chapter 326

Haying Season

8/24/2013

making hay while the sun shines

link to Hay & Horses photos folder (40 pics)

Farmer Walter Buck wanted me to do more photographing on his property. Had a nice day for a motorcycle ride so stopped over there just as the contracted Tiashoke Farm guys were chopping loose hay for their use. Sent them my pics which they may use on their website. They milk 600 cows at one barn, but they have another barn as well. I really enjoyed attempting to capture the moment. Had always wished I had photos from the dairy farm back when I did the haying. Ingesting the chaff and broiling under the hot sun, I felt just like the old days. Mostly the square bales tied with twine are in the minority now, but we also chopped loose hay too.

Washington Co Fair was open so I stopped in a bit to check on the cattle (straw bedding).

Kayaking down the Battenkill when I happened upon this guy landing a 22 inch Brown Trout. His official Orvis Guide, Ray Berumen holds the fish just before releasing back to the stream. He might use my photo in the Orvis Fly Fishing News.

Did a Catskill trail maintenance hike to Pecoy Notch and came across these not too skittish young deer. Failed in effort to capture the wild Buffalos in Schoharie, however.

Went up to Saratoga, and my horse naturally won. You probably think this song is about me, my friends think I'm so vain. I did collect $52 on my one bet of the year taking the Lukas horse in the Travers.

I managed to capture the horse owner and wife at perhaps the sporting highlight of their entire life. That's Glenda Horton in the zebra attire ecstatic for the longshot win by "Will Take Charge". Willis blocked out by arm and Daughter-in-law Sandy in tan. They had just won one the most prestigious million dollar Travers Stakes race at the oldest sporting venue in the United States in front of a crowd of 50,000 spectators.

They call me a point and shoot guy at the photo club, but for this one I didn't even point. I was still watching the finish of the race and just threw the camera over my back shoulder and clicked off a couple shots at random. Had no idea who the people were till I saw them in the winners circle photo .

Horton Stables is in Marshall, Arkansas although Hall of Fame trainer D.Wayne Lukas home operation is in Louisville, KY. The Hortons original fame and fortune came from becoming the largest builder of single family custom homes in the United States. This is big time stuff.

Above is the foggy morning after workouts, leading Spa trainer Todd Pletcher also allowed me to get his personal portrait photo as he gazed upon his 120 horses, and he is but one of 300 trainers stabled here.

Sis and I almost got killed. as we happened by trainer Leon Bluesewicz's feisty horse, Spotiaticus during Travers Week workouts at Spa. He hasn't raced yet, probably still too skittist. 

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