Stanley G. White & Family It's A Wonderful Life
Four generations of Whites
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by Mary Kirkman
Now and then you meet someone whose personality and achievements are so distinct that you think, “Wow, they broke the mold when they made him.” That was Stanley G. White. Give him a horse to train—anything in halter, English, western, cutting, dressage and more—and he trained it, many to national championships. If you had a dog that needed a career, he could do that too—to the national level; his English setters and pointers collected titles and field trial trophies. At a time when children were introduced to horses by Walter Farley’s The Black Stallion and Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague, he was a cohort of Farley’s and well acquainted with Misty’s owners, the Beebe family of Chincoteague Island. His experience ran the gamut from wild ponies to world class Arabians. He was also a character. Have a dinner party or a dull afternoon? He could light it up; his stories, told in a drawling Virginia accent that fell somewhere between downhome and elegant Tidewater, were legendary. They also were prolific. As his wife of 63 years, Kitty, once observed, “Stanley would open up in the morning and not stop until he went to sleep, and even then, he talked in his sleep.” And he was hilariously quirky. For some reason, he wasn’t crazy about telling his age (he was 80 when he died this past spring) or what his middle initial stood for (Grizzard, to rhyme with lizard). You can’t say that when we lost Stanley the lights went out, but they sure dimmed a little. The White story has been told often over the years; longtime members of the Arabian community, especially those who lived through his heyday, probably can recite the basics easily. His professional life came in segments: Al-Marah, Lancer Arabians and Grandeur Arabians. Simple. But the story doesn’t end there, because his talent with horses didn’t stop with him; his sons Stan Jr. and Steve became successful Arabian horsemen, and now Stan III has proven that who knows, the best may be yet to come. (That doesn’t take into account the great-grandchildren, who may outdo them all.) But it all started with Stanley. Ar abian Horse Times | 62 | Volume 48, No. 3
I n T he B e g i n n i n g : Wave rl y A n d Wi lli am
Stanley’s story opens in 1936, in Waverly, Va., when he was born the youngest of three children to Carl and Annie White. He didn’t know his father; in 1939, Carl died of heart trouble, leaving Annie, a teacher and later a librarian, to raise the kids on her own. They worked as well as went to school, and from the beginning, Stanley learned to do the best he could, no matter the job, a principle that remained with him for life. For masculine influence, Stanley had his uncle, Franklin White, and William Peebles, the owner of the grocery store in neighboring Wakefield. More than anyone, it was Peebles who influenced the direction Stanley’s life would take, because he opened the door to horses. With William, Stanley attended the annual Chincoteague Island pony roundups, living the dream of being a cowboy that most children of the era had. That would become his start in the horse business. “The first horse Stanley ever had was a Chincoteague pony named Doll Baby that my dad got him,” Robert Peebles, William’s son, remembers. “The first Arabian horse he trained, I think, was mine, an Indraff son that I’d bought with money that I raised selling pigs and beagle dogs.” Robert, now semi-retired as a horse show announcer and formerly head of the National Show Horse Registry, grew up considering Stanley his older brother. “I’m telling you, this is no lie: my father loved him like he loved me,” he smiles. That the feeling was mutual was evidenced when Stanley and his wife Kitty named their second son William Steven White. As Robert recalls, Stanley worked at a gas station, a chemical company, and drove a truck, among other jobs. “But all during that period, in his spare time, he had a little barn close to him and he would train ponies and horses,” he says. “We would take horses up to the Virginia state
Stanley (right), on Sanuyan, with his earliest mentor, William Peebles, on Raftilla, c. 1958-59. Peebles was devoted to the whole White family, and early on recognized that Kitty was the quiet foundation for their success.
An early Stan Jr. memory: riding Robert Peebles’ pony, Trigger, in a Waverly parade at the age of 3. Before they started, William Peebles gave him a pack of gum, and stuffing every piece into his mouth, he rode the whole route looking like a chipmunk. “It’s Peebles’ fault,” he mumbled (because that was all he could do) to his startled parents. Stanley was on Raftilla. fairgrounds and sleep in the back of a truck—it was grassroots, redneck all the way. He was so talented and he loved horses, anything that was a horse and ate grain.” Long before he was 20, Stanley had made two commitments for life. One was to horses and the other to a girl named Katherine Brown. She was from Isle of Wight County and had just moved to town when he spotted her walking by the gas station where he worked, and as legend has it, he was smitten almost immediately. To his friends, he said, “That’s my girl,” and to her, “You’re going to be my wife.” They were wildly under age, so they dated for three years before eloping to South Carolina and marrying on Christmas Day, 1953. Their partnership was as much the story of their lives as their family and horses. As Kitty said after he died, right up until his last breath, “We were as much in love as ever.” They took on the horse business together, starting from, as Robert Peebles remembers, “zip, zero, nada.” Then, around 1960, William Peebles asked Stanley to drive an Arabian mare he owned up to Bazy Tankersley’s Al-Marah Arabians, at the time located in Maryland, to be bred. That was Stanley’s first meeting with Tankersley, and the more she got to know him, the more often she offered him a job. He agonized over whether he was really qualified, but Kitty knew better. In 1962, she told him they couldn’t just sit there in a little town. “This is your college education,” she said. “We’re going to go.” “Stanley went to work for Mrs. T and put his shoulder to the grindstone,” Robert Peebles says. “An opportunity was afforded to them and they took it and ran with it.”
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T he A l -M a ra h Ye a r s
For Stanley, Al-Marah was more than college. Its huge herd of horses offered all kinds of equine experience, as did working with Lee Bolles, another young trainer who was there at the time, and sometimes Harold Brite as well. On the medical front, Stephen Lange was the farm’s resident veterinarian, and he would sit long into the evening with Stanley, explaining medical conditions and procedures, and he allowed the young man with the thirst for knowledge to attend surgeries and help with autopsies. Mrs. Tankersley also encouraged him to travel and learn from other horsemen around the country, and there was also Al-Marah itself, an eye-opening window on a big, wide world.
