Stallion
Colour: Bay
Breed: Thoroughbred
Foaled: 1883
Type: Unknown
Height: Unknown but not exceeding 14.2 hands
Sire: Rosicrucian
Dam: Lady Day II
ROSEWATER (late Johnnie Day and Rose Water) GSB (Vol.16 p.246) a bay colt. Foaled in 1883 and bred by Mr. E.W. Elphick, of Preston Park, Brighton. Owned by Sir H.F. de Trafford, Baronet, Trafford Park, Manchester and entered in the Polo Pony Stud Book (Volume 1 page 27, Rosewater, stallion 37).
Perhaps no horse attracted greater attention in the early days of the Polo Pony Society than Rosewater, who was bred by Mr. E. W. Elphick, and passed into the hands of Sir H.F. de Trafford, and, later of Sir Walter Gilbey. He was a handsome little fellow, standing somewhere about 14 hands 1 inch, perhaps a shade over, but he was a good measurer and carried himself well, so we may call him 14.1. What perhaps was his strongest feature was his balance, which was perfect. . . . . . . . He ran on the flat under Jockey Club Rules, but he only ran in moderate company and he never won a race. He was, however, successful under National Pony and Galloway Racing Club Rules, and he was a very successful sire. His sire Rosicrucian was one of the great horses of his time. He was of the long low sort, and in this respect Rosewater may be said to have resembled him. So speaks William Scarth Dixon in 1924.
In the Preface to Polo Pony Stud Book Volume 1 (Printed in 1894), Lord Harrington says,
The Polo Pony Stud Book has been instituted with the object of improving the breed of Ponies, it being evident to the promoters of it that such improvement is much to be desired . . . . . The Stallion “Rosewater,” also in the General Stud Book as well as in the Pony Stud Book, could not be supposed to do ought but good when mated with good Pony mares. . . .
Sir Humphrey de Trafford, was one of the men instrumental in the formation of the Polo Pony Society, (he was President from 1885 to 1886) and in 1892 he entered Rosewater in a Class at Hurlingham for Polo Pony Stallions. Rosewater took first prize and thereafter began to sire stock for his owner. In 1893 a bay colt, Scent (dam Cuddington) and a chestnut colt Lord Polo (dam Lady Florence), and in 1895 a bay colt Sandiway whose dam was Cuddington.
The first show of the Society was held on the Ranelagh Club Grounds on Wednesday, June 5th, 1895 . . . . . A liberal prize schedule had been issued, thanks to Sir Humphrey de Trafford and other gentlemen . . . . There were thirteen Classes and a Jumping competition . . In Class 1, “Stallion other than Eastern, likely to get Polo or Riding Ponies. Height not to exceed 14.2 hands,” there were seventeen entries.
The First Prize of £20 went to Rosewater who was described thus . . . . The winner, Rosewater, is the model of a sire for Polo Ponies, his shoulders being excellently placed and his back, loins and quarters muscular. His handsome forehand, courage, quality and action made him a good winner and though of course this was not a factor which came before the Judges, all his stock come small. He is a fine mover, is well balanced and has capital bone.
Rosewater changed hands in 1895-96, becoming the property of Sir Walter Gilbey, as is seen from the Second Annual Show at Hurlingham, in 1896, (in the same Stallion Class, this time there were fifteen entries), the First Prize went to Sir Walter Gilbey, Baronet, of Elsenham Hall, Essex, for his stallion Rosewater, 13 years. Sir Humphrey still used Rosewater as a stallion, and in 1898 he bred a chestnut filly Rosemary, in 1899 a bay colt, Ejected and in 1900 a chestnut colt Combination, all by Rosewater.
At this time Rosewater also sired mares recorded in the General Stud Book, Red Rose in 1897, (her dam was Imported Shakra and was bred by Colonel Henriques), and Rosebud III (covered in 1906 by Duke of Westminster and sent to Canada). In 1898 Lady Lavender is noted, (Mr. S. Woodwiss) and in 1901 Rosina II, bred by Colonel Henriques. In 1903, there was Miss Juggles, bred by Lady Meux, Rosewater continued to win prizes :-
1899:
– 1st and Gold Medal, Polo Pony Society, Royal Agricultural Society of England, at Maidstone
– 1st Silver Medal and Champion Chrystal Palace
1900:
– 1st Champion Gold Medal and Gold Challenge Cup, Polo Pony Society, London Show
– 1st and Gold medal, Polo Pony Society, Royal Agricultural Society of England, at York
– 1st Tunbridge Wells
At the 1901 London Show, Rosewater secured for his owner, the absolute ownership of the Challenge Cup for the best Stallion or entire Colt in the Show, by his second consecutive win. At the 1902 London Show, in the Judges’ Reports for Breeding Classes (Classes 20 to 29), the report by Sir Richard D. Green-Price, Baronet, reads :- . . . In Class 20, Rosewater, although 19 years old, still easily held his own against all competitors, . . .The success of the descendants of Rosewater was extraordinary throughout the Show . . .
Of great interest, was the report of Mr. E.H. Barlow, (a Hunter Judge, seeing the Polo Pony Breeding Classes for the first time, he said, . . . Rosewater was first ; he is a magnificent specimen of a miniature thoroughbred, with the length, width and quality a stallion should possess. He stood away in character from all those shown against him. . . .
And in 1903 . . . . The 14.2 class was notable for the absence of Rosewater, who has done so much for the breed, that he might with truth be called the “father of the improved riding pony.” Retired upon his well-earned laurels, his influence may still be discerned in the successes of the produce of his son, Sandiway . . . . . .
A survey conducted in 1913 by the National Pony Society to assess the influence of Registered sires, was to show that, from 1900-1913, the progeny of Rosewater won 76 Prizes and Reserves.
The Influence of Racing and the Thoroughbred Horse on Light-Horse Breeding by William Scarth Dixon. Preface dated 1924
He was sire of:
Sandiway
Combination
Lord Polo
Note:
From, “ Improvement of the Mountain and Moorland Breeds,” report 1912
TRAMP, foaled in 1810, twelve crosses of pony blood; sire of two Derby and one St Leger winners: the direct paternal ancestor of Rosicrucian, sire of ROSEWATER (Sir Walter Gilbey’s famous pony stallion and grandsire of Sandiway and Shy Boy, the sires of noted ponies in three Continents – Europe, Africa and South America.”
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