Gun Rock

saintlyCZ · Postby **saintlyCZ** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:30 pm

Wikipedia article:

Gun Rock
Gun Rock was a son of the legendary racehorse Man O' War. In 1921, he was brought by the U.S. Army Cavalry to the campus of University of California, Davis, which was breeding horses for the Cavalry at the time. in 1924, he was adopted as the official mascot of the men's basketball team and accompanied the team to games and rallies. Later, a traditional mascot was created and named Gunrock by the students. That mascot persisted into the 1970s, when he was replaced by Olli the Mustang. Olli did not last long, as a period of confusion about the school's mascot and nickname set in, lasting into the first decade of the 21st century. In 2003, after the school's official mascot was officially identified as the mustang, the name Gunrock returned.
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My friend found this article, and because she's almost a maniac to have all informations veryfied by more resources, she asked me to publish it here, whether somebody has any closer informations or can just confirm it's true? This horse isn't registered on PQ...

Lucy · Postby **Lucy** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:14 pm

Well, there is at least one glaring error in the article:

"Gun Rock was a son of the legendary racehorse Man O' War. In 1921, he was brought by the U.S. Army Cavalry to the campus of University of California"

Man O' War's first foals did not arrive until 1922. :wink:

However, there WAS such a horse. Gunrock was a 1914 horse by Rock Sand (broodmare sire of Man O' War, hence the error in the article), born in France and subsequently imported to the USA. He stood stud at UC Davis in the 1920s.

His pedigree can be seen in the DB here.

saintlyCZ · Postby **saintlyCZ** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:17 am

Thanks!
I already found that Rock Sand son on PQ, but I thought it's a different horse. His date of birth didn't came to my mind, quite a shame :wink:

saintlyCZ · Postby **saintlyCZ** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:59 am

Lucy, are you absolutely sure it was that Rock Sand son who was standing at UC Davis? Have you read or heard something like "Gunrock, son of Rock Sand"?
I'd love to know it for sure. I searched websites of UC Davis, and there are tons of articles mentioning Gunrock - everywhere as "son of Man o'War". Which obviously isn't true. But some articles contain not son, but "relative of Man o'War" - which that Rock Sand horse can be well considered. Not only he's by Rock Sand, but he's also out of Hastings mare...
So there's a good chance, it was that Rock Sand animal, but I would love to see at least one article or anything where would be "son of Rock Sand"... :roll:

Maybe it would be useful to contact somebody at Davis, but I really don't know who, as I don't have any idea how American universities work... :

However - it's quite funny that they have a mascot with such a long tradition - and that this mascot is presented with false identity... :wink:

Pan Zareta · Postby **Pan Zareta** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:59 am

Per the American Stud Book xiv:929, *Gunrock was imported 1915 by Clarence Mackay, and as of 1928 was owned by the United States Remount Service in Davis, California. Most, maybe all, of his foals in the Half-Bred Stud Books were civilian-bred in Cal.. He's also listed in 'sires of registered foals', ASB xiv.

saintlyCZ · Postby **saintlyCZ** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:18 pm

Pan Zareta: wonderful!!! Thanks a lot!!!