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The last few months have marked the passing of several
icons in the horse industry. Such notables as Jerry
Wells, Orrin Mixer, and past-president Jack Anderson,
along with other notable contributors to our industry
have been lost recently. Each of these people were
amazing in their own way and they cannot be replaced.
The industry that we all enjoy was built on the shoulders
of individuals like those mentioned. They all had faults,
they all made mistakes, and they all made the organizations
they were involved with better.
The loss of a legendary individual always raises the
question of who will step in to fill the incredibly
large shoes left behind. Who is capable of hoisting
an entire industry on his or her back and carrying
it through the rough patches while at the same time
making it better? Is that even possible now given the
incredible size and complexity of today’s registries?
The irony of this is that the people who accomplish
this Herculean task usually don’t even know they are
doing it. They just do what comes naturally. In fact,
they don’t see it as work at all and, most times, they
don’t recognize the burden that their iconic status
puts upon them.
So, back to the question at hand, who among us is capable
of becoming the next de facto leader in our industry?
I am sure everyone has a person in mind, but who will
emerge as the next ‘one’? Will it be a breeder, a trainer,
an amateur exhibitor, or a judge? Will it be all of
the above – someone who has done it all at one time
or another? Could it be someone who doesn’t have a
hugely successful career as a competitor but has the
business acumen to help steer their chosen breed in
the right direction? Could it be someone who looks
outside the traditional bloodlines and training methods
and finds a great sire to help strengthen their breed,
or develops a way to interact with horses in a way
that others before them have not, or makes sweeping
changing to an organization in order to right the ship
and restore it to its former glory?
Ronald Reagan once said, “We have every right to dream
heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when
there are no heroes, they just don't know where to
look.” There is no doubt about that. The next hero
of our industry is out there. You know them, I know
them. Unfortunately we won’t know who they are until
they are gone. This seems to be one of the unfortunate
consequences of human nature. We all recognize greatness,
but we aren’t totally aware of how truly wonderful
and heroic someone is until they have passed. I guess
that’s what wakes are for...so we can all sit around
afterward and realize just what we’ve lost.
In 1925 Will Rogers wrote, “We can't all be heroes
because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as
they go by.” The truth is that heroism and leadership
is not for most of us. Most of us don’t have the drive
or courage to step off the curb and join the parade.
That’s what makes people like Jerry Wells and Jack
Anderson so special. They weren’t clappers, they weren’t
just in the parade, they were leading it.
We should all be proud of the heroes we know. I certainly
am. These are special people with varied talents and
they all help to support the sport we all love so much.
I applaud you all. You don’t know how special you really
are; neither do we, but some day we will and we’ll
miss you more than we’ll ever know.
T. G.
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