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Friday, april 20, 2012 66th Block house steeplechase page 3


Glance back to 2011 Block House Steeplechase

Those attending the 65th annual Block House Steeplechase, last year, relished beautiful weather and a unique time with family, friends and fellow horse racing enthusiasts. There were stick pony races, hat contests, tailgating contests, heaps of delicious food and drinks to be served. Then there was, of course, the competition with local amateur racers and seasoned veterans. (photos by Samantha Hurst and Fulton Hampton)

Glance back to 2011 Block House Steeplechase



This year’s 66th running of the Block House Steeplechase is dedicated to the memory of the late Gerald Helder who, for two generations of race fans, was the official “Voice of Tryon” as the an-nouncer who called the card each spring for 47 years.

Helder, who passed away in June of last year, had attended the races every year even after he retired from his an-nouncing career in 1994.

It was a career that began quite by accident with the very first Block House Steeplechase organized by Carter P. Brown and held on April 5, 1947. Helder – like Carter Brown a native of Holland, Michigan – was working at Brown’s Pine Crest Inn that spring and agreed to his employer’s suggestion to act as the host for the radio announcer from Spartanburg who’d been assigned to call the three races on that first card.

“Mr. Brown had asked me to take the sports reporter from WSPA to lunch, so I could bring him up to speed on the horses and jockeys who’d be running,” Helder once recalled.

After lunch, Helder led the reporter up onto the roof of the Block House, overlooking the original racecourse on Blockhouse Road, where a platform had been erected for officials.

“But when the horses started coming out of the paddock,” Helder went on, “the man froze up and forgot everything I’d told him. Next thing I knew, he handed me the microphone.”

Helder did such a fine job that he returned for the job every year afterward.

But Helder’s participation in the races wasn’t limited to announcing. He and his brother Jimmy were among the riders in the steeplechase’s race over timber for several years, as both men were enthu-siastic horsemen.

Nor was his announcing limited to the Block House Steeplechase. Helder frequently announced at equestrian events in and around Tryon, including the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club’s annual spring horse show at Harmon Field and at hunter trials held at Fairview Farms during the mid-1970s.

“Gerry was a fixture of the races for

so many years, it’s hard to realize he’s gone,” said TRHC President Charles Lingerfelt. “Gerry never missed a Block House race, so I’m sure his spirit will still be there when the starter’s flag goes up for the first race this year.”

– article submitted by Laura Weicker

In memory of Gerry Helder

“Gerry never missed a Block House race, so I’m sure his spirit will still be there when the starter’s flag goes up for the first race this year.”

-- Charles Lingerfelt

gerry Helder

66th Block House Steeplechase

The question on many minds this year is “when will the Block House move to the Green Creek Equestrian Park?”

To this point, progress has been hindered by the lack of growth of grass on the steeplechase track. The good news is there is now a beautiful stand of grass rapidly coming up. Having appropriate footing on this new surface is imperative to the future success of races. Owners and trainers are understandably concerned with any conditions that may affect their animals. Therefore, the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club is making every effort to ensure the state of the track is close to perfection as possible before the inaugural race.

“We don’t want to make a rush judgment to move the Block House and not have things right the first time,” said TR&HC President Charles Lingerfelt.

The safety inspector for the National Steeple-chase Association inspected the course while here to check the track at FENCE. His opinion and that of the owners, riders and trainers visiting during the 2012 Block House will decide whether the races will move in 2013. A decision will be made in early summer.

Members of the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club will be given the first tour of GCEP to let them preview the potential parking layout and to choose their new parking spaces.

“As with the current facility, spaces will be as-signed based on seniority, which is determined by the number of TR&HC membership years added to the

number of years of Block House attendance,” said TR&HC Assistant Director Jen Hicks.


Anxiously awaiting Block House Steeplechase’s big move

Riders enjoy “A Day in the Country” at the Green Creek Equestrian Park in October 2011. (photo submitted)



The Tryon Riding & Hunt Club held a contest, open to both professional and amateur artists, to find artwork for the 66th running of the Block House Steeplechase.

