The story of Mach I goes back many years, back to 1960. He was born in Colorado to the great broodmare Spanish Joy. At the time he was named Spanish Socks because of his symmetrical 4 white socks. His name was later changed to denote the speed of sound and in 1962, he went to the racetrack to prove that new name. His first race proved to be a great learning experience, after a stumble at the start, he came in last and got dirt thrown on his nose. To the day he died, he hated anything to mess with his nose. In the next 3 years, he collected 8 wins, 10 second and 6 thirds from 38 starts. He retired with a AAAT rating.
In 1966 he was consigned to the Haymaker Sale in Oklahoma. He was purchased by L.L."Smoky" and Linda Pritchett with money furnished by Linda's grandmother. Mach made the trip to his new home- the Running L Ranch in Cottonwood, California. Here is where Mach's new career began. Although he had a great deal of talent, a bad step at the track gave him a quarter crack in a front hoof that would bleed when he stressed it. He was known to come out of the show ring with blood squirting out, and never take a lame step until he was finished performing. By 1967, the AQHA had finalized the requirements for the Supreme Champion award. With the goal of being the first Supreme Champion a not quite attainable one, what with the hoof problem, and the breeding season in the way. Mach I was content to be awarded the AQHA AAA Supreme Champion award in 1970. Now it was time for his offspring to prove him proud.
Did they ever! Some went to the race track- Machadilly and Joe Mach Reed. Some were AQHA Champions like Skid Landing (AQHA Youth Champion, Superior Halter, Open and Youth ROM) and Mach A Roany (1975 High Point Junior Working cowhorse.) Many were beloved youth horses, such as Duel Control. In 1976, Mach Nine was sixth in the nation for senior working cowhorse and Grand Champion Working Cowhorse for the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association 13 & Under division - ridden by the Pritchett's nine year old daughter, Lori. In 1977 and 1978 Mach Nine went to the AQHA Youth World show for Reining and Working Cow Horse!
In 1977, Mach's progeny were still winning and going strong, but Lady Luck was not kind to Mach I himself that year. In a freak accident while the Pritchett's were at a show several hundred miles away, seventeen year old Mach I suffered a multiple fracture in a hind leg just above the hoofline. Linda speaks of that time.
"I grew up with horses, have known hundreds, but Mach is the one I loved best. Once he retired, I galloped him every day to keep him in shape, handled him at breeding time and he helped raise Lori. He thought he was human. When I saw his foot in 1977, I died a little. He was seventeen. I didn't think he could overcome such a severe fracture. As far as I was concerned, it was Mayday in September."
"We hauled him to Davis where they cast him with a walking bar. He was such a good patient. He would lie down and take little naps. He loved for Lori and me to bring coathangers in to scratch his leg in the cast. We later found out that 3 other cases similar to his ended up having to be destroyed- they wouldn't stay off them. He wore that cast four and a half months. He healed up fine, but the bones had shifted and his foot was turned. I was still able to ride him up until 3 days before he died."
Mach I was never extensively promoted, many of his get were sold for breeding purposes or simply as pleasure mounts. As a result, only 49 of is 189 have appeared in AQHA competition. But, of that 49, 34 are point earners. Their cumulative points represent wins from the racetrack to multiple arena events and halter, from youth and amateur to open classes.
It was a sad day at the Running L Ranch in October of 1989. It had been obvious for a few days that his health had declined and he was having small strokes. On October 28, 1989 Mach was unable to rise and Dr. Conrad Ferreira gave the final diagnosis - he's had a massive stroke and won't make it another 2 days. With tears in his eyes, Dr. Connie helped a legend slip away.
Today, the Running L is home to Mach's daughters and grandbabies. Those grandbabies have a little more white as they are Paints, but every once in a while, there is a palomino out there that makes us all stop and remember who started it all.

Some information taken from:
May 1988 issue of Eastern/Western
"Because they were so bred: Mayday in September"
by Lyn Jank

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Mach I

AQHA AAA Supreme Champion, sire of AQHA Open and Youth Champions, AQHA Superior Halter and three Honor Roll AQHA High Point Junior Working Cowhorses.