Country Life’s Andrew Pons Passes Away

by Josh Pons

Andrew MacNamara Pons, who managed his family's Country Life Farm in Maryland during the 1970s, died on Tuesday evening, Jan. 2, following complications from cardiac arrest five days earlier. He was 70 years old.

Born in Baltimore on May 31, 1953, he was the oldest son of Joseph and Mary Jo Pons. He grew up working with horses at Country Life, the oldest Thoroughbred farm in the state, established in 1933 by Pons' grandfather, Adolphe.

Fresh out of high school, Pons began work as an assistant for Hall of Fame horse trainer Henry S. Clark at Delaware Park. He interrupted his own career as a trainer when called back to guide Country Life through difficult times. His equine experience included a term in the stallion division of Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, where he met Marva Jones. The couple were married at Country Life in 1986.

With the support of family in 1991, Pons enrolled in a 28-day, in-patient treatment course at Ashley Addiction Center in Havre de Grace, Md. Thereupon, he determined to finish college and persevered through 10 years of night school to graduate with a Master of Science Human Services Administration degree from the University of Baltimore in 2002. He would later quip: “I finished my sophomore year of college 27 years after my freshman year.”

As the son of a recovering father in the Alcoholics Anonymous program, Pons faced the disease of alcoholism with wry humor: “If I'm carrying a gene for addiction, then I must also be carrying a gene for recovery.” He put that gene to good use, became a counselor at Ashley, then relocated to Chestertown to live on Marva's family farm, Belle Grove, on Langford Creek in Kent County.  He was named clinical director of the A. F. Whitsett Center in Chestertown, a vital facility for those suffering from substance use disorder.

An active, outdoors life he lived right to the end. He was playing pickleball with Chestertown pals at the Y when he collapsed. He was admitted to the Mr. and Mrs. Harry W. Lunger Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at the Christiana Care Hospital, adjacent to Delaware Park Racetrack.

“How appropriate,” said younger brother Josh. “The Lungers owned Christiana Stable, based at Delaware Park. That's where Andrew worked for Mr. Clark, who was the first to truly recognize what a fine young horseman he was.”

“I've known him since grade school,” said a Bel Air AA member. “He gave up a life with horses–something he loved–to spend his life helping other alcoholics. That's a powerful statement of who he was. That's what stands out about him as a man. That's what we'll remember. That he helped others.”

Pons is survived by his wife of 38 years, Marva, his stepdaughter Karianna Johnson (Tom) Brace, granddaughters Ellie and Minna; his siblings Norah Pons, Josh (Ellen) Pons, Mike (Lisa) Pons, and Alice Pons; Marva's siblings BJ Jones, Keith (Nancy) Jones, Jonathan (Beverly) Jones and Steven (Caroline) Jones. Nieces and nephews: Tess Jones, Marva Kumpf, Ben Jones, Lindsay (Matt) Diehl, Charlotte Jones, Christopher Jones, Alexander Jones, Philip (Lindsay) Pons, Elizabeth (Garrett) Forsberg, Josh (Shelby) Pons, Dave (Maggie Clough) Pons, and August (Hayley) Pons.

Remembrances of life are in the planning stages for late spring, one at Belle Grove and another at Country Life. Please consider a donation to a favorite cause of his: The Mann House, Inc., 14 Williams Street, Bel Air, Maryland 21014, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit recovery residence where he often attended AA meetings. A link to his obituary can be found here.

Pons will forever be remembered for his impact on the lives of others. Recalled his youngest brother Mike: “If you asked Andy how he was doing, without fail, he would remind you, 'It's a good life, ain't it?'”

The post Country Life’s Andrew Pons Passes Away appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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MHBA, MTHA Host Tesio Talk

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association will host a Tesio Talk and continental breakfast in the International Room at Laurel Park on Federico Tesio S. day, Apr. 15.

The “Talking Tesio” event begins at 10:30 a.m. and will feature a continental breakfast followed by a panel discussion with industry leaders about Tesio's influence on the breed. Speakers include Country Life Farm's Josh Pons, J. William Boniface, the owner of Bonita Farm, and Ned Moore, owner of Corner Farm in Clark County, Virginia, bloodstock agent, and consultant for the National Sporting Library.

