37 Years with Morgans for the Sweet Family
by Nancy L. Smith

The 66 year-old horseman, Sweet, rode his first Morgan 62 years ago, about the same time he began a dream of such a trail ride as the Baltimore trip.  In 1947, he bought his first registered Morgan, the stallion Brownie A.  Brownie who traced back to Tehachapi Allan, Bennington, and General Gates, put Sweet and his wife Mabel into the Morgan breeding business.
Brownie lived until 1956 when arthritis brought on by a knee injury forced them to put him down.  He was 17 at his death.
Two years later, Sweet bought Rocky's dame-side grandsire, Rhythm's Bimbo  Bimbo was a three year old stallion that traced back to Jubilee de Jarnette through Ruperta.  He was out of a mare named Rhythm's Lovely Lady, and his sire was a well-traveled exhibition Morgan, Archie O, who traced back to Black Hawk.  In Bimbo and his get, the Sweets were to fine Many of the Morgan characteristics that are especially important to their breeding program.  "He was a Bing cherry red" Mrs. Sweet says, "-that rich mahogany color, and it never faded."  He also had a powerful takeoff that soon led him to the show arena feats in such speed events as barrel racing, pole bending, and "carry the mail".
"People called him 'Sweet's Damn Morgan', after he and I collected over 200 ribbons- more than half of 'em blues- in two seasons of speed events against quarter horses." Sweet says.
Bimbo sired the mare, Rhythms Joy, who provided the Sweets with Rocky in 1978.  And, although Rocky is still stabled on the Sweets' ranch, he is now owned by Richard Neilson, of Mankato.  A big, typy bay who stands 15.2, he won the Saddle Horse Pulling competition in 1983 and the Harness Horse Pulling competition in 1982 and 1983 at the Nebraska State Fair.
The year Rocky was foaled, Bimbo died.  He was 23 years old, His last son, T-Bone Bimbo, now is on e of two stallions the Sweets have T-Bone is owned by the Sweet's daughter, Georgie Pfiester, who also lives on the ranch and works with the horses.
Shortly before Bimbo died, he had been leased to John Streiff of the T-Bone Ranch in Nebraska, Sweet says.  It was there he sired T-Bone Bimbo, who was born in 1976.  T-Bones dam was Kings Fancy Duchess, who traces back to Jubilee King and General Gates.
"Nearly everything on T-Bone's papers traces back to Jubilee King and General Gates," says Mrs. Sweet.
T-Bone is one of the few grandsons of old Archie O left in the country, Sweet adds.

The Sweets' present senior stallion, Sweet's Classy Boy, sired both Rocky and The Indian.  Classy Boy, a chestnut, also traces back to Jubilee King and General Gates.  He was sired by Classy's Pride; his dam was Princess Pam, who was out of Kate De Jarnette.  According to Mrs. Sweet, nearly all of their breeding stock carries several crosses back to the champion mare Lady De Jarnette.  Class's Pride, owned by Streiff, had several crosses to Jubilee de Jarnette, who was Lady De Jarnette's only colt. He crosses back to General Gates with a run through Mansfield, Querido, Red Oak, and Bennington.   Pride's grandsire Condo was sired by Congo, a Brunk horse.  Pride's dam, Chuckanut Hacienda, was double registered as a Morgan and a racing quarter horse.  She ran four years in CA with what is not AAA rating, Mrs. Sweet says.
Classy breeding is concentrated in The Indian: Classy Boy was bred to his half-sister, Sweet's Indian Rose, who was sired by Classy's Pride and out of RB Ann. 
"This particular line-breeding program has worked very well for us, "Mrs. Sweet says.  We're getting top-notch stamina in these colts.  They are horsemen's horses, they like working."