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THE CREMELLO DILEMMA by
Natalie Nelson |
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What's
a Cremello?
Cremellos
are a pale ivory to a pale pumpkin color, with pink skin and blue
eyes. Often they have white markings, dappling and shadowing.
Cremellos only happen approximately 25% of the time when two dilutes
are bred. Not as if the odds are against them in the beginning, the
American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) recommends breeders not to
breed buckskin to buckskin, palomino to palomino, or buckskin to
palomino to avoid this beautiful color which is not accepted by the
AQHA. This color can happen in any breed that diluted colors, such as
buckskins and palominos are found. However, in many breed registries
the cremello color is highly desirable and sought after, due to the
fact that they are homozygous for the dilution gene. In the past
cremello horses were mistaken for albinos prior to the genetics where
known of this fabulous color!
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This page was
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Living
Proof of Pigmentation
Both
pictures are of Blue
Eyed Paradise,
a cremello stallion. He is the offspring of AQHA buckskins both with
DNA on file! He is not eligible for AQHA registration, but is
registered with the APHA with DNA on file (which proves he is out of
the Quarter Horse parents)!
At
birth (left) he was a pale pumpkin color with blue eyes, and matured
(pictured at 2 years of age right) to a pale cream color camouflaging
his white markings that were clearly visable at birth! Living proof
that cremellos have pigmentation, and therefore not
albinos!
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Genetics of the Cremello |
The Genetics of the Cremello
The
genetics of the cremello are quite interesting Ccr is a genetic
abbreviation, which translates to "Dilutes pigment to a cream
color". The C/Ccr genes determine whether a horse's color is
diluted or undiluted. Unlike most genes the alleles of the C gene does
not have a dominate-recessive relationship. The allele causing the
dilution (Ccr) is incompletely dominant to C, thus both are written
with capital letters, with a superscript notation distinguishing Ccr.
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Genetic Abbreviations |
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Ccr
causes pigment dilution, as seen in lighter-colored horses, such as
buckskins and palominos. Horses homozygous for the Ccr (Ccr Ccr) are
completely diluted to a very pale ivory with pink skin and blue eyes
or what is commonly called a cremello. These are the products of two
dilute-colored parents, i.e. buckskins and palominos.
The
Beauty of breeding a Cremello
Listed
to the left are the genetic abbreviations, each a separate genotype.
Each one of these genotypes is part of the genetic formula, which
creates the complete genotype or in this case the color of the
horse.
A
complete genotype for a bay horse is: gg, A, CC, dd, rnrn. In
comparison let's look at the genotype of a buckskin horse: gg, A,
Ccr, dd, rnrn.
The
genotype for a sorrel horse is as follows : gg, ee, CC, dd, rnrn.
Now lets look at the genotype for a palomino, gg, ee, Ccr, dd, rnrn.
If you haven't all ready noticed, the only difference between a
sorrel and a palomino, or a bay and buckskin is the Ccr or dilution
gene.
The
beauty of breeding a cremello horse is that his genotype is Ccr Ccr,
which only allows the dilution gene to be passed. Therefore,
offspring will always be a diluted color, such as buckskins and
palominos! Plus, when bred to another cremello, since the only
genotype to be passed will be Ccr the offspring will all ways be a
cremello!
The
Cremello Dilemma
When
breeding of two diluted colored horses such as buckskin to buckskin,
palomino to palomino or buckskin to palomino, you have a 25% chance
of having a cremello. This happens only when both parents contribute
the Ccr genotype to the offspring. The buckskin and palomino colors
are prominent in the American Quarter Horse. However, the AQHA does
not accept the cremello color!
Back
when the AQHA was founded, cremellos were considered albinos and
undesirable. AQHA will tell you that you should not breed two
diluted horses together. The AQHA is aware that cremellos are
homozygous for the dilution gene and the difference between
cremellos and albinos AND still will not accept them! According to
rule 227 section ( j ) which states "No horse is eligible for
registration which possesses all three characteristics which
designate a horse commonly known as an albino: Light (or pink) skin
over the body; white or cream-colored hair over the body; and eyes
of a bluish cast." This ruling was made back in the 50's prior
to scientific and genetic research, which has proven the genetic
make up and differences of cremellos verses albinos. In fact,
it has been scientifically proven that albinism does NOT even exist
in the equine!
The
American Paint Horse Association (APHA) will accept the cremello
color out of two AQHA parents into their breeding stock registry as
a crop out. The only draw back is, when you bred them back to
registered AQHA horses, even though they are full blooded quarter
horses they can ONLY be registered as a breeding stock paints.
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The Cremello Dilemma |
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2000 AQHA Convention Results |
The
2000
AQHA Convention
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This ruling was forward at the annual convention in March for discussion as it has several times in the past, with out change. In fact rule 227 (commonly called the white rule) has been on the agenda at the annual AQHA convention for the past 5 years. At the 2000 AQHA convention only a portion is going to be addressed rule 227 (J) which was quoted earlier. This is the first time that only a portion of Rule 227 has been addressed! Rule 227 (J) was put on the agenda at the request of Natalie "Nat" Nelson of Buckeye, Arizona. She then turned to the world wide web to educate the public on the unfairness of rule and to organize a petition drive. There she met Wendy Bockman of Pennsylvania, Milynda Milam of Texas, and Robin Mitchell of Texas; all owners of horses effected the rule.
