Tom Quinlan: Living
His 'Tipperary Dream'
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
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TOM QUINLAN
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SEATTLE - Irish-born Tom Quinlan is a man living his life-long dream and loving every minute of it. Tom lives in Gig Harbour, Washington, where he breeds and raises thoroughbred race horses. On August 16, his filly Tipperary Dream won her first race at Emerald Downs Race Track in Auburn, Washington. To say Tom was elated would be an understatement.
I first met Tom Quinlan in June when I attended Irish Day at the Races at Emerald Downs. Recently spoke with Tom in more detail about how his dream became reality in America.
"I was born and grew up in Holystack, Kilfeacle, County Tipperary," Tom said, "I was the middle child in a family of nine children born to Thomas and Elizabeth Quinlan. My mother Elizabeth (Cronin) Quinlan came from the Glen of Aherlow, where her family had a small farm that bordered the Galtees. I spent my summers there with my auntie Josie and Uncle Con. I would ride our pony from our parish Donaskeigh to the Glen and loved the journey.
"I grew up loving horses, County Tipperary was always the home of some great horse farms and horse men and women. I went to every race meeting that was held around County Tipp. I also followed the fox hounds and the Kilfeacle Beagles. Going to all the races, I got to know all the horses names. O'Brien's stables were the leading stables in Ireland at the time. Racing and hurling was the favourite pastime, when I was growing up."
Tom's father was a good horseman, but with working horses which he would enter into plowing competitions and win prizes. His mother's side of the family loved horses and were mad on betting a few bob here and there on the horses.
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IRISH-BORN Tom Quinlan is a man living his life-long dream. He was ecstatic when his racehorse Tipperary Dream won her first race at Emerald Downs in Auburn, WA
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Recalling his earlier years in Ireland, and his life-long love and fascination with horses, Tom said, "I remember when I was 14 years old, I rode a great big bay to a horse fair in Thurles, which would be a distance of about 20 miles.
"This was a lovely half-bred 17-hands bay, and when I got to the main street in Thurles, he got excited because of all the crowds of people and he reared up and tried to get loose. Somehow, I managed to calm him. He was sold to a man from Kilkenny for £120 and I was sorry to see him go. I used to ride him over ditches and dikes and he was a fair good jumper."
I have often heard it said, that some people are born with a special affinity for animals and the animals recognize these people. Tom Quinlan has these qualities and he spoke about how from the time he was quite young he had a way with horses.
He laughed and said, "I remember, our neighbour, Johnnie Dwyer, used to get me to come up to his house and work with his horses. I can recall one time that he was driving by our house with his horse and trap, and the horse stopped in front of our house. It wouldn't go any further and Johnnie called out, 'Tom can you help me with this horse', which of course, I was able to do.
"I must have been about eight or 10 years old, but I can remember the day well. That was the day that I got truly hooked on racing, and what a tremendous, full-of-excitement day that it was. Johnnie Dwyer had bought a race horse called Aspen Leaf, and he organized a race meeting at his property, the 12 Acre Field.
"The day was lovely. The race course was lined out with stakes and ropes for a railing. The first races were for hackney ponies that pulled carts, trotting races, and then the big race of the day was about a mile long that the horses had to run around the field several times to accomplish.
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TIPPERARY DREAM in the winner's circle. Tom Quinlan is standing at the extreme left.
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"We were all rooting for Johnnie's horse Aspen Leaf. Johnnie hired a professional jockey from Kilfeacle named Eamon Hogan. I remember thinking this was a sure bet and Johnnie's horse was the favourite of the crowd.
"Well over in Ireland they run clockwise and I think there were about eight horses in this race. The starting line was about 100 yards from the first turn. The race started and Aspen Leaf was leading coming into the first turn, which was a right turn. But instead of keeping right, Aspen Leaf took a left turn, out into a field with about 10 men running after him.
"They turned him around and back onto the track, but by this time, Aspen Leaf was about 200 yards behind the rest of the horses. Now, he was gaining on them with every stride, but every time he came to that top turn, he wanted to go left instead of right. Several men lined out this turn and when Aspen Leaf came around they kept him on course by waving their coats and hats. Well, poor Aspen Leaf ran out of ground and lost the race."
All Tom Quinlan's life he dreamed about owning thoroughbred mares and breeding them to certain blood lines. Tom's dream came true two years ago, after he had retired from his job as public works inspector with the City of Gig Harbor.
"Over the years I would study the horses and read about them," Quinlan said, "in November 2005 I was reading a thoroughbred magazine ad listing a mare in foal with a filly by her side for sale in Texas. This mare, named Dream Alive, was in foal to a stallion and grandson of Northern Dancer. This was a bloodline that I was very interested in.
"I shared this dream with my family members and we formed a limited partnership. We call our partnership Minter Bay Equine. My son Tom lives on Minter Bay, so that's where the name comes from.
"To make a long story short, we bought Dream Alive and her filly and moved them to Washington State. We were going to name the filly,"Dream Come True," but that name was already registered, so we decided to name her "Tipperary Dream," which has the same significance!"
When we think of horse racing, we think of it as a very expensive business - the sport of kings. But, in fact Tom Quinlan has found the horse racing business not as expensive as it is purported to be. "I have found, that the feeding, raising and looking after horses is not expensive."
Tom said, "it is actually priceless! I feed the horses first before my own breakfast. When I drive to the stables to feed the horses, they recognize my vehicle as I drive along and they immediately head to the stables waiting to be feed. Horses are very intelligent and when I throw a ball our horse Holystack will run to get the ball and she brings it back to me in her mouth.
"It's hard to describe the thrill and pleasure that it has brought to our family and friends to see our filly Tipperary Dream win her first race. We look forward to enjoying that thrill again next year when our yearling, Holystack, will train and race. And the following year when our newest colt, born this spring, enters the training and races. My lifelong dream is finally a reality!"
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