40/ FEBRUARY 2013 THE RIDER The Carriage Driver Wayne Byrne: A Life Filled With Horses By Lynda Rivington
Growing up in the 1950s on a farm that is now part of Ottawa’s National Capital Equestrian Park, a young Wayne Byrne could not have envisioned the decades ahead filled with horses.
ried Gwen Sells and a farm at Stittsville became home for 25 years. Initially, he had Angus cattle but gave them up for his one true love – horses.
The ‘horse bug’ first hit Wayne with the work horses his dad used on the farm. When his father sold the farm, 8-year-old Wayne moved with his family to South March west of Ottawa but he missed the horses. His uncle at Bells Corners lived next door to Frank Florence who owned the Florence Paper Compa- ny in Ottawa. Twelve-year- old Wayne jumped at the chance to live with the Flo- rence family and work with their horses and ponies. His parents agreed provided he attended high school from there.
The Florence family showed champion Cocker Spaniels and ran a dog grooming business, but Wayne worked mostly with their horses and ponies – Shetlands, Quarter Horses and a Thoroughbred/Quar- ter Horse cross. While he both rode and drove the horses and ponies, Wayne’s primary interest was in driving the Shet- lands. His first show was at the Carp Fair in the ‘50s driving a Shetland.
Wayne had always been interested in breeding horses and wanted to buy a stallion. Making an agree- ment with Gwen – he could buy a stallion if he quit smoking – he bought his first of four stallions, a Quarter Horse called Judge Me in 1977. He subse- quently purchased two more Quarter Horse stal- lions, Impressive Low Win and Sir Danny Pine.
His fourth stallion, the Thoroughbred Two Time Bruce, was bought to cross with Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas; their off- spring could be registered as appendix horses once they accumulated the required 10-point status in their respective breeds. Two Time Bruce was also bred to hunter mares as he was an approved Canadian Sport Horse stallion.
2005 American Quarter Horse World Championship Show, Oklahoma City. Wayne Byrne driving On A Jagged Edge. Left to right Gwen Byrne, owners Cynthia & David Glover with Whitney, the dog
This experience with the Florence family sparked a lifelong love of owning and showing Quar- ter Horses that took him through the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, time that he also spent working in the elec- trical trade.
Breeding In 1965, Wayne mar-
An interest in breed- ing horses through artificial insemination (AI) ensued. Teaming up with veterinar- ian Casey Ringelberg, over a 20-year period they imported semen from European stallions, using Judge Me and Two Time Bruce as teaser stallions for the mares here.
As well, Wayne shipped semen from Two Time Bruce to breeders across Canada from Prince George, B.C., through to Prince Edward Island. Bruce often bred up to 30 mares a year through AI.
Driving
During this time, Wayne never gave up his
love of driving and com- peted in Quarter Horse shows with both Judge Me and Impressive Low Win. He qualified three horses to go to the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Oklahoma City.
Another phase of horsemanship – training – subsequently opened up. People brought horses to him that they had started driving but needed further help with training, or hors- es that had never been driv- en. Some years, Wayne would have 15-18 driving horses in for training. From the mid-1980s into the 1990s, Wayne also helped organize driving clinics and gave clinics and driving lessons.
Two things happened in 2000. First, Wayne and Gwen sold their farm and bought a smaller place in Munster. Second, Minia- ture Horses caught
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Wayne Byrne driving his Welsh pony, Pip, 2012 Walnut Hill Carriage Driving Show, Pittsford, N.Y.
Gwen, who had no interest in showing, started driving minis for fun. Wayne has trained lots of minis and continues to help people drive their minis and hors- es.
Restoration
Helping people with driving led to a related interest – restoring vehi- cles. Often, people who brought animals for train- ing would subsequently need a vehicle and harness for when they got home.
With a carriage shop on the property in Munster, he rebuilt and repaired cut- ters, buggies and two- wheeled carts, and also went to carriage sales and brought back vehicles for clients or ones to fix up and sell.
Volunteering
Volunteering has always been an important and rewarding part of Wayne’s life. He served as president of the Ottawa Valley Western Horse
Wayne’s eye. Suddenly, Wayne was driving singles, tandems and pairs of minis and having a great time.
Wayne would help them find a suitable carriage or cart and harness so they could continue driving.
Association, the Dwyer Hill Riding Club, the Upper Ottawa Valley Quarter Horse Association and the Richmond Fair, along with helping at the Carp Fair.
The Next Phase
Back in the 1980s when he was starting to drive seriously, he belonged to the Ontario Pleasure Driving Associa- tion so the local Eastern Ontario Pleasure Driving Society (EOPDS) seemed like the next logical step. Joining EOPDS, he served as a director several years, subsequently being award- ed a ‘People Make A Dif- ference Award’ from the Ontario Equestrian Federa- tion.
As an EOPDS direc- tor, his specialties were working tirelessly for the annual dinner dances and running several successful clinics at Sunset Farms, along with Barry Beach, where they brought in noted clinicians like Kirsten Brunner, Jeff Kohler, Gerry McCallum and Francois Bergeron. The highlight of Wayne’s volunteer work has been helping at the Walnut Hill Carriage Driv- ing Show near Rochester, N.Y., for the past seven years. While Gwen assists in the show office, Wayne is a fixture at the in gate,
Wayne and Gwen downsized this past year and moved to a bungalow in Carleton Place. Since he no longer has horses in his back yard, he is now freer to go to other peoples’ places to help with their driving and training, or to get horses going again that have been on the shelf for a while. He also has more time to help clubs and groups interested in driv- ing, and to drive pairs and tandems of minis for oth- ers.
While Wayne loves helping beginners, he is quick to recognize when it is time for clients to move on to different trainers. If someone reaches a certain level and is seriously inter- ested in driven dressage or combined driving, for example, he recommends they move on to a coach specializing in that area. Horses have provided Wayne with an exciting and rewarding life. Over the years, he has met lots of people and made many great friends – people he otherwise would not have encountered. He takes pride in the people and horses he has been able to help, and the great friends he and Gwen have made over the decades.
Wayne Byrne driving his minis, Envy & Magic, Richmond Fair
working as a whipper-in and offering support to exhibitors entering the big ring. Wayne says, “Walnut Hill isn’t work, it’s a real holiday where you meet the same people year after year and it’s a big reunion.”
Seven decades later, while the venues and disci- plines may have changed, helping others with their horses remains unchanged. Wayne continues to give back to something he so clearly enjoys.
Tentative Combined
Driving dates set for 2013 Driving Competitions
May 25 - Arena Driving Trial, Fischer's Farm, Lis- towel
Trial, Glencameron Farm, Limehouse
June 1 - Dressage and cones, Orangeville Fair- grounds, Orangeville July 21 - Horse Driving Trial, Glencameron Farm, Limehouse August 25 - Horse Driving
September 14 - Dressage & Cones, Orangeville Fair- grounds, Orangeville You can make refer- ence to
http://www.driveontario.ca/ for an enhanced calendar of events as they are posted.
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