Byerley Turk

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Byerley Turk
Byerly Turk.jpg
Painting by John Wootton
Race: probably Arabs or Turkmens
Father:
Mother:
Mother, father:
Gender: stallion
Year of birth: circa 1679
Year of death: 1714
Country: England
Colour: dark brown
Owner: Robert Byerley

Byerley Turk (* approx. 1679; † May 1714), dark bay stallion, is one of the progenitors of the English thoroughbred alongside Godolphin Arabian and Darley Arabian . He is variously referred to in the literature as an Arab or an Akhal-Teke - more precisely as a Turkmen .

In 1688 it was part of the booty that was taken from the Turkish army after the Battle of Buda . He then served his new owner and namesake, Colonel Robert Byerley, as a cavalry horse and came in the war of King Wilhelm III. of England against James II in Ireland.

Byerley Turk is mentioned only once as a racehorse: in 1690 he won a race at Down Royal (Ireland).

From 1701 at the latest, the stallion was available for breeding in Colonel Byerley's studs. The number of well-bred pedigree mares that Byerley Turk has mated is apparently small. Nevertheless, several descendants have established famous thoroughbred lines. His direct father line leads to the excellent breeding horse Herod (* 1758). Through his daughters he had an immense influence on the emergence of the new breed " English Thoroughbred ".

According to dissenting opinion, Byerley Turk did not come from the spoils of war of 1688, but was bred in England and is a descendant of Place's White Turk.