Anybody seen these folks lately???:
“Cocoa” - Acres Wild
Barn manager from Acres Wild? when Jamie Mann was there(name escapes me)
Bobby D. - Fairfield?
Kate Curtis - Fairfield
Shep - Nimrod? Norfield?
Any of the Nimrod/Norfield crew?
Dennis and Betsy - (Harry Gill)
Laurie Pitts?
Ben married Tinker Harris. I think they both went off to vet school but neither made it through. They might have a farm in Fla.
MB- what memories! Those brownies had Leslie and I in the tack room in hysterics, remember? The show had been called off for the day.
The old Nimrod was a wild barn. Hambone, Shep, Timmy Foster, etc. What a crew. They would party all night, then arrive, feed the horses and knock the shavings off their blankets, then paint all their feet! This way, the clients would think they had been there for hours! Or so the gang believed. Vodka and lemonade in the water cooler at the Ox Ridge Horse Show… None of this was my style, but they had fun!
Okay guys, set the record straight. I can’t remember the year, but do you remember the streaker at Washington? He galloped into the ring, bareback,[ouch!] jumped the outside line of jumps, and galloped back out again. Identity unknown, as he had a pumpkin on his head.[well, it was Halloween after all] Rumor has it, he was Bernie Traurig’s groom who had accepted a bet. Who was that masked man?
Jaycee, was Willa’s dog, Yetta, a Jack Russell given to her by the Currys? If so, it originally came from me as a puppy.
How 'bout Dave. Groomed forever for Jeannie Larkin, then Top Brass, then Jack. Where is he?
O.K. Here’s the REAL scoop on the Washingtion streaker.
It happened after the jumping competition of the regular conformation hunter appointments. Andy(with work boots on his feet and a pumpkin on his head) rode a grey jumper donated for the event by a game trainer.
The original plan was to gallop around the ring but when Andy got in the ring, with all the conformation horses lined up for conformation and appointments, he had no choice but to jump around the ring.
Andy’s horse (Stocking Stuffer) was in the line up with Charlie Weaver aboard.
The whole thing was expertly planned. Andy was escorted out of the men’s room wrapped in a cooler. The grey horse awaited at the in gate. The person who gave him a leg up on the horse instructed Seaweed (who was the gate person even way back then), to open the gate and the rest is history.
Poor “H” (Howard LeBove was the started, now deceased), had no idea what was up.
The whole thing was over before the horses came out of the ring with their ribbons and Andy was there to catch his horse.
Those are the facts of one of the funniest things that ever happened at a horse show.
And yes, some of the riders did wear masks. I know RJ wore a Nixon mask, I believe Leslie also participated in costume.
Now if anyone can remember who won, they would be the trivia winner.
And speaking of Washington, does anyone remember Kim Song’s retirement party?
back again, let me know if i become annoying, on this thread, or anytime for that matter, anyway I had an idea I’d like to run past you … could someone help me out by conducting a poll for me? Or keeping track of it right here … I am under the impression that a majority of grooms are underpaid, and sometimes poorly housed and not covered medically? Am I correct in this assumption? Or,am I way off base. You are making a good wage, and have good living conditions etc. any ideas? I’d love to get the average wage of say 50 grooms from a variety of stables, and what benefits they might receive, their housing situation is? Travel situation? Avg hours worked per day? Wage? Aninimity, did I spell that right is important…but the info would make for a wonderful section one week on the homepage. THOUGHTS?
Why not dare tell? Twenty or more years ago we were in Fla. with no help, lots of horses! Frank Madden said his brother would like to come down, but had never been around horses at all and knew nothing. We said send him down, we figured he could walk a hot horse or fill water buckets. I taught John Madden how to put a halter on and muck a stall…
Kenneth Kraus, Anything is possible! It’s my understanding that when Walter Farley wrote the Black Stallion, he was a freshman at Columbia University and sent the manuscript off as a lark. Of course the series was a big hit, but when Francis Ford Coppolla made it into a movie, and The Black Stallion book was rereleased (big time!), Walter Farley asked if he could rewrite it, because it was so poorly written. If you are familiar with his books, the writing did improve enourmously. Anyhow, I think you’ve got a lot of material and some options to consider. Non-fiction would be great and add to the printed history of show jumping. Fiction would allow you to “change the names to protect the innocent” or not so innocent! You never know! Don’t rule out the possibility of a best seller!
Abby, I’ll do may best to keep you updated. The accident happened on Friday, and my prayers are with Coco, and his wife, Ann! I think I said this a couple of times earlier in this thread…if not, here it is, and if so, it’s still a question that needs to be addressed. How can grooms and caretakers of equines, get the benefits they deserve!!! Coco is a great example. How could anyone who has put what Coco’s put, into the business, and then have to QUESTION about his health care??? My God, grooms handle millions of dollars worth of horses! And they are paid a pittance! YES, I know there are many GOOD secure jobs out there, but there are still grooms living in trucks, or 6 to a motel room! Health care? Are you kidding? Sorry, I had to vent.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Abby:
Hey I just read on Ken’s page that Coco had been kicked badly and had just come out of a coma. From someone who groomed for over twenty years, I hope he has insurance. In all my years grooming, I never worked for anyone that provided insurance for me. I hope all you folks out there grooming now are smarter than I was. Make sure you get health insurance, believe me, if they are playing with horses they can afford insurance for you!
