You have not lived until you have gazed into the beguiling blue eyes of a champagne baby.

The champagne gene is rare, and has only been identified in the last few years. Historically, champagnes have been misclassified as palomino, buckskin or grulla on some gaited horse, mini and QH pedigrees, as they resemble the cream dilution colors — except for the skin color.

A hallmark of the champagne gene is that the coat pigment does not carry into the skin. Champagnes have brownish-pink skin under colored hair. Where their skin is exposed to the sun they develop protective freckles. Under white markings their skin is pale pink, same as for non-champagnes. All champagne babies are born with blue eyes, and they all change eye color to hazel or green by the time they are six months old. And, champagnes sometimes exhibit iridescence in their coat highlights.

Champagne colors parallel cream gene colors. For example gold champagne (champagne gene on chestnut base) resembles palomino (cream gene on chestnut base). There is a champagne color registry, the International Champagne Horse Registry, where you can learn more.

Pappy is double registered MFTHBA & ICHR, and his DNA info is on file with MFTHBA. He will produce a classic champagne (looks like grulla) or amber champagne (looks like buckskin) or black when bred to a homozygous black mare. When crossed with a chestnut mare he will produce gold champagne or chestnut.

Performance, conformation and temperament have always been the driving factors in our breeding program. Being charmed by our chardonnay-gold Pappy and his champagne babies is the icing on the cake.