“Reaching a decision is never easy, especially when the sub-missions are great and this year is no exception,” contest judges said. “Many worthy options were considered and the com-mittee had a hard time narrow-ing it down.”

The grand prize winner of a finish line box is Anthony Conway of Greenville, S.C. His original artwork will be featured on the Block House poster, pro-gram and adult T-shirts.

Two other entries didn’t escape notice. Alice Feagan’s design has been selected to ap-pear on the children’s T-shirts.

In addition, artwork by Sa-mantha Kincaid, an Isothermal Community College student,

will be on the front of every shirt.

Conway graduated from the New York Parsons School of Design and trained with David Leffel at Manhattan’s Art Stu-dents League.

Conway first gained inter-national recognition for his artworks of the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Since then, Conway has been in high demand for his portraiture, landscape, figurative, equine and Americana subjects.

Feagan is a freelance illustra-tor and native of Polk County. She works both traditionally and digitally in the medium of cut paper. Feagan has illustrated for the book, magazine, advertising and packaging markets.

Samantha Kincaid of Kings Mountain, N.C. is a student at Isothermal Community College.


Conway wins poster contest

Artwork for kids’ T-shirts designed by Alice Feagan.

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Block House Steeplechase schedule of events



The annual hat contest, this year sponsored by Play It Again Sports, will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the paddock at the Judge’s Tower. Categories for both adults will include funniest, most unusual and most appropriate, while children (12-under) categories will include most unusual and most appropriate. (photo by Samantha Hurst)

Steeplechase hat contest brings out creativity

Greenville Foothills Pony Club members are anxious to get your child, or you, saddled up with a stick horse for the second running of the Block House Stick Horse Races. Starting at 3:30 p.m., the event will include five divisions. Division one, sponsored by Little Mountain Farm Supply, will feature 6 and under; division two, sponsored by Premier Equine Insurance, for 7-11-year-olds; division 3, sponsored by “See” Horse Trailer Repair, for 12-18-year-olds; division four, sponsored by Greenville Foothills Pony Club, for three-legged couples; and division five, sponsored by Stone Soup, for adults in silly hats. Bring your own stick horse or purchase one beore the event. Judging for the tailgate contest will take place from 11-11:30 a.m. Categories include most unusual, best country tailgate, most elegant and judge’s pick. (photos by Samantha Hurst)

Be jockey of your own stick horse or tailgating affairFriday, april 20, 2012 66th Block house steeplechase page 13

Flight Movie. 2006 dk. b. or br. g., Touch ‘n’ Fly--Fritzie’s Michelle, by Skip Away. Owner: Marilyn S. Ketts. Trainer: Lilith Boucher. Jockey: Richard Boucher. 2012 record: 1-1-0-0, $15,000. 2011 NSA record: 1-1-0-0, $6,000. 9-2 odds. Unbeaten over hurdles. Scored front-running win in $25,000 Celebrate Aiken allowance race on March 24 after maiden claiming win at Foxfield Fall in October. Block House will be class test.

Cuse. 2001 gr. or ro. g., Wekiva Springs--Cayman Queen, by *Recupere. Owner-trainer: Karen M. Gray. Jockey: Gus Dahl. 2012 record: 1-1-0-0, $12,000. 2011 record: 10-3-0-0, $37,500. 5-1 odds. Veteran campaigner began 2012 with front-running score in Sandhills Cup at Stoneybrook Steeplechase in North Carolina on April 7. Won an open allowance race at the Steeplechase at Callaway in Georgia on Nov. 5 but showed nothing in starter allowance at the Colonial Cup two weeks later.

Inti (Uru). 2005 gr. or ro. g., Dubai Dust--Rigolina, by Ritz. Owner: Meritage Racing. Trainer: Cyril Murphy. Jockey: Roddy Mackenzie. 2011 record: 5-1-2-1, $13,800. 15-1 odds. Had a respectable debut season with a maiden victory at the International Gold Cup and a good second in the Montpelier Cup, an optional allowance at the Montpelier Races on Nov. 5.

