The Byerley Turk – The Legend
The General Stud Book (GSB) that was created in 1791 to officially register horses does not say anything about the origin of the Byerley Turk, but simply says: BYERLY TURK, he was Captain Byerly’s porter in Ireland, in King William’s wars (1689, etc.).- Wikipedia
It was reported to be a dark brown horse with strong oriental or Arabian features, and many of its descendants were also noted to be black or chestnut.
Stud records show that after Byerley’s death, the stallion was sent for stud. At first it was placed at Middridge Grange and then it was moved to Goldsborough Hall in the year 1697. The year 1706 marked the year of the death of a great stallion, Byerley Turk was buried near Hall, which is now a private family home which offers accommodation. .
Unlike the Godolphin Arabian, the Byerley Turk has relatively minor modern Thoroughbred offspring aside from Basto, who was an important racehorse and founder of the Thoroughbred family. More recently, a Hong-Kong trained gelding: Cape of Good Hope, who has a paternal line to Byerley Turk, won the 2005 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The best way to understand the legacy of this magnificent stallion is to read “The Byerley Turk” by Jeremy James. This book unravels all the hidden mysteries about the stallion through extensive and original research by the writer who tells the untold story of a legend. The powerful bond between man and horse is described in the book, especially when the author writes: “Men without horses are nothing” – The Byerley Turk.
In the book, his journey begins in the year 1679 in a remote Balkan village, where a penniless man finds the incredible colt and trains him for war. With dreams of replenishing his poverty, he instructs the horse in the discipline of a war. From there, the journey continues to Istanbul, where the stallion is selected for the cavalry that will represent the Ottoman Empire. With war at hand, the Byerley Turk fought her way through the battles until she was captured by the British and shipped to England in 1686. Here she was ridden by Captain Robert Byerley until his death, after which she the stallion was sent as stud.
The story romantically narrated by the author projects the transcendence of a horse that was considered one of the founding fathers of thoroughbred horse racing. The unsung hero is brought to life through this book, one that I would definitely recommend!