In the 1880’s the first stud book was published and the Cleveland Bay Horse Society was born. In the 19th century the Cleveland Bay was bred to thoroughbreds to produce the Yorkshire Coach Horse. This horse had increased speed and power while being a more elegant and stylish horse.

In the 1800’s Cleveland Bay horses were imported into the United States. Colonel Dulany of Virginia imported a stallion named Scrivington who had many successful offspring. Colonel Dulany developed the Upperville Colt and Horse Show in 1884 to showcase Scrivington and his offspring while encouraging the development and care for healthy horse stock. This show continues to be successful today and Cleveland Bays still compete there in their own classes on Sunday morning.

Cleveland Bays were also imported by William Cody aka Buffalo Bill Cody who used 6 purebred stallions in his Wild West Show. He drove them in a stagecoach hitch. These horses have also been used in the western states as range horses due to their staying quality, easy maintenance, and match for the biggest steers.

With the Mechanical Age there was a rapid decline in the population of Cleveland Bays. During World War I they were used as artillery horses and their numbers were further reduced. In the 1960’s only 5 or 6 mature stallions remained. At this time the breed was on the edge of extinction. The Queen of England then became involved and became Patron of the Breed. The Royal Mews continues to use Cleveland Bays and partbeds in ceremonial duties.

The Cleveland Bay is the foundation for many breeds in North America and Europe. These include the Morgan, Standarbred, Holsteiner, Oldenberg, among others.

The Cleveland Bay Horse Society was founded in 1885 and had 2000 registered stallions and mares in 1907. Since that time the numbers declined. Alexander Mackay-Smith became involved with the breed and began importing them for fox hunting. They are still used for hunting.

At this time they are critically endangered breed with less than 500 worldwide. They are located in Great Britain, North America, New Zealand, and Australia. These breeders are committed to conservation of this unique breed and are working together in this endeavor.

Purebred Cleveland Bays spend most of their time breeding and are not able to perform. For this reason, they are not seen in public very often. However, they are often crossed with other breeds, especially thoroughbreds, to make exceptional performance horses. They have succeeded in dressage, driving, and jumping. In Anthony Dent’s book Cleveland Bay Horses writes “It is not only genetically stable, but emotionally stable. The Cleveland temperament is calm and equable, unflappable, … A Cleveland sire or a half-Cleveland dam tends to ensure progeny that uses its head and takes its time in confronting obstacle in the hunting field or on the event course or in the show jumping ring.”

Examples of horses that have excelled include Happy Monarch who was 6th at Osberton, Sumatra who was 8th at Burghley, and Rembrandt who did well in both Badminton and Burghley. Arun competed in Dressage, Pistol Pete and North Flight in Show Jumping in different Olympic games. In 1968 when the horses were extremely rare, all four horses on the British Olympic gold medal winning team were Cleveland Bays crossed with Thoroughbreds.

Today the Cleveland Bay is known to be versatile, athletic, successful, and prepotency. If you want to play a role in saving a breed while enjoying your love of horses, consider this wonderful breed.

Once lost, genetic diversity is lost forever. It can never be recovered.

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy