Page 4 - October 2005 The Game

4 The Game, October 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Grand Ambition
Paul and Jenni Rocamora with Jonathan Newnham (right) at the farm in Brantford.
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His life has revolved around horses.
Grand Meadow’s new indoor training arena and thoroughbred barn
Grand Meadows is a quiet farm well suited for thoroughbreds
Born off the shores of Lake Erie in the country town of Blenheim, Jonathan Newnham took to horses like ducks take to water, he was a natural.
His relationship with horses began at an early age. Riding with friends at neighboring farms until he gained employment at a local standardbred stable where he not only put in his time, he also gained valuable knowledge about the working horse.
Jonathan saw the show ring for the first time with cattle. The excitement of preparing a bovine for competition showcased a sense of pride which he eventually took with him when he began showing quarter horses. His childhood hobby soon took him into adulthood and a career which would see him travelling to the United States to work for three of the top trainers in the quarter horse business.
Jonathan was the Assistant Trainer/Apprentice under the likes of Jamie Bissell, of Bissell Vacuum Cleaners; as well as years of working with Harvey Stevens, one of the top reigning horse trainers in the U.S.
In 1996 after four years of absorbing knowledge and gaining valuable experience, Jonathan was confident enough to return to Blenheim and hang up his own shingle. It didn’t take long before his work with horses was noticed and he was approached by the Hellyer family to run their 75 stall Quarter Horse facility.
Jonathan was trusted with raising, training, and producing show horses which were either shown in competition or sold to the highest bidder.
Unfortunately tough times fell upon the family when their mainstay business, the Ginseng market, fell out, and they were forced to sell the farm.
Grand Meadows Farm is nestled on 120 lush acres just outside of Brantford and Jonathan is now opening his doors to a select number of outside clients. The facility currently boasts an immaculate new thoroughbred training barn attached to a 60 x 120 indoor arena for year round conditioning and a 5/8 mile train- ing track is planned for the Spring in 2006. There are nine turn-out paddocks as well as two - 20 acre paddocks for brood- mares and yearlings. A portable indoor round pen and an outdoor round pen are also available for breaking yearlings.
Jonathan also grows and sells his own hay which is a quality, alfalfa, timothy mix, and is still operating his shavings and sawdust business.
Jonathan leases the farm from Paul and currently lives in a sep- arate residence with his wife Christie and their four-year-old son, Jonah.
As for Paul Rocamora, the new lease of life at his farm has helped to rekindle his horseracing hobby, something he said he originally got away from because he took on too many horses.
Paul has been in the thoroughbred business since the late 1970’s and has owned the farm for 25 years although he and his wife Jenni only began living on the property 6 years ago.
Paul owned a successful plumbing and heating wholesale business and originally purchased a couple of racehorses as a hobby. It didn’t take long before his “hobby” turned into “big business” and became too much to handle. He found himself with a farm, broodmares, and up to 20 horses at one point. Although he enjoyed success on the racetrack with horses such as his big filly, Aromacor, the time and effort required for his growing stable was becoming too much of a burden and he decided that he needed to get out of the business, at least for a while.
Now more than a decade later, Paul has officially retired and has decided to get back to his “hobby” of racing thoroughbreds.
“Now I have more time to have fun with the horses.” says the personable owner, who along with four other partners, created High Five Stables. High Five currently has 4 horses under their name including, 3-year-old Ballari, and two 2-year-olds, Gold Fish and Northern Bounty, all trained by Tommy O’Keefe, who originally trained for Paul back in the 70’s and 80’s. Paul also purchased a select yearling filly by One Way Love out of the recent CTHS sale in Ontario.
Grand Meadows is a beautiful farm where thoroughbreds can only thrive in the quiet, peaceful setting. With the experience and enthusiasm of Jonathan Newnham and the revived excitement of Paul Rocamora this duo has a recipe for success in the business of thoroughbreds.
Jonathan went back to running his own business until an unfortunate accident with a lawnmower in 2000 left him with a serious foot injury. Jonathan felt defeated and disheartened. He couldn’t ride with his injury however the bills still needed to be paid, so he sold off the horses and took what he described as a meaningless job working for CN Railway. He was determined to find a way to get back into the horse business.
After three years Jonathan had saved enough to purchase a dump truck and he began a side business of hauling shavings and sawdust to area horse farms. The money from the business afforded him the opportunity to once again own and show his own quarter horses and get back to the business he loved.
He soon bid adieu to the railroad and it was during a routine delivery to the farm of thoroughbred horse owner, Paul Rocamora, that an exciting new venture was proposed.
Paul’s farm had just become available for lease and the enthusiastic Jonathan discussed the possibility of creating a facility for the rearing and preparation of thoroughbred race horses along with a quarter horse show stable on the side.
Jonathan knew that he had what it took to get a horse ready to be sent to a trainer at the racetrack and has already got a proven track record by preparing a couple of Paul’s 2-year-olds for racing at Woodbine where they have successfully competed at the meet under High Five Stables for trainer Tommy O’Keefe.
“There is a lot more opportunity in thoroughbreds in Ontario,” acknowledges Jonathan, “I know what it takes to get a horse broke and fit. I don’t want to be a trainer, I just want to get the horse ready to be sent to trainers at the racetrack.”