Class Brahms. 2008 b. g., Brahms--Class Babe, by Class Secret. Owner: Mede Cahaba Stable. Trainer: Lilith Boucher. Jockey: Richard Boucher. 2012 record: 1-1-0-0, $6,000. 2011 record: 5-1-0-0, $10,015. 10-1 odds. Mede Cahaba homebred won 2012 debut in $10,000 CenturyLink claiming hurdle at Stoneybrook Races in Raeford, N.C., on April 7. Won maiden victory at Virginia Fall Steeplechase on Oct. 2 before fourth-place finishes in the Gladstone Stakes at Far Hills, N.J., and the Raymond G. Woolfe Memorial at the Colonial Cup behind 3-year-old champion Wanganui.

Divine Fortune. 2003 ch. g., Royal Anthem--My Tombola, by Northern Fling. Owner: William Pape. Trainer: Jonathan Shep-

pard. Jockey: Brian Crowley. 2011 record: 4-1-1-0, $64,000. 4-5 odds. Won A. P. Smithwick (Gr. 2) for second straight year and then was disqualified from fourth to sixth in Saratoga’s New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) for bumping incident. Finished good second in the Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) after losing jockey in Grand National.

– article submitted by Don Clippinger

Who do you like in the $25,000 Glassy Mountain Farm Block House?

Competitors head down the last stretch at one of the many races at the 2011 Block House Steeplechase event. (photo by Samantha Hurst)



FIRST RACE THE WELLS FARGO

PURSE $15,000. HURDLE. FOR MAIDENS, FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. Four-year-olds, 142 lbs.; older, 154 lbs.

Two Miles and Three Furlongs over National Fences.

OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY

Irvin S. Naylor Brianne Slater Green, yellow and white yoke, yellow cap. MEMORIAL MANIAC [L] 154 1 b. g. 7, Lear Fan-Enlightening by Cozzene 2012 1 0 1 0 $2,700 2011 2 0 0 1 $3,750

Magalen O. Bryant Arch Kingsley, Jr. Light blue, dark blue sash, light and dark blue halved sleeves, dark blue cap.

ROYALE [L] 154 2 b. g. 6, Kingmambo-Diane Suzanne by Compliance 2012 2 0 1 0 $1,800 2011 1 0 0 0 $0

Willie McCarthy

Julie Braswell Jonathan Sheppard Peach, gray sash, gray hoop on sleeves, peach cap. BRUNO FRIGERIO [L] 142 3 dk.b/br. g. 4, Agnes Gold-Tanskin by Island Whirl 2011 1 0 0 1 $2,500

Brian Crowley

Karen M. Gray Owner Grey, pink cross sashes, pink hoops on sleeves, grey and pink cap.

DANCE RAVEN DANCE [L] 134 4 dk.b/br. f. 4, Dance With Ravens-Buttenwood by Woodman 2012 0 0 0 0 $0 2011 0 0 0 0 $0

Gustav Dahl

Irvin S. Naylor Katherine S. Neilson Green, yellow and white yoke, yellow cap. ALMARMOOQ [L] 154 5 dk.b/br. g. 5, Dynaformer-Tuscoga by Theatrical 2012 1 0 0 0 $0 2011 4 0 0 2 $3,850

Roddy Mackenzie

Why Not Stable Lilith Boucher Red, black circle, black "W," black chevrons on sleeves, black cap.

WINDSOR COURT [L] 142 6 b. g. 4, Domestic Dispute-Windedawler by Sovereign Dancer 2011 0 0 0 0 $0

Richard Boucher

Information appearing with the horse's name indicates records of Starts, Wins, Seconds, Thirds and Money Earned in Steeplechase races only.

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SECOND RACE THE CANNON HARMON MEMORIAL

PURSE $10,000. HURDLE. FOR MAIDENS, FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. Four-year-olds, 144 lbs.; older, 156 lbs. Claiming price $15,000. For each $1,000 to $10,000, allowed 2 lbs.



Marilyn S. Ketts Lilith Boucher Gold, blue diamond frame, blue hoops on sleeves, gold and blue cap.

