Page 80 - Speedhorse September 2017

He achieved racing success by applying his inborn passion and salesmanship, steadfast study and scrupulous honesty to his horseracing business.
by Diane Rice
James G. Markum
A RESPECTABLE LEGACY
For many, the term “horse trader” evokes a somewhat less-than-stellar mental image. Yet to know James Markum is to know
that stereotypes are quite often inaccurate exaggerations.
“He’s probably the most honest man I’ve ever met,” says Fred Scane, who manages Dr. Ed Allred’s stallions in Murrieta, California, and who has called himself James’ friend for somewhere near 45 years. “And, he studies his horses really well. He knows his pedigrees and all the ins and outs of the horse business.”
Steve Burns DVM, owner of Burns Ranch in Menifee, California, frequently partners with James on racing and breeding horses. “He’s a good, honest guy, so everybody wants to partner with him,” says Burns. “And, he’s a real outgoing people person. He never meets a stranger. He’s been like a father figure to me in this business, and he’s been a good friend for a lot of years.”
James’ personal qualities and his love for the horses and humans he interacts with have intertwined with the knowledge he’s amassed throughout the years to create a laudable legacy.
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78 SPEEDHORSE, September 2017