FAMILY SHOWCASE
The Spooners
By Alden Corrigan and Kathy Hobstetter
Anytime Richard Spooner competes, you can be sure that even after all
these years, his mother Ginny and his father Tom, are right there in the stands
whenever humanly possible. Each time their son crosses the finish line, a flood
of memories and emotions wash over these two extremely proud parents
Ginny Spooner will tell you that the equestrian gene line and he just sent me over the jumps like the rest of the
runs in her family. By all indications Richard, the 4th group. That’s when I said, okay that’s it, no more western.
generation to possess the gene, appears to be the mem- The first time I jumped it was all over, I was hooked.”
ber of the family who is a recipient of a double dose, as After college, Ginny moved to Redondo Beach, Cali-
Richard’s older half brother, Tom Jr., doesn’t ride at all. fornia and met her future husband Tom Spooner, at the
“Riding,” for Ginny's grandmother and mother, meant Portuguese Bend Stables where they were both riding. Re-
galloping around pastures in the farm country of Min- flecting on their courtship, Ginny says “Tom didn’t see
nesota, and visiting neighbors by jumping the fences me in anything but jeans and dirt for a year!” To which
between the properties. Tom responds, “That
When Ginny was a young didn’t change much over
child, her grandfather the years either,” and
would put her on his old at this point, they can’t
race horse named Dyna- help but share a good
mite, and turn her loose laugh together. A son,
in a big pasture. “What- Richard, was born, and
ever Dynamite wanted shortly thereafter Tom’s
to do, that’s what we did, business took them to
because I had absolutely Northern California, At-
no control. I stayed out lanta and ultimately back
there until Dynamite felt to southern California.
like going home,” re- As a child Tom had
calls Ginny with a laugh. done some riding in the
As lessons were expen- school horse program
sive, Ginny was grate- at Ox Ridge Hunt Club
ful when her mother in Darien, Connecti-
could afford to let her cut along with a couple
go on the occasional trail of kids named Ronnie
ride. By age 11, Ginny would stay at the barn to help Mutch, Victor Hugo-Vidal and George Morris. Reminisc-
out long after the trail ride was over, and if she had ing about those days at Ox Ridge, Tom reflects, “George
her way she would have lived at the barn. This dedica- and I like to kid about the lesson horses we rode, and I
tion eventually led to a job as a trail guide on a working even remember their names. George couldn’t believe
ranch in Minneapolis when she was in her early teens. it when I started naming the names of those school
Ginny attended the University of Minnesota, where horses. They had names like Misty and Mittens, you
she was the only member of the Riding Club who knew couldn’t believe these horses. George said to me, ‘My
anything about taking care of a horse, therefore she was God, you rode those horses too?’ He was astounded.”
named club President. “The first time I rode in an English Equally impressive is that George Morris, after all he
saddle they thought it was awful, so they talked me into has achieved, remembered those school horses as well.
taking lessons and they didn’t tell the poor instructor. He Being a “hands on” mother of a rider took
started jumping everybody in the class, and I said to my- Ginny down many roads in the horse busi-
self, I can probably do that….”I was toward the end of the ness. She held the management position at a local
30
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