The Tesio, which has been held annually in Maryland since 1981, honors the great Italian breeder, owner and trainer best known for his breeding theories and his success with Nearco, who was the foundation of a sire line that includes Kentucky Derby winner and legendary stallion Northern Dancer, who stood in Maryland for many years at Windfields Farm, and Bold Ruler, sire of the great Secretariat. He also bred Ribot, a two-time winner of the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Tickets to the talk are free with registration before Apr. 13. For more information, call (410) 252-2100 or email bremsberg@marylandthoroughbred.com.

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Global Campaign Represented by First Foal

WinStar Farm's GISW and first-year sire Global Campaign (Curlin–Globe Trot, by A.P. Indy) was represented by his first reported foal when a filly was born at Maryland's Country Life Farm Friday night, Jan. 14. The filly is the second foal out of Miss Mystique (Teuflesberg)–a multiple stakes-placed winner who earned $258,283–and was bred by Country Life.

“We were excited to breed to him and we couldn't be happier with this filly,” said Christy Holden, Country Life's general manager. “Being a Maryland-bred will give her lots of opportunities to earn bonuses when she runs, and she's already showing us that she'll be a star.”

Global Campaign is a millionaire who won six of 10 starts, including the 2020 GI Woodward H. in which he earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. His other graded scores included the Monmouth Cup S. and the Peter Pan S., and he placed in both the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic and the GII Jim Dandy S. He is a half-brother to both MGISW Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) and MSW & MGSP Sonic Mule (Distorted Humor).

Booked full in 2021, covering 177 mares in his first season at stud, Global Campaign is slated to stand his second season at WinStar for $12,500 S&N.

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Global Campaign’s First Foal A Maryland-Bred Filly At Country Life Farm

WinStar Farm's Grade 1 winner Global Campaign sired his first foal when breeder Country Life Farm welcomed a precocious Maryland-bred filly out of the multiple stakes-placed Teuflesberg mare Miss Mystique on Friday night, Jan. 14. An earner of $258,283, Miss Mystique is a half-sister to stakes winner and multiple stakes-placed Brenda's Way and is produced from the winning Malibu Moon mare Malibu Mystique.

“We were excited to breed to him and we couldn't be happier with this filly,” said Christy Holden, general manager of Country Life Farm. “Being a Maryland-bred will give her lots of opportunities to earn bonuses when she runs, and she's already showing us that she'll be a star.”

Global Campaign is arguably the best-bred Grade 1 winner at stud by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. Bred by WinStar Farm, Global Campaign demonstrated the coveted combination of speed and stamina during a racing career that saw him win from seven furlongs in his debut at three to an impressive front-running score in the historic Woodward H. (G1) at 1 ¼ miles at four, just like his esteemed sire.

The Woodward, in which he earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, was Global Campaign's second straight Graded victory following a win in the Monmouth Cup S. (G3) where he defeated seven stakes winners, including a Grade 1 winner, in his previous outing with a 101 Beyer. All told, Global Campaign, who also captured the Peter Pan S. (G3) at three and placed in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with a career-best 106 Beyer, won six of 10 starts and bankrolled $1,321,080 for partners Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm and trainer Stanley Hough.

A complete outcross in his first four generations, Global Campaign is produced from the late A.P. Indy mare and spectacular producer Globe Trot, who is the dam of only three foals, two of whom are Grade 1 winners—the other being multiple Grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro and the third is multiple stakes winner Sonic Mule, both half-brothers to Global Campaign.

A $250,000 Keeneland September yearling purchased by Sagamore Farm, Global Campaign was booked full in 2021, breeding 177 mares in his first season at stud. He will stand his second season at stud for $12,500 S&N. For more information about Global Campaign, contact Liam O'Rourke, Olivia Desch, or Gareth Wigley at 859-873-1717, or visit WinStarFarm.com.

The post Global Campaign’s First Foal A Maryland-Bred Filly At Country Life Farm appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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