The “Incomparable” Seth Thomas #26222, a liver chestnut stallion, was foaled on June 21,1949, at the Springfield, Illinois farm of his breeder, James W. Brunk, a top pony breeder and one of the leaders in the Shetland’s resurgence to national prominence in the late 1940’s.

Seth’s sire was Larigo II’s Commando #22828, who stood under forty-two inches and was of stocky build. He was a beautiful dapple with an almost white mane and tail of luxuriant growth. Commando lent himself to harness and was endowed with as much action as any pony out during his hey day.

Commando was a son of the great sire and show pony, King Larigo 2nd #19989, who in turn, of course, was by King Larigo #8778, and out of the show mare, Lady Harum 11798, by David Harum #4144.

Commando had a terrific dam, one of the best producers of show stock of the Heyl Pony Farm...Her name was Larigo’s Silver Slipper #21274. She was also by King Larigo and out of a really great show mare and producer, Larigo’s Mary #20479, also by King Larigo and out of the good producer O.N.T., by Peace.

Seth’s dam was Little Vamp #19222, a dark brown or dark bay mare of finely chiseled proportions and bred by Harry Gorham and foaled in 1921. Her sire was the famed progenitor of a terrific show-line, Prince Patton #17205, a black by the famous Prince of Wales. ... Prince Patton had for a dam, Lady Patton 1667, by Trinket and out of a Scotch-bred mare. Little Vamp’s dam was Locust Flower #16732, by famous Locust #11567.

William A. Simpson described Seth Thomas as “a good looking stallion, has a beautiful head; large and prominent eyes; small, expressive and well-set ears. This tops a long and refined, well-arched neck that joins the head to a well formed body and a good tail carriage, good legs of the right bone.” His registration was recorded on August 30, 1949, and with that comes a story! Jim Brunk and his family were sitting around the kitchen table one August evening, making out registration applications for the 1949 foal crop. And, as always, naming the youngsters was a problem. When they came to the good looking sorrel colt, one of Jim’s daughters looked at the clock on the shelf, and suggested, ‘Let’s call him Seth Thomas.’ All agreed that it was a fine name for a fine young stallion. Little could the Brunks have realized that this name, "picked off the shelf," would become a household word in the Shetland business! (Pictured above right is BHR Lerwick, a top-producing descendant of Seth Thomas.)

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Seekamp, who operated a well known Shetland farm at Greenfield, Illinois, called Ponyland, purchased Seth in 1952. The Seekamps had tried several other sires, and their offspring were evaluated and studied, before acquiring Seth Thomas.

From there, Seth’s reputation as a premier sire of show ponies took off. That first year, two mares were bred to Seth and one produced Ponyland’s Miss Independence 35128, a bay mare whose laurels included winning the Two Year Old Mare class and the Junior Championship at the 1955 Shetland Congress, and the 1957 National Shetland All-Star Championship for Aged Brood Mares, 42”-46”. Miss Independence was but the first of a long line of Seth Thomas sons and daughters to gain fame in the show ring. In 1957, Call Me Mister 38162, a bay, bred by Seekamp, was named Ch. Three Year Old Stallion and Best Stallion, Bred and Owned by Exhibitor, at the Congress. 1958 brought the debut of the bay, Ponyland’s Towncrier 54136, who was Ch. Yearling Stallion of both the Congress and the All-Stars. Towncrier came back in ‘59 to claim All-Star and Congress Championships for Two Year Old Stallion, 42”-44”, as well as being named 42” - 46” Jr. Ch. Stallion of the Congress. He was also 1960 All-Star Ch. Three Year Old Stallion, 42”-46”. (Pictured right is BHR Chocolate Sundae, a Seth Thomas descendant who has sired numerous national champions.)

1960 also marked the Congress debut of the great bay stallion, Early Wynn 71418, bred by Mr. and Mrs. William McKinley Stewart, Grayslake, Illinois. Early was named Ch. Yearling Stallion, 40”-43”, in his initial appearance at Des Moines, where he would return to dominate the Aged Stallion division in 1963, ‘65 (42”-46” in ‘63, and 43”-46” in ‘65 and ‘66), and be named Sr. Ch. and Gr. Ch. Stallion in ;63 and ‘65. Early Wynn also claimed All-Star Ch. Aged Stallion and Gr. Ch. Stallion, 42”-46”, in ‘63, and ‘64.