AMERICAN CROSSING [L] 138 1 b. m. 5, Regal American-Miss Naomi by Marine Brass 2012 2 0 0 1 $1,000 2011 1 0 0 0 $400

Richard Boucher $10,000


RUN UP THE SCORE [L] *141 2 gr. g. 6, Even The Score-Eve's Valentine by Deerhound Gustav Dahl $10,000

Manown Kisor Jr. Michael Berryman Royal blue, white hoops, royal blue cap. SUMO POWER 156 3 dk.b/br. g. 6, Dynaformer-Connie's Spirit by Theatrical 2012 2 0 1 0 $1,800 2011 8 0 1 0 $7,550

Mark Watts $15,000

Rafael A Fernandez LLC Rafael A. Fernandez White, purple and black ball, white cap. PRIMERO PERU 146 4 dk.b/br. h. 7, Weekend Cruise-Eva's Baby by Theatre Critic 2012 1 0 0 0 $450 2011 4 0 2 1 $5,500

Roddy Mackenzie $10,000

PenWood Jumpers Brianne Slater Robin's egg blue, white diamond with hunter green PWJ, white cap.

MISTER DEAN [L] 156 5 dk.b/br. g. 5, Devil His Due-Royal Ring Dancer by Chief's Crown 2012 1 0 0 0 $0

$15,000




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THE GREEN CREEK EQUESTRIAN PARK

PURSE $10,000. HURDLE. FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NEVER WON TWO RACES. Four-year-olds, 146 lbs.; older, 158 lbs. Claiming price $15,000. For each $2,500 to $10,000, allowed 3 lbs. Non-winners in 2012, allowed 4 lbs.; since September 1, 8 lbs.; in 2011-2012, 12 lbs.



Michael L. Leaf Owner Royal blue, white diamond with "CLE", royal blue sleeves, white diamond hoop, royal cap.

DURER [L] 152 1 dk.b/br. g. 5, Smart Strike-Broad Expectations by Broad Brush 2012 1 1 0 0 $6,000 2011 4 0 0 2 $2,750

Richard Boucher $10,000

Debra E. Kachel Ricky Hendriks Red, white circle with "K", white hoops on sleeves, white cap. EMBEZZLE (GB) [L] 146 2 b. g. 4, Sadler's Wells-Trick by Shirley Heights 2012 1 1 0 0 $6,000 2011 0 0 0 0 $0

Brian Crowley $15,000

Armata Stables Katherine S. Neilson Cherry and old gold halves, cherry sleeves, old gold cap. EMBARRASSED [L] 144 3 dk.b/br. g. 7, Flatter-Stormy Blast by Kayrawan 2011 10 1 1 2 $10,400 2010 9 0 0 1 $4,775

Roddy Mackenzie $10,000

Michael Berryman Owner Forest green, white hoops, white cap. JOHANN STAR 140 4 dk.b/br. g. 8, Johannesburg-Surina Star by Pleasant Colony 2012 1 0 0 0 $0 2011 2 0 0 0 $0

Mark Watts $10,000

Dominick Falini Leslie F. Young Royal blue, white hoop, white sleeves, royal blue and white cap.

BLACK BAG [L] 154 5 dk.b/br. g. 6, Black Minnaloushe-Dyna Mae by Dynaformer 2011 2 1 0 0 $3,900

$15,000


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FOURTH RACE THE GLASSY MOUNTAIN FARM

BLOCK HOUSE

PURSE $25,000. HURDLE. FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NOT WON $15,000 TWICE IN 2011-2012, OTHER THAN MAIDEN, CLAIMING OR STARTER. Four-year-olds, 144 lbs.; older, 158 lbs. Non-winners of $15,000 twice at any time, allowed 4 lbs.; of two races in 2011-2012, 8 lbs.; of a race in 2011-2012, 12 lbs. (Maiden and claiming races not considered.)

Two Miles and One Half over National Fences.


Marilyn S. Ketts Lilith Boucher Gold, blue diamond frame, blue hoops on sleeves, gold and blue cap.

