span style=”font-weight: bold;”> JOSEPH C. O’DEA
Genesee Valley horseman and veterinarian Joseph “Doc” O’Dea died July 12 in New York. He was 85.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he attended Notre Dame University (Ind.) and graduated from Cornell University (N.Y.) in 1944 with a degree in veterinary medicine. He established his practice but was called into active military service in the U.S. Army almost immediately and served in Europe from 1945-47.

Upon his return to Western New York, he established a commercial Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding operation in 1952, producing stakes-winning Thoroughbred race horses for 30 years. During that time he was voted president of the Genesee Valley Breeders Association and was instrumental in developing the New York-Bred registry, which later was shared with the New York Thorough-bred Breeders, where he served as president for two years. Simultaneously, he was named president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Dr. O’Dea’s love of equestrian sports went beyond racing. In 1952, he became the official veterinarian for the National Horse Show (N.Y.), a position he held for 25 years. In 1955, he was named U.S. Equestrian Team veterinarian.

He resigned from the Olympic position in 1975 to serve on the FEI Veterinary Commission. He officiated at the World Championships in Lexington in 1978 and the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. From 1983-2001 he was FEI Technical Delegate at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

He spearheaded a campaign to study the practice of carrying dead weight on cross-country horses. It was a practice that stemmed from military days when women could only compete if they carried weight to equalize that of men. The study prompted an FEI rule change in 1997, earning Dr. O’Dea special recognition as The Chronicle of the Horse’s Eventing Horseman of the Year.

In 1960, Dr. O’Dea purchased Roscommon Farm in Geneseo, which held steeplechase races for 11 years. He also served as steward and announcer for the Genesee Valley Hunt races. He developed the Roscommon Hounds Foot Beagles in 1981, and the pack was registered in 2002. He hunted the hounds into his late 70s.

Dr. O’Dea was predeceased by his wife Nancy by 11 days. Their only son, Peter Cran O’Dea, also was predeceased. He is survived by his brother, John O’Dea, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Genesee Valley Conservancy, P.O. Box 73, Geneseo, NY 14454 or Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Large Animal Clinic, P.O. Box 728, Ithaca, NY 14851.   Donna Ross

DONNA CALLAR
Horsewoman Donna Callar died July 16 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was 62.

Ms. Callar was born and raised in Richmond, Va., later moving to Vienna, Va., to establish a training and sales business at Gypsy Hill Farm. She earned a great reputation for selling everyone their perfect “first” horse.

In the mid-1980s, Ms. Callar moved to Lovettsville, Va., training out of Winfield Farm where she broke young horses for the hunter and dressage show rings as well as the racetrack.

She was also renown for hosting clinics at her farm with Olympic gold medalist Joe Fargis, which became quite popular in the area.
Ms. Callar is survived by her younger sister, Liz Callar, of Lovettsville, Va.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mount Zion Lutheran Church, 38011 Morrisonville Rd., Lovettsville, VA 20180.   Staff

PETER T. CHEW
Peter Thomson Chew, a well-known journalist and author, died on July 16 in Washington, D.C. of complications from a heart attack. He was 82.

As a reporter for The National Observer in the 1960s, Mr. Chew was twice assigned to Vietnam, and he covered the revolution in the Dominican Republic and the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War.

In the 1970s, Mr. Chew wrote articles on racing and breeding for The Blood-Horse magazine, and in 1974 his book, The Kentucky Derby: The First Hundred Years, was well received. Mr. Chew’s article on artist Sir Alfred Munnings will appear in an upcoming issue of Smithsonian magazine.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Virginia Gaillard Chew, of Washington, D.C. and three children: Elizabeth Rider of Richmond, Va.; Peter Chew of Los Angeles; and Benjamin G. Chew of Washington, D.C.   Peter Winants

W. WALLACE LANAHAN JR.
W. Wallace Lanahan Jr., a civic and philanthropic leader in Maryland and a prominent owner of steeplechase horses, died on July 14 in Baltimore of Parkinson’s disease. He was 89.

Mr. Lanahan led a group that brought the St. Louis Browns baseball team to Baltimore in 1954, to become the Orioles.

In steeplechasing, Mr. Lanahan’s Semington won the Virginia Gold Cup in 1976, and his Sam Son Of A Gun in 1979. In 1981, Sam Son Of A Gun was the National Steeplechase Association’s timber racing champion. Charles C. Fenwick Jr. trained and rode Lanahan’s timber horses.

Mr. Lanahan’s survivors include: sons W. Wallace Lanahan III and Michael B. Lanahan; and daughter Barbara L. Mauro. His wife, Betty, predeceased him in 1999.   Peter Winants

SPONGE BOB
The veteran small pony Sponge Bob died on July 8 of complications from an infection. He was 18.

Owned the past five years by Ashley Foster of Rolling Acres in Brookeville, Md., Sponge Bob was a well-known competitor in U.S. Equestrian Federation Zone 3 and on the Florida circuits.

Originally shown under the name Pooh’s Corner, the chestnut Welsh cross regularly collected top ribbons in the small pony and children’s pony divisions.

“He taught Ashley how to ride and how to trust her ponies,” said Patty Foster, Ashley’s mom and trainer. “She had all of the trust in the world in him.”

Sponge Bob qualified Ashley for her first experiences at the fall indoor shows, including the Pennsylvania National, the Washington (D.C.) International and the Metropolitan National (N.Y.). Ashley’s favorite memory of Sponge Bob was the first time they qualified for the Devon Horse Show (Pa.) in 2004.

“He took me to Devon, and we even got a ribbon,” said Ashley. “He was the best pony. He taught me to always keep going and never stop.”

Sponge Bob developed cancer two years ago, and veterinarians successfully removed the tumor at that time. He continued his show career and earned top ribbons throughout 2005. “We’re really saddened by his loss,” said Patty. “He was supposed to last forever.”   Staff

Rebel Fire Bask
Endurance veteran Rebel Fire Bask, Nicole Wiere’s long-time partner, died on July 10 after falling from a cliff during a training ride for the Western States Trail Tevis Cup. He was 13.

Wiere, of Roseville, Calif., was riding near Deadwood, about 5 miles from Michigan Bluff, when a rattlesnake spooked “Rebel” and his training companion, TooTall, ridden by Shawn Bowling. Rebel lost his footing and slid off an embankment.

Wiere was able to grab a tree and dismount before Rebel fell, landing more than 200 feet below in a canyon. Because of the difficulty of retrieval, Rebel will remain where he fell in the Tahoe National Forest.

In his five-year endurance career, Rebel had logged 2,440 miles and completed 12 100-mile rides. In 2005, Rebel placed 12th in the Western States Trail Tevis Cup and completed the North American Endurance Championship.

“Only an endurance person knows the special partnership and bond that exists between horse and rider who compete in the sport of endurance,” said Wiere in an Auburn Journal article. “Some people say that you will have many good horses in your life but only one great one. Rebel was my great one.”   Staff