“Mrs. T had what was like an equine zoo there and at the breeding facility in Barnesville,” Stan Jr. recalls. He was 7 when his family moved to the farm’s “home place” in Bethesda. “She had over 400 horses, including pairs of Przewalski’s horses, Tarpans, light horses from all over the world and every kind of draft horse there was. For two or three years while D.C. was redoing its zoo, they kept 40-some zebras. That was my childhood, watching that horse operation—you couldn’t have made this up, as far as imprinting a young kid who wanted to be like his dad.” In a 1987 Arabian Horse Times article, writer Deb Bently noted, “Stanley claims he retired that year. He says he’s been doing what he wants ever since.” The high-energy Stanley was in motion 24/seven. “After working Mrs. T’s stock all day, we had our own stallions to train,” Lee Bolles remembers. “Both were sired by Indraff and full brothers, Al-Marah Kontiki and Al-Marah Nautilus. These were two of the toughest horses foaled on that farm, and after the end of the day, we had to
Stanley’s friends: Captain William Heyer and Walter Farley. face them. If they didn’t have us on the ground, we had them on the ground. … Sorry, horse whisperers, but that’s the way it was in the ’60s. Professor Beery’s School of Horsemanship was still very much in favor.” Stan Jr., who wasn’t allowed in the barn during working hours but popped up there daily because he couldn’t stay away, remembers other evening activities as well. Stanley, Lee and Harold Brite would bring up cattle to practice cutting on, and often there were calves. “They’d put me on a calf and tie my feet together underneath it, and I’d ride until I got bucked off,” he says. “And you know, when you ride that way, you come off the hard way. I can remember the three of them sitting on the fence laughing at me.” (You can almost hear mothers screaming, “Are you crazy?” and Kitty White spoke words to that effect too. Stan Jr. observes that that’s one training technique he didn’t pass on to his son.) But the guys became first class trainers there, and racked up sales and strong show records with Al-Marah horses. In 1967, Stanley insisted on taking a stallion and two mares to the U.S. Nationals, which was not usually on their calendar. Showing Count Bazy to the trophy in Stallions, he chalked up the farm’s first national championship, and added a U.S. Top Ten Mare title with Al-Marah Waltzing Matilda.
The Al-Marah days: Lee Bolles and Stanley, with Al-Marah Rud Balik in 1964. “We showed horses for many years on the east coast together,” Bolles says, “and Kitty and Donna took care of the children as needed. We both eventually moved on, but our families stayed close. We all miss Stanley.”
Al-Marah expanded other horizons as well. On an April night in 1964, after a long day that included a cutting demonstration for visiting dignitaries, Stanley found the dignitaries back on his doorstep. The group of riders from Vienna’s Spanish Riding School, in the U.S. for historic performances in New York and Washington, D.C., were fascinated with what he’d shown them earlier and wanted to know more. In minutes, he and Bolles were lending out western hats and chaps, flipping on the lights in the arena, and getting out horses. One friendship that Stanley began that night was with Ernst Bachinger, who would go on to become the head of the Spanish Riding School.
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Another pivotal relationship from those days was with author Walter Farley, whose daughter Pam boarded a horse at Al-Marah. In fact, the Farleys and the Whites became family friends; Walter became one of Stanley’s biggest advocates, a regular at White open houses and clinics for years, always a favorite with visitors, and a particular supporter of Steve White. Perhaps his greatest compliment to Stanley came when he wrote The Black Stallion and the Girl, his fictional tribute to Pam, who tragically died in a car accident in Europe. When the character Pam explains to Farley hero Alec Ramsay how she learned to ride and communicate with horses so well, she names Stanley White as one of two mentors. Her other mentor was Captain William Heyer, the brilliant dressage master who also trained horses for Ringling Bros. circus. Through Walter, Stanley became acquainted with Heyer, and traveled to Florida to take lessons from him. With Heyer and Bachinger in his life, dressage became ever more present in his training routines. By 1968, it was time for Stanley to move on. Mrs. Tankersley understood; her own needs were shifting. Count Bazy’s national win had been controversial, and although she had been assured by plenty of people that the title had been legitimately based on her stallion’s merits, the criticism had diminished her interest in show competition—and Stanley clearly had potential still to be realized. When he received an offer from Don and Jeanne Ford, of Lancer Arabians in Brighton, Mich., she gave him her blessing.
L a nc er ’ s Eg yp t i a n Int ro du c t i o n
In its own way, Lancer was as productive for Stanley as Al-Marah had been. At Al-Marah, he had learned horsemanship and gotten a glimpse of an exciting world. From Don Ford, he would learn more about business. He wasn’t enthusiastic about their horses, but Ford was ready to redefine his program. That project took off after a 1970 trip Stanley made on behalf of the Arabian Horse Registry, evaluating horses through Europe and the Middle East. (Memorably, the trip coincided with the Spanish Riding
*Asaad and Stanley, 1979 U.S. National Champion English Pleasure. School’s 400th anniversary, the centerpiece of which was a stellar, but sold-out, performance. The Registry’s Ward Howland was flabbergasted when Stanley produced tickets, courtesy of Ernst Bachinger.) The big news, however, was that Stanley came home so enthusiastic about the horses he’d seen in Egypt that Ford decided to focus the new Lancer Arabians on them. Over the next few years, much of which Stanley spent in the air between the U.S. and Cairo, Ford imported nearly 80 top Egyptian mares and stallions—so many that he rented DC-8 cargo jets to transport them. One was a copperchestnut 3-year-old named *Asadd, who arrived in the U.S. in 1973. Stanley made *Asadd—and in some ways, *Asadd made Stanley (or at least, enhanced his reputation). That fall, the pair stormed the U.S. National Champion Stallion class, earning the title and defeating a standout group that included Buszmen (reserve), Bay-El-Bey, Dalul, El Hilal and others. Two years later, they added the U.S. National Championship in English Pleasure. By that time, the action in English pleasure was increasing; although halter horses still appeared in performance and could win, for one horse to top the national awards in two such disparate disciplines was a huge accomplishment—particularly an Egyptian Arabian, a type known more for its beauty than its fancy style trot. “*Asadd was my second national champion and my all-time favorite horse,” Stanley said in a 1983 Arabian Horse Times article by Christy Gibson [Egan]. “He was always full of fire, always willing to give more. I still remember seeing him in Egypt for the first time when he was just 2 years old. He’s one of the greatest horses I’ve ever worked with.”