Anyway, my thoughts are with Coco tonight. Ken, please keep us posted on anything you hear about how he is doing…<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I just wanted this post to get back up to the top again. I don’t know any grooms personally but I think this is just as important as the Olympic Dream Team. Come on Ken Kraus you need to add to this one.
Cindy, I saw Betsy at Wellington I think it was 97. All I could do was say HI as I was on my way to the ring, and that was the last I saw of her. Dennis was not with her. She was talking to Noel at the time. Track down Noel, and she may know. I also heard that Cocoa was managing a barn (maybe in Tampa or Clearwater) and was not with Gail anymore. That also was a couple of years ago. Last I heard of Shep was that he ran into trouble when he was at Mason’s in Newport, and his health was really failing. Don’t know many details.
Wow! Bobby D. and Patty divorced- gosh mid eighties maybe?- Patty is training in Canada with their two little girls. They come to show at FFLD each August.
Last I knew of the Cellular crew, Jean-Luc was with Micheal Matz, Marie-Laure with Centennial Farm, but I heard she had gone back to France. Colleen from Cellular married Dan from FFLD, and Mike Rooks was running Barry’s VA horse transportation office. Juan is with Salamander Farm in VA, I think. Does anyone know what Rebecca, Stacy, Bruce, Savador, Martin, or Susan are up to?
I sent one of my horse’s to lay-up with Kate and Don last winter in Litchfield. They’re doing well and run a great farm!
Santos from Norfield is still there working for the new owners. Melvin from Norfield worked for Katherine and Paul Heller, and is now working at a farm in NY- I can’t remember the name- for Danny Azzaria’s (Pony Express) wife. Rose (from Norfield) manages Steve Heinecke’s barn Huntfield, which is at the old Norfield.
Farmgate!!! Yes Yetta was a Jack Russell, broken coated - but I don’t know of her origins…
I remember hearing about the streaker, but I had a horse in the class so I missed it (imagine THAT!!) It was during that goofy int’l class at Washington right?
After consultation with another old timer, we conclude the prank took place in 1973ish.
I know someone who has a picture of Andy jumping around the ring that night in his birthday suit.
KK- Many folks would watched the ORHC grooms class and never understood the results… I was always amazed how often the really beautifully turned-out horses had their tack on wrong - or simple stuff that meant missing out on thousands of dollars! Basic stuff. Loose straps, no billet guards (or not used), ripped rubber on girths, 3-fold girth on backwards(!), missing keepers, stirrups hanging down (dangerous!), dirty noses, dirty tail docks, too much “show sheen”, dirty ears, the list is endless. And, if you have to do a big production just to get to the grooms class, you are probably a crappy groom.
I remember lots of the best never got to do the grooms class, because they had the first class and their job was more important! Or… we had one in the whirlpool, or in “the boots”, or on the longe line, or it simply needed extra care in the morning. And of course, the BEST wouldn’t be at ORHC anyhow - they would be home with the lay-ups who need the best care of all. Or the broodmares, or the stallions, or the weanlings… No time to be worrying about some grooms class when there’s REAL horse care to do—
Gotta go. I have one ultra-sound to do and a hand-walk…
I think Mindy was married to Felix…
Kenneth Kraus, P.S. Someone was nice enough to reopen the existing “Books” thread. Why don’t you reply there, since we are off the topic of this thread. Also you could get some other feedback.
I still shudder every time I think of Rumors. I was young (I think around 10) and watching from the stands, I was watching that horse right when the leg snapped. It left a lasting impression in my memory. I think I need to go hug my ponies…
BREATHE!!! Oxygen is a good thing!
Sunnieflax Clique, PITA Clique (even if no one cares that my butt is broken)
“poster formerly known as Silly Mommy”
Ok I just read Emmetts posts so I will have to rack my brain on this one but Lets start with Karen with Micheal Matz and Jet Run.
Dana Goodwagon with Chase the Clouds .
Cheryl Davis with Leslie again. OK I will have to think further so please add to this post. THERE WOULD BE NO DREAM TEAM WITHOUT THESE PEOPLE
[This message has been edited by MB Stark (edited 02-01-2000).]
Thumbs up to Fortune Hunter!!! Being a groom is a pretty thankless job (most of the time) and without grooms, most of those horses wouldn’t make it to the ring (in 1 piece!!!) let alone to the next Grand Prix!! Who else do you see on a Sunday evening after the class all covered in poultice while the riders and trainers hang out and enjoy the glory? THE GROOM!! But, who else does that special horse recognize when it’s time for night check, or before the sun comes up (over tent city…) THE GROOM!!!
Great reading. Anybody have what-ever-happened info for:
Marie-Laure that worked for George Lindemann, Jr. before his demise.
All the Hunterdon crew? The guy who took care of The Jones Boy.
Andy M (Plain Jain, Alegro)
WILLA WELLER? (Livius)
T-bird?
Anybody remember Bernie Traurig’s grooms?
I’m glad I was sent this link.
