|
ROBY, Catherine Collier Gaines, “well known horse personality” 62, wife of Frank Roby, died Wed. Mar. 16, 2011 at St. Joseph Hospital. Born Dec. 31, 1948 in Lexington, KY, she was daughter of the late Edward Thomas Gaines, Jr. and Ila Jean Collier Gaines. She was a graduate of Lafayette High School, the manager of the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park, and a member of Southland Christian Church. Survivors other than her husband include three children, Jennifer (Matthew) Crandall, David Roby, and Alecia (Kenneth) Smith; four grandchildren, Jordon, Julia, Isaiah, and Ila; two sisters, Lee Anne and Robin; one brother, Tom; and her mother-in-law, Frances LaVerne Roby-Watson. She was preceded in death by her step-mother, Roberta Rhodus Gaines.
Cathy Roby, who oversaw the care of such retired horses as John Henry, Forego, Bold Forbes, Cigar, Alysheba, Kona Gold and Da Hoss at the Kentucky Horse Park, died March 16 in Lexington. She was 62.
A Lexington native, Roby worked at the Horse Park for 20 years and managed the Hall of Champions that was home to prominent Thoroughbred, Standardbred, Quarter, and show horses.
Roby is survived by her husband, Frank Roby and two daughters and a son. Services will be conducted March 21 at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home in Lexington. Funeral services will be 12:30 pm Mon. at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, Harrodsburg Rd. by Bro. Mark Keene. Burial will follow in Lexington Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-9 pm Sun. at the funeral home.
|
John Beatty (Jb) Cotnam
I remember a conversation i had with Cathy about horses and riding them. I told Cathy that i was originally from Grant County New Mexico and when i was only 3 years old i was put on a horse by friends of my mother, Joe Delk of Silver City and his wife. The Delks said that even at that age i had good ballance. And i knew how to ride since then. I am rated expert in horsmanship even though i do not own a horse. In 1986 the Henry/Cotnam family came up from Texas to Kentucky to see relatives in Estill County Kentucky after going to the Worlds Fair in Tennessee. We stayed in Richmond and drove to Lexington to see the Kentucky Horse Park. Cathy saw me and invited me to ride one of the horses she was taking care of. I said sure. [ I was wearing western boots with combination heels and blue jeans.] I helped saddle the Indian Paint she was taking care of with a western saddle then climbed up onto the saddle and rode the horse out of the barn. The Indian Paint Horse was named Sam, a horse that i used to ride at the YMCA Camp Daniel Boone when i was 17and Sam was up to his old tricks when he saw me. Note: horses remember the smells of their riders. Cathy also saddled and mounted a Roam and followed suite. Cathy and i rode around the paddock and the arena while my family watched with other families who had gathered to watch. I put Sam through his paces, backing him up by just shifting my weight and using my heels to guide him then going fowards from a walk to a trot then to a gallup. An expert rider does not need to jerk on the raines to guide the horse. Only a slight tug into the direction the rider wants to go and the shift of the rider's weight will guide the horse. I enjoyed the day i rode with Cathy at the Kentucky Horse Park. We rode for an hour together that day. Signed, JB Cotnam
Judith Ann Graham (Conley)
Cathy and I were close friends in high school, and ironically, our mothers were sorority sisters and friends. Her mother died when Cathy was a baby, but when my mother first met Cathy, she got out the college yearbook and showed us her mother's picture--Cathy looked just like her mother. Cathy and I ice-skated, had sleep overs, shared our hopes and dreams, and just had many good times together. We both had crushes on the senior football players and decided to go out for flag football because of that sophmore year. And anybody who was on the team and remembers knows that they worked us relentlessly (Charlie Trimble, do you remember how brutal you were?) because so many girls turned out for the team. Well Cathy and I persevered and made it, but in one of life's ironies, I broke my foot the night before the game and Cathy got to play in the game while l sat in the ER.
Cathy and I went our separate ways after high school, living in different cities for much of out adult life. We reunited not long before she died for one of those all afternoon lunches with another friend. Mary Ann Gottschalk. Cathy had a good marriage, children and grandchildren, and was stil working at the Horse Park. As an aside, she always loved horses, riding in shows at a teen. Laughingly, she was determined that she could teach me to ride, but after I was thrown into the mud by a very docile Tennessee walking horse, she gave up on that. Cathy had a sudden and blessedly quick death after a day at work. She died quickly from a brain hemmorage while fixing dinner. Cathy, you are very missed, RIP.
Melanie Dale Rhorer (McCloud)
I did not know Cathy, but after reading all the comments, I can see what a wonderful role she played in the success of the KY. Horse Park. It's wonderful when people get to work doing something they love!!!