The Mighty Quinn, barn name Cupid, registered name Country Brother was a huge, 17 hand thoroughbred born in 1989. Cupid died last night with a badly fractured leg.  He was a huge horse with what horse people call heart. And that was huge as well.  He ran successfully for many years on the track.  For those of you who have watched Secretariat (and if you haven’t watched it do so!), Secretariat was sired by Bold Ruler.  Bold Ruler was Cupid’s great grandsire.  He gave Cupid his size and his heart.  Cupid was Breeder’s Cup Nominated-a top honor for thoroughbreds. 

Cupid retired to become a top jumper.   Dr. Lynn Criner owned Cupid and I bought him from her in 2005.  He was the biggest horse investment I had ever made.  At the time, we didn’t think that Mickey, being only 15 hands would be big enough to carry Lauren up through the ranks of big fences.  Dianne Gallatin, dear friend and Lauren’s trainer at the time, went with me to see Cupid the first day.  Dr. Criner had told us he was a big, handsome bay thoroughbred but nothing prepared us for our first look at the mighty Cupid!  He was simply the most spectacular horse I had ever seen, at least in person.

Young Lauren holding Cupid with her friend Rachel looking reverently on!

Little Rachel’s face says it all.  He was so big!  Dr. Criner had shown him successfully in jumpers throughout the country.  They were quite a pair.

Dr. Criner is a vet and a hunter/jumper rider and we knew Cupid would be a great horse for us.  The idea was for Chelsie, Dianne’s daughter to ride Cupid first and then Lauren to move up from Mickey.  Chelsie had some great rides on Cupid. And while we enjoyed owning him and riding him,  Lauren never wanted to leave Mickey. 

Kim on Cupid

We sold Cupid on to our friend Kim and she had several successful show seasons with him until motherhood forced her to find another home for him. 

He was then purchased by another  barn friend, Denise who provided a great home and life for him. As her sister said today, Cupid liked her daughter Meg, but he loved Denise. 

Denise on the far right with Cupid and all their friends.

Cupid charmed so many of us.  He was the first horse I wanted to show off whenever someone new came to the barn.  Standing next to him made you feel small.  But he was so sweet we could all hang out in his stall and never worry about him being difficult or mean.  He was a big in all the important ways. 

There were a lot of people with tears in their eyes last night when we all started hearing the news of his death.  I know it was a horrible day for Denise.  I count Cupid as the horse that changed me from a quarter horse/paint horse person to one who respected OTTBs and all they had to offer.  Cupid, we love you and know you will run in the green pastures of heaven forever. 

Dr. Criner and Cupid navigating a huge fence.

And as the song once said, “you’ll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn”!