Waypoint Farm welcomed two healthy foals in 2018 – a big, beautiful bay Dutch Harness Horse colt and a stunning chestnut American Saddlebred filly. I selected two young Saddlebred broodmares on purpose, and a promising 2-year-old Saddlebred prospect when the gavel fell after my hand shot up as if possessed. There were smiles and laughter, and there were moments of frustration when tears rolled down my cheeks.
In 2019, two foals are due. One of them will be my first homebred by my beloved stallion Vanando A. Vinny is registered KWPN and ADHHA, and I bought him in February 2018 after he no-saled in the ring at Cloverdale. Sterling and I had watched him carefully in the warmup ring after seeing him the day before in his stall. His gentle nature and calm demeanor shone like a beacon in the high-energy hustle of the sale atmosphere, as he park trotted around without a care in the world, driven by an Amish boy no older than 13.
I’d never intended to be a stallion owner. I always considered it something “other” people did. I thought pretty much all stallions were more trouble than they were worth and something I never wanted to deal with. Vinny changed that.
We knew Vinny was well-broke to drive, but we had no idea if he’d ever been ridden. He took to it calmly as I expected, and very seriously! He acted as though his life depended upon standing stock-still as I mounted and dismounted, and he would turn his head as through to check on my safety.
He doesn’t have a fancy show record. He was mainly used to cross on Standardbreds, so I don’t have Dutch get to reference when asked how he produces. Waypoint Farm is a small operation – this year we will have one Vinny foal, next year maybe two or three.
The thing about Vinny is that he makes me smile. I bought him because he was pretty and kind, and well-broke to drive. Not because he was a black stallion – I didn’t buy him to make money on stud fees. I bought him because he just seemed like a nice horse.
I didn’t expect anything – but I got everything.
Waypoint Farm 