Stanley with *Asadd, Kitty and Steve.
The Lancer era also would lead to the Florida years for Stanley and Kitty. As Virginians, they were never crazy about Michigan’s cold winters, and when one of Stanley’s flights from Egypt stopped in Gainesville, he had a chance to look around. He had five words for
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Kitty: “Pack your bags! We’re moving!” As it happened, Don Ford was in search of the sun too, so property was purchased and everything fell into place. But only three years later, Ford’s business sense warned him that the exploding Arabian market was not that safe (he was right, but a few years early). In 1980, Lancer dispersed. The timing was perfect, as Stanley and Kitty, assured of the help of their youngest son, Steve, were ready to set up shop on their own. Stanley G. White’s Grandeur Arabians was born.
Ho m e: G ra n deu r A ra bi a n s
“I’ve always loved the word ‘grandeur,’” Kitty reflects. “That’s how I think of everything; I want beautiful. I put in for the name, but someone else had it, so I made it Stanley G. White’s Grandeur Arabians.” They leased the Lancer facility (which Stanley had designed) while theirs was being built, and moved in right after the U.S. Nationals of 1982. That summer, Stanley had led the domestic-bred Zarr-Hassan to the Canadian National Championship in Stallions, and then snared the reserve championship in Louisville. In a 1988 AHT story, Arlene Magid noted that at that time, “[Stanley] is the only trainer to ever show a national champion stallion in each of the last three decades (U.S. National Champion Stallion Count Bazy in 1967, U.S. National Champion Stallion *Asadd in 1975, and Canadian National Champion Stallion Zarr-Hassan in 1982).” Amazingly, the Whites were having such a year that Zarr-Hassan’s red tri-color wasn’t the most memorable part of their show. Stan Jr., who had won the 1973 U.S. National Championship in Stock Seat Equitation and was now training for Bentwood Farm, had been knocking at the door in the open ranks. Nineteen-eighty-two was his breakthrough, as he won the U.S. National Championship for
Baskabella, 1993 Scottsdale Champion English Pleasure, with Stan Jr. Western Pleasure with Nazmon CW. But the over-the-top thrill for Kitty and her boys was that reserve was Paj Majaal, with Steve White up, and among the top ten was Stanley, on Naborrin. That may have been the proudest moment of her life. At the very least, it was one of her happiest, and for both Stan Jr. and Steve, it was only the beginning. Stan Jr., who had gone on his own in 1975, had worked at Bevans Arabians in California, Antara in Michigan, and finally, in the early 1980s, was at Bentwood Farm in Waco, Tex. In 1985, he would found White Rock Farms, Inc., now in Argyle, Tex. Steve, meanwhile, was critical to Grandeur’s success. While Stan Jr. was cut more along the lines of his father—gregarious,
Nazmon CW with Stan Jr., 1982 U.S. National Champion Western Pleasure
Taj Maj Aal with Steve White, 1982 U.S. National Reserve Champion Western Pleasure
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WR Khover Paige, 2001 U.S. National Champion Half-Arabian English Pleasure Futurity, with Stan Jr. straightforward, sometimes damn-the-torpedoes—Steve was more likely to scope out a situation and plan an approach. Kitty observes that Steve had watched his brother’s encounters with Stanley’s discipline early in life, and decided to chart his own course without upsetting anyone. (He got the reputation of being “the quiet one,” which both he and Kitty maintained was not really true; silence was his only option, since Stanley did all the talking.) But all three of them were perfectionists with horses. From the late 1980s on, although all of the Whites could train anything on four feet, they increasingly were typecast in the disciplines where they most strongly made their names. With Nazmon CW, Stan Jr. was identified with western, and he would live up to the billing, even though he loved riding English horses. When he had the opportunity, he won there too (for example, with Baskabella, Bravado Bey V and WR Khover Paige, all national or Scottsdale champion English horses). Stanley and Steve, meanwhile, made occasional forays into western (Stanley was U.S. National Reserve Champion Western Pleasure with Our Cleopatra in 1983; in 1988, Steve was Canadian National Champion Western Pleasure with Cassarina and Junior Horse with Q R Tsolomon). But they knocked down English titles, especially in Half-Arabians and National Show Horses, like they couldn’t help themselves. “[My father] loved showing western horses,” Stan Jr. nods, “but his true love and passion was English.” With the stallion La Basque, Stanley had been named 1983 Canadian National Champion and U.S. Top Ten in English, and with Khat, was 1985 Canadian National Informal Combination Champion. At that show alone, Khat, who in his career also accounted for national reserve championships in pleasure driving and English pleasure, won an astounding seven national titles. Stanley’s love of English Half-Arabians was fueled when longtime clients Winburn and Milly Shearouse asked Stanley to help
Top to bottom: Stanley, with his beloved stallion Khat; Steve, with Oh Henry and Hawaian Punch.
