Barbara "Babs" Meegan, BBer Kennett Square, passes away (funeral info pg 3 -- Celebration of the Life of Babs info on Page 7)

[heelsdown]

I am dumbfounded and so sad to read this. I never met Babs, only knew her through this BB as Kennet Square. Everything I ever heard or read about her was great and I often thought that if I am ever brave enough to pack up my bags and move to VA she’d be one of the first people I would want to call, knowing she’d be generous with good advice and sure that she’d extend her hand in friendship.

Life seems to be too often about death lately, I’d like to think that she’s “up there” with a pair of twin foals right now, skipping joyfully around the greenest, most beautiful meadow we’ve ever seen.

[system]

I first met Babs when she came to Cavallo in the fall of 1996. Over the years there, she was truly one of the most signficant factors in Cavallo being a fun place and a great community of friends. She touched the lives of each member of our family, most importantly my daughter’s. Although she was not, until recently, her trainer, Babs and Paige shared a very special bond. As a father, I benefited from Bab’s special insight into the heart and soul of my daughter. As a show dad, I benefited from her love of the sport and her desire to teach and guide all who came to the sport wanting to learn and know.

I think my most fond memory of her was a weekend day back in the fall of 1999 when Paige and Treaty were doing some serious point hunting in Associate large pony hunter and pony eq. The object of the venture was to go down and meet the competition on their field. This consisted of the three of us trailering Treaty from Cavallo all the way down to some field in an incredibly remote corner of tidewater VA. Suffice it to say that it was a trip filled with intrigue, laughter, scandal, a drive through lane of a Hardee’s and, of course, points (!). We did about 4 hours of driving each way for about and hour and a half of showing. Even four years later Babs and I would hoot about that trip.

For everytrip Paige takes, I will always say a thank you to Babs for all of her love, enthusiasm, humor and care.

Friday night, when we gathered to remeber Babs and comfort each other, we left her traditional seat at the end of the table empty. Our tradtional post-show “communions” of food, friends and stories will always be one dear, kind friend short.

[Everythingbutwings]

I was asked by a dear friend of Babs to post this: <BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I was going to try very hard not to post on this thread… on the one hand I hate “public” displays and I know that Babs knows what’s in all our hearts right now, even if we don’t post on this thread. On the other hand, though, just reading all these wonderful posts about her helps a bit in dealing with such a loss.

When I first starting “corresponding” with Babs years ago, we soon recognized in each other kindred spirits, point whores 'til our last breath, both with an “evil” sense of humor. Never truly evil, however, something that was often misunderstood on the BB, sharp, biting, and yeah sometimes brutally honest, but never in a meanspirited way.

Too many funny, bittersweet memories to remember…

• Babs racing by me in her spanking new Volvo, of which she was so proud, on Afton mountain on the way to my first, and last, VHSA Associate show.

• Babs howling (along with me) at my loud crash at said show, and informing me that I’d started a new fad, as 10 pros got dumped at the following Rosemount show.

• Trying to stump each other with horse show trivia - and she was right up there with the best. Was it Gozzi, Life’s Pursuit, Jac Quest?

• Howling over her wild stories of life with Patty H. and Gene C. in Southern Pines.

• Laughing about her antics with champagne, grapes and her latest boytoy catch.

  Whenever I was moping and feeling sorry for myself, Babs was always the first to give me a well deserved kick in the a$$ and tell me to shape up and get on with life.

How many, many times did I tell her I would be the first to pack that huge bottle of Absolut in with her at her final day. Course I always told her, jokingly, that she’d better wear a bikini and pack some sunscreen where she was going, it would be very hot. I never dreamed, of course, that that day would come so painfully soon.

Here’s to you, dear Babs, the chilled Absolut, and a healthy dose of evil humor, is on its way.

                                                                Alex Trebek

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Friendship is Love without his wings
-Lord Byron

[reefy]

I, too, only knew her from here.

I’m so sorry for all you who actually did know her and have lost a friend.

Prayers to her family and friends.

There is nothing so grand as to fly on the back of a horse!

[Glass230]

OMG!!! babs!! i had no idea! i am sooo sorry! i’m really going to miss her. when i rode with cavallo one summer she was so kind to me. so friendly and welcomed me with open arms. we used to swap stories about when she used to ride and show.

you were loved by all. we’ll miss you!!!

[starlady]

Oh, no, what a shock. I can’t believe that there will be no more Kennett Square posts. What happened to her–had she been sick?

My condolences to her family, students, and friends.

