American Cream Draft

The first known American Cream Draft horse appeared in Iowa in 1911.  Her name was "Old Granny".  It was believed she had only draft breeding in the bloodlines.  When bred with one of her colt's, a new breed of horses was created.  The new breed were a creamy color with a white mane and tail, amber eye color and pink skin.

Early registration records confirmed that "Old Granny" was mated to Percherons, Belgians, Greys, Sorrels, and Dunns, and often had the same rich cream color and having similar other features.  A man by the name of C.T. Rierson was very interested in the American Cream Draft breed and recorded the ancestry of each horse as completely as possible.  Rierson founded the American Cream Horse Association of America.  In 1944 a chater was issued by the State of Iowa to 20 members of the newly created American Cream Horse Association of America.

In February of 1950, the American Cream Horse Association of America was recognized by the National Stallion Enrollment Board and the Iowa Department of Agriculture as a standard.  This meant the breed would receive the same privileges that older, more established horse breeds received in the state of Iowa.

In the 1950's there were over 200 American Cream Horses registered by 41 people.  Unfortunately, as tractors began replacing horses in the fields, many draft horses were put to their deaths at canneries.  In the late 70's, Arnold Hockett and Richard eads of Iowa and Illinois, encouraged the former secretary of the no inactive horse association, Karene Bunker Topp, to call a meeting in order to reorgnize and register the creams they owned.  In 1982, in Dubuque, Iowa, seven people got together to reorganize and open the registration books to permit registration of dark skinned females of the American Cream Horse breed, while maintaining that the males must still have pink skin along with the other requirements.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy placed the American Cream Draft on the endangered species list.

Since 1982, one hundred fourteen American Cream Draft horses have been registered.  Membership is open to all owners of American Creams, and membership can also be obtained by individuals who are wanting to help fund the work of the organization by paying a yearly dues- even if they do not own an American Cream Draft Horse.