The Owls Approve Blog Hop #1 - History of the Horse
Before you met, where was your horse? Who bred him/her? What do you know about his sire and his dam? What do you know where he came from? Tell me about the time before he had a trainer.
This is a fun one because of Bohemian's brief moment in Hollywood. But let's back up a bit first.
Hemie is by Detox, out of Country Girl. Never heard of 'em? Me neither. Both sire and dam raced, but not successfully. As far as I can tell his breeding is lackluster.
He was bred by Mr. & Mrs. Don L. Munger of Enumclaw, Washington. Per this article, Don is a WWII vet and a racing trainer at Emerald Downs in addition to TB breeder (he's likely retired by now). I emailed the Mungers soon after I adopted Bohemian but never heard back. Their address of record looks like a lovely place for a horse to be born.
Bohemian's owner and trainer of record was Billy Christian, who continues to be a trainer in the pacific northwest, and per this article is also a jockey's agent at Portland Meadows.
Bohemian was not a successful racehorse. He earned a career total of $800 and never "broke his maiden" - meaning he didn't win a race by the time he was 5. He was sold (I'm sure at a very reasonable price) to...
HBO!! For their TV series "Luck!" He may not have been a good racehorse, but he sure could *pretend* to be one!
Hemie was brought on most of the way through filming (the show was cancelled after only 1 season) and was used for the last 2 episodes. I've grabbed some screen shots from this YouTube of race scene from Luck episode 9. Let's re-live his brief moment in the background spotlight!
Not sure if Hemie is in this one. Perhaps the second-to-the-far-left? My husband thinks every bay horse is Hemie. Gotta love horse husbands.
After the show was cancelled, Hemie was adopted out along with the other 40 +/- equine actors. I got him through Thoroughbred Rehab Center, Inc - a non-profit that specializes in rehabbing and re-homing ex-racehorses.
Great blog hop Beka! Join the hop here!
The crew said that he was used with the camera car for up-close shots like this due to his good mind. Is that him the back? I think so. Let's go with yes.
Pretty sure he's the bay on the left in this shot, given the hind markings.
After the show was cancelled, Hemie was adopted out along with the other 40 +/- equine actors. I got him through Thoroughbred Rehab Center, Inc - a non-profit that specializes in rehabbing and re-homing ex-racehorses.
Great blog hop Beka! Join the hop here!
I'd say based on the silks of the jockey on that last photo, Hemie is second from the far right in that first one. Either way so cool!
ReplyDeleteThey compiled the race scene from multiple takes - at one point the jockey in black silks with white stars is on a black horse! The bays change up to - you can tell by changing facial markings. So who knows really. But fun to watch and try and pick him out!
Deleteok i just love Hemie's history - and the story of how you got him :) he's certainly had an adventurous life so far, and still so much more to come!
ReplyDeleteThank you, me too! I think its neat that he had a TV job that took advantage of his good mind and trainability.
DeleteWow! He's an ex-Hollywood star! That is super cool
ReplyDeleteYeah, neat bit of his past. The Luck horses are all over California and its fun to run into other adopters and hear their stories! They all seem to have good minds and great faces ;) The horses, that is!
DeleteSuperstar Hemie proving that all of us in California are movie stars! ;)
ReplyDeleteHahaha yes - I myself once recorded a scream that was used in a film. Basically I'm a full-on movie star, right?
DeleteI absolutely love that your horse is a celebrity! I'm actually sorta jealous.. like why didn't my old man make it on the small screen?! Also, the Army brat in me appreciates that a veteran bred your horse. I feel a weird streak of patriotism that he contributed to the American Thoroughbred. Shame he didn't answer email. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for joining the hop!
Your horse was a celebrity?! How cool. I've always wondered if shows like that buy all their horses or just lease them - this answers that question!
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