Page 74 - November 2016

JEANNIE HULLINGER
“When it comes to yearlings in training, you treat them all like Champions and hope they are.”
by John Moorehouse
For many people in horse racing, the sport is a family business. Jeannie
Hullinger is not one of those
people. According to Hullinger,
most of her family members are
afraid of horses. Not her. She
took right to horses, and the
industry has been a huge part of her life for decades. As a trainer, Hullinger has guided some of the best Appaloosa racehorses ever to take to the track. Her past trainees include Moolah Biscuit and Moolah Sis. Named to the Appaloosa Hall of Fame in 2003, Hullinger currently serves as secretary of the Utah Quarter Horse Racing Association (UQHRA), a position she has held since November of 2012.
Get to know more about this prominent figure in both the Utah and Appaloosa horse racing scene in our “Lighter Side” feature.
Q: Where were you born?
A: Forsyth, Montana.
Q: What are your hobbies outside of horse racing?
A: I breed and raise dogs, and I have had dogs that I have bred and raised win their Best of Breed class at Westminster Dog Show.
Q: What is your favorite movie, and why?
A: “Sense and Sensibility.” I love period movies and a happy ending.
Q: Give an interesting fact about your family.
A: My mom always joked that she got the wrong baby at the hospital, because no one in my family liked horses. In fact, most of them are scared of horses. Mom said I was
a horse crazy girl from when I could walk and talk. She wasn’t surprised when I went on to train race horses.
Q: Do you have a nickname and, if so, what is it and how did it come about? A: Blondie... self explanatory.
Q: What is the strangest personality quirk you have ever seen in a horse?
A: Had an Easily Smashed mare, Perfect Intention, and if she didn’t like you, she would chase you out
of her stall or chase you in a pasture. If she liked you, she would actually cuddle you with her head and follow you everywhere.
Q: If you were not in the horse racing business, what job would you like to have? A: I would like to own and run a little ice cream shop ... so I could have ice cream whenever I wanted.
Q: What is your favorite thing about living where you live?
A: I have great friends here, and I love the four seasons of Utah.
Q: If you could vacation anywhere on the planet, where would it be & what would you do there?
A: Somewhere tropical and warm and do nothing but relax.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote and, if so, what is it?
A: “When it comes to yearlings in training, you treat them all like Champions and hope they are.”
Q: If you could sit down and visit with anyone, past or present, who would it be? A: Jack Brooks.
Q: What drink would your friends describe you as, and why?
A: Screwdriver because I can get a little crazy when I drink.
Q: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time, and why?
A: I have two: Special Effort and Secretariat. They are both Triple Crown winners and I love the way they did it ... smashed the competition.
Q: If you were making a movie about yourself, who would you cast to play you, and why?
A: Meryl Streep, because I love her acting.
Q: What’s one thing you don’t like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: I don’t think a mare should a have litter of colts. I liked it when a good old mare just had one baby a year.
Q: What’s one thing you like about Quarter Horse racing?
A: I admire the speed, desire and strength of a race horse...it’s not to be taken for granted.
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SPEEDHORSE, November 2016
THE LIGHTER SIDE