Other Seth Thomas show stars to make their mark in 1960 included the bay Ponyland’s Imalone 52716, who was All-Star Ch. Under 42” Three Year Old Mare; Ponyland’s Cover Girl 38163, a silver sorrel with a silver mane and tail, who was All-Star Ch. Yearling Mare, 42” and Under; and the bay, Ponyland’s Queen Anne 45478, The Congress Ch. Under 42” Broodmare. In 1961 Ponyland’s Imalone came back to sweep the Congress, where she was Model Mare, Ch. Aged Mare, Sr. Ch. and Gr. Ch. Mare, 42” and Under, as well as winning the All-Star Championship for Yearling Mare, 42” and Under. The flashy bay and white spotted stallion, Ponyland’s Mr. Spats 38161, won his first All-Star Fancy Turnout Championship, a feat which he would repeat in 1962 and ’64. Ponyland’s Beauty Queen 78203, a chestnut sorrel with a light mane and tail, was All-Star Ch. Two Year Old Mare, 41 1/2’ and Under; and the grey Flambeau Thomas 95030, another Seekamp-bred pony, was All-Star Ch. Yearling Stallion 40’-43’, in ‘63, and Ch. Two Year Old, 41 1/2”-44 1/2”, in ‘64. (Pictured at left is BHR Lerwick, a top-producing descendant of Seth Thomas.)

In May of 1964, Seth Thomas was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. David Cox of Gran-Vue Pony Farm, Alexandria, Indiana. Seekamps dispersed their herd in April, selling all ponies at auction in Springfield, Illinois, except Seth Thomas, who was offered for sale at private treaty. The Coxes had put together a quality band of brood mares, and were naturally interested in owning a good stallion to go with them. They had seen Seth Thomas at Greenfield, along with some of his offspring and knew that Seth was their first choice. Their early interest in the stallion was indicated by the fact that they had a mare bred to him in 1963, and also purchased some mares carrying his service. These 1964 foals included Gran Vue-Ima Whiz Thomas 110399, a bay, who was 1966 All-Star Ch. Model Stallion, and Gran-Vue Bel-Boy Thomas, a sorrel with a white mane and tail, who was All-Star Ch. Two Year Old Stallion, 41 1/2”-44 1/2”, the same year. (Pictured right is 2002 AMHR Nationals Grand Champion in Pleasure Driving, D&S Allegro.)

In 1965, the great Seekamp-bred liver chestnut show mare, Oh Oh Thomas 94569, was All-Star Ch. Three Year Old Mare, 43” and Under; Gran-Vue Sensation Thomas 111184, a bay stallion, was All-Star Ch. weanling colt; and the Gran-Vue entry for Get of Sire won All-Star honors for Seth Thomas, who stood number one in halter and number one in the combined halter/harness divisions of the Annual Sire Ratings. Seth repeated that lofty rating again in 1966, when his get scored a whopping 18,221 All-Star points! Big winners included Gran-Vue Tiny Nugget Thomas 113085; All-Star Ch. Yearling Stallion, 40” and Under; and Gran-Vue Citation Thomas 114948, All-Star Ch. Weanling Colt. Gran-Vue again took top All-Star honors for Get of Sire. Seth was again the nation’s number one sire of halter ponies in 1967, when All-Star honors were gained by the bay, Gran-Vue Robin Hood Thomas 118787, Ch. Yearling Stallion, 41” and Under; and Sir Thomas of Holy Hill 85959, sorrel stallion with a white mane and tail, bred by Sid Dwyer, Richfield, Wisconsin, who finished in a tie for Ch. Children’s Roadster. Captain Thomas 96187, a Seekamp-bred, liver chestnut stallion was the 1968 All-Star and Congress Ch. Amatuer Harness pony, as well as Congress Ch. in The Ladies Harness division. Two other Seth Thomas sons to gain top honors in their divisions were Travlin’ Man 119196, a bay gelding, who was Congress Ch. in Child’s Harness in 1972 and in Ladies Harness in ‘74; and the bay stallion, Mr. W.A.Willie 110927, who entered the Shetland Hall of Fame, in harness, in 1978. By 1970, the final year of the American Shetland Pony Journal’s Annual Sire Ratings, Seth Thomas stood number two in the Registry of Merit. His get had amassed a grand total of 95,912 points, up until that time.

Seth Thomas passed away on September 20, 1972, at the age of twenty-three. He was buried at Gran-Vue, in the paddock where he ran and exercised daily.

David Cox said, “During the time we had him, until he died, he always had a good disposition, and his personality was outstanding, especially because of his large, protruding eyes which were very expressive and impressive.”

As with all great sires, the name and reputation of Seth Thomas did not cease to exist with his death. His name will be remembered by thousands of Shetland enthusiasts from coast to coast.