Azure Te TB

Azure Te TB

Inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2015.

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The American Quarter Horse owes a lot to the Thoroughbred. Azure Te, in the vernacular of old-school horsemen, was the “right kind” of Thoroughbred. His blood improved the Quarter Horse.

With his first crop of Quarter Horses, Azure Te placed two finalists in the 1971 All American Futurity, including fastest qualifier Come Six, who ended the season as champion freshman gelding. From that first crop, only one starter wasn’t a winner, and all that had more than one start ran a speed index of 80 or better.

By the time of his death in 1983, Azure Te was the all-time leading Thoroughbred sire of racing Quarter Horses, a title he had held for nearly a decade, and sons and daughters already were carrying his abilities to further generations.

Bred by Mr. and Mrs. L.K. Shapiro of California, Azure Te was foaled in 1962, a bay son of Nashville out of Blue One by Count Fleet. Racing in 1964-66, the colt started 26 races on the Thoroughbred tracks Hollywood Park and Del Mar at ages 2, 3 and 4, when he bowed a tendon and was retired. Earning $119,022 and winning 10 of those races, all at distances of 5 1/2 to 6 furlongs.

The stallion had the conformation to match his speed. At more than 1,100 pounds compacted into 15.2 hands of athletic power, Azure Te possessed the body and heavy musculature so sought after in Quarter Horses.

Azure Te passed both conformation and ability to offspring such as Come Six, Twelve Five, A Zure Request, Band Of Azure, Comingforth and many others.

In 1968, Azure Te was purchased by a syndicate managed by Jay Pumphrey of Fort Worth, Texas. Pumphrey was the general manager of Burnett Ranches, which also was a syndicate member, as was Ted Wells Jr.

Azure Te sired 842 starters from 1,085 foals in 18 crops of Quarter Horses, including six champions, 42 other stakes winners, 537 other winners and the earners of $6,999,062.

Azure Te’s ultimate influence on the breed has been on the dam’s side, through daughters, granddaughters and further generations.

After lung tumors led to congestive heart failure and a rapid decline in health at age 21, Azure Te was euthanized November 19, 1983. The stallion was buried in a marked grave on the Wells Ranch.

Azure Te (TB) was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2015.

 

Biography updated as of March 2015.