Don took him back to his home in Columbia Falls, Mont., after he and Roark showed the stallion at the World Show. Roark finished fourth in the Open Weanling Stallions and Don was third in the Amateur. Prior to the World, Roark had won the halter at the Iowa Futurity and at the International Halter Pleasure Quarter Horse Futurity, and was third at the Solid Gold Futurity.
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But a couple of years later, as he was flipping through the Quarter Horse Journal, he came across an ad for Touchdown Kid. He immediately recalled the young stallion, which was being bred for the first time and was preparing for the World Show. Knost was impressed with how the 3-year-old had filled out and he approached Falcon. They decided to go in as partners, and Knost purchased half.
Only a few months later, the handsome sorrel foundered and his bid for a World Championship ended. Knost rushed to take care of Touchdown Kid, putting him in an air conditioned stall and making him as comfortable as possible. He recovered and completed his breeding season.
While his time in the arena spotlight was over, the brightest time for the young sire was still ahead.
Knost closed the stallion's book every year on April 15. He bred about 250 mares the first year. Knost decided to go for a record and booked 350 mares to the stallion. Two of the mares died during foaling season (and Knost didn't want to be unfair and choose two other mares), so he bred 348 mares that season.
"He is just a very potent producer," Knost said. He added that the stallion ships very well, with his semen being able to survive for great periods of time. They are also able to extend his semen easily to breed numerous mares from one collection.
Along with the great body, big hip, beautiful head and balance that he passes along to his offspring, Knost said he also usually adds a lot of white, which has resulted in several crop outs.
Although his bid for a World title never came through, Touchdown Kid was vindicated with his first foal crop, which has produced six World Champions - two as weanlings and four as 2-year-olds.
He also ranked second on the Halter Sires chart on last year's Halter Statistics, with his first foal crop. And now, with the first and second crops hitting the show pens, he has taken over the lead of the charts.
Knost cautiously - and with respect to the great sires that have come before - is optimistic that Touchdown Kid could match or surpass some of their best achievements.
In 2000, the 6-year-old stallion had 21 offspring earn $40,091, for an average of $1,909 per horse. His top money earner was Dont Touch Me Mr, a weanling mare owned by Jess and Donna Davis, Silver Hill, Ala., that earned $5,758. He also sired Touchdown Sally and Touch Me Mister, which earned $5,026 and $5,025 respectively.
Clu Heir, another 6-year-old, ranked second on the list this year, with 11 offspring earning $35,821, or an average of $3,256.
By far, his top earner was the No. 1 Horse of 2000 Heirs Your Clu, which earned $12,699. The weanling mare, out of Things Look Brighter, a daughter of Skippa Sure Bar, was shown by owner Craig Parmley and trainer Ross Roark to win the Open and Amateur Weanling Mares at the World Show.
Clu Heir's second highest money earner was Heirfinity, owned by Ron and Lana Gabriel, which ranked third on the leading horses. The weanling mare, out of Look This Way by Hazard County, was shown by John Lawrence and Lana to earn $7,907.
Touchdown Kid's sire, Kid Clu, came in third on the leading sires list, with 33 offspring earning $29,266. The stallion, which passed away earlier this year, also was the No. 1 Paternal Grandsire.
The Maternal Grandsires chart was lead by another great stallion who is no longer with us, Mr Conclusion.
Kid Clu had 131 of his sons sire horses that earned $176,694 during 2000, which surpassed his closest competition by $73,000.
On the other end of the pedigree, 41 of Mr Conclusion's daughters had babies that earned $62,700 during the year - putting him $30,000 ahead of Ima Cool Skip, who ranked second on the Maternal Grandsires. Ima Cool Skip also finished third on the Paternal Grandsires and was No. 5 on the leading sires, dropping from No. 1 last year.
