Sacred Indian

1985 Bay Tovero Stallion | Cherokee Indian x Sweet Spirit

Sacred Indian was the famous Medicine Hat paint stallion, and an APHA Leading Sire owned by the Banister family. The homozygous stallion, sired by Cherokee Indian and out of Sweet Spirit, had 475 lifetime performance points in 16 events, and passed on his tremendous courage and spirit to 312 sons and daughters, many of which have become outstanding performance horses in their own right.

Of his progeny, 95 have show records, seven have race records and 182 have been enrolled in APHA's Breeders Trust program. Sacred Indian, whose barn name was "Hatter," was also a 1998 Breyer Horse Model. Crowned 1989 national champion in Hunter Hack, Hatter also earned a 1991 Cow Pony Race world championship, world championships in Jumping in 1992 and 1995 along with a reserve title in 1991, and a reserve world championship in Utility Pleasure Driving in 1990. Hatter tied for High-Point English Horse honors at the 1990 APHA World Show, and took home the same title and the Reserve All-Around Open Horse award in 1992. A Performance Versatility winner, Hatter still ranks No. 2 on APHA’s Lifetime Leaders list for Open Jumping.

According to Karen Banister, "Hatter did everything well, whether it was jumping, Western pleasure, roping or racing. Not because we made him do it, but because we asked him to do it. He was simply an outstanding athlete."