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Steve with Makhsous. them start a Half-Arabian/National Show Horse breeding program. Steve White was dispatched to Kentucky to buy Saddlebred mares for them and also for the Whites, so that from the 1980s on, they were not only riding and winning with the high-headed, high-trotting horses, they were breeding them as well. It was good business. “It was fun to see [Half-Arabian] babies,” Kitty says, “and National Show Horse had 2-year-old driving classes, so you could see them in the ring early.” Grandeur stallions Khat (Khemosabi x Tyami, by *Bask) and Premis (Promotion x Mudia, by *El Mudir) climbed the stallion ranks on the backs of those horses and others whose owners brought them to Stanley and Steve. One of their top Half-Arabians at the time was the Shearouses’ Bette G (by Khat), who began with halter championships and moved on through driving and under saddle, scoring four national championships and four reserves in Half-Arabian competition alone. Her NSH record was equally impressive.
Stanley and multi-national champion Bette G. Horse. Many won in Canada as well, and some years when he wasn’t winning, the horses were showing in amateur and winning there too. As with his father and brother, Stan Jr. also liked Half-Arabians, and showed one of the best ever in western pleasure. Between 1988 and 1991, Spotsdale was a four-time national champion (five, counting an amateur tri-color with Stan’s wife, Kathy) and once reserve. Perhaps his English roots are showing, but he credits the “English” side of Spotsdale’s pedigree (her sire was a Saddlebred) for the mare’s extraordinary action. “I liked that cross and always have,” he says. “They have more motion. I’m kind of old school; the rule book used to call for ground covering gaits, and when they ask for the hand gallop,
Although Steve would leave Grandeur in 1997 to pursue a career as a farrier, his contribution to the operation was indelible, and when he returned a few years later, it was almost like old times. “We couldn’t have had this business if we didn’t have him,” Kitty says. “I’ve never seen anyone work so hard.” In the meantime, at White Rock Farms in Texas, Stan Jr. built a powerhouse record in western. The list of his top national champions in the division tells the story: U.S. National Western Pleasure Champions Quavado (1987), Mi-Tiffany (1990-91 and 1994), Amazing Fame V (2007), Citizen Fame (2009) and WC Laredo (2010); National Reserve Champions Madison (1989), Tamaraberri Bey V (1993), Santa Fe V (1997), and Amazing Fame (2001), who also was the 1999 U.S. National Champion Western Pleasure Junior
Stanley, with 2013 Region 12 Hall of Fame Award.
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showing and turned to his grandfather for help. Nothing could have pleased Stanley more. “He gave me a crash course,” Stan III remembers. A few years later, after he graduated from high school, he chose to train horses for a living, starting under his father. That didn’t mean showing right away; more often it meant training, but because Stan Jr.’s barn had so many standout western horses, Stan III learned quickly what “good/better/best” was. “I got the opportunity to work a lot of horses that I didn’t get to show,” he says. “The most significant western pleasure horse that I showed [at that time] was MCA Cypress; she was my break-out horse. We went U.S. National Reserve Champion in the Futurity [1998]. And if I’m not mistaken, I put the first ride in on Amazing Fame and Citizen Fame.”
Stan Jr. with national champion western pleasure open Mi-Tiffany.
After a decade, he spent a few months with J.T. Keller, and then accepted an offer from Long Meadow Arabians, where he remained
I like to look down and see those knees coming up. It’s a comfortable ride and you’re covering a lot of ground.” As Steve and Stan White Jr. grew into their careers, they were sometimes asked if there had been a rivalry between them growing up or whether there was in maturity. Steve cited the schedules they’d known as teenaged free labor in their father’s barn. “We worked too hard to have time to be rivals,” he laughed in the 1988 AHT article. Stan Jr. explains the rivalry that did exist, especially with his father, who had been so demanding in their childhood. “I loved it when he won and he loved when I won, but we were very competitive. When we went in the ring, we were there to beat everybody. I loved him before I went in the ring, I loved him when we were in the ring, and I loved him when we came out—but I was there to beat him.” In the late 1980s, another White came on line, although at the time just as a junior rider. Stan III, Stan Jr.’s son, developed an interest in
Stan Jr., 2007 APAHA Western Pleasure Professional of the Year and Horseman of the Year, with his wife, Kathy. for another decade before setting up his own operation, White Oak Farm. His best-known horses to date have been Jeepers Kreepers, with whom he twice won the U.S. National Championship in HalfArabian Western Pleasure, and once reserve, among many other titles; the U.S. National Champion in Western Pleasure PA Lillith, who also won the Futurity; and MI Maria and Just Joe, both of whom were reserve in the Futurity.
Steve (right) with his son, Dane.
The line of successful White horsemen has run true. While Stanley and Steve’s careers were at their height before the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman’s Association began issuing its annual awards, Stan Jr. and Stan III both have been named Western Pleasure Trainer of the Year. Stan Jr. won in 1992, 1994 and 2007 (when he was also Horseman of the Year), and entered the Hall of Fame in 2011, the same year Stan III, whose first title came in 2001, was honored again. Ar abian Horse Times | 69 | Volume 48, No. 3
MCA Cypress with Stan III.
T he Whi te World
The show ring was not the only life that the White family knew. For one thing, Stanley revealed a unique ability to school English setters and pointers for field work. “He loved training, period,” Stan Jr. notes. “He loved teaching animals stuff.” Many of his dogs won championships and sold to top handlers.
