When you have a supremely famous father, it can be difficult for a son to get out of that shadow. But thanks to a lifetime of dominant performances in various Park Harness divisions, from junior to amateur to open, Graycliff Tony Hawk GCH has left his own legacy within the Morgan breed. Thanks to his longevity, dominance, and a nearly undefeated 2025 season, Tony Hawk was named a 2025 U.S. Equestrian Federation National Horse of Honor.
Described as "charming, personable, and a joy to be around," Tony Hawk epitomizes the best traits of the Morgan Horse. His persona is larger than life, he oozes charisma, and he loves his job. When Tony Hawk is in the ring, spectators rush to the rail to watch him work. His breeder, Lynn Yelton of Graycliff Farm (now located in Versailles, Kentucky), knew that Tony Hawk was something special from the moment he was born.
"Right from the get-go, Hawk had ‘it' - that quality you can't describe, but you know it when you see it," Yelton said in an interview with Carolina Equestrians. "Just awesome, awesome, awesome."
Yelton had reason to be excited - the feisty youngster blended genetics from two of her most successful stallions, Pot of Gold and Graycliff Tony GCH; the former was World Champion Stallion in 1995, and the latter (Tony Hawk's sire) won eight World Champion titles throughout his career. And it wasn't long before Tony Hawk started to earn a few World Championships of his own - as a two-year-old, he notched his first two World titles with Whitney Bodner of Merriehill Farm. He was purchased by Peggy and Philip Alderman of Salem Farm in North Clarendon, Vermont, in 2014; under their ownership, Tony Hawk won additional World Championships at the ages of three and four, with three different individuals in the buggy.
Today, Tony Hawk is the most decorated Morgan horse in the Amateur Park Harness division, with a record-setting six World Championship wins in this class. Additionally, Tony Hawk has twice captured the Open Park Harness World Championship, a title that represents the pinnacle of achievement in the division.
After a long and successful career with the Aldermans, Sharon Boyce-Bender of Silicon Valley Ranch LLC in Saratoga, California, purchased Tony Hawk in April 2020. Boyce-Bender shares that when her trainer Tom Tornatore got the call that Tony Hawk was available, "he was purchased in minutes."
"At that point, Tony Hawk's show career was impressive - throughout the junior park harness, amateur, and open divisions, he had amassed quite a collection of titles," says Boyce-Bender. "Getting to know him, his playful personality, and workmanlike attitude - [he] stole my heart."
Tony Hawk's connections attribute his long term success in the Park Harness divisions to his personality and confidence.
"He knows that he is the best, and tries his hardest in every way possible to ensure that he is making the final victory pass of each class," says Boyce-Bender with a laugh.
In 2025, Tony Hawk continued to impress. His numerous accolades included wins at Carousel Charity Horse Show, Silicon Valley Horse Show, and Morgan Medallion Regional. At October's Grand National and World Championship Horse Show in Oklahoma, Boyce-Bender and Tony Hawk captured their fifth mutual Amateur Park Harness World Championship title.
But even when Tony Hawk is not performing in the show ring, his playful personality shines through.
"Tony Hawk is a treat fanatic," says Boyce-Bender. "He loves these special cookies we feed all of my horses that are low in sugar and healthy. One of his favorite off-season activities is playing soccer with a giant inflatable ball during turnout. He will race from one end of the arena to the other, chasing the ball, and standing at attention between volleys."
Tony Hawk's connections would like to honor trainer Tom Tornatore, who played a critical role in his recent successes. Tornatore passed away on November 30, 2025, at the age of 61; although he did not live to see his protege be recognized as a USEF National Horse of Honor, he certainly knew that Tony Hawk was something special.
