Stormy's Lightning has what it takes to become one of our industry's most influential sires. Bred and raised by the Clinton Gribble family of McMinnville, Tennessee, he combines the outstanding traits and blood of that family's most successful horses. Horses such as Midnight Mack K., Pride's Stormy Night, Johnny Midnight, G.F.'s Pride of '76, and GF's Spirit of '76. The blending of this gene pool is a work-in-progress that has consumed the Gribble family for over fifty years. Stormy's Lightning is the product of one of the most successful breeding programs in our industry.

He is now part of the top-notch Stallions line-up at Rising Star Ranch. His stud fee is a very reasonable $750 with $375 due at booking and the balance due when the mare is pronounced safe in foal. Stormy's Lightning is owned by Stormy's Lightning, LLC which, prior to the 2005 Celebration, was expanded to include nine additional breeders plus then current owners Gus King and Bob Kilgore. Collectively, this ownership group boasts over 350 years of experience producing quality Tennessee Walking Horses. The motive behind expanding Stormy's Lightning, LLC was to assure this outstanding stallion access to some of the finest mares in the industry.

To examine the family tree of Stormy's Lightning is to view a virtual parade of champions. First off, his older brother, Pride's Midnight Express, was a world champion three-year-old in 1991. Stormy's Midnight Express, another full brother, was the 2003 East Tennessee Walking Horse Association (ETWHA) 15.2 & Under High Point Champion.

Then there are his two full sisters that have produced Celebration blue ribbon winners. Stormy's Ruby is the dam of José José and Stormy's Rebel Queen is the dam of San Juan.

In 1998/1999, José José, by Gen.'s Major General, captured both the two/three-year-old stallion world championship and the two/three-year-old world grand championship. In four Celebration appearances, he received a total of twenty first-place votes. He went on to become the highest priced Tennessee Walking Horse ever sold at that time. He is now one of the industry's most admired breeding stallions having been named the 2005 TWHBEA Reserve Sire of the Year based on Total Points and the 2005 Voice magazine Sire Summary Outstanding Leading Sire of the Year.

In addition, Stormy's Lightning is a 7/8's brother to Stormy's Roseanna, the dam of N.Y.P.D. In 2003, N.Y.P.D. claimed both the stallion preliminary and the world grand championship in the three-year-old division. In 2004, after becoming the highest priced Tennessee Walking Horse ever sold, he received ten first place votes and was the unanimous choice for four-year-old world championship and world grand championship honors. His most recent victory came at the 2005 International where he walked away with the International Grand Championship. N.Y.P.D. is by A Jazz Man who is by Prides Generator.

This fabulous cross of a Generator stallion bred to a Stormy Night mare out of a Pride of '76 mare has produced three world champions out of three different mares by two different stallions. This is doubly impressive when one considers that only four mares with this breeding have been bred to Generator stallions with three producing world champions and the fourth a successful show horse.

Climbing further on Lightning's family tree reveals a number of other portentous relationships. GF's Spirit Of '76 produced only ten stallions/geldings and six mares before his untimely death.

So strong was the Gribble family's belief in this line, they acquired all of the female offspring sired by GF's Spirit Of '76. Those six mares appear in the pedigrees of many strong show horses including WC Chill Factor, Fashion's Belle, Fashion's Belle Boy, and Black September. G.F.'s Pride of '76, one of the ten stallions, produced only 42 offspring himself, 22 stallions/geldings and 20 mares. Thus, while their success has been quite notable, the number of horses that actually carry this unique gene pool (Pride's Stormy Night x G.F.'s Pride of '76) is very small.

Other prominent show horses that share some of these ancestors are Chicago and Stormy's Fashion. In 2001, Chicago captured both the three-year-old stallion world championship and the three-year-old world grand championship. Stormy's Fashion has won just about everything, including two world championships, three reserve world championships, and five International championships. She was voted the mare of the 1990s.

While the influence of mares carrying this unique gene pool has been significant, Stormy's Lightning is one of the first stallions to pass on this valuable lineage.He will, no doubt, accelerate its influence on the breed. In fact, his first colt, Jewel's Choice, has made quite an impression earning numerous ribbons on the east Tennessee show circuit.

Although Stormy's Lightning has had limited opportunity to cross directly with Generator bred mares, his owners and the staff at The Summit feel very confident that this is a proven cross and expect it to be very productive.

They also have high expectations that he will meld well with other lines. His blood type in the 'A' blood group is A-/- and is negative Q, making him a universal breeder. Lightning also carries the red gene, highly sought by those wishing to produce chestnuts and sorrels.

Due to an injury sustained as a yearling, Stormy's Lightning was never able to make a name for himself in the show ring. It could be said, however, that the show ring's loss is the mare owner's gain as Stormy's Lightning rapidly carves out a place for himself among our industry's elite breeding stallions.

-Sarah Gee