And he never forgot the wild ponies of coastal Virginia. In 1987, the whole family—Stanley, Kitty, Stan Jr. and Steve and their wives and kids—went back for a roundup. Stanley became friends with the local horsemen and remained involved with the ponies for the rest of his life. He and Steve rode in the roundups, and he lent Arabian stallions to improve the inbred horses’ health and quality. On occasion, he also brought mares to Grandeur to give them a respite from Assateague Island’s harsh winters. For his contributions, the firemen of Chincoteague Island, who conduct the roundups, honored him with the title of “Saltwater Cowboy.” He also gave back to the Arabian breed as a judge, officiating at shows and working with judging clinics. The Arabian community also gave back to him: he was one of two inaugural inductees into the Region 12 Hall of Fame in 2013, and in 2015, the Arabian Horse Association inducted him into its Judges Hall of Fame. And in 2011, he and Kitty received the APAHA Lifetime Achievement Award—particularly important because as good as Stanley was with horses, he could not have done what he did without Kitty running the business, having his back as she always had. Top to bottom: Stan Jr. with Citizen Fame, national champion western pleasure open; Stan III with national champion western pleasure open Jeepers Kreepers; Stanley’s 2011 APAHA Lifetime Achievement Award, with Kitty and Stan Jr.
“The reason we got along so well in business was that he worked with the horses in the barn all the time and I worked in the office,” she reports. “If he needed something, he told me about it and I got it. But we never competed.”
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It didn’t hurt that she knew her way around him. When she determined that the farm needed a tractor-trailer, she called the suppliers, worked out what would be best for Stanley, and then had the salesman call him—so that in the end, Stanley thought he’d done the whole deal. He loved that rig and hauled horses to shows all over the country for Grandeur and for others. Customers always got more than they paid for when they shipped with him. One of the most memorable instances was when the grand old show horse Good Thunder colicked in a desolate area on the way to Canadian Nationals. Only because Stanley, so thoroughly a horseman, pulled to the side of the road and raided his brain for daring, bygone techniques to get the stallion up and walking, did Good Thunder arrive alive at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Clinic. He would recover.
Grandeur 2005: Steve and his daughter, national champion Shanea, with Kitty and Stanley.
Inevitably, the first two generations of Whites would leave the show ring. Stanley’s health faltered in 2010, when he was diagnosed with the Parkinson’s that would claim his life, and Steve died in 2016. In between, Stan Jr. injured his back and suffered a heart attack. Reminiscent of his father’s ecumenical appreciation of horses, he had become fascinated with Clydesdales, owning 18 of them for a six-horse hitch, doing his own training and showing, and even their farrier work, which eventually led to the back problems. But they were animals, different and intriguing, and he followed his instinct, just as every White horseman had. “If I can get rid of this back pain, I’ll be back to training in a heartbeat,” he promises. “I had no intention of slowing down or not being able to ride horses and go to horse shows—it’s all I’ve known and all I want to do. If you like your job, it’s never work, even though it’s hard work.” He smiles when he thinks of his father. “He fought till his last breath; he had no intentions of leaving this world. The last day he could speak, he was telling Mom he wanted to go home, he had to get the mares bred and cut the hay.”
The induction of Stanley G. White into AHA's Judges Hall of Fame: Stan Jr., Zachary and Stan III, with Judges Commissioner Stan Morey.
Stan Jr. and Stan III with White Rock’s Clydesdales hitch.
So far, the Whites have offered three generations of professional horsemen, but the story is not over. Both Stan Jr. and Stan III’s wives, Kathy and Holly, show and win at the national championship level, and all of the grandchildren ride. Whether or not anyone other than Stan III chooses to make it a career remains to be seen, but Stan Jr.’s daughter Kaitlin, now working on her Master’s in accounting, won championships at Youth Nationals, and Steve’s daughter Shanea was a national champion youth rider as well. Only his son Dane did not pursue equine competition; he shared a love of moto-cross with his father, and until an accident took Steve off the bikes, they were enthusiastic participants. Presently, there are two faces in the fourth generation (Zachary, 13, and Owen, 3). Owen will be growing up at Grandeur with Kitty, as Shanea and her husband, Chris, will move to the farm to be there for her. With any luck at all, the loss of Steve and Stanley does not signal the end of an era.
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Grandeur Arabians; Kitty and Stanley White. For Stan III, clearly it does not. “I enjoy being around the horses and I enjoy being part of the legacy that was in front of me,” he reflects. “That’s probably the biggest reason I do this—the horses themselves.” And then, sounding eerily like his father and grandfather, “I just enjoy them and I enjoy trying to teach them things.”
G o dsp e e d, S t a n ley
Currently, a special Stanley G. White Memorial Trophy is in the works for the U.S. National Championship in Western Pleasure. “People have asked me why we’re doing the western when our whole dream was to breed English horses,” Kitty muses. “I mean, we got Saddlebreds to produce big-trotting English horses. But it was western where I usually saw [all my boys] together. “No one gets to spend that much time with their kids when they grow up and leave home,” she continues. “But with the horses, we could all go to the shows. We’d all stable together, get our box seats together— be together.” And for many years, when she looked down the line-up in a western pleasure class, she would see her family, all with ribbons on their horses.
“My father was the reason why I’ve done what I’ve done in my life,” observes Stan Jr. “I’m just so thankful that he had that love of horses— and that William Peebles put in a good word with Bazy Tankersley.” Late in Stanley’s illness, not long before his death, Robert Peebles traveled to Florida to see him. Their last meeting spoke volumes about who Stanley White was. “I said to him, ‘I owe you so much, I gotta thank you for everything you did.’ And Stanley said, ‘You don’t need to thank me for anything. I need to thank you and your dad for everything.’” Even now, Robert can’t recall it without a catch in his voice. “It’s been a wonderful life,” Kitty White says. “I’ve loved every minute of it.” She smiles. “When we got married, his mom said, ‘I can’t do anything with him. You take him and train him.’ I said, ‘I can do that.’” When Stanley died, she had one last duty. “He wanted to ride again,” she says. “When I could get the horse-drawn carriage for his funeral, it was the happiest thing. He was able to have his last ride.” n
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Al-Marah
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Stanley White & Count Bazy++.