FLIGHT MOVIE [L] 150 1 dk.b/br. g. 6, Touch 'n' Fly-Fritzi's Michelle by Skip Away 2012 1 1 0 0 $15,000 2010 1 1 0 0 $6,000

Richard Boucher


CUSE [L] *149 2 gr. g. 11, Wekiva Springs-Cayman Queen by Recupere 2012 1 1 0 0 $12,000 2011 10 3 0 0 $37,500

Gustav Dahl

Meritage Racing LLC Cyril Murphy Pink, black inverted chevron, black sleeves, pink cap. INTI (URU) [L] 146 3 gr. g. 7, Dubai Dust-Rigolina by Ritz 2011 5 1 2 1 $17,400 2010 0 0 0 0 $0

Roddy Mackenzie

Mede Cahaba Stable LLC Lilith Boucher Emerald green, white insignia, white hoops on navy sleeves, green, blue and white cap.

CLASS BRAHMS 132 4 b. g. 4, Brahms-Class Babe by Class Secret 2012 1 1 0 0 $6,000 2011 3 1 0 0 $8,500

Richard Boucher

William L. Pape Jonathan Sheppard Skipper blue, white diamond braces, blue cap. DIVINE FORTUNE [L] 158 5 ch. g. 9, Royal Anthem-My Tombola by Northern Fling 2011 4 1 1 0 $64,000 2010 6 2 1 1 $86,000

Brian Crowley




Bill Pape’s Divine Fortune, a multiple graded stakes winner, launches his 2012 season in the $25,000 Glassy Mountain Farm Block House, feature race of the 66th annual Block House Races in Tryon. First post time for the four-race program is 2 p.m.

Trained by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, Divine Fortune will begin his new season in a challenging spot in the 2 1/2-mile Block House against three challengers who already have won this year. Divine Fortune is the standout of the field with victories in the A. P. Smithwick (Gr. 2) at Saratoga Race Course the past two years.

The nine-year-old Royal Academy gelding also finished second in last fall’s $100,000 Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1). Bred by Sheppard and Pape, Divine Fortune was the Pennsylvania-bred steeplechase champion in 2011. Brian Crowley will ride.

Trainer Lilith Boucher entered two 2012 winners, Marilyn S. Ketts’ Flight Movie and Mede Cahaba Stable’s Class Brahms. Undefeated in two starts over hurdles, Flight Movie kicked off the season with a 7 1/2-length victory in the $25,000 Celebrate

Aiken allowance race at the Aiken Spring Races in South Carolina on March 24.

Class Brahms, a four-year-old Mede Cahaba homebred, began his new season with an 8 3/4-length score in the $10,000 CenturyLink Hurdle claiming race at the Stoneybrook Steeplechase in Raeford, N.C., on April 7.

Stoneybrook’s feature race, the $20,000 Sandhills Cup, was won by owner-trainer Karen M. Gray’s Cuse, who will seek his second 2012 victory in the Block House.

The veteran campaigner set the Sandhills Cup’s pace and won by a half-length. Gus Dahl again has the riding assignment on Cuse.

Completing the field is Meritage Racing’s Inti, a Uruguay-bred that has shown racing talent over fences.

Trained by Cyril Murphy, Inti won his maiden victory at the International Gold Cup in Virginia last October and then was a good second in the Montpelier Cup optional allowance hurdle. Roddy Mackenzie will be in the saddle.

– article submitted by Don Clippinger

Divine Fortune returns in Block House race

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Jockey Richard Boucher of Camden, S.C. returns to the Block House Steeplechase races this year to see if he can again claim the top prize.

Boucher won the big race in 2010 and said even after several decades of steeplechase racing, he never gets enough.

“There’s nothing better than galloping along with a horse into a fence and knowing that he’s going to sail it with no problem,” Boucher said of his love for steeplechases. “I think its an achievement for the horse and the rider to win a steeple because there are a lot of little things that can happen within a race that can change your performance. In the end it’s all about having a great partnership with your horse – if you have that you can go a long way.”

Boucher and wife, Lillith, of Mede Cahaba Stables have entered three horses overall in Saturday’s races. These horses include a young filly American Crossing that will experience its third start over hurdles.

Another of their horses will be making his first steeplechase start. Boucher said they’re hoping to see how he does with timing his jumps and galloping. And finally, Flight Movie, a horse that won last month in Aiken and has run twice over hurdles will likely be Boucher’s choice ride for the BlockHouse feature race.

