Paul H. Rothfuss is a man who loves horses. Period. Since the age of three, he passionately followed his father's lead.
Listening to his sire's enamored reading of the exploits of Man O'War, Seabiscuit, Hyperion and Gallant Fox, little Paul could only begin to imagine how one day, Thoroughbreds and the single-minded love for them and the sport of racing would change his life.
That little boy would grow up to become a man who wanted very much to be involved in all phases of Thoroughbred breeding and racing--and yet saw that it appeared to be a game only for those of extraordinary financial means. That didn't seem right to Rothfuss: as a child he'd seen how much joy was derived from the sport to people of every stripe. It didn't take a king's ransom to listen to racing on the radio or watch it on TV. You didn't need wealth to pay the small admission fee to a racetrack and spend the day joyously screaming at the rail.
Yet that rail seemed to be a border, a physical reminder that those on the railside were the have-nots, while those within the oval created by the rail were the haves. That delineation may not have been entirely true--surely the grooms and jockeys weren't rich--but that social border seems in effect even to this day.
So Rothfuss set out to devise a way that Real People--average women and men who love horses and live for this sport--could become fully involved as owners of Thoroughbreds on many levels. Whether you want to own a horse that races or participate in the breeding of a broodmare and own a percentage of a foal--the opportunity should be there, for virtually anyone who craves that intimate relationship with a horse and others of similar ilk.
The All Play Stable Concept was Foaled.
Now, "trust" is a key word in Rothfuss' life. Without trust, you have nothing. Business cannot succeed. Relationships fail, miserably. Horses who don't trust their handlers absolutely cannot win. And yet trust, like respect--is earned, not freely given. One must have a reason to trust another being: intuition plays a role in the development of trust.
The 2008 establishment of All Play Stable was the culmination of many years of diligent studying and planning. It also was the result of Rothfuss' realization that he'd found the people whom he could trust implicitly to make his concept soar: Robin Fiester, Sara Dunham and H. Graham Motion.
Fiester and Dunham actually met (...a few) years ago, when both were students at Louisiana Tech University, where they studied Equine Science. Fiester, a Realtor, grew up riding horses and loving the game. Dunham is a Saratogian: you've probably seen her at the backstretch, watching the morning workouts or exercising a horse herself. She worked for many years for Hall of Fame Trainer Carl Nafzger.
And H. Graham Motion, the understated, truly gifted trainer who gave the world Ichabad Crane, Broken Vow, Film Maker and one of my all-time favorites, the venerable Better Talk Now. Motion is a man who puts his entire being into creating an environment of support and nurturing for the horses in his care--and this is the stuff that drew Paul Rothfuss, Robin Fiester and Sara Dunham to him as an important member of the All Play Team.
This team of dedicated horsewomen and -men offer a singularly exciting opportunity to all those who want to fully participate in "The Sport of Kings," but for whom that goal has always seemed inaccessible. The good news is that it's not just a dream--it is possible, and All Play Stable wants to welcome you to their family of trusted friends and colleagues. Co-ed partnerships are being formed even as I write this, and partnerships specifically for women--"Fillies and Mares, 25 and up..." are in the making. These partnerships are for racing and breeding--the full spectrum of Thoroughbred ownership is available for the asking.
Rothfuss and team members will be present on Sunday, July 26 at the Horseshoe Inn for the ThoroFan party following the NYRA Open House. All Play Stable will have a table there and would love to meet you. That which starts as a handshake can culminate in a life-long friendship--and your presence in the winner's circle. One step at a time, we can All Play in this game, this Endeavour which we love so fiercely. This sport, this obsession, this...horse racing...is, indeed, a sport for All.
That little boy would grow up to become a man who wanted very much to be involved in all phases of Thoroughbred breeding and racing--and yet saw that it appeared to be a game only for those of extraordinary financial means. That didn't seem right to Rothfuss: as a child he'd seen how much joy was derived from the sport to people of every stripe. It didn't take a king's ransom to listen to racing on the radio or watch it on TV. You didn't need wealth to pay the small admission fee to a racetrack and spend the day joyously screaming at the rail.
Yet that rail seemed to be a border, a physical reminder that those on the railside were the have-nots, while those within the oval created by the rail were the haves. That delineation may not have been entirely true--surely the grooms and jockeys weren't rich--but that social border seems in effect even to this day.
So Rothfuss set out to devise a way that Real People--average women and men who love horses and live for this sport--could become fully involved as owners of Thoroughbreds on many levels. Whether you want to own a horse that races or participate in the breeding of a broodmare and own a percentage of a foal--the opportunity should be there, for virtually anyone who craves that intimate relationship with a horse and others of similar ilk.
The All Play Stable Concept was Foaled.
Now, "trust" is a key word in Rothfuss' life. Without trust, you have nothing. Business cannot succeed. Relationships fail, miserably. Horses who don't trust their handlers absolutely cannot win. And yet trust, like respect--is earned, not freely given. One must have a reason to trust another being: intuition plays a role in the development of trust.
The 2008 establishment of All Play Stable was the culmination of many years of diligent studying and planning. It also was the result of Rothfuss' realization that he'd found the people whom he could trust implicitly to make his concept soar: Robin Fiester, Sara Dunham and H. Graham Motion.
Fiester and Dunham actually met (...a few) years ago, when both were students at Louisiana Tech University, where they studied Equine Science. Fiester, a Realtor, grew up riding horses and loving the game. Dunham is a Saratogian: you've probably seen her at the backstretch, watching the morning workouts or exercising a horse herself. She worked for many years for Hall of Fame Trainer Carl Nafzger.
And H. Graham Motion, the understated, truly gifted trainer who gave the world Ichabad Crane, Broken Vow, Film Maker and one of my all-time favorites, the venerable Better Talk Now. Motion is a man who puts his entire being into creating an environment of support and nurturing for the horses in his care--and this is the stuff that drew Paul Rothfuss, Robin Fiester and Sara Dunham to him as an important member of the All Play Team.
This team of dedicated horsewomen and -men offer a singularly exciting opportunity to all those who want to fully participate in "The Sport of Kings," but for whom that goal has always seemed inaccessible. The good news is that it's not just a dream--it is possible, and All Play Stable wants to welcome you to their family of trusted friends and colleagues. Co-ed partnerships are being formed even as I write this, and partnerships specifically for women--"Fillies and Mares, 25 and up..." are in the making. These partnerships are for racing and breeding--the full spectrum of Thoroughbred ownership is available for the asking.
Rothfuss and team members will be present on Sunday, July 26 at the Horseshoe Inn for the ThoroFan party following the NYRA Open House. All Play Stable will have a table there and would love to meet you. That which starts as a handshake can culminate in a life-long friendship--and your presence in the winner's circle. One step at a time, we can All Play in this game, this Endeavour which we love so fiercely. This sport, this obsession, this...horse racing...is, indeed, a sport for All.
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