The Official Website of Gene Autry, America's Favorite Singing Cowboy

Fun Autry Fact:

The official publication of the original Gene Autry Fan Club was "Autry's Aces."

Champion, World's Wonder Horse

Original Champion (b. circa 1926 – d. 1943)

  • Dark sorrel-colored
  • 3 stockings—right front leg solid
  • T-shaped blaze starting high on his forehead and extending over his muzzle
  • Appeared in films possibly as early as The Phantom Empire (1935), definitely in Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935), last movie was Bells of Capistrano (1942)
  • First "official" screen Champion
  • First received screen credit in Melody Trail (1935)
  • Known as “Wonder Horse of the West”
  • Gelding
  • Had as many as four doubles
  • Died of an apparent heart attack while Gene was in the army
  • Highlights: could untie knots, roll over and play dead, bow, shake his head "yes" and "no," and come to Gene's whistle

Research assistance provided by author Petrine Mitchum.


Back to Champion Index