Boucher is looking for a strong season after a back injury last October at Morven Park cut his season short. His record was 28-9-7-3, $162,700. He said he took the winter to heal and is feeling great this year with two wins out of 10 races so far.

Boucher has been riding in America for about 20 years Steeplechasing, p l u s s e v e r a l y e a r s before that in England. He usually competes in between 40-60 races a year over hurdles and in the summertime rides about 100 flat races.

Boucher said the Block House track feels more of a traditional a quarter of a mile longer than many of the newer tracks, meaning jockeys need to help their horses along that last turn toward the finish line.

“The race course [Block House Steeplechase] I think is a fair course and an honest steeplechase course,” Boucher said. “Flat tracks deal with a horse with more speed but tracks like Tryon bring out the real steeplechase character where you have the up and down hills and it might be for a more versatile horse.”

Boucher said he and his family always enjoy returning to the Tryon area for Steeplechase each year.

“We’ve had some good times there. Our horses seem to do quite well there and it’s always a friendly atmosphere with an enthusiastic crowd,” he said.

– article by Samantha Hurst

Jockey Richard Boucher seeks success again at steeplechaseFriday, april 20, 2012 66th Block house steeplechase page 25


Kathryn Karns

Kathryn K a r n s i s currently a sophomore at Clemson Univers i ty majoring in marketing. At school she is involved in the Clemson Sports Car Club, but riding is still an important part of her life. Karns has been riding for almost 15 years, competing in most English disciplines with mounted games being her favorite.

She has also been a member of the Greenville Foothills Pony Club for many years. She competed across the East Coast and in 2008 went to Australia as a member of the United States Pony Club International Mounted Games Team. This will be her first time riding in a pony race and she said she is excited to be able to have this

Meet your pony race ridersnew experience.

samantha haase

Samantha Haase is in eighth grade a t P o l k C o u n t y M i d d l e S c h o o l . S h e i s a member of River Valley Pony Club. She has been riding her Welsh/Arab pony, Murphy, for several years.

Leeann harmon

L e e A n n Harmon, 23, of Ellenboro, N.C. works as a vet tech at Foothills A n i m a l C l i n i c i n

Forest City, N.C. She has ridden horses all of her life thanks to her parents Roger and Nancy. She grew up competing in the Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association and in USPC. In 2000 she started playing mounted games and became a member of MGA.

“Mounted games have given me so many opportunities to represent the United States in competitions all over the world,” Harmon said.

This was the second year Harmon has raced in the local race at the Steeplechase. Harmon said she has found it a fun new way to keep her up-and-coming games ponies in shape.

WiLL ZuschLag

Will Zuschlag, a 14-year-o l d f r o m Greenville, h a s b e e n r id ing fo r three years. Z u s c h l a g is an active member of

the Greenville Foothills Pony Club and is homeschooled. He enjoys dressage, jumping and fox hunting.

KeiLeigh mcmurray

H o r s e s have always b e e n a n i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f K e i l e i g h McMurray’s l i f e . T h e 14-year-old has grown up on Clover Hill Farm in Green Creek. She is an eighth-grade student at Polk County Middle School.

“I thought I would have to wait till I was 18 before I could race in the Steeplechase, but I was so excited when I heard they were having a race for kids 13 and over,” McMurray said. “I was not about to miss a chance to race.”

McMurray’s pony for the race is DazzlinDaze, a 10-year-old Arabian. McMurray said the pony is very smart and athletic.

Editor’s note: This article was written by Austin Brown, son of famed Carter Brown, in 1968. A copy of the article was given to Mr. James Payne of Tryon, who shared it with the Bulletin and asked that it be published in this year’s Steeplechase edition.

By Austin A. Brown (1968)

What is a true sportsman? To me it is a person who supports or participates in a sport purely for the love of the game and not for mate-rial gains or self- aggrandisement.

Who has had the privilege of knowing such a person? I have. The person? My father, Carter P. Brown. At age 75 his record of sportsman-ship and love of the game stands untarnished, and is and always has been an inspiration to me. His game? Foxhunting and steeplechasing.

