The Eighty-Dollar Champion - Elizabeth Letts [135]
Johanna holding Snowman in the Knox School courtyard. Right to left: Chef, Harriet, Marty, Billy, and Harry junior. (illustration credits 24.1)
As Harry and Johanna surveyed the new farm, they saw much work to be done, but there would be plenty of room for their horses and growing family, and a big pasture for Snowman to walk around in, just a short hack from the beach. After years of toil, the de Leyer family was living the dream Harry and Johanna had carried with them on the passage from Holland, along with their crate and meager savings: a good-sized piece of ground that belonged to them. Once again, they christened the farm Hollandia, with the colors of yellow and green.
The big pasture with the pine trees became Snowman’s new home. In the late afternoon, near feeding time, the gentle gray sometimes jumped over the pasture fence to return to the barn, but he never gave a sign that he wanted to run away. As Harry had said, “He was too smart for that. He knew where he belonged.”
July 1962: in living color, Snowman’s homely face peered over the Dutch door of his stall at the new Hollandia Farms, his face surrounded by scores of blue, red, yellow, and tricolor championship ribbons. Another story about the champion, “An Old Jumper’s Jackpot,” appeared in Life magazine, reveling in the fact that the old horse’s “legend lived on.” There was a picture of the whole family, Harry on Snowman, Johanna on Lady Gray, and the six children, all saddled up and on horseback, including the littlest, only two years old, riding proudly on a Shetland pony.
All aboard: the de Leyer family saddled up near Branglebrink Farms. Left to right: Harry riding Snowman, Johanna on Lady Gray, Chef, Harriet, Marty, Billy, Harry junior, and Andre. (illustration credits 24.2)
There was also a picture of Snowman out for a swim with three de Leyer children astride bareback, up to their waists in the waves. Though he had continued to show, winning ribbons in 1961 and 1962, he was entered in fewer competitions these days. Harry had decided that Snowman had done enough.
Here, in the grassy pasture under the pine trees, Snowman would live out his days. It took a lot of work to convert the old cattle barns into proper stables, but when it was finished, the Cinderella horse was given a place of honor, right near the barn’s entrance. They etched his footprints and name in the concrete in front of his stall door. The Miller Harness Company even came out and laid complimentary carpet on the floor of the stall—a fitting home for the champion.
That fall, two children’s books were published about Harry and his famous horse, one a picture book and the other for older readers. Harry toured Snowman all around the country to give exhibitions and do “signings.” Harriet and Chef were enlisted as Harry’s assistants, often holding Lady Gray when Snowman leapt over her, repeating his best-known trick. After the exhibitions, the enterprising brother and sister would varnish Snowman’s hooves with hoof oil and sell his hoofprint “autograph” at twenty-five cents a pop. Harry and Johanna encouraged the kids’ entrepreneurial spirit. The de Leyers got used to finding fan letters in their mailbox addressed to Snowman.
One day, Harry took Snowman down to the bookstore in the small neighboring town of Stony Brook. Harry autographed the books and the visiting children got to pet the horse and pluck a single strand from his mane. The Knox School girls had formed a fan club. Each girl got a signed book and a copy of the club membership certificate. Snowman still carried the timid girls around for lessons now and then, but as he got older he spent most of his time just resting at home.
The day the brand-new indoor arena was finished, the de Leyers threw a big party and invited all of the neighbors, the Knox students, and the other riding students. There was a long blue satin ribbon tied across a large entryway.