It started with a claimer ‘with try’
Rand Bill was a racehorse with “a lot of try in him.” On the track, he hit the board a number of times and even won three races after breaking his maiden at Aqueduct. Off the track, when he was lined up with a jumps course in the schooling ring for the first time, and even though lifting his feet did not come naturally to him, he simply wouldn’t quit. He gamely faced the new challenge until he got it, says owner Joy Dunn of Mint Hill Farm, N.Y. “He was such a klutz in the beginning,” she says. “I […]
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Doctor’s script: Take one Thoroughbred…
A Thoroughbred was just what the doctor ordered, for herself. When Valerie Rooney completed her residency and became a medical doctor 22 years ago, one of her first orders of business was transacted on a bucolic 12-acre property in rural Vermont. This is where she first installed a horse of her own, and a pony for her young daughter. To say it was a happy occasion is an understatement. Not only did that decision result in great joy for both mother and daughter, but the horses also brought a genuine counterbalance to her hectic professional life. “Many of my friends […]
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A man and his queen embrace retirement
Jim Pettyjohn went searching for a queen to spend his golden years with. That was before he concluded a public-sector teaching position followed by a longtime career at the Oregon Department of Transportation. One day in 2003 was when he first noticed the high-headed beauty who offered him a glimpse into worlds beyond his day job. Her attractiveness was undeniable, and her high-stepping figure and spirited personality captivated him. Through the ensuing years, she was often on his mind as he navigated through his position with the transportation department. And as he worked on his own projects, she moved to […]
