A Grandfather’s Legacy

By: Brittany Bevis

Equestrians are a fairly sentimental bunch. It’s surprising the emotion that can be conjured by a simple piece of tack- a bridle used at your first horse show or a pair of spurs you wore when you won your first World Championship title.

For Brooke Victoria Ingstad, the connection goes a bit deeper with a stunning parade saddle that dates back to the 1920s and was originally used by her grandfather.

“The saddle belonged to my dad’s dad- so my grandpa,” she says. “He unfortunately passed away when my dad was only 12, so I never met him. It’s a parade saddle. He used it when leading the parades in Valley City, North Dakota, where my dad is originally from. Valley City is only about an hour from where we live now in Fargo. It’s cool how it ties into Valley City, because that’s also where I attended some of my first horse shows.”

Brooke has been horseback ever since she can remember, beginning in Leadline classes before she could ride on her own. Both of her parents came from horse-loving families, so it was only natural that their little girl followed down that path.

“We’ve had a barn just 10 minutes from my house since I was a little girl, and my trainer, Brett Clark, has also been at our barn with my family. I’ve competed my whole life in Quarter Horse shows in both Western and English disciplines. In 2010, I was the AQHYA Reserve World Champion in Hunter Under Saddle and have won at the Congress twice in the Hunt Seat- once as a youth and once as an amateur. When I was in college, I took a break from riding for a few years and have just recently started showing again, about a year ago, in all around events! This past year, I was the 2017 Congress L1 Amateur All Around Champion with my horse, HP Ima Foxy Dreamer. We won the L1 Equation, were Reserve in L1 Horsemanship, and 3rd in L1 Showmanship.”

But before Brooke connected with HP Ima Foxy Dreamer, she had a beautiful, black Hunt Seat gelding many of our readers will recognize by his fun name, The Snooty Fox. When it came time for Mallory Beinborn of Impulse Photography to take this year’s photos, Brooke couldn’t resist the opportunity to pull her old friend out of the pasture to take a few shots in her grandfather’s saddle.

“I’ve had him since I was 13 and he was 14, so we have been together for 12 years! Before we retired him at age 17, we showed in all around classes, but mainly focused on Hunter Under Saddle and Western Riding. He lives a great retired life with daily treats and goes out in the pasture with his old BFF- What About Bob.”

“We had Mallory come up this past July to take photos, and I couldn’t not get some of the most special horse to me in such a special saddle! I polished it, and it’s pitch black, just like my old horse, Snooty, so it’s quite stunning! The saddle is very detailed.”

Brooke’s parade saddle features black, tooled leather embellished with circular and diamond-shaped silver conchos, silver ferrules, and elaborate, oversized tapadero stirrups. The brow band, nose drop, reins, and breast collar mirror the same ornamentation as the silver laden encara that cascades over the horse’s flanks. Like similar parade saddles of this time period, it is truly a work of art.

Brooke’s family believes the saddle was made during the 1920s by Paul Kramer in Delmont, PA. Brooke’s father actually obtained the saddle recently, when a horrible flood in Valley City ruined many family heirlooms. “But, the saddle survived the flood!” she says. “I have no idea how much it actually weighs, maybe 75 pounds!”

Western Americana Auction Company, High Noon, specializes in this type of equestrian memorabilia and has quoted the prices for two similar saddles. The price for a Bohlin Diamond Cluster Supreme Parade Saddle is $89,125. Another set up, the Bohlin Silver Parade Saddle Machris Model topped out at $106,375. But for Brooke, this particular saddle is priceless.

“The saddle is too old and special to me, so I doubt I’d ever actually use it. When I sat in it for the pictures, the stirrups were so heavy! But I love the look of it, and it would be spectacular in the show pen!”

“We have another parade saddle as well, but it’s not as fancy as the one pictured. Aside from the saddles, bridles, and general tack we use to ride in, we do have a few other special memorabilia pieces, but this parade saddle set is my favorite! I actually have it in my living room on a stand. It’s always the topic of conversation when people come over; it looks so beautiful on display.”

“I never knew my grandpa, but I think this is a really cool way of connecting us. I’ll cherish the saddle and the pictures of it with my horse, Snooty, forever. Even though I never knew my grandpa, I feel connected to him by having his saddle and knowing how we shared the same love for horses.”

If you have a special story to share, email B.Bevis@EquineChronicle.com and you might see it featured right here.