Billy Graham, Roy Rogers & *Serafix

I think most people will agree that the world, 71 years ago, was a much different place than it is today. Maybe this is an example of what people call "a no-brainer," of course the world is different.  What barely remained of innocence at that time, proved that innocence still existed, despite the horrifying events of WW-II which continued to shape the foreign policy between countries. The rising cold war tension felt at this time would eventually  climax 10 years later, in the form of the Cuban missile crisis. Discovered the year before, in 1953, the polio vaccine was administered to every child, while Bill Haley and His Comets Rocked Around the Clock. However, in the early spring of 1954, Roy Rogers, the "King of the Cowboys" and his horse, Trigger, "the smartest horse in the movies", toured the United Kingdom for the first time, visiting seven cities over a period of 2 months: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Liverpool, Belfast, Dublin and London. Wherever they went, the visit sparked pandemonium among the masses that had assembled to greet them, very much like the hysteria that the world would experience, 10 years later for the Beatles. 

Roy Rogers, who by this time had over 100 films to his credit, was at the height of his popularity, through screen, television and radio; having just starred in the Bob Hope comedy, Paleface, in which the beloved song and dance number (Roy did the singing, Trigger did the dancing), A Four-Legged Friend, was featured. Roy Roger's theatre tour coincided with Billy Graham's Greater London Crusade, held in Harringay. In a letter that Billy Graham wrote to Roy Rogers, he asked Roy to consider the impact that his presence would make among the many fans that had come to see him, "maybe religion is not for children and old women after all, but it is a real he-man religion." Ultimately, Roy Rogers, his wife Dale Evans and Trigger, attended the crusade, performing at the event and sharing their personal testimonies.  In attendance were nearly 40,000 children who had come to see them. In a thank you letter Roy Rogers received from Billy Graham following the campaign, he had written, “You will never know what a great contribution you made to our meetings here. People are still talking about it. A great many people have received Christ as a result of your coming. Almost every night somebody comes to the inquiry room because they heard your testimony.”

Four years earlier, John Rogers saw *Serafix (Raktha x Serafina) for the first time at a show in London. He was immediately impressed with the quality of *Serafix's movement, his brilliance and overall balanced appearance. One could say that the man was charmed by the flaming red horse. 

"...he was a gorgeous creature, as light on his feet as a deer, as graceful as a gazelle and had the brilliance of eye to appeal to anyone who loved a horse." - John Rogers

A year later, at another show in England (Red Hills), John Rogers watched as *Serafix was pinned reserve champion, while Grand Royal was named grand champion. John Rogers followed Cecil Covey back to the stalls to inquire about *Serafix, whose price at the time was still more than the amount John Rogers wanted to pay, so he purchased 2 mares instead, *Serafire and *Silver Crystal, with the goal of breeding both to *Serafix, once he purchased the horse. John Rogers was determined but patient, he wanted the horse and he would get him, at his price, in time. In the meantime, at his wife's urging, he purchased Natez, a *Witez II son out of a *Raseyn granddaughter, Nafalla. He would need *Serafix, for the Natez daughters. 

On another trip to England in 1954, John Rogers tried once again to purchase *Serafix. A breeder in Australia was also interested in the stallion and like John Rogers, submitted a bid to Lady Wentworth but John Rogers would not have any of that. His price jumped up by 30% more, enough for John Rogers to finally purchase the stallion.

*Serafix, then 5-years old and not saddle trained, spent the next couple of months in training. John Rogers did not want to ship his horse by boat, preferring to ship the horse by air to reduce the level of stress and strain to the horse. Still, he wanted the fitness of the horse improved, so that he could better withstand the hardship of the trip. In many ways, John Rogers, despite the gruffness, was a little ahead of his time in how he felt, treated and cared for his horses. 

As luck would have it, Roy Rogers and Trigger were on their way back to America from their 2-month British tour and *Serafix was able to ride along with *Trigger and his trainer, Glenn Randall to New York. Wherever Roy & Trigger went in this time period, thousands of people would show up. As *Serafix appeared in the doorway of the plane, the crowd gasped. Who is this red horse they wondered.  Did Roy buy another horse while in England? Is it the Red Fury? Will he appear in the next movie? People looked at each other, some laughed, some cheered, some cried and some could not take their eyes off the red horse. As *Serafix walked down the plank of the plane, he remembered what the smartest horse in the movies had told him to do. Keep your head held high, ears pricked forward. You are Arabian!  I wonder what else Trigger shared with *Serafix in the hours they spent flying over the Atlantic?

***With many thanks to the following:

The September 1976 issue of The Arabian Horse magazine

Julie Koch of Reliving Arabian Horse History on Facebook

The UK Telegraph article, When Roy Rogers and Trigger brought pandemonium to Britain

The Billy Graham Library, Harringay Remembered

Evie Tubbs Sweeney, When Serafix Flew on a Plane with Trigger

Jim Robbins, We Love Arabian Horses

The Golden Years of the Arabian Horse on Facebook

Without these wonderful sources, this blog would not be possible and I am grateful****