In memoriam

By Holly Butterman

Quail Run Dominique (I Will Command x Quail Run Martinique) was born in 1988 and she produced 13 foals in her 21 years. They were all her most important task, for she loved them all and provided for them with her big body, heart and soul.

She was royally bred ~ she was an incredible athlete and she spent her life being the best mom and broodmare that anyone could ever hope for. I dont think she ever went to a horse show.

Dom came to me from Marilyn Esteb in Colorado ~ I knew when she walked off the van that she needed to live someplace other that my little farm and so I contacted my friend and partner in breeding, Rebecca Hompe in Minnesota and asked if she would be interested in working something out with me so Dom could live at their nice big farm and we both could have foals. She was thrilled and excited to take on the big dear mare and that spring she was bred to Deer Park Graphic Design and the following spring produced Deer Park Promise Me Blue - a liver chestnut filly with her mothers markings. She was bred back to Graphic and the following spring produced the bay colt "Smithsonian" for me and he has taken his royal heritage under the love and ownership of Mallory Mignot who is head trainer for Anne Mears in Laramie, WY. Mallory hopes to bring "Ian" out this summer in Hunter Pleasure - but we'll see what time brings.. He is tall, dark and handsome and most important in the hands of a most capable trainer and owner.

The next and she ended up being the last, was the filly Deer Park Remarkable also sired by Graphic and in a bit of life trade - Becky took Graphics Graceful Design in trade (I wanted one of Dom's filly's to breed). Then last fall when our dear friend Stacey Stearns said to me "Holly, I have to have a horse taller than my John", I offered "Remi" to her knowing we could work out some breedings and that way everyone wins... just a few months later Stacey was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma and just a week ago after vigorous treatments all winter - she looks to be on the other side of this horrible disease. Stacey and Remi have big plans for the future and we all know that they will be successful no matter what path they choose.

Dom produced better than herself every time she was crossed with Graphic - and it was clear from my conversations with Marilyn Esteb that in spite of her "what looked like guaranteed English Pleasure producer" ... Dom gave Marilyn beautiful hunter and western prospects sired by French, Centaur and other popular stallions. Dom's mother also produced LCS Strip Tease - who excelled in the park saddle division - and others who were equally successful. Most didnt spend much time in the ring - their contributions were in the breeding shed.

I was blessed the day that Marilyn offered Dom to me - and Becky and I together were blessed to share this mare who made ALL of us smile - gave us the most beautiful babies and was the best mom. Other than one small incident after Remi was born was never ever sick a day in her life...

Last night Becky found Dom in a state of distress and brought her into the indoor to walk and called the vet ~ it was very clear that the situation was dire and everything was done to help Dom be comfortable in her last hour .. Her daughter Promises stayed close by her mom and this morning they are all ~ we are all suffering from a very big hole in our hearts left by a very big mare who touched so many people in her life.

Becky said as they made their decisions and began the walk out to the wind mill behind the farm - individually, each and every horse on the farm called out to Dom - they said good bye in their own way on that walk. It WAS ironic because we had just last weekend made the final decision to send Dom to the most wonder filled retirement home in Wisconsin - Becky and I both had talked about what she deserved - a place to be one of the old girls and live out her life in the best of care with best of company and it all seemed so right but .. Dom apparently had no intentions of leaving Deer Park and needed Becky, Wes and Lindsey to know how much she loved THEM and desired to stay in Minnesota ..

And like that .. over the rainbow and over the Rainbow Bridge, Dom has passed on and romps with all those who have gone before her. Tonight there will be a new bright star in the heavens that will represent the brightness she brought to all of us and now reflects back to Earth.

Thank you ~ Marilyn Esteb for sharing this grand mare - Thank you to her vets who have cared for Dom and each of her beautiful foals over these past 5 years that seem to have flown by. Quail Run, Stone Pine, Deer Park and Snowview all were blessed with the incredible foals that Dominique gave us and I know they will all go on and make us proud as Mallory always says "someday wearing roses around their necks" ...



From left to right: Smithsonian & Becky, Deer Park Promise Me Blue & Wes, Quail Run Dominique & Deer Park Remarkable held by Lindsey. Dominique and two of her offspring in a family portrait taken September 2007.