Trigger, Roy Rogers' Wonder Horse
Bob Nolan on Trigger, 1945
No doubt every genuine Roy Rogers fan has fantasized about "the day I get a ride on Trigger". Trigger was as popular as his singing cowboy master and suffered from having thousands of hairs pulled from him by souvenir-hunting fans. On one trip east, Roy had to get a "toupe" for his tail.
As you will read in Leo Pando's excellent book, "An Illustrated History of Trigger: the Lives and Legends of Roy Rogers' Palomino", there were several Triggers but the one Bob Nolan is riding in this picture is the original Trigger also known as "The Old Man" or by his registered name "Golden Cloud". Elegant, well-trained, fast, this beautiful animal created the reputation for all the Triggers.
Bob Nolan rode him in a scene in the Republic film, Utah. This picture was from Calin Coburn's copy of the Pioneer News, Spring 1980, in Bill Bowen's mini biography of Bob, "Portrait of a Pioneer".