Stanley White was the kind of person that people just gravitated to. He had that great smile; he had unlimited energy; he was amazingly strong and athletic; and he had the X factor … CHARISMA!!!! I met Stanley at Al-Marah on River Road in Bethesda, Maryland. It was around 1962. Stanley brought his young stallion Al-Marah Kontiki to the farm to get help from our legendary trainer, Harold Brite. Harold immediately talked my mother, Bazy Tankersley, into hiring him. He became a role model and mentor. He taught me by example to have no excuses for not doing well; that to win, work longer and harder than anyone else; and to be honest and honorable. And, of course, what I came to call “Stanley-isms”. The first was his life-long motto, “The Harder I Work, The Luckier I Get!” The last came in our last talk. Stanley asked me about my young trainer. “You’d love her. She thinks about going forward all the time,” I told him. “That’s what I believe!” he said. “I tell everyone, no matter what, just keep going forward! They ask me, ‘What happens if the horse runs away?’ I tell them that’s not a problem! I can ride faster than any horse can run!” Of that, there is no doubt. Mark Miller
A l -M a r a h | C l e r m o n t , FL Ar abian Horse Times | 73 | Volume 48, No. 3
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Lancer Arabians
In the summer of 1967, my dad, Don Ford, hired Stanley White as manager and trainer of Lancer Arabians in Brighton, Michigan. This turned out to be a match made in heaven for both the Ford and White families.
Stanley’s ability to handle and train horses to the National Championship level combined with Dad’s business leadership, allowed Lancer Arabians to rise to national prominence almost immediately. When we decided to go exclusively with the straight Egyptian Arabians, Stanley’s ability to spot a National Champion caliber horse in an undernourished weanling (*Asadd - 2x National Champion) at the EAO in Cairo and 15 other mares, plus the stallion Sultann; then start a breeding and training program from scratch, was amazing. Stanley also helped to put Lancer on the map with the many “clinics” he held in Michigan and later in Florida, where he took rogue unmanageable horses and in the span of two hours and in front of a thousand people, taught them to load and unload from a trailer, broke them to ride and had them doing a figure eight at a canter with a flying change of leads. Our whole family were very proud to know the Whites and the success we all had together. Stanley taught me many things he used to handle horses and keep them under control. I am sure that he saved me from many injuries over the years in my veterinary practice. My dad and Stanley became the best of personal friends over the years, as did I. The Lord, indeed, threw away the mold when he created Stanley White. There will never be another one like him. Rest in peace my friend. You are missed. Jack Ford, DVM
J a c k F o r d , DVM | L a n c e r A r a b i a n s | O c a l a , FL Ar abian Horse Times | 74 | Volume 48, No. 3
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Lancer Arabians
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The first time I saw Stanley White, Sr. was when he came to speak with my dad, Don Ford, about training for Lancer Arabians. I might have been about age 11. For many years after that, Stanley, Kitty, Steve and Stan Jr., shared a lot of time with my family. When I got a little older, I started traveling to the shows with Stanley and Kitty. We went all over the country together. It was quite a production (for the ranch hands) to get everything organized, including names, decorations, flowers, mulch, pedigrees, curtains and all those things designed to brand the stalls with Lancer Arabians (I am sure that Kitty made sure everything was just right). They treated me like a member of their family, and I was a very lucky girl to have Stanley teach me how to ride, groom and show at Halter, English Pleasure, Western, Costume and Park, and all the AOTR events. And Stanley always made sure that I had a job, even if I was really too young to do much and we had ranch hands to help clean stalls, sweep the isles and groom the horses. I was always welcome to help in any way I was able. I remember helping to bale hay in the summers, riding on the hay trailer and thinking that I was a valuable hand! Stanley also made me feel that my competition riding for Lancer was just as important as his. In a picture of me accepting a trophy at a show, Stanley is in the background, with a huge smile on his face, as proud as he could be. He put me through the paces and was there with me day after day, practicing in the afternoons after school. Sometimes practice was on a cold Michigan winter night in the covered arena, with frosted breath coming out of my mouth as well as the horse’s. It was Stanley who found Copperking for me. He was my pride and joy. Under Stanley’s teaching, I won Top Ten English Pleasure AOTR in 1974 at Nationals. Years later, every time I went to visit Stanley and Kitty at their farm, Grandeur Arabians, he always asked me if I wanted to ride. Even though I didn’t get to see Stanley and Kitty as much as I would have liked as an adult, they were never far from my heart. I was the luckiest girl in the world to have him as a mentor, and later, as a friend. Laura
Top: Laura with Copperking, Top Ten English Pleasure AOTR, 1974. Middle: Laura and Copperking accepting a trophy while Don Ford and Stanley are seated in the stands. Bottom: Rafsiza, 1971.
Laura Petrash | Lancer Arabians Ar abian Horse Times | 75 | Volume 48, No. 3
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S t a n Whi t e Sr . ... G r e at Hors e m an & Great Friend
Stan White Sr., Corky Sutton and Gary Ferguson, Judges at the 1997 Youth National Championships.
