In June, 1995, Eyecon, the biannual convention of the Private Eye Writers of America, was held in Milwaukee. As part of the convention, an auction was held to purchase mystery reference materials for all the libraries in the Milwaukee County Federated Library System. Donations were solicited from attending authors, and from members of the sponsoring organization, Cloak'n'Clue, a Milwaukee-based mystery discussion group. As both a librarian and a Cloak'n'Clue member, I felt pressed to donate. What to offer? Then a brilliant idea crossed my mind. Andre Norton was in Germantown, waiting to be bred to Gable's Central Park for a 1996 foal.
Now Tony Fennelly the elder takes up the narration, in a posting from Dorothy-L, the international mystery discussion listserve from Ohio's Kent State University, dated June 10, 1996: "At the Eyecon auction last year, the horse breeder Marsha Valance donated the right to name her next registered Morgan foal after the mystery writer of the winning bidder's choice. So I jumped up right away with the winning bid because I have trememdous admiration for Morgans (the greatest breed of horse on earth)! The auctioneer was naive enough to ask which mystery writer I wanted to name the foal for.(!!!) Did he think maybe I'd call a valuable animal 'Gar' or 'Parnell'? Why for myself, of course. Then I got to worrying that maybe I'd cursed the poor horse by naming it after slow, awkward Tony Fennelly. If I wanted the foal to be well-disciplined and athletic, I should have named it 'Jeremiah Healy'. If I wanted it to have class and a great personality, I should have named it 'Marlys Millhiser'. But no-ooo! I had to be selfish and egotistical. Then I had scary visions of the hapless animal lurching and stumbling around the show ring just because it was unlucky enough to be called Tony Fennelly. I felt much better Monday night when Marsha Valance called with the wonderful news that my namesake had just been born in Crystal Lake, IL. It is our great and good fortune that the equine Tony Fennelly is a beautiful chestnut filly with long legs and a star on her forehead. My worst fears were groundless. Feeling Like a Proud Godmother in New Orleans, Tony Fennelly (the Elder)".
Baby Tony was foaled June 3, 1996, at 10:15pm, at June Strelcheck's Dancastle Morgans in Crystal Lake, IL--June foaled Andy out because I was on crutches from a car accident. Tony quickly became the stable favorite--nicknamed "the gazelle" because of her long legs and graceful movement. On July 4, at one month and one day, she jumped thru the paddock fence, clearing the lower rail and going under the upper, surprising all watching--including her dam, who demanded Tony's return with an imperious nicker. On July 13,Tony and Andy returned to Wisconsin. On July 14, Tony opened the paddock gate, and let herself and her dam out to graze on the grassy aisle between the paddocks. We changed the latch. On September 21, Tony leapt a 3-ft gate, and Andy followed her, while I was watching. New gates. On October 4, Tony jumped a 4-ft fence. We put up a top row of wire. On October 20, Tony unlatched the new latch, and let herself, Andy, and another brood mare and foal out. We found them in a pumpkin patch down the road. On November 3, Tony jumped the new 4-ft gate, and repeated this on November 15--other horses were being led into the barn, and she didn't want to miss her feeding!
We finally solved the problem by weaning Tony December 1. Unlike her dam, the other weanlings wouldn't leap the fence after her, and she hated being alone. Once we escaped-proofed her stall with a right-angle plate over her latch so Ms. Houdini couldn't let herself and the other yearlings into the grain tub, we were safe for a while.
Tony continued to "grow in wisdom and grace", and on the last weekend in June of 1996, merited a visit by her godmother, Tony Fennelly the author. Tony "the elder" was in Milwaukee to speak at the annual Cloak'n'Clue banquet. Her comments on the "gorgeous Morgan filly who happened to be named Tony Fennelly" were posted on the June 30, 1997 Dorothy-L: "The younger Tony wasn't the least bit impressed by the original. Somehow she knew she was descended from beautiful, champion show horses and I from potato famine immigrants."
On March 29, 1998, Tony departed for Crystal Lake, so that she could be introduced to the concept of driving at Dancastle Morgans. After the initial reaction--"Me, work! I exist to be admired!"--under June's careful tutelage she grew to look forward to each day's lesson. She returned home on July 3, ready to meet her new cart!
In May 2001 Tony was bred to her brother Vance's sire, Chapel Hill Elijah, who stands at Castle Ridge Keep in Crystal Lake, Illinois. At approximately 2am on Friday, June 28, 2002, Tony delivered her first foal, a solid bay colt soon christened Raphael Aloysius Lafferty (on the far left above).
After several years of hitting the trails, Tony returned to Crystal Lake, where on May 11, 2007, at approximately 6:15pm, she delivered a fine bay colt with both hind socks white, Dancastle Irish Rogue, a full brother to Rafe. Rogue takes after his mother, staging a jailbreak at 5 days old! Okay, Lije, maybe a filly next time?
(c) 2006 Marsha ValanceTo learn about Tony Fennelly the writer, check out the Tony Fennelly website under "My Favorite Links" on the Tribute Farm homepage.
Pedigree for Tony Fennelly
To view Tony's ancestors, please click on the highlighted names.
Morgan
| Sire Gable's Central Park 115264 |
Sire Equinox Brigham 85274 |
Sire Equinox Benn Adam 26988 |
Sire Bennfield’s Ace 15971 |
| Dam Waseeka's Charm 016578 |
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| Dam Equinox Bridget 012885 |
Sire Bald Mt Ebony Knight 12373 |
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| Dam Royalton Darkomia 010619 |
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| Dam Cedar Creek Elegance 077347 |
Sire UVM Promise 16916 |
Sire UVM Highlight 12984 |
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| Dam UVM Empress 09957 |
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| Dam Serenity Anna Rose 031590 |
Sire Serenity Fleetwing 23236 |
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| Dam Serenity Vigilette 020405 |
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| Dam Andre Norton 0118709 |
Sire Garwood Trophy 72066 |
Sire Trophy 10196 |
Sire Mentor 8627 |
| Dam Norma 06098 |
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| Dam Piccadaisy 016169 |
Sire Senator Graham 8361 |
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| Dam Sentana 06535 |
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| Dam Mikks Gay Glady 026023 |
Sire Gay Commander 10987 |
Sire Meade 8628 |
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| Dam Walla Walla 04623 |
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| Dam Flit 09393 |
Sire Fleetfield 10572 |
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| Dam Chief's Kate x-05406 |
This pedigree page was built for free at SitStay.com
