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In modern times the stud books of the world are the final authority on
the pedigrees of their horses. However, the first stud books undertook
to record pedigrees which extended back over many generations, and
which were often lost to memory. Credit is due to Mr. Weatherby for
the first attempt to compile an English stud book in 1791. Such an
enormous task, making use of racing calendars and private stud books,
took 100 years to complete and covered a number of volumes, including
the first, called An Introduction to a General Stud-Book, and
culminating in Volume 1, Edition 5, which appeared in 1891. Since a
great deal of interest in these early records exists parts of them are
reproduced here. Note that the bulk of the records are contained in
the parts that are not reproduced.
AN INTRODUCTION
TO A GENERAL STUD-BOOK; containing (with few exceptions) The Pedigree
of every Horse, Mare, &c., of note, That has appeared on the Turf
for the last Fifty Years, with many of an earlier date; together with
a short Account of the most Noted Arabians, Barbs, &c., connected
therewith, was the precursor to the General Stud Book, and was
published in 1791 by J. Weatherby, Junior. It contained four parts: 1)
Brood Mares, with their Produce, including an Errata and Addenda, to
the Pedigrees and Produce. 2) Pedigrees,
Ages, &c., of Horses and Mares of Note, not included in the fomer
Part, from the earliest Accounts, to the Year 1759, inclusive. 3) Pedigrees
of Horses and Mares of some Note, not included in the first Part, from
the year 1760, inclusive, to the present Time. 4) Arabians,
Barbs, and Turks.
THE GENERAL STUD
BOOK, of which the fifth and final edition of Volume 1 appeared in
1891, contained four parts: 1) Brood Mares, with their produce. Part 1
was further subdivided into sections; the first section containing the
Pedigrees and produce of the earliest known
mares of their strain, and the second section containing the rest. 2)
Pedigrees
of Horses and Mares of note, not all included in the former part, from
the earliest Accounts, to the Year 1759, inclusive. 3) Pedigrees
not included in the former parts, from the Year 1759 to 1803. 4) Arabians,
Barbs, & Turks, Obituary of Stallions, and an Additional Index
to the Mares, Arranged under their Sires.
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