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Trigger - Roy Roger's golden palomino,
Trigger (born 1932) was called "The Smartest Horse in the Movies" because of
his ability to perform a variety of tricks (some 60) including counting, doing
the hula, untying ropes, knocking on doors and walking on his hind quarters.
Trigger's first film appearance was as Maid Marian's horse during his ride
through Sherwood Forest in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). That
same year, as Roy Rogers was to star in the Republic movie Under The
Western Stars (1938), he was shown several horses from which he selected a
Palomino named the Golden Cloud (Trigger's registered name.)
Reportedly after riding the horse just 100 yards, Roy never looked at
another horse. He purchased the horse for $2,500 in 1938 and eventually
outfitted it with a $5,000 gold/silver saddle.
Roy Rogers once said that "he felt that Trigger seemed to know when people
were watching him and that he recognized applause and just ate it up like a
ham!"
The name Trigger was credited to Smiley Burnett (Rogers' sidekick) who
mentioned the horse was quick on the "trigger" referring to how fast the horse
ran.
Rogers' horse was the focus of the movie My Pal Trigger (1946)
wherein Rogers' himself named a new-born horse after saying "You're kind of
quick on the trigger, son." Trigger also appeared with his newly foaled colt
in the Republic Films sequel Trigger, Jr. (1950).
 Paul K. Fisher of Souderton, Pennsylvania sold Trigger Jr. to Roy Rogers.
Trigger Jr. was registered as Allen's Gold Zephyr. and foaled in 1941. His
sire was Barker's Moonbeam and his dam was Fisher's Gray Maud. Trigger Jr. was
bred by C. O. Barker, of Readyville, Tennessee. Barker's Moonbeam was sired by
Golden Sunshine whose dam was Golden Lady. All were palominos. On July 3,
1965, the original Trigger died at the age of 33. His mounted remains are now
on display at The Roy Rogers Dale Evans Museum located in Branson, Missouri
(formerly located in Victorville, California).
Roy Rogers related in his book "Roy Rogers: King of the Cowboys" (Collins,
1994) that when Trigger died at the age of 33 that he (Rogers) just couldn't
bury him. Inspired by the animals mounted on display in the Smithsonian, Roy
had Trigger mounted rearing on his hind legs. Rogers once said "When I pass away just skin me and put me up on Trigger and
I'll be happy."
 A wax figure of Roy waving atop the mounted remains of Trigger is on
exhibit at their museum. Mounted along side of Trigger is the mounted remains
of Bullet, Roy's German shepherd canine companion.
Both Trigger and Bullet starred with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in the
western adventure THE ROY ROGERS SHOW/NBC/1951-57. Trigger won the P.A.T.S.Y.
award in 1953 (the animal equivalent of the "Oscar®"). Trigger was such an
important part of Roy's life that he was sitting on top of Trigger when he
proposed to Dale Evans in Chicago in 1947. Dale's horse is called Buttermilk. TRIVIA NOTE: On the 12/9/98 installment of the CBS's LATE SHOW guest
Tom Hanks happily munched on a Roy Rogers' hamburger that he purchased down
the street during intermission. Turning to host David Letterman, Hanks
remarked, "You know when Trigger died, Roy Rogers had a great idea!"
In 2010, the mounted remains of Trigger the Horse was sold at auction via Christie's Auction House. The horse, and many other items from the Roy Rogers Museum in Branson, Missouri were liquidated when the museum closed due to a downturn in the economy and a decrease in visitors.
Trigger the Horse had been on display at the Roy Roger's Museum in Victorville, California until the museum decided to relocate to Branson, MO in 2003.
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