His father was a movie star and his mother was a track star. Blondy’s Dude became a star in the breeding shed.
Blondy’s Dude was born a runt, a late foal in August 1957. The sorrel was sired by a linebred Zantanon horse, Small Town Dude, who was used in various Joel McCrea Westerns. On the bottom side, Blondy’s Dude was out of Blondy Queen, who spent some time on the racetrack in her younger days.
In 1960, Morgan Freeman bought Blondy’s Dude from J.T. Walters and Nick McNair of Pryor, Oklahoma for $5,000. Freeman and his son, Jerald, earned 18 grand champion and two reserve champion awards in two years on the road with Blondy’s Dude. “Dude” loved reining, was good at cutting and could stand at halter and walk out a winner, thanks to his superior, compact conformation and graceful, flowing neck.
Blondy’s Dude was a two-time grand champion at the Tulsa State Fair and was the 1962 grand champion at the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show in Fort Worth. In 1968 and 1969, he was AQHA’s leading sire of halter winners.
His 1,402 foals amassed more than 10,000 points. His offspring went on to produce 25 open and five youth champions in AQHA competition. They have competed in western pleasure, hunter under saddle, horsemanship, reining, working cow horse, cutting, western riding, team roping and tie-down roping.
In addition to AQHA competition, offspring of Blondy’s Dude have earned more than $21,000 in National Cutting Horse Association competition.
Some of his notable progeny include AQHA Champions Dude’s Blaze and Dudes Baby Doll. Well-known grandget include 1979 AQHA Superhorse Diamonds Sparkle and 1984 AQHA Superhorse Reprise Bar.
After breeding a full book of mares in 1980, Blondy’s Dude was laid to rest at the age of 23. The stallion was buried in the Freemans’ front yard where his headstone reads “God gives his best to those that leave the choice to Him.”
Blondy’s Dude was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2001.
Biography updated as of March 2001.