competed him. But his real worth was as a
sire of sires, a producer of world class get.
As he matured to
15.2hh, he retained all of the characteristics of the Connemara ,
the “eager to please” attitude and substance of bone and hoof. His
height, however, appalled many Connemara breeders while it appealed
to others.
His famous sons,
Greystone Dallen McMor, Greystone Ian McVai, and Thor of Greystone
have also produced many wonderful competitors who are enhancing his
legacy in the Connemara breed into the third generation and beyond.
His registered get are listed in the ACPS stud books and in
addition, he has produced many crossbred foals out of quality
mares. All told, his get must total at least a thousand.
When he was
crossed with Thoroughbred mares, his get were particularly
successful in driving competitions as evidenced by their selection
for many national as well as international competitions.
►His
son and full brother won the Gold Medal in Pairs Driving at the
World Championship in Austria in 1991, with Lana Wright as whip.
►His
daughter, Unicorn Janie, was the 1997 AHSA (now USEF) Reserve
National Champion. She was selected for the World Singles
Competition in 1998.
►His
son, True Grit qualified as an alternate for the World Singles
Championship in 2002, at the advanced level.
►Miles
to Go, by Thor of Greystone, out of Unicorn Janie, Competed at the
advanced level in 1999, placing first at the Gladstone Driving
Event in Gladstone, New Jersey and second at the Laurels in
Unionville, Pa. His score at the Fair Hill International
qualified his whip, Kim Stover, to become the first singles
driver to win the Jaguar Triple Crown of Driving. At the Fair Hill
show, second place was won by Greystone Ben Dor, a grandson of
McErrill’s, by Greystone Dallen McMor. Miles to Go was the AHSA
National Champion in 1999.
►His
son, Tricreek Greystone Laughlin has been competing at the
Advanced Level in 2009. He won the Advanced Division at
Bromont and was second to Thor's Toy Truck (Errill's Grandson) at
the Laurels.
And in other
disciplines:
►In
2003 the Performance Horse Registry listed McErrill in 3rd place
as a sire of pony jumpers.
►A
grandson, Lunar Eclipse, by Thor of Greystone, earned the U.S.
Eventing Association's Horse of the Year award at training level
in 1996, and at preliminary level in 1999.
►A
grandson, Moonlight Rock N’ Roll, by Ian McVai, captured the
Morven Park CCI* in 2008.
►Winter
Romance, also a grandson by Ian McVai, won the grand champion
title in the International Hunter Futurity 4-Year-Old Sweepstakes
at the Kentucky National Horse Show in 2008.
Hideaways
Greystone Covergirl, McErrill's daughter, produced a dynasty of her
own in the Seaborne line and won the American Connemara Pony Hall of
Fame Broodmare Award in 2001.
There is a
possibility of a book being written about the Greystone line and any
contributions, photos or anecdotes would be welcome. They can be
sent to Mary Lou Thall at
tricreek@hotmail.com
.
By serendipitous
genetic expression, a 15.2hh stallion was born whose progeny has
left an imprint on the history of the Connemara breed in America and
on the hearts of many of his fans.
