PrintA special young horse brought Mary Jane Hunt back to her roots.
Mary Jane Hunt hasn’t owned a show horse for decades, but with Holden, she’s been able to take a trip down memory lane and become part of the show world again.
Kenny Wheeler held Hunt’s 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding for the best young horse title at Devon, Pa., on May 28.
“When I was showing in the ’70s and ’80s, they were the wonder years of my life,” said Hunt. “Some of my closest friends now are from that time in my life, so it’s been fun to be back in that world a bit.”
Hunt showed in the amateur-owner hunters and was champion at the Washington International (D.C.) in 1980. She also judged.
Now Hunt, of Reddick, Fla., concentrates on breeding and selling for the Thoroughbred race horse market. But she had a different plan for Holden (Indian Ocean—Hold The Dream, Hold Your Peace).
“He was one of those foals that, from the moment he stood up, you knew he was something special,” she said. “When the market in the Thoroughbred world softened, I thought that it was more important to me to see more of this colt’s future than I would if I sold him at an auction. I decided to keep him. But I wouldn’t have made the decision to send him the show horse route if he hadn’t had the temperament he does. Once you show him what you want him to do, he does it. He’s a very smart horse. I thought the life of a show horse would suit him.”
Holden is the last foal out of a mare that was special to Hunt. She bred and raised Hold The Dream and raced her before retiring her to broodmare status.
“She had two stakes winners and two stakes-placed offspring. Every foal she produced was lovely,” said Hunt of the mare.
Hold The Dream delivered Holden when she was 23, then Hunt retired her. The mare died peacefully in the pasture this winter.
“She was an amazing mare. I was so fortunate to have had her in my life for 25 years. It’s a nice tribute to her to have this young horse,” Hunt said.
Hunt chose Indian Ocean, a young race horse stallion standing in Florida, for Hold The Dream’s last foal. Holden is part of Indian Ocean’s first crop.
“Indian Ocean is a big, beautiful horse. I think they both stamped Holden pretty well. When he was born, he had the best of both of them,” she said.
Holden’s Jockey Club-registered name is Hold On To Dreams, but he’s registered with the U.S. Equestrian Federation as Holden, the nickname Hunt has called him since birth.
In December of 2008, Hunt sent photos of Holden to Kenny Wheeler.
