Glenn Montgomery of Sarver works with his horse, Jay-Lou Supreme, at his farm in the late 1980s. Jay-Lou was recently credited with revolutionizing the Belgian breed. Belgian horse owner Jill Beidl of Slippery Rock said Jay-Lou Supreme descended from Belgians who were short and round, but his offspring are “a different, taller, leaner, long-necked horse.”

The genetics of one horse from Butler County — Jay-Lou Supreme — changed an entire breed. Recently, the stallion was credited in “The Draft Horse Journal” magazine with revolutionizing the Belgian breed.

The horse was born in 1987 on Glenn Montgomery's farm in Sarver to Montgomery's mare Elegants April Du Marais. She was bred to Orndorff's Congolaise Supreme in Waynesburg, Greene County.

“I liked the sire,” Montgomery said. “He was a good horse. He had brains.”

Montgomery, now 92, trained Jay-Lou Supreme. When he showed the horse as a yearling, people noticed.

“He was worth some money,” Montgomery said.

As a breeder, Montgomery usually kept mares and sold the stallion when the horse was about 3 years old. As later owners showed him and used him as a stud, Jay-Lou Supreme's fame grew.

Belgian horse owner Jill Beidl of Slippery Rock said Jay-Lou Supreme descended from Belgians who were short and round. His descendants are not.

“It's a different, taller, leaner, long-necked horse,” said Beidl. The changing body style meant the horse had more action, it could lift its legs more precisely.

Montgomery's daughter-in-law Evon Montgomery of Saxonburg said many people wanted to breed their mares to Jay-Lou Supreme and his offspring.

She judges national horse shows, designs obstacle courses for national shows and gives horse clinics where riders learn advanced techniques. She said it was the combination of genetics Jay-Lou Supreme inherited that changed the Belgian breed.

“They have a lot of front end action for a draft horse,” Evon Montgomery said. She said the horses raise their knees high and reach forward as they bring each foot back to the ground, giving them a flashy look.

Beidl said Montgomery is credited as the breeder for Jay-Lou Supreme.

“When I was 14, I bought my first pair of colts,” Montgomery said.

“I just liked Belgians,” he said. “I was going to log and farm with them.”

Montgomery worked for the Farm Bureau and Agway transporting and delivering heating oil and other fuel to farms and businesses. But he always had eight to 10 Belgians at his farm.

“Most of them I trained,” Montgomery said. “It takes a good year.”

He said there used to be a lot more competition when he started showing his draft horses.Bill Kronen, who has Percheron draft horses in South Buffalo Township, Armstrong County, explained that even after tractors became available, there were still many draft horses on farms. People continued to use them for light work such as plowing small properties, logging, spreading manure, driving them in parades and giving horse-drawn hayrides.Montgomery enjoyed halter showing best where the horse is judged on body structure and action. One of his mares won grand champion at the Big Butler Fair for years.Montgomery showed at many area fairs including the Big Butler Fair, the Great Dayton Fair in Armstrong County, the Allegheny County Fair and the Washington County Fair and at much larger shows such as the Canfield Fair in Ohio and the Pennsylvania Farm Show.“I usually done pretty good,” Montgomery said.Montgomery is a director for the Big Butler Fair and is the superintendent of the draft horse show at the fair.Beidl serves with Montgomery on the fair board. She works with him at the draft horse show. She has helped show his horses and shows her own Belgians at the Big Butler Fair.“Everybody thinks they are so big and dangerous. They are really very mild mannered and quiet and easy to handle,” said Beidl. “They're gentle giants.”She said a lot of Belgians weigh 2,000 pounds and stand close to 18 hands — 72 inches — when measured from the ground to the base of the horse's mane. The height shows Jay-Lou Supreme's influence.Montgomery regretted selling Jay-Lou Supreme but said, “I had to.”His sons, Rodger and Craig, grew up around horses and shows.“Ever since they were born, their dad was always buying and selling and breeding,” said Evon Montgomery.Breeding, showing, training, judging and riding horses are still important in the family. Rodger Montgomery, his wife, Debbie, and Evon Montgomery work with horses full time. Evon and Craig Montgomery also enjoy traveling with their horses and trail riding.Montgomery didn't stop at being a horse breeder and showman. He also was a judge for local, state and national draft horse shows.“Glenn Montgomery was an excellent judge of horses,” said Kronen, who has shown his national and world champion Percherons draft horses for 38 years.Evon Montgomery said her father-in-law supported people as they got started with horses.“I know how generous he was,” she said. “If anyone needed a horse hauled or looked at, he would help them.”Kronen, who met Montgomery in 1975, said. ”He was willing to give advice and help you out. He was a good mentor.”Montgomery has influenced many horse owners. His decision about breeding Elegants April Du Marais has had a lasting impact on Belgian horses through Jay-Lou Supreme.Evon Montgomery said, “The change was from a plow horse look to a show horse presence.”“Every horseman dreams of that once-in-a-lifetime horse. Jay-Lou was Glenn's once-in-a-lifetime horse,” said Craig Montgomery.

Jay-Lou Supreme was born in 1987 on Glenn Montgomery's farm in Sarver. The combination of genetics he inherited changed the Belgian breed.