Good Friends are hard to find, harder to leave and impossible to forget. “Judging Youth Nationals with Stanley, I got to know him very well. From that moment forward, we considered ourselves friends. I truly respected him as a horseman, gentleman and judge. There will never be another one like him.� Gary Ferguson
G a ry
and
T a m i F e r g u s o n | G a ry F e r g u s o n P e r f o r m a n c e H o r s e s | S u l ph u r S p r i n g s , TX Ar abian Horse Times | 76 | Volume 48, No. 3
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S t a n W h i t e S r. ... On e of t he G r e at H orsemen
Stan White Sr. and Grandeurs Magic (a horse he and Miss Kitty bred from their Promotion son, Premis) in the warm-up at 2010 U.S. Nationals, Tulsa, in H/A Country English.
Stan White Sr. and Miss Kitty, and Stan White Jr. and Stan White III at the 2008 U.S. Nationals in Tulsa.
“Probably one of the greatest horsemen of my generation. His contributions to the Arabian breed have been monumental. A Legend.” Eleanor Hamilton
E l e a n o r H a m i lt o n | E l e a n o r ’ s A r a b i a n s | R o g e r s , MN Ar abian Horse Times | 77 | Volume 48, No. 3
Influenced our Lives
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Stan Sr. had a profound influence on many of us, with his and Kitty’s openness, their honesty and their ability to make you feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. Stanley had the very unique ability to show you a possible different way of looking at every situation, whether it was training horses, working with people, or judging Arabian horses. And he learned these different ways through a life-long involvement with horses, starting in Virginia and eventually across our country.
A generous giver of his time and talents for the benefit of others, Stanley influenced many people in every area of interest that he touched, and most especially the Arabian horse world. His kindness and continued encouragement over the years to me and to Susan was very much appreciated, something that we will always remember and, quite frankly, what we have tried to pass on to others. I think all of us who are here to honor Stanley and his family, are here with a profound respect and appreciation for what he has meant to the Arabian horse industry, the AHA, and the vast equine community as a whole. Stanley’s contributions as a trainer, breeder, and judge were in many ways pioneering during the early days of this industry. His own leadership in the way he presented horses, the positive way he interacted with everyone on and away from the show grounds, is something all of us could inspire to do. I think what strikes me most of my remembrances of Stanley was how he showed horses. The way he taught his children to show and how he showed, really was the standard in most cases for several disciplines. It is like he and his family were born to ride Arabians. I think we can all agree that the most endearing was that all of them–from his kids to grandkids–have a smile when they are on horses that can light up the ring. I was always amazed by Stanley, because most of the time, he was not on as good of horses as his children were riding, but yet, you would have thought he was on a national champion with the smile that he had. How many of you can remember the hand gallop and the Whites all smiling, and the rest of us looking like we were left in the dirt?
I can remember when I became Commissioner, one of the first calls I got was from Stan Sr., and after he said “have you lost your mind?” he said, “I think they could not have made a better choice.” That meant a lot, because there were other conversations with him when I walked away thinking, why couldn’t I have done something that-a-way or seen something in that light? But still, always, always, he was encouraging to all; to the groom, to the guy who was picking up the trash on the fairgrounds, and to his fellow exhibitors who had a bad go. And I had plenty of them. Stanley, I believe, left little pieces of himself with each of us. Whether it was the thought of him on horses, a training technique, judging situation, or just being encouraging, those pieces will be a part of us always, and that is a good thing. Again, I appreciate the opportunity to honor this family and this man. Stan and Susan Morey
H a l l m a r k F a r m s | E d m o n d , OK Ar abian Horse Times | 78 | Volume 48, No. 3
All in the Family— Forever
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Left: William Peebles on Raftilla and Stanley on Sanuyan. Below: Stanley on Raftilla and Stan Jr. on Trigger.
Stanley White was in my life from before I can remember, and I’m serious when I say that my father loved him as much as he loved me. I couldn’t be more grateful, because that gave me the best older brother in the world. I have hundreds of memories of Stanley, but one stands out because it showed, when all is said and done, who he really was. A lot of people forget where they came from, but no matter how big or successful Stanley got, he never stopped caring about the people who were lucky enough to be in his heart. When my father died unexpectedly in 1973, I was in Florida starting a career and my grief-stricken mother and sisters suddenly had 54 horses out in the pasture and no idea what to do with them. Stanley, without being asked, just quietly stepped in and marketed every single one. Stanley was family. He was “all that and a bag of chips” to me, and he’ll stay with me until the day I die. I’ll love him, Kitty and the boys forever. Robert Peebles
R o b e rt P e e b l e s | B l u f f t o n , SC Ar abian Horse Times | 79 | Volume 48, No. 3
Thank you, Stan and Kitt y...