He participated as an amateur jockey, and rode in the first Carolina Cup held at Camden, S.C. He also founded the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, and put together a pack of fox hounds for the club which he hunted himself.

He developed more than 500 miles of riding trails through the beautiful countryside around Tryon. He started the now famous Tryon Horse and Hound Show, the Hunter Trails, the spectacular Joint Hunter Trails in which different hunts from throughout the south came to Tryon to compete against each other. In 1947, however, he founded what was his true love, the Block House Steeplechase.

From the time of my earliest recollection, his love of fox hunting and steeplechasing was unquestionable. My older brother Carter and I were each taken for our first horseback ride when we reached the

ripe old age of two weeks. I might hasten to add that these rides are a matter of record and not a matter of memory on the part of Carter and me. For the record, a photograph of each of these rides was taken, and they show my father on his horse with his son sitting in front of him in the saddle.

I am told that no photograph was taken of our nervous mother! From that time on, horses and riding were to become of major

importance in our lives. Both my brother and I were given our own ponies when we reached the age of 3. At age 4 we rode in our first horse show. At 7, dad taught us to jump, and at 8 he took us fox hunting. Although our ages were five years apart, my brother and I were both brought along on the same schedule in regard to what we did at that age.

When I was about 9, my father decided we should have the Brown Family Point- To- Point. This was a race in which my father, my brother and I would ride. The prize - a tin cup! It was cross-country with each rider riding a different measured course from a different starting point to a mutual finishing point. We each synchronized our watches before go-ing to our respective starting points, and then started at a specified time.

The first couple of years of the race, a “babysitter” was sent along with me to make sure I got home in one piece. The excitement and competition of that race among the three of us was fantastic. None of us could have been more “up” for it if it had been the Kentucky Derby. There was no way for me to go to sleep the night before the Brown Point- to- Point! The race was run every year until the war came along and Carter went into the U.S. Air Force.

It was run for the last time in 1946, but not as a point- to – point, but as a race within a race, so to speak. We shipped our three horses

Value of true sportsmanship

(Continued on page 30)



Feeding stall closing at FENCE

We would like to take this opportunity to show our appreciation to the community for supporting the Feeding Stall at FENCE for the past seven years.

We enjoyed meeting new

Letter to the Editor people and seeing familiar faces at all horse shows and other events that took place there. As we are getting older we realize that time is very precious and we want to take this time to explore and enjoy this beautiful area of North Carolina.

We are grateful for all your kind words, suggestions, and presence. We wish the new concession owners good luck; we know they will like meeting you as much as we did.

– Kate and Troy Norman

to Nashville, Tenn.and entered them in a 2-mile steeplechase. There were about six other horses in that race, and a beautiful silver cup was to go to the winner. However, in a way, the Brown boys were more interested in winning the Brown tin cup. I got lucky and won the race and the two cups. Poor dad took a header when his horse made a bad jump and fell. He was badly injured, and as it turned out, it was his last race. Carter and I continued riding races until 1958. The race in Nashville may have been the only time in history that a father and two sons rode in the same race.

From the time it all started until this day, my dad impressed on us that, win or lose, we were doing all this for fun and for the love of the game and for no other reason. Every once in a while when Carter or I would come up with some sour grapes about losing a race, dad would put his foot down and say: “When it isn’t fun anymore you’re through riding.”

A man once gave me $200 for winning a race on his horse. At age 19, $200 seemed too good to be true. I told dad about it and he said: “You ride for fun, not money,” and made me drive 25 miles that very day and return the money. I wasn’t glad then that dad made me give it back, but I am today, because win or lose, as dad always said at the end of a racing day: “It was fun, old man, and we’ll do it again.”

He taught me that dedication and self- discipline, not material gains, were the important ingredients of any venture. That true gratification came from knowing you had “given it your best,” no matter where you finished. I think everyone would like to be proud of his own father, and I feel very grateful that I have a father I can really be proud of, and I am!

• Sportsmanship (Continued From page 29)


Columbus, North Carolina | 828.894.2408 | SaintLukesHospital.com

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Flowers and balloons are nice, butat St. Luke’s, we deliver far more—exceptional care, close to home.

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