Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Horton Broomstick Company====== =====Company Information===== * **Status:** Non-canonical; a likely misnomer for the [[Comet Trading Company]] * **Associated Individual:** [[Basil Horton]] * **Key Innovation:** The Horton-Keitch Braking Charm (//Quidditch Through the Ages//) =====Canonical Information and Clarification===== There is no known [[broomstick]] manufacturer named the **Horton Broomstick Company** mentioned in the original seven novels or official supplementary materials. The name likely originates from a confusion with **[[Basil Horton]]**, one of the co-founders of the highly successful **[[Comet Trading Company]]**. [[Basil Horton]], along with his [[Falmouth Falcons]] teammate [[Randolph Keitch]], established the [[Comet Trading Company]] in 1929. Horton's primary contribution to their first broomstick was the development of the patented Horton-Keitch Braking Charm, a significant innovation in [[broomstick]] control that greatly enhanced player safety and maneuverability in [[Quidditch]]. (//Quidditch Through the Ages//) =====History of the Comet Trading Company===== The **[[Comet Trading Company]]**, co-founded by [[Basil Horton]], was established in 1929 and quickly became a major force in the racing broom market. Their first model, the [[Comet 140]], was revolutionary due to the aforementioned braking charm, which prevented players from overshooting goals or flying offside. This feature made the [[Comet]] series the [[broomstick]] of choice for many professional [[Quidditch]] teams in Britain and Ireland for a time. (//Quidditch Through the Ages//) The company continued to produce newer models, such as the [[Comet 260]], which was owned by [[Ron Weasley]] during his first year at [[Hogwarts]]. While considered a reliable if somewhat slow [[broomstick]], the [[Comet]] line was eventually eclipsed by sleeker, faster models from competitors like the [[Nimbus Racing Broom Company]] and the manufacturers of the [[Firebolt]]. =====Role in the Story===== While the "Horton Broomstick Company" does not appear, the work of its real-world counterpart, the [[Comet Trading Company]], serves an important world-building function. The existence of older, less advanced brooms like the [[Comet]] series provides a crucial contrast to the high-performance brooms that [[Harry Potter]] receives, such as the [[Nimbus 2000]] and the [[Firebolt]]. [[Ron Weasley]]'s ownership of a [[Comet 260]] highlights his family's modest financial situation, as it is a hand-me-down that is easily outclassed by the brooms of other students like [[Draco Malfoy]]. This establishes a clear hierarchy in the quality and status associated with different types of [[broomstick]]s within the wizarding world. =====Behind the Scenes===== All detailed information regarding [[Basil Horton]] and the founding of the [[Comet Trading Company]] comes from the supplementary book //[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]//, written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym [[Kennilworthy Whisp]].