–s.

Under carefully controlled conditions of breeding, training, and care, a horse will do whatever it damn well pleases.

[SBT]

Like many others, I never “knew” Babs except for her posts on the BB. I will miss her presence here. Thank you to whoever posted the link to her photo. She was a beautiful person, as her posts here on COTH always suggested.

Everyone’s tributes are so wonderful.

Godspeed, Kennett Square/Babs! I’ve got a mare up there for you to ride who ALWAYS comes out of the turns “on fire!”

[barnie]

Really, really sad

“Only the good die young”

[system]

Friends,

Please e-mail us at Cavallo Farm if you would like to attend the funeral and we’ll give you the details.

Thanks for sharing all your memories and sympathy.

mikeandmarie@cavallofarm.com

[mizzwade]

One of my dearest friends, I have so many fond memories I wouldn’t know where to start…

Thanks to all of you who called me tonight to offer your support.

All of us will miss her terribly…

mizzwade

[Inverness]

. . . and here I thought I was all cried out. As you so often told me, Babo; “oh my gawd, wrong again.”

Trainer, psychologist, confidante, confessor, drinking buddy, friend. Already, I miss you desperately. Who else could ever have gotten me to wear that hateful hairnet??!!

I still owe you dinner - we’ll just postpone it for a while.

[This message was edited by Inverness on Jun. 15, 2003 at 06:24 PM.]

[JRG]

I truely do live under a rock. I had know idea who Kennett Square was other then this BB. I enjoyed reading her posts and wish her family and friends my prayers.

[larosa90]

I counted 70 real life horse and COTH friends at the ceremony today – and there were likely more that I did not see or simply did not recognize. Many others were at the viewing last night. She was known and loved by so many.

I learned today that it was her cousin, Paris Smith “Smithy” who introduced Babs to horses. He is a farrier and horseman working in Northern Virginia and I met him at the Loudoun Benefit Horse Show this past weekend – I had no idea he was part of the Babs network. I am grateful to him for making horses such an important part of her life so that she could become such an important part of mine.

Many of you have suggested that she hook up with Victor when she finishes her journey. Of course she knew him in real life, as she did so many people. There was rarely a person in the horse world or from the non-horsey community in Northern Virginia that she did not know or that she did not have only 2 degrees of separation from. I will miss trying to stump her in a game of “do you know…”

Lastly, I wanted to express my thanks to all of you who have called or written, here or in email, whether you knew her as Babs or as Kennett Square, to those of us who knew her. It has been a tremendous help to read these posts, and cry and grieve and remember most of all that she isn’t gone as long as we remember her and laugh out loud.

Go Baby Go

[This message was edited by larosa90 on Jun. 20, 2003 at 01:13 AM.]

[Moesha]

And no one will ever be able to say Fabulousthe way she did…

[Chanda]

I am in total shock! I don’t know if it is rude but I too would like to know what happened. I am just so confused. One minute she is here and the next she is gone. I just can’t believe it.

My condolences to all who knew and loved her.

www.clospepe.com

[DH1]

This has got to be alternatively the saddest and happiest tribute I’ve read in quite a while.

I wish I had the pleasure of meeting Babs in person, it sounds like Virginia will be a lesser place without her

Godspeed Babs.

“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” ~ Ellen Parr

[ljo]

I’ve read every post and nobody asked why.
86 year old’s die in their sleep.
Was poor KS suffering from a terminal illness?
She was much,much too young to pass away in her sleep.

May she rest in peace and have internet access where she’s going. We’ll miss her.

[agedbayhunter]

Oh…so sad. She looks so young, which is even sadder…I didn’t know her either, but I enjoyed her posts and loved her screen name. I hope she is riding many wonderful courses on all our special old equine friends on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

[hitchinmygetalong]

Like many others, I only knew “Kennett Square,” I never knew Babs. It sounds like I missed something very, very special.

My condolences to her many friends and of course, her family.

It is especially sad when a “valuable person” passes over the Rainbow Bridge. She’ll be there to greet us when we make the journey, and perhaps then I’ll have the honor of meeting her face to face.

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning to sail my ship.”
-Louisa May Alcott

[ccoronios]

Quiet day at work - have cruised everywhere and just landed on “Off Course”…what a shock! I only ‘knew’ KennettSquare - but appreciated her willingness to share knowledge and thoughtful views on so many topics.
My heartfelt sympathy to family and friends.

www.ayliprod.com
Equine Video and Still Photography in the Northeast