Page 85 - September_2023

“Every successful man has a winning team behind him and for Bryn, it’s been family and close friends. He has managed to strike a balance
and rise above adversity.” – Carol Robertson
To Be Ivory’s 3-year-old full sister Had To Be Ivy, who recently secured stakes-winning status and her place in Hillerin Farm’s broodmare band by winning the Princess Derby at Ajax Downs; and 3-year-old One Fabulous Wave (One Fabulous Eagle-Volcoms Wave, Volcom) bred by Vaughn and Jill Cook. They’ve also started 2-year-old Willie Lump Lump (Big
L L e e w w - -V Va a l l d d a a r r a a m m a a , , C C o o u u n n t t r r y y Q Q u u i i c c k k D D a a s s h h ) ) , , w w h h o o was bred by Kelly Yother Equine LLC and who’s already stakes-placed.
“Had To Be Ivy’s Princess Derby win on August ninth was very emotional for us all because we’d just recently lost her mother, Fannie, and she’d also run in it for us,” Jaime says. .
OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
The loss of Fannie isn’t the only challenge
the Robertsons have had to face. In 2012, the Canadian government took over the gambling industry’s Slots at Racetracks revenue, which had provided racing operations with revenue, threatening to kill the country’s horse racing industry.
A A n n d d a a s s i i n n a a l l l l f f a a m m i i l l i i e e s s , , r r e e l l a a t t i i o on n s s h h i ip p dynamics have sometimes caused conflict, and health issues have affected the family as well.
I I n n 2 2 0 01 18 8 , , C C a a r r o o l l w w a a s s d d i i a a g g n n o o s s e e d d w w i i t t h h a a b b r r a a i i n n tumor and after surgery that removed only 5% of the mass, followed by radiation therapy, she has been unable to travel and participate in
m m u u c c h h o o f f t t h h e e f f a a r r m m ’ ’s s p p h h y y s s i i c c a a l l l l a a b b o o r r t t h h e e s s e e d d a a y y s s . .
In 2019, Had To Be Ivory narrowly escaped d d e e a a t t h h d du u e e t t o o a a v v i i r r u u s s f f r r o om m w w h h i i c c h h h he e f f i i n n a a l l l l y y recovered, going on to win Horse of the Year.
Years ago, Mike suffered a broken leg that made him unable to shoe or ride, then COVID caused a severe ear infection that has resulted in hearing loss and serious bouts of vertigo that also make riding and shoeing impossible for him some days. And Jaime has suffered with disc issues that cause chronic neck pain, for which she had surgery overseas earlier this year.
Yet at 82, Bryn still works on the farm every day along with Carol, Mike and Jaime. And their collective dedication to family has allowed them to overcome anything that has threatened their passion for racing. “Every successful man has a winning team behind him and for Bryn,
i i t t ’ ’s s b b e e e e n n f f a a m m i i l l y y a a n n d d c c l l o o s s e e f f r r i i e e n n d d s s , ,” ” C C a a r r o o l l s s a a y y s s . .
“ “H He e h h a a s s m m a a n n a a g g e e d d t t o o s s t t r r i i k k e e a a b b a a l l a a n n c c e e a a n n d d r r i i s s e e above adversity. Each time, he adjusted the team and we’ve all managed to push forward. With passion and a love of horses and the sport in our hearts and the support of our family and friends, we’ve been able to do most anything we’ve committed to.”
“I love Bryn’s passion and dedication to the horses; it’s his life,” Jaime adds. “If we ever took those away from him, I don’t know what he’d do.”
FAMILY TIME
During the rare times when they’re not
involved with jobs or the horses, Mike and Jaime like to ski and wake board. “We used
to travel a good bit when I worked in sales
and we went all over the place, but since I’ve been getting older, we don’t travel as much anymore,” Bryn says. “We’re here all the time and we love it, but twice a year we do like to go
to Oklahoma to the sales and the stud farms.” “It meant a lot to me to be able to go to Oklahoma with my dad earlier this year to
receive the AQHA Canadian Horse of the Year award for Had To Be Ivory,” says their daughter Kim. “I live about half an hour away from the farm, so I don’t get to do as much at the farm as I’d like, but I love doing it and learning
from my parents. Both Mom and Dad are very passionate about the horses and committed to t t h he e h ho or r s s e e i i n nd du u s s t t r r y y a a n nd d t t h he e i i r r b br r e e e e d d i i n n g g p pr r o o g g r r a a m m, , and I love that we can gain that knowledge from them and that we’ve been able to work together as a family. Pretty much everything
w w e e d d o o a a s s a a f f a a m m i i l l y y c c i i r r c c l l e e s s b b a a c c k k t t o o t t h h e e h h o o r r s s e e s s . .” ” K K i i m m a a d d d d s s t t h h a a t t s s h he e h h a a s s l le e a a r r n ne e d d t t h h r r o ou u g g h h her own experience how much her mother
sacrificed of her own direct involvement
with horses to step into the administrative “show mom” and “race wife” roles. “She does whatever her heart leads her to do, and she and my dad have a very good working relationship; I love seeing them at the racetrack together. Seeing the babies they’ve bred and raised and experiencing that feeling of accomplishment— how their hard work and passion have paid off—is something we all love to see.”
G G o o d d w w i i l l l l i i n n g g , , t t h h e e y y ’ ’ l l l l a a l l l l b b e e a a b b l l e e t t o o s s e e e e i it t f f o o r r years to come. The Robertsons have a couple of m m a a r r e e s s i i n n f f o o a a l l n no ow w a a n nd d t t w w o o y y e e a a r r l l i i n n g g s s o ou ut t i i n n t t h he e p p a a s s t t u u r r e e — — o o n n e e o o f f w w h h i i c c h h i i s s F F a a n n n n i i e e ’ ’s s f f o o a a l l — — a a n n d d look forward to the rest of this season as well as w w h h a a t t ’ ’s s f f a a r r t t h h e e r r a a h h e e a a d d o o n n t t h h e e c c a a l l e e n n d d a a r r . .
Photo by Laurie Overton
Photo by Laurie Overton
Bryn and Carol Robertson and jockey Josh Scott. Bryn with his wife Carol.
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