Harry leaves a legacy of doing it the right way
Husband and wife team made Cool Creek Farm an industry icon
The Canadian harness racing community lost one of its breeding industry pillars with the passing of Harry Rutherford on June 11.
The 83-year-old Mount Pleasant enthusiast along with his wife, Diane, created and operated Cool Creek Farm more than 40 years ago, and is arguably the country’s most successful producer of standardbred horses.
The property is situated on a picturesque 78 acres outside Brantford which, pound for pound, has had an unmatched performance record. Operating with a small number of broodmares, the Rutherfords consistently sell yearlings that bring top dollar at public auction and then go on to make headlines.
A police officer by trade and a former minor league hockey player, Harry was attracted to the horse game by neighbour, Max Webster, and his son, Brian. It was the puzzle of breeding horses that appealed to Harry and set him on a path to learn all he could.
Almost from the start, he grasped the concept that quality is paramount and that to make money, you have to spend money.
Breeding horses successfully is as much art as science. Steadily, the couple acquired mares with commercial bloodlines and strong maternal families.
There is a general agreement that Cool Creek Farm knows how to grow horses. The combination of great soil, feeding program and environment led the farm to never show up at public auction with half-grown horses. They are raised to be athletes.
Harry had an astute sense on investing in stallions. Balanced Image, Angus Hall and Kadabra have been stalwarts for the breed over the last 35 years and the Rutherfords have been shareholders in all from the start.
In 2007, they seized on the chance to buy a share of the promising two-year-old trotting colt, Deweycheatumnhowe, for a mere $15,000 US. By the end of the following season, the horse had earned more than $3 million before going to stud.
The couple made right choice after right choice — far too many to be just lucky. As recent as last October, they sold a yearling filly in Kentucky for $300,000 US.
Harry and Diane complemented each other in the business. Diane preferred to be totally hands on with the horses while Harry was more the farmer and master salesperson when it came time to go to market.
Blessed with a sunny personality, Harry was forever selling. He was renowned for congratulating a buyer on a purchase and then telling him that if he liked this one he should see the younger brother or sister that would go to auction in a year’s time.
The list of graduates the farm has produced is lengthy but there three of particular note.
The filly, Pure Ivory, won’t hefty $1.4 million and then would go on to produce the 2019 Hambletonian champion, Forbidden Trade.
Elegantimage, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, would bank $953,000.
Despite her antics in the winners circle, Casual Breeze earned more than $1.3 million in an exemplary career.
And to add an exclamation point, all three have commemorative races at Woodbine Mohawk Park named in their honour.
No one loved the horse game more than Harry both for the challenge and the camaraderie. It was a business but also was being part of a community.
Harry genuinely loved the animals but he was never happier than making hay with his John Deere tractor or being at the horse auctions.
Diane, 64, will carry on with a Cool Creek Farm and there is no reason to think it not continue to produce more champions. In spirit, Harry will be there every step of the way to ensure it happens.