TARTAN / ‘tärt-en / refers to the distinctive woolen cloth woven in regular bands, the arrangement and colors used forming unique patterns, many of which have been adopted by Highland Clans and are now part of each Clan’s identity. Tartan is a symbol of kinship and belonging and is attractive, unmistakable, and is as indissolubly Scottish as the Clydesdale horse.

Tartan Farms Clydesdales is owned by Martin & Jennifer English and located outside Tipp City, Ohio just north of Dayton. It is easy to find, just 5 miles north of the I-75 / I-70 intersection. Martin moved to this location in 1974 with his parents. The old barn stabled his 4-H horses and a few Hereford cattle. Shortly thereafter, Martin attended The Ohio State University, receiving degrees in agriculture business management and veterinary medicine. There he also met Jennifer, a veterinary technician student, who also had an interest in horses. She returned with him to Tipp City where they opened a veterinary practice and were married. They later purchased the family farm. Three children also resulted along the way, Morgan, Molly, and Mackenzie All of the children help with the daily chores and the handling of each horse on the farm.

We purchased our first Clydesdale, a weanling filly, in 1987 from Michael & Cheri Moleski of Bronson, Michigan. The following year we purchased her dam, Hayston Louise, a Scottish bred daughter of Doura Magnificent. With this mare and a new vis-à-vis, we operated a carriage service for several years. In 1991 we decided to expand into the breeding end of the Clydesdale business and purchased a weanling colt from the Moleski’s out of a young Canadian bred mare and by an Armageddon stallion. He was Armageddon’s Lord Elijah and was very close to being undefeated in the show ring. Eli went on to breed a large number of excellent horses for the Cobb's family in Indiana. Within a year we also purchased his sire, Armageddon’s Lord Jacob and his dam, Peggie Ann. From this same cross we produced several fine stallions and mares, including English Tartan Piper, a herd sire for several years for Anheuser Busch and Tartan Drummer, herd sire for the McGilveray’s in Colorado. All three colts were national futurity winners. Jacob sired a number of other futurity and All-American winners by other mares on our farm, including Tartan MacLeod and Tartan Saint Andrew.

While Martin is in charge of the breeding and foaling end of the operation, Jennifer is in charge of raising the foals, showing and selling them. Most years since 1989, she has taken horses to the National Clydesdale Show near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Ohio, Indiana & Michigan State Fairs, and occasionally the Michigan Great Lakes International in East Lansing, Michigan.

We joined the Clydesdale Breeders Association of the U.S. in 1987 and attended our first National Sale & Annual Meeting in Springfield, Illinois the following year. We both volunteered on a number of committees to give something back to the breed. Martin was elected to the Board of Directors in 1996 and still serves in that capacity.

We welcome calls, letters and emails about our horses and visitors by prior arrangements.