What's In A Name?

Posted by BarbaraAnne Helberg Apr 30, 2008

Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Remember those TV shows in the fifties? Top cowboys had neat horses who followed their every move and responded to their every comman. The bad guys just had ordinary steeds.

Autry had Champion and Rogers had Trigger. Who had a gray named Traveler? Famous southern general Robert E. Lee, of course.

In fictiion, we had The Black Stallion (1941). The Black was a wild Arabian horse who, through an accident at sea, came into the hands of young Alec Ramsey. Thus was begun a twenty plus book saga created by then college student Walter Farley.

Who could forget the stunning telling of the heroics and survival of Black Beauty (1946) by Anna Sewell? Also in 1941 was the down-to-earth, My Friend Flicka, by Mary O'Hara.

Names to remember. Like Somebeachsomewhere, this season's Standardbred champion. The all-time best Standardbred name might be No Pan Intended from the Peter Pan Stables in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Whirlaway was a great handle. Swooping speed comes to mind, and the 1941 chestnut Thoroughbred Triple Crown champion had that.

Seattle Slew was good. The 1977 Triple Crown champ was named for his owners' places of residence, Seattle and the Florida slews (swamps, or Everglades).

Then there was Alexander the Great's mighty Bucephalus, the strong warrior.

Last year, we lost the Thoroughbred Yes Its True. That brain tingler name always stirred my imagination. What's true?

Got memory lane names? Hi -- oh, Sillll-verrrr! And a--way!