Flashing to Fame
(4/1/03- 9/20/07)

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to “Flashing to Fame”, known to those who knew him as “Flash”. Every once in a while a horse is born that stands out from the crowd. A true athlete with speed, quickness, a good mind, a big heart, and beauty all rolled into one Palomino stallion. Not to mention an own son of Dash ta Fame. I have sat astride many horses through the years with some more impressive than others, but Flash’s athletic ability put him in an elite class. He could go from zero to full speed in just a few strides. Literally, run like the wind, yet slide to a stop on his hind end and rollback like a reiner.   

I remember the first day Flash, as a weanling, was introduced to our herd of horses. We lead him out in the middle of the pasture and all the other horse came up to check out this little Palomino fuzz ball. He was fuzzy because we purchased him in Oregon during the winter. Accompanying us was our black Labrador retriever (Dolly). He took one look at this crowd of onlookers and one look at the dog, pinned his ears back and chased the dog all the way back to the fence with the dog hollering all the way. My first thought was if he will track a dog like that, not only would he cow but also he would naturally go into a barrel pin looking for a barrel.

One look at Flash’s papers left no doubt about the genetic qualities for speed. This proved true not only on the match track, but also in the arena (solid 1D times). Unfortunately, Flash’s only bout with colic and unsuccessful colic surgery closed the chapter of what was promised to be one of the true great sires of his day.

After his death, my family and I thought long and hard about what to do. This was our chance to change to a different bloodline if we were to choose so. I spent the next several weeks traveling around the country looking at stallions. Some were pretty nice, but none quite measured up. Flash was royally bred! He was the only Palomino son of Dash ta Fame with a AAA maternal line standing at stud. He was also magic cross breed with Easy Jet as his maternal grand-sire. Every horse in his pedigree was a producer, performer, or both. We also had the advantage of seeing some of his offspring. I knew that in time, Flash would prove himself as a producing sire, but how could we get back what seemed hopelessly lost? I had heard Flash had a younger full brother, so I contacted the owners, made a trip across the country to see him and was extremely impressed. Here stood the only other Palomino son of Dash Ta Fame with a AAA maternal line. As I watched him travel across the ground I saw all the same characteristic that had convinced me about Flash’s greatness. At that moment I knew the search was over. I realized it would be foolish to purchase any other horse, since I knew what we had in his full brother. The deal was secured and shipping arrangements were made to bring him home to Mississippi. I know that when everyone gets to see him, you will be impressed also. By the way, his registered name is “Got to be Famous”. With a name like that and a brother like Flash, I am convinced “GOT TO BE FAMOUS” will live up to his namesake.