History of Hilldale Farm

 

  In 1970, Don Davis purchased a scenic, run-down farm along the Elk River, near Fayetteville, TN. which he named Hilldale Farm. Davis had previously been involved in the Quarter Horse business in Florida, as a breeder of Cutting Horses and a few running horses. However, it was not until 1980 that he decided to change Hilldale Farm from a small scale cattle operation to a Quarter Horse Breeding Farm.

  It was in 1980 that Davis and his daughter Tammye began purchasing breeding stock with the goal of producing all around horses, capable of winning at Halter in the morning and Performance in the afternoon. Skip Agent (Splash Bar X Wells Honey by Skippers King) was the first Stallion purchased and the most successful horse to stand at Hilldale Farm for many years. Tammye showed Skip Agent with great success -- including making him a PHBA World Champion, AQHA Champion and AQHA Superior Halter Horse.

     The original broodmares selected for Skip Agent were primarily daughters and granddaughters of Blondys Dude. The cross proved most successful, with a number of Halter and Performance winners and Futurity Champions. The Hilldale Farm program was earning great respect in the early 80's -- with three Palomino World Championships and two Reserve Champions among the achievements of the Skip Agent offspring

 

  Tragedy struck in 1986 when a freak accident claimed the life of Skip Agent. Don Davis and Tammye tried several stallions in search of a replacement for the horse they had loved and lost. None compared.

  Because of Davis' fascination with World Class Halter Horses, he purchased Colossus, a son of Impressive, in 1988. Although he enjoyed some success as a show horse, his record as a sire was disappointing. Because of his evil disposition, it was felt that "the Devil called him home" when he succumbed to an HYPP attack in 1992

 

  In 1991, Hilldale Farm had purchased Heza Royal Step by Big Step. Like Skip Agent, Heza Royal Step was an all around horse who earned points in eight events. This horse entered Halter competition at age 8, becoming an AQHA Champion. This stallion sired several successful show horses, including Sheza Royal Step, who Tammye's daughter, Jessica Keller made an AQHYA Supreme Champion and Versatility Champion.

  Heza Royal Step died of colic in 1995. His son HD Royalty stood at Hilldale until he was sold in 1998. This stallion, who earned a Superior in Halter was out of a Skip Agent / Blondys Dude mare.

  In 1992, Tammye married Charlie Hutton, a horseman who shares her passion for conformation and performance. Together, they selected Nu Chex To Cash as their herd sire, and heavily culled the broodmare band. The broodmare band was rebuilt with mares from proven performance families with emphasis on correct and functional conformation. By the end of the 90's, the success of Nu Chex To Cash and his offspring proved that Hilldale Farm was back on track.

 

  At the end of the 90's Hilldale Farm continued to focus their competition efforts on AQHA shows where most of their established market was also centered. In 1999 Charlie rode to two all-time records on Nu Chex To Cash, becoming the AQHA All-Time Leading Open Reining Point Earner and the only horse to ever earn National High Point Championships in Reining and Working Cowhorse in the same year.

  As the new millennium arrived, the Hilldale focus remained on Quarter Horse shows, but with more emphasis on major events. Accordingly, Hilldale horses began to excel at such shows as the Dixie National, the Congress and the AQHYA World. In 2000, daughter Jessicah won the Youth Working Cowhorse World Championship in Fort Worth, riding Cee Nifty Cash by Nu Cash.

 

  As the 2001 show season was winding down, a change of events occurred, almost by chance. Nu Chex To Cash had secured the all-time record in Reining and Jessica was allowed to show the stallion in an NRHA Ltd Non Pro class at the Kentucky Futurity. The veteran show horse and young rider clicked, and the class was won, and a big decision was made. Nu Chex To Cash and Jessicah were late entered at the NRHA Futurity in the Ltd Non-Pro! As a late entry, Nu Chex To Cash ran as draw three and marked a 215 1/2. That score held for first place in a class of 108 entries. A new era for Hilldale Farm had begun.

