Van Tyke was the sire of 111 registered Paint foals through the end of 1998, also a number of Pintos and Half Arabs.
APHA Champion VAN TYKE
Van Tyke was the sire of 111 registered Paint foals through
the end of 1998, also a number of Pintos and Half Arabs.
Earnest Wilson, now of Tolar Texas, purchased Van Tyke as a weanling in 1972. By the time the horse was three years old, he held the prestigious APHA Championship. Wilson relates that it was not unusual for the horse to run a match race, go to a breed show, win his classes in Halter, Cutting, Western Pleasure, Heading, and win Show High Point.
Van Tyke stood Grand or Reserve at Halter 14 times, with 137 performance points. In addition, he won his only official race start. The horse had been used for jackpot roping and team roping and other events, plus match racing.
The stallion had a reputation for passing on his disposition, athleticism, conformation and intelligence to his get. One of his foals had 218 points in 11 different events.
Bright Gingersmoke, a granddaughter of Van Tyke, was the 1986 Texas State Champion Paint Cutting Horse, Reserve World Champion Paint Cutting Horse, and holds a Superior in Cutting.
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Van Tyke spent approximately 10 years of what might have been his most reproductive years, in Escalante Utah, as a ranch and trail horse for his octogenarian owner. During those years the horse was primarily the ranch stallion, breeding few outside horses.
The stallion moved to Texas when Erna Ginkel acquired him in the early 1990s. Standing at G Paint Horses, he sired a considerable number of outstanding horses in his waning years. Ms. Ginkel's interest in the horse came from owning and using daughters and granddaughters of him. Seeing the quality he produced, she couldn't rest until she managed to get him to Texas and into the mainstream of paint breeding programs once again.
The old stallion proved to be so popular as a sire, that in the North Central area of Texas, a number of Quarter Horse enthusiasts switched to paints as they bred mares to Van Tyke, and/or acquired his get.
Van Tyke, gone but
never forgotten.
1999 Photo and art by
Sheri Cook
April 1, 1972 - May 28, 1999
Springtown, Texas
Art by Sheri Cook, Happy Horse Studio
"A CHAMPION in EVERY SENSE of the word
A FRIEND who will NEVER be forgotten"
G Paint Horses