July 2006 -
Harrah's Chester returns harness racing to the Delaware Valley
by Terry Conway
As a kid Brian Roland remembers the thrill of traveling to the Brandywine
Raceway with his father, a standardbred trainer.
"There would be 15,000 people on a Saturday night," recalled Roland, now a
trainer and resident of Jennersville, Pa. "They had terrific horses, large
purses. It was a fun place to be. Then it all vanished."
The sport disappeared in the Delaware Valley when first Liberty Bell, then
Brandywine and finally Garden State Park were shuttered over the past 20
years.
Read full article >>
July 2006 -
The Jacksons Still Counting Their Blessings
by Terry Conway
On an Indian summer October morning, the splendor of their Lael Farm unfolds
all around. Seated at a table at the rear of the house near West Grove, Pa.
Gretchen Jackson gazes out at a dozen sheep, most dozing under a spreading tree.
High on a distant ridge, a string of Jonathan Sheppard's horses are put
through their paces. Storm Cat (the world's most expensive stallion at $500,000
a session) and steeplechase champion Flatterer were tutored on that turf by the
Hall of Fame trainer in the early 1980s.
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July 2006 -
Son Remembers Dad's Dedication to Training Horses in an Era of Racism
by Suzanne Bush
You might think the story of Thomas Downing is a story of unrequited love.
But you'd be wrong.
Like all really good love stories, Downing's has a complex texture, along
with a memorable cast of characters and poignant reminders of the power of love
in the face of injustice. Even though Downing himself is gone, his story is not
over. In fact, it has become something Downing probably never imagined. It has
become his son's compelling memoir of craftsmanship, dignity, grace and love.
Read full article >>
July 2006 -
Reading Teen Finishes
Chemo, Competes at Devon Next Day
by Marcella Peyre-Ferry
Sometimes, an accident can be a blessing in disguise. Treating a minor injury
after a fall, doctors for then seventeen-year-old Nicole Lakin of Reading
discovered a cancer that might have otherwise gone undetected until it was much
further along. Thanks to a minor tumble, the disease was found and treated,
while Nicole kept riding and showing her horses throughout the course of her
chemotherapy.
Read full article >>
July 2006 -
Coming Soon to Your Farm: National Animal ID
by Suzanne Bush
Some see the apocalypse. Others scoff at apocryphal stories about bogeyman
federal agents controlling little kids' ponies. In our security-obsessed,
post-September 11 world, a gigantic government bureaucracy is, some fear,
springing to life for the sole purpose of controlling how and where
individuals ride their horses. Or, others believe, a useful system of
identifying horses in a disaster and dealing with contagious disease is on the
horizon.
Read full article >>
July 2006 -
Nobodaddy Farm Rises from Ashes to
Teach Corporate Team Building
by Suzanne Bush
Corporations are rife with treacherous shoals and eddies that can shipwreck
even the most experienced sailor faster than you can say "great idea, boss." The
business of conducting business has a language and a set of customs and behavior
patterns that could keep legions of anthropologists occupied—and confused—for
decades. People say things they think they mean, but they don't really mean what
they say. Others say what they think, and what they think is really mean.
Read
full article >>
July 2006 -
Barbaro's Injury in Preakness Touches
Millions, Raises Questions
by Suzanne Bush
In the midst of the hype and media scrutiny that erupted after Barbaro's
rousing victory in the Kentucky Derby, Matz, Barbaro's trainer, remained
non-committal and reserved. This year, for a few glorious weeks in early spring,
Barbaro was the horse of the moment. His owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson of
West Grove, were living the impossible dream. The future for their beloved horse
was brimming with possibilities. And then in the blink of an eye, everything
changed. One tragic misstep erased the dreams and the promise and the joy of
what had been a splendid spring.
Read full article >>
April 2006 -
Chester County Horses Hit Derby Trail Once More
by Terry Conway
They have some big shoes to fill.
Following in the storied hoof prints of Chester County alumna
Smarty Jones, Aflleet Alex and Barbaro, a crop of stellar prospects with strong
Chester County connections have mapped out their paths to Kentucky Derby 133 on
Saturday, May 5.
Read full article >>
February 2006 -
New Broodmare Residency Requirements
Will Pump PA's Horse Economy
by Suzanne Bush
The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) recently announced
changes in residency requirements for Pennsylvania-bred foals. The PHBA
administers the state's Breeding Fund for Thoroughbred racehorses, and
maintains the official registry of Pennsylvania-bred racehorses and
stallions. The Breeding Fund was designed to support live racing at the
state's racetracks, and to provide incentives for breeders to race their
horses at Pennsylvania's racetracks.
Read full article >>
February 2006 -
Saddled With Debt—and Too Many
Saddles—Teets Becomes an Ebay Phenomenon
by Suzanne Bush
Remember the eBay ad featuring the hairy guy in the wedding dress?
For people who were only marginally aware of the breadth of the eBay
marketplace, it was an eye-opener—in many ways. For the cognoscenti, the
ad merely confirmed the staggering reach of eBay, the online auction
site. After more than six million hits, extensive media coverage,
including an appearance on NBC's Today Show, and the kind of buzz that
professional marketing wizards only dream about, Larry Star sold his
ex-wife's wedding dress for $3,850.
Read full article >>
February 2006 -
After 16 Years, the
PEC's Equine Liability Bill Becomes Law
by Stephanie Lawson
Governor Rendell signed SB 618, the Equine Activities Liability Act (EALA)
proposed and supported by the Pennsylvania Equine Council, into law on December
23. Now known as Act 93, it will take effect February 23.
Read full article >>
January 2006 -
Pegasus Award to Suzanne Bush for PA
Equestrian Article
Pennsylvania Equestrian contributor Suzanne Bush won an inaugral US
Equestrian Federation Pegasus award for her article, "Eighteen-Year-Old on
$700 Horse Beats the Greats at Old Dominion," which appeared in the July, 2005
issue of Pennsylvania Equestrian.
Read full article >>
