Back in the Barn: Queen's Sebastian GCH

^{Queen’s Sebastian GCH and David Rand (up) celebrate their 2022 English Pleasure World Championship with owner Erin Kelly (right) and manager Bernardino Flores (left). Photo by The Morgan Horse} 

It’s hard not to look at Queen’s Sebastian GCH when you see him walking by or powering down the rail.  The stallion possesses traits many would use to describe their dream horse: dark coat color, high white markings, big white blaze, big heart, and incredible athleticism.  Queen’s Sebastian GCH was most recently crowned the 2022 English Pleasure World Champion, at just 5 years old, with trainer David Rand in the irons at the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show®. We chatted with owner, Erin Kelley, to get a glimpse back in the barn with this incredible stallion!

Queen’s Sebastian GCH, known around the barn at “Rocky”, was bred by Pete and Sandy Hendrick of Queen’s River Farm.  He is by Queen’s Dirty Deeds and out of WRR Miz Wildfire, making him a third generation Queen’s River homebred as well as giving him the great Mizrahi on both sides of his pedigree. Erin Kelley purchased him from his breeders in 2018 as a yearling, and it has been nothing but an adventure since!

^{Rocky showing off his good looks as a two-year-old (Photo by Howard Schatzberg)}

• When she purchased him, Erin thought she was purchasing a gelding! “He was gentle, kind, and loved to show off. “When we called Queen’s River to obtain his gelded date for his registration, they said ‘What? He’s not gelded! He’s a stallion!’” Erin laughs.  From then on, Rocky took on the stallion persona, and the rest is history!
• He’s always been a family favorite - Erin says he was handsome and fancy from the day she met him, and her husband, Chip, loved his coloring.

_{Erin Kelley, David Rand, and Rocky following his World Champion Stallion win in 2019 as a two year old! (Photo provided by Erin Kelley)}

• Rocky’s trainer, David Rand, competed with both his sire (Queen’s Dirty Deeds) and his grandsire (Queen’s Romeo) as well as with Queen’s Starfire, who is on his dam side!
• Rocky lives on “Stallion Row” at home at RAND in Maine - he is very observant to the happenings in the barn and always polite to his visitors who are drawn to him by his “Aura”.

_{Rocky is a World Champion in-hand, in harness, and under saddle! Pictured here winning the World Champion 4-year-old Pleasure Driving title in 2021. (Photo by Howard Schatzberg)}

• Rocky is very gracious when it comes to treats.  He eats one at a time, always making sure to finish one before accepting another.  His choice of goodies includes baby carrots, cut up apples, and peppermints. 
• Rocky created history as a two-year-old.  At Oklahoma, he had a clean sweep of the in-hand division: Two-Year-Old Stallion National Champion, World Champion Junior Stallion, World Champion Futurity Two-Year-Old Stallion, and World Champion Stallion.

_{Rocky with trainer David Rand in 2019 when he was crowned World Champion Stallion (Photo by Howard Schatzberg)}

• Rocky is one of only four horses in history to be crowned World Champion Stallion as a two-year-old.
• As of the start of 2023, there are 15 registered horses sired by Queen’s Sebastian. His first foals hit the ground in 2021, so many will hit the show ring this year!

_{Passing off his white markings to his offspring! Audrey Hepburn: A 2022 filly sired by Rocky out of the mare Elizabeth Montgomery, owned and bred by Erin Duffy Kelley.  Photo provided by Erin Kelley}

• Erin says one of her favorite memories with Rocky was his first show at New England in 2019 as a two-year-old in the East Coast Grand Champion Stallion class.  She says “it was pouring rain and the class was moved to the indoor in Northampton.  It did not bother him at all, and he went in full of life! The crowd was wild with support, which jazzed him up even more! He earned reserve, but he won the hearts of many and his first ‘fan club’ got its start!”
• Another great Rocky moment was at the Saugerties Summer Showcase; there was an “In Hand Battle of the Breeds” competition, and he posed so beautifully and proudly against the sunset backdrop.  The judges loved him, and he trotted out as Grand Champion!
• Other world titles for Rocky include: 2020 World Champion 3-Year-Old English Pleasure and 2021 World Champion 4-Year-Old Pleasure Driving.

_{David Rand, son Presley Rand, and Erin Kelley with Rocky are all smiles while showing off his kind and gentle nature after winning his class! (Photo by The National Horseman)}