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For eight years, I was blessed to train and show as part of the Stanley G. White Grandeur Arabians team. For most that means employment, but for me it was that and much more, I became part of the White family. I learned from Stan the master himself, not only the art of horse training, but the meaning of what it takes to be successful in life. I showed many National Champions while at Stan and Kitty’s, but I relish each moment I had of being a part of their lives. Some can only dream of being a part of something special—I lived it with them. Stan and Kitty were so proud of their breeding program that produced many English champions. I am honored to have been a part of this as well. Many people will walk in and out of our lives, but only true friends will leave a footprint in our heart. Thank you, Stan and Kitty, you both have filled my heart and beyond. ~ Rich
R i c h W a l l e r | O c a l a , FL Ar abian Horse Times | 80 | Volume 48, No. 3
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A Great Friend & Supporter Of Schneiders
Since the late 60s, I shared many great memories with Stan and his family. Among my fondest, and scariest, was when Stan was looking to buy a new saddle at a Nationals in Oklahoma City. In a work arena, he tried it and liked the saddle. Then he said to me, “Stan, I want to see what it looks like in the ring. Get on, and ride it around.” To say I was nervous getting on his national champion was an understatement. While he and other trainers on the rail shared a good laugh at my less than stellar performance, I did get the saddle sold. Stan was so easy to work with. He helped us design and perfect numerous products. He had a great ability to communicate and was always willing to share his knowledge and values. This is certainly very evident in the continued success in every way of his children and grandchildren. We’ll miss you. Sincerely, Stan Schneider
S ta n S c h n e i d e r | S c h n e i d e r s S a d d l e ry | C h a g r i n F a l l s , OH Ar abian Horse Times | 81 | Volume 48, No. 3
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The White Family … Great Accomplishments
Throughout my career in the Arabian horse industry, I have been privileged to know, not only great Arabian horses, but great Arabian breeders and trainers. I have always had a passion for genetics, and the pursuit of this has passed through several species of livestock for me. I also have a passion for learning. I was brought up to believe by my parents, that every day was an opportunity, and you could always learn from everyone. I believe we learn by watching, listening and doing. Great horses have been bred by individuals that not only understand genetic principles, but I also understand that there must be a purpose for the horse they create. Great trainers also have the uncanny ability to motivate and control the mind, body, heart and athletic ability of these steeds. In my journey thru life, my involvement in the Arabian industry evolved; great horses and great people became more and more important in my life. There is great genetics in the human world as well. At a young age, I developed a great admiration for a trainer by the name of Stanley White Sr. He trained and showed a straight Egyptian stallion by the name of *Asadd. This was something that was not supposed to be possible! He not only trained and showed him, but made *Asadd a U.S. National Champion in halter and English Pleasure! I admired Stan’s ability as a horseman, but I additionally admired his devotion to his family and his beautiful wife, Kitty. Stan Sr. became a world class respected judge, trainer and breeder. He was a great teacher and role model to his children and grandchildren. I have had the privilege of knowing them and working with all three generations of the White family.
Khaja J with Stanley White III
One of my most memorable moments was the presentation of the AHA Hall of Fame Judge at the U.S. Nationals where three generations of Whites were there to accept this great award. The White family is not only incredibly talented, but also an outstanding example of great family values. They are truly role models to each of us. The White name is synonymous with perfection. I am thankful to be able to call them my friends. Larry Jerome
J e r l a n d F a r m s | B a r r o n , WI Ar abian Horse Times | 82 | Volume 48, No. 3
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Simply The Best—Stanley White
Stanley White was a legend. When he passed away, the news spread like a wave across the country, with trainers calling their friends just to talk about him. That’s how much respect there was for him. He was small in size, but big in presence—you never overlooked Stanley. He was, simply, one of the greatest horsemen that has ever been. There are certain people in your lifetime that you know right away are in a class by themselves, and Stanley was that for me. When I went to work for him at the beginning of my career, I knew he was a big deal, but I didn’t know how big a deal he really was. Did he have the best stock all the time? No, but that didn’t slow him down. He overcame all kinds of difficulties and won major national titles with some of those horses. That’s how good he was at training
On Assateague Island, Stanley Sr. driving and directing the swimming of the Chincoteague Ponies.
and how well he knew horses. I saw him in some very challenging circumstances (like, on the runway in Egypt trying to load a bunch of half-wild horses) that would have scared a normal person to death, but not Stanley. His talent kept us all from being killed that day. His horsemanship was second to none. None. There was only one Stanley White. He had so much integrity and ability and charisma, and yet he was as real a person as you’ll ever meet. He was the best. Jim Lowe
In 1972 Cairo at the Great Pyramids with, l-r: Don Ford, Harold Ray, Stanley White Sr., Steve White and Jim Lowe.
L o w e S h o w H o r s e C e n t r e | S o m i s , CA Ar abian Horse Times | 83 | Volume 48, No. 3
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Thank you everyone … for a lifetime of friendship, memories, traditions and love!
Stan’s and my journey with the Arabian breed began in 1962 training for Bazy Tankersley of Al Marah Arabians in Bethesda, Maryland, and continued for six special years. Stanley’s first National Champion Stallion was Count Bazy, who he showed for her in 1967. In 1968 our journey lead us to Don Ford’s Lancer Arabians in Brighton, Michigan, where Stan trained and showed among others, *Asadd, National Champion Stallion and English. When Lancer moved the farm to Reddick, Florida, in 1977, we built their new facility and continued to train and breed incredible horses. In 1980 after the dispersal auction of Lancer Arabians, we opened and built our own training and breeding facility and Stanley G. White’s Grandeur Arabians was born. Now 55 years later, we were fortunate to have owned, trained and bred hundreds of National Champion, Reserve and Top Ten Arabians and Half-Arabians, of which we are extremely proud. But best of all for us, is having all of you as our extended family. For us, family is not defined by blood, but by a mutual love—a love for all of you and the Arabian horse. Thank you, for Stan’s past awards as twice APAHA Horseman of the Year, both Stan and I’s APAHA Lifetime Achievement Award, 2013 Region 12 Hall of Fame and AHA Hall of Fame Judge. I want you to know most of all, that the award that means the most to me is the love from each of you for Stan and my family, Stan Jr. and Steve, their spouses and four grand and two great grandchildren. Stan was a great father, husband, leader, horseman, judge and friend to all, and a tireless worker. He knew that if you believe in something, believe also in the struggle to achieve it. And he did just that. Stan’s infectious smile, his laughter, the twinkle in his eyes, and his kind heart, lifted everyone’s spirit and allowed us to believe in ourselves. Stan was the love of my life, always will be, and I miss him each day that passes. The one possession closest to my heart is your love, memories and friendship for all these many, many years. I hope that your lives may be filled with years of love, passion and dedication for the Arabian horse as it was for Stan and I for 63 years. Love and God bless you all, Kitty White
S ta n l e y W h i t e ’ s G r a n d e u r A r a b i a n s | C i t r a , FL Ar abian Horse Times | 84 | Volume 48, No. 3