Allaire C. du Pont
Allaire Crozer du Pont, breeder and owner of the legendary race horse Kelso, died on Jan. 6 at her home, Woodstock Farm, in Chesapeake City, Md. She was 92.

Mrs. du Pont was best known as a breeder and owner of Thoroughbred horses, particularly of the great gelding Kelso, the Horse of the Year from 1960 to 1964 while winning 39 of 63 starts. But she bred more than 40 stakes winners in the name of Bohemia Stables, including Believe The Queen, Explodent and Kings Bishop.

Mrs. du Pont was also an eager foxhunter, and she hunted Kelso for many seasons after his retirement. She also was an avid tennis player and was a national champion glider pilot in her youth.

And she was a principal patron of numerous causes benefiting animals, domestic and wild. She supported the Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue, Paws For Life, Greener Pastures, the Cecil County (Md.) Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and many other charities. She was one of the first major landowners to place her extensive farm in Maryland’s farm-conservation program, and she was instrumental in the restoration of Chesapeake City, which lies along the Delaware Canal.

Mrs. du Pont was predeceased by her husband, Richard D. du Pont, in 1943 and son Richard C. du Pont Jr. in 1986. She is survived by daughter Lana du Pont Wright, the first woman to ride in the Olympic three-day event (in 1964), a team gold medalist at the 1991 World Pairs Driving Championships, and an international endurance rider; and by three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Mrs. du Pont was also the grandmother of Beale Wright Morris, the event rider and trainer who died suddenly last April.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Paws For Life Inc., P.O. Box 403, Chesapeake City, MD 21915. Staff

Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died of a heart attack while visiting Australia on Jan. 4. He was 62.

Over the last 30 years, Sheikh Maktoum has become a dominant force in the equestrian world, particularly in flat racing. He co-owned the Godolphin Stables, one of the world’s most famous racing establishments. He employed 10 trainers around the world to train more than 250 Godolphin horses and has owned winners of numerous classic races.

He bought five stud farms in Ireland and invested in breeding there to improve the quality of the bloodstock.

Sheikh Maktoum also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Dubai Equestrian Club. He was largely responsible for the inaugural Al Maktoum Challenge, the million-dollar, invitational show jumping event that had its inaugural running on Jan. 11-13. This show jumping event advertises the world’s highest show jumping purse for a single grand prix, a sum of $1,250,000.

His brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will assume the title as ruler of Dubai and will take over the racing stable. Although he too has participated in the affairs of the Godolphin Stables, Sheikh Mohammed has made his mark primarily in endurance riding, both as a competitor and as host of the World Endurance Championships and other 100-mile races. Sheikh Mohammed is married to Princess Haya of Jordan, the former international show jumper and candidate for president of the Federation Equestre Internationale. She reportedly urged the sheikhs to stage the Al Maktoum Challenge. Staff

Christine Owens
Christine Owens, of Retreat Farm in Gordonsville, Va., died Nov. 25 after a lengthy illness. She was 77.

Mrs. Owens bred Welsh-Thoroughbred crossbred ponies for more than 45 years with great success. Her first great pony was the mare Fancy, ridden by her son Frank. Fancy was a member of the victorious U.S. Pony Team that competed in Canada and England in 1961, tying for the reserve grand championship at Windsor.

Of the many champion in-hand and performance ponies Mrs. Owens bred, her favorite and most famous was the crossbred stallion Welsh Hills, who was among the USEF’s top 10 sires of pony hunters in 2004. She also bred Southern Lad, the sire of many ponies showing today.

Mrs. Owens is survived by her daughter Ginny; her son Frank; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Staff

Robert Egan
Horseman Robert C. Egan of Buchanan, Mich., died on Dec. 3 following a brief illness. He was 85.

Known affectionately as Bob or Bobby, Mr. Egan was born Nov. 23, 1920, in Paris, France, to Frederick Will and Simone Lucie (Bardet) Egan. His father
was an accomplished polo player, who came to the States in the 1920s with the British Team.

As a member of the U.S. Army Cavalry, Mr. Egan worked as an instructor, and during World War II saw action in China, Burma and India.

Although he enjoyed polo, his career path took him to show hunters and jumpers. His first success in the show ring came with Peggy Platz’ Carbon Copy.

Later accomplishments came with Blue Monday, Sun Beau and Mr. Deliberate at such shows as Buffalo (N.Y.), Reading (Pa.) and Devon (Pa.). He rode for Sterling Smith of Cleveland and had many celebrated victories during the 1950s aboard August A. Busch’s jumper, Miss Budweiser, one of his favorite mounts.

Mr. Egan later moved on to work at the Bloomfield Open Hunt, followed by a brief time in racing in Detroit. In 1963, he moved to Niles, Mich., to manage Laughin’ Place Stable for the Carmichael family.

In 1997, Mr. Egan was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, and he was named to the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame in New York in 2002. A hunter and jumper judge for 45 years with the American Horse Shows Association, he was also very active in local 4-H activities, and maintained a horse business and stable throughout his life.

Mr. Egan is survived by his wife, Emily Hough Egan; daughter Elizabeth Egan of Troy, Mich.; stepdaughter Margaret Hojara-Hadsell of Lawrence, Mich.; and stepson Philip Hadsell III of Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Egan was preceded in death by his sister, Odile DeGroot.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Therapeutic Equestrian Center, c/o Pat Forbes, 4400 Drexel Place, Stevensville, MI 49127. V.M.

Heroicity
The Australian Thoroughbred stallion Heroicity died on Nov. 16 of acute gastric rupture at Hilltop Farm in Colora, Md. He was 17.

Owner Janice McDonald sent Heroicity halfway around the world from New Zealand to join the breeding program at Hilltop Farm in February 2005.

Heroicity’s remarkable race record, coupled with his prolific ability to produce top runners, steeplechase horses, show jumpers and eventers, warranted her decision. During the summer, he was approved by ISR/Oldenburg NA, the American Hanoverian Society, and the Hanoverian Verband. Shortly after, Heroicity was struck with a severe case of anterior enteritis, a severe inflammation of his stomach and duodenum. His recovery was nearly miraculous, enabled by his tremendous will to survive throughout several weeks of care at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania. He later succumbed to gastric rupture. Staff