Bask


	Bask was purchased by the LaCroixes and imported to the United States with 19 other horses in 1963, including future U.S. National Champion Mare Dornaba (imported for the Kale family), her sire Naborr (imported for Anne McCormick), and several mares that would eventually be bred to Bask. In 1964, Bask's first foal, a colt named Firebrand (x Lakshmi), was born and he was followed shortly by eight other Bask offspring that year. *Bask also made his first big show ring appearance at Scottsdale in 1964 where he was named Scottsdale Champion Stallion and Champion Park. He was shown a second time that year at the U.S. Nationals, earning the titles of U.S. National Champion Stallion and U.S. Top Ten Park


	The following year, Bask returned to the U.S. Nationals and was crowned National Champion Park, which made him the first U.S. National Champion Stallion to also have a U.S. National Championship in performance. (These wins earned him his Legion of Merit in 1965.) At Scottsdale 1966, Bask was again named Scottsdale Champion Park, and at the 1967 U.S. Nationals, he won U.S. National Reserve Championship titles in formal combination and formal driving. If there were ever any doubts about *Bask's athletic ability and show ring flair, his performance wins put them to rest.


	Bask was retired to stud after the 1967 U.S. Nationals with 86 registered purebred foals on the ground. Over the next 12 years he sired nearly 1,000 more foals, many of them destined to make their mark in the show ring, on the auction block, and in the breeding shed. His first high-selling daughter was Silhoulette (x Silwara), the top lot at the first Lasma auction (1971) when she sold for $56,000. Just ten years later, Bask's daughter Fyre-Love (x Dargantka) sold for $500,000 at the Bask Classic auction. (Fyre-Love later sold for $1,500,000 at the 1985 Bask Classic.) The Bask granddaughter NH Love Potion (Back Street x Sha Baska by Bask) is the top-selling Arabian mare ever sold at auction -- she brought $2,550,000 in 1984. (See sidebar about 1980s auctions.) Bask's first National Champion Stallion son was Tornado (x Silwara), who was named 1969 Canadian National Champion Stallion. Another son, MS Santana (x SW Saruchna), was 1983 Canadian National Champion Stallion and 1986 U.S. National Champion Stallion. Three Bask daughters are U.S. and Canadian National Champion Mares: Dancing Flame (x Habina), Fire Music (x Susecion), and Bask Melody (x Susecion). Two other daughters, Fame (x Wirdih Jameel) and Mi Toska (x Toi), are Canadian National Champion Mares as well.