Affectionately known as the Rainbow Warriors on the net, the four women decided to meet in Reno at the 2000 AQHA Convention. This baffled many of the AQHA directors how the team could be so organized that claimed they had never met, and resided in different parts of the country! They must not know the POWER of the net! Each team member provided a portion of the presentation. Natalie gave the opening speech, Wendy prepared the genetics handout, Robin prepared a detailed handout of her perliono stallion's, Invest In Rodeo offsprng, Milynda brought APHA halter win pictures of her perlino stallion, RFF Starbuck - the 1st APHA breeding stock stallion to earn a superior in halter, and he's 100% AQHA! |
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The
Rainbow Warriors at the 2000 AQHA Convention
pictured
left to right Wendy Bockman, Robin Mitchell, Natalie "Nat"
Nelson, and Milynda Milam
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All
though there is no mention in any of the AQHA publications, or their
web site; Rule 227 (J) had the floor and the attention of the
committee for a considerable amount of time during the Stud Book and
Registration Committee meeting! In fact the committee members
were mesmerized by the handouts placed at their seats filled with
pictures of cremello and perlino horses' offspring - all buckskin and
palominos! Most of the committee members were reading through the
handouts during the frozen semen presentation!
By the time Nat gave the opening speech, the committee members were listening! They were listening clear to the end of the presentation and the group was approached by several committee members stating that the presentation was very well thought out and presented. The group was optimistic that they had gotten through to the committee, they even had drinks with some of the committee members and AQHA directors following the meeting! |
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Devastating News of Committee Results at the 2000 Convention
Devastating
news came in the form of a letter stating that the requests regarding
rule 227 (J) had been unanimously denied. All who received the letters
from AQHA compared them and they were all the same, just address to
different people! The letters were immediately posted onto the
web, which caused a public out cry! Many AQHA members where
upset and formed a campaign to call the AQHA registrar, Gary Griffith
to ask why. It didn't take long for Mr. Griffith to start
screening his calls and becoming unavailable for anything associated
with rule 227(J)!
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SCROLL DOWN FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 2001 CONVENTION! |
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The Mascots of the Movement |
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Blue
Eyed Paradise
cremello
stallion
owned
by Natalie Nelson
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True
Blue McCue
cremello
stallion
owned
by Wendy Bockman
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Invest
In Rodeo
perlino
stallion
owned
by Robin Mitchell
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,
RFF Starbuck
perilino
stallion
owned
by Milynda Milam
The
very FIRST
APHA Superior Halter Breeding Stock Stallion AND the FIRST
APHA breeding stock stallion to earn an APHA Breeding Stock
Championship! Proving that double dilutes not only compete, but
excel above the best!
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Formation of the CPEA
2001 AQHA Convention Results
Advice From a Committee Member
How Can I Help?
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Formation
of a New Organization Also in the year 2000, our forces inaugurated the Cremello and Perlino Educational Association (CPEA) and created our website, www.doubledilute.com ; which become public June of 2000. Our website has had 8021 visitors in only 9 short months of its debut. The CPEA's main objective was and still is to educate the general public of the facts of the cremello and perlino colors. There were CPEA representatives sent to every major equine event (including the AQHA World Show) to hand out brochures and to talk to anyone who would lend an ear. We were pleased to discover that OVER 90% of individuals that have been given the facts of the genetics of the double dilutes agree that the colors cremello and perlino should be acceptable colors for registration with the AQHA!
Days
before the 2001 Convention www.doubledilute.com had an overwhelming
9,030 visitors!
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| 2001
AQHA Convention Results |
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2001 Convention was held in New Orleans, Louisiana directly after Mardi
Gras was held. The streets were still littered from the festival
and the trees shined like Christmas trees as the light glistened off of
the Mardi Gras beads dangling from their limbs. There were four to
represent the group, Natalie Nelson of Arizona, Wendy Bockman of
Pennsylvania, Milynda Milam of Texas, Deby Manis of Kansas.
Once again Natalie "Nat" Nelson put rule 227 (J) on the agenda. This is the second time that only a portion of Rule 227 has been addressed! And once again the group had the undivided attention of the Studbook & Registration Committee Open Meeting held Sunday March 54th of 2001. This year the 227 (J) issue had the majority of the floor time.
SHOCKING News!
The
chairman of the Studbook & Registration Committee announced
their recommendations for rule changes which take effect immediately
(the only committee that has that power - the rest require approval
from the Executive Committee). The first recommendation being
to raise the excessive white restrictions from center of the knee to
middle of the forearm and gaskin, the head can be completely white,
and a center line drawn down the middle of underside of the belly
may have a white spot of any length as long as it is does not exceed
3 inches on either side of the line.
THEN
in the same breath the Committee Chairman recommended that the
phrase "commonly called albino" be removed from rule 227
(J) however, it is the belief of the Committee that cremello and
perlinos have health and eye problems, therefore the rest of the
rule would remain intact. It was later found out from an
inside source that this was based on recommendations from some
palomino breeders on the Committee!
Taken
Under Wing
Nat
was approached by one of the Committee members and given words of
encouragement and inside information of what went on during the
closed meeting. She was shocked to find out that there are
palomino breeders on the Committee who state they have had first
hand experience with cremellos and have experienced problems and
that it was motioned to ban her group from appearing before the
Committee for 2 years! The informant said that they would not
let that happen! When Nat ask the informant just what they
need to do differently, they told her a couple of things.
How
Can I Help
By
becoming a Member of the Cremello Perlino Educational Association (CPEA)
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Color Genetics Sites |
Other
sites that explain equine color genetics are:
http://www.doubledilute.com
Find out the truth about color!
http://www.connemaras.com/faq.html
FQA Page - Frequently Asked Questions
Interview
with D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PhD, Professor, Pathology and
Genetics
http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/~lvmillon/coatclr.html
Coat
Color Genetics @ UC Davis
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