From The Publisher- Lost Heroes
Click here to read the complete article
LOST HEROES
Every month seems to mark the passing of another icon in the horse industry. 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 who became horse-household names. 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 at the time. 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 personally.
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 the people we remember 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 have known. I certainly am. These are special people with varied talents and they help 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.