  The 2002 show season was to place Hilldale Farm "on the map" with NRHA. With Tammye at the wheel and Jessicah in the saddle, the Hilldale trailer travelled to an NRHA show almost every week from April to December. As he had every year, Nu Chex To Cash stood to a full book of mares. He was usually collected just before he was loaded in the trailer, so semen would be available at home for the weekend.

  By the end of the '02 season, Nu Chex To Cash had earned a place in NRHA history as a performer. He had become the 2002 Limited Open World Champion and the Intermediate Open World Champion, plus the Non-Pro and Intermediate Non-Pro Reserve World Champion. Showing in at least two classes daily, he had remained honest and unbelievably consistent.

  Although Nu Chex To Cash had already sired winners from every foal crop, his emergence as a major sire also began in 2002. His son, Wimpys Little Step won the Congress Futurity and went to Oklahoma City as the favorite. At Oklahoma City, under masterful rides by Shawn Flarida, he won the composite go-round scores with a record setting aggregate score and then won the Finals with a 233.

  Hilldale Farm was now playing at a new level and the new question became "could they continue at this altitude?"

 Back at the farm, the Hutton's continued to work on improving their program from the breeding barn to the show ring. New facilities were completed at Hilldale Farm in 2003 - a new breeding barn and an enclosed and insulated 100'x200' arena.

   Cowhorse classes remained important for the Hilldale Farm 2003 show string. David Hutton hauled three talented cowhorses, HD Continental Chex, Reminics Award and ML Great Badger. All three stallions earned a place in the record book as the season finally concluded. HD Continental Chex earned the AQHA High Point title, setting a new record for the most points ever earned in a year. HD Continental Chex aka Romeo also won the Palomino World for the second consecutive year, this time showing in the bridle as a Senior horse. Reminics Award finished the year in second place in both Junior and All Age Cowhorse. Finally, ML Great Badger finished on top in the AQHA Senior Cowhorse standings.

  Back on the farm, the emergence of Nu Chex To Cash as a proven sire inspired the Hutton's to work harder on improving the broodmare band. Their selection principles remained unchanged -- using pedigrees to screen potential broodmare candidates and then making the actual choices on conformation and temperament.

  In regard to bloodlines, Hilldale Farm had been built along proven performance lines with emphasis on strong, balanced mares with outstanding bone and low hocks. The original mares could be described as foundation-bred and were chosen to pay for themselves with their first foal. Most were fairly close descendants of King 234, but Peppy San Badger mares also proved to cross consistently well with Nu Chex To Cash. Some new bloodlines were added including Doc OLena and Doc Tom Tucker. Because Bueno Chex mares had proved to be a good cross, mares by Tuf N Busy, one of the best Bueno Chex sons, were also added and tested. The results were good. Finally, a "magic cross" was discovered in the One Gun mares. One Gun had sired Charlie Hutton's first Honor Roll Reining Champion, a mare called Bug A Boop. Charlie had known One Gun well throughout his life, and considered him the very best son of Mr Gun Smoke. With his linebred King bottomside, One Gun brought an outcross plus the trainable mind for which the King 234 horses are best known.

  The first One Gun mare purchased was Snip O Gun, a bay mare out of Miss Kim OLena by Doc OLena. Her first Nu Chex To Cash colt was Flash Me A Chex, a buckskin gelding who made the Ltd Non Pro Finals at the NRHA Futurity. Her next colt was Hot Smokin Chex, trained and shown by Mike McEntire, this good colt won the Congress Futurity and placed third at the NRHA Open Futurity. His earnings now exceed $168,000.00
 
  The third colt from Snip O Gun was a loud palomino overo named Big Chex To Cash. Trained and shown by Andrea Fappani, Big Chex won the West Coast Spectacular Futurity in California and then was Reserve Champion (by 1/2 point) at the NRHA Futurity. He now has earnings of $220,000.00. Next Snip O Gun produced a buckskin filly, Snip O Chex, who proved to be outstanding and a finalist in several major events, winning the Southwest with a score of 225. Her earnings now exceed $50,000.00.

  Snip O Gun is now an all-time leading producer of Reining Horses. Her offspring now have earnings in excess of $477,000.00+.

  A few One Gun mares still graze the pastures at Hilldale Farm.