Cremellos:
Color vs. Quality vs. Correct pedigrees

I have been researching cremello TWHs since 1994. The first thing I learned is that the top breeding quality cremellos are rare.   One thing that I have learned is buying a double dilute fits the saying "Let the Buyer Beware"   If a buyer doesn't know basic equine color genetics or have an expert to assist them on researching pedigrees before they buy, they are in for financial disaster unless they are just plain lucky.  Murphy's Law of  "If it can happen, it will and at the worst possible moment." is always there for me and for most people.

Currently (as of September 2003) there were 589 cremellos registered. 270 are cremello stallions, 301 are mares and 18 are geldings. After researching all the mare and stallion, I found that 33% of the cremellos were not cremellos according to the registered colors of their sires and dams.   Most are due to mistaken choices of color when registered.  Some are actually Ivory Champagnes.  A few are really cremellos but their pedigrees are in error as a  result of  one parent with discrepancies with their pedigree. 

In 2001 there were 88 cremellos registered with 51 being stallions and at least one third of those were incorrectly called cremello and are either ivory champagne or maximal sabino which leaves around 34 possible true cremellos and I would guess that less than half of those remaining are breeding quality and only a small percentage of those can claim a clean trail of color .    

University of California at Davis can now test double dilutes and verify if they are cremello, perlino or smoky cream and if they have an agouti gene. The test helps to identify the genetic factors that can be used to determine what each individual can produce and with that knowledge can enhance the value of those that will produce the desired palomino, buckskin, cremello or perlino and exclude the less desirable smoky black and smoky cream.

  Elsie 

Last Chance Farm 10267 206th Road   Nortonville, KS 66060   Phone: (913) 886-6481   Fax: (913) 886-2713 elsietwh@hotmail.com