In the fall of that year the Charles Kent mare and her foal were purchased by Wm. M. Rysdyk, a farmer of Chester.
Mr. Rysdyk was born on a farm between Florida and Goshen. He frequently saw the son of Imp. Messenger (known later as Bishop's Hambletonian), pass his home on trips between the above villages, and, although very young, was so impressed by the rare qualities of the horse, that he chose his name for his own colt, now known as the "great progenitor of trotters," Rysdyk's Hambletonian.
It will be observed that this colt was by Abdallah, a grandson of Imp. Messenger. His grandam was by Bishop's Hambletonian, a son of Imp. Messenger and his great grandam a daughter of Imp. Messenger. The blood of this imported horse had given great results in the localities where he had been in service, and the same was true relative to his descendants, particularly so in the case of his son, Bishop's Hambletonian and his grandson, Abdallah.
Imp. Belfounder's individuality, his beautiful trotting action and strong-inclination to stick to that gait, commanded the admiration of horse lovers. His daughter, the Chas. Kent mare, produced Hambletonian, a daughter of his son, King's Belfounder, produced the race winning trotter Sir Walter, record 2.27, also by Abdallah. Another daughter produced to Cassius M. Clay, Jr., Harry Clay, record 2.29. the greatest of the Clay family as a brood mare sire.
Rysdyk's Hambletonian carried three crosses of Imp. Messenger blood, concentrated in the first four generations. It was this unparalleled wealth of Messenger blood, his rare temperament and individuality, and the fact that Mr. Rysdyk had driven him, the third time harnessed to a sulky, a mile in 2.48, on the Union Course, Long Island, the fall he was three years old, that gave his owner unbounded confidence in the colt's future. This, the breeding public must have shared, as at four years of age he served one hundred and one mares, producing seventy-eight colts at $25.00 each, thus earning for his owner $1,950.
In the late fall of that year two Virginia gentlemen, looking for a stock horse, visited Mr. Rysdyk's place, and after examining Hambletonian, stood ready to buy him at $10,000, yet Mr. Rysdyk would not sell.
How well this confidence in the horse's value was borne out in after years, for as soon as Hambletonian's colts had become two and three years old and were placed on exhibition at the fairs, their high quality, fine general characteristics, superb trotting action and being almost uniform in rich bay colors, won them nearly all the prizes.
At the Orange County Fair, Fall of 1853.
In Show Class.
First prize was awarded to Hambletonian by Abdallah. Second prize—Rattler.