Dover @ Glendon

Featured Image: ‘Dover’ at Glendon

The Scott Brothers of ‘Glendon’ near Singleton were among the most prolific breeders of quality horses in the era 1825 – 1850. In 1833 the stud boasted a stock of some 300 blood horses. They had advertised the imported ‘Toss’ in the Sydney print press of the day (1828) as standing at Glendon at a fee of 8 guineas. It wasn’t long before the very useful Glendon bloodlines had permeated most of the major blood horse studs in the Hunter Valley. Certainly John Lee at Bathurst and later in the Widden Valley had availed himself of the quality horses available.

In 1836 the Scott Brothers had imported on the transport ship Henry Tanner a very successful thoroughbred sire which reputedly cost £800. This sire was Dover (GB) 1832 by Patron out of Maid of Kent. Dover became one of the most influential sires in the nascent colony. Through his son Marquis (1837) the famous colonial taproot C1 mare Sappho was bred. Other stallions to stand at Glendon included Tamerlane (1835) and Mentor (1835. A second sire named Hector was foaled in 1843 by Dover out of Hebe. He was sometimes referred to as ‘Young Hector’ to distinguish him from the earlier eponymous import then referred to as ‘Old Hector’.

The upgrading of the local mares at Glendon by the use of these imported quality sires led to a harem of part thoroughbred mares most suitable for crossing with subsequent superior sires. The ‘Waler’ industry in NSW had truly taken off in style.