REFERENCE SIRE - TOPSAIL CODY

"He passes on his best characteristics to his colts," says owner Dick Randall of Cupertino, CA. "He stamps them with a great attitude and pretty heads."

Currently, the 23-year-old stallion stands at Boyle Performance Horse in Ione, CA. His west-coast-bred colts came of show age in 1997. Last fall at the West Coast Reining Futurity, Topsails placed first through fourth in the Non Pro Futurity, as well as the Champion and Reserve Champions in the Open Division. Randall Feels these recent successes as well as the ability to ship semen have led to a renewed interest in the stallion.

"We had a great response the first year he stood out here on the coast," noted Dick. "I think we bred over 60 mares that year. Breedings fell off over the next few years, but with the west-coast-bred Topsails hitting the show pen last year, there has been a renewed interest." Since moving to California, Topsail has been introduced to a whole new set of mare and remains a NRHA leading sire.
 

Add It Up As a sire Topsail Cody has 699 AQHA-reistered foals and 333 foals licensed with NRHA. Twenty-nine of these foals have NRHA earnings in excess of $10,000. He has sired NRHA World Champions, Futurity Champions, Derby and Superstakes winners, as well as AQHA World Champons and Honor Roll Champions. Twenty-nine get have earnings that exceed $10,000.


WHERE IT ALL STARTED Topsail Cody is a product of C.T. Fuller's legendary Willowbrook Farm's breeding program, sired by Hall of Famer, Joe Cody and out of the great mare Doc Bar Linda (X Doc Bar). He was purchased by Bob Loomis as a yearling for his brother, Ed. Bob broke Topsail as a two-year-old and then sent him home to be trail ridden by his young niece. When Loomis got him back as three-year-old, he bought Topsail back from his brother. "I had him back in training for about 90 days when I realized he was the best horse I had ever ridden. I immediately bought him back," remembers Bob.

The young stallion's rise to the top of NRHA's premier event is the stuff legends are made of. Billed as "undefeated" in his show career, Topsail was the 1980 NRHA Futurity Champion and the 1981 AQHA World Champion Junior Reining horse. Loomis and Topsail won the first go of the futurity and tied to win the second go round with Miss Cee Blair. He earned a total of $29,236.73 in NRHA competition and 25 AQHA reining points. "Topsail Cody was an absolutely bionic horse with unlimited talent," says Bob. "He was a thrill to show and I never asked anything from him that he couldn't do."

Dick Randall entered Topsail Cody's life following a visit to the Loomis Ranch in Marietta, OK. "I met Bob at a reining clinic here in California and he invited me to visit his ranch. And, as you always do when you visit Bob's ranch, I bought a horse ad we embarked on a partnership on Topsail. The next year I bought Bob's share as well."


 

MAKING HISTORY

But it was his performance in the breeding shed that brought him NRHA's million dollar sire award. Topsail Cody has sired over 180 NRHA money earners, with Cee Blair Sailor (Topsail Cody X Miss Cee Blair) topping the list. At the age of seven, he was the youngest horse ever inducted into the Hall of Fame and the Only non-gelding ever to be inducted strictly on performance. He was a futurity finalist, Lazy E Classic Reserve Champion and the Reno Spectacular Champion. Amanda Connor rode him to the 1993 Intermediate Non Pro World title, and he was the 1994 Open and Limited Open World Champion with Craig Schmersal in the saddle. He has lifetime earnings of more than $90,000. Interestingly, Cee Blair Sailor's mother was the only horse that came close to defeating Topsail Cody competitively. She tied him for the lead in the second go round of the 1980 futurity. Together they produced one of the NRHA's brightest stars.

"Rest Stop was one of the best Topsail Cody mares," said Dean Latimer. Rest Stop was the 1988 Futurity Reserve Champion for Marc Stuart, Ltd., and ridden by Doug Milholland. She went on to a successful non pro show career that included many major events wins and a Non Pro Reserve World Championship for Marc Wagman. With total lifetime earnings of $56,072.76, Rest Stop is still producing for Wagman. He was Non Pro Futurity finalist in 1997 aboard her three-year-old by Jessies Impression, One Dumb Blond.

There seems to be little doubt that Topsail Wiz (Topsail Cody X Jeanie Whiz Bar) inherited all the best qualities his father had to offer. The 1987 stallion has lifetime earnings of $49,865.70. His show record includes a third place finish in the 1990 futurity, the 1991 Lazy E Classic Open Championship, 1991 Congress Junior Reining Class win and the Open class at the 1991 Futurity and Championship show. "The best thing Topsail Cody did was produce Topsail Whiz," said Loomis. "He is probably one of the greatest horses I have ever ridden. Over the last 35 years I've only ridden a few great horses. High Proof (X Joe Cody) was a two-time AQHA World Champion, Topsail Cody and Topsail Whiz are three of the very best."

Long-time Loomis assisstant Dean Latimer feels the same way. "Topsail Whiz was different from all the rest," said Dean. "He has all the stop and turn, but he was so quiet with a great mind. And he's putting that on all his colts." Latimer has had great success with the Topsail Cody get. He won the NRHA Limited Open Futurity aboard Nowata Sail, the Congress Limited Open futurity riding Jimmy Swagget and the Limited Open Derby showing Topsail Sally.

At the tender age of 11 years, Topsail Whiz has already produce a NRHA Futurity Champion. Mike Flarida rode Whizard Jac to the 1996 Futurity title. This colt was from Topsail Whiz's second foal crop. Within the first two crops, there were three finalists in the 1995 Futurity and three in the 1996 Futurity which included the eventual champion and a Limited Open Superstakes Champion.

The most common characteristic among the many champions that Topsail Cody produced was their great minds. Each of these money earners have show records that go on for pages and span many years. One of them that Loomis remembers foundly was Topsail Dude. "He is the only horse in the history of the Quarter Horse Congress to win both the Championship Open and Non Pro classes. At the '88 Congress, the classes were stepped up so you had to show in a go round and then the finals. This great gelding showed his heart out four times-twice for me in the open and twice for owner Gay Given in the Non Pro." He was then shown extensively on the west coast and was twice named AQHA Youth World Champion.

Another name familiar to reiners would be Freckles Top Prize (Topsail Cody X Freckles Prize). He was the SWRHA 1994 Futurity Champion and placed third in the 1995 Novice Horse Open standings. Freckles is most closely linked with Shannon Raymond. They earned over $30,000 and two back to back Non Pro World Championships.

The list of winners and champions produced by this prolific sire goes on and on. But a new group of Topsail Codys are emerging and bringing new focus to this Hall of Fame horse. Never Dull Sailing (Topsail Cody X Roxy Lynn) and owner Diana Paboojian have been at the top of the NRHA Non Pro competition and AQHA amateur classes for the last few years. The Randall family has been enjoying these great horses, too. Daughter Tiffany has successfully shown Cody's Whiz Kid. Dick has been showing Sailwin Chex in the Limited Non Pro and Novice Non Pro classes.

Topsail Cody's impact on the reining horse industry continues. An undefeated champion, he has also produced some of NRHA's greatest show horses, who have gone to on to be producers as well. Topsail Cody has become part of NRHA's foundation

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Last modified: 04/03/07