Kalarama Farm isn’t just a tradition in the American Saddlebred world, it’s an institution. The farm’s impact on the breed has spanned more than a century and it has developed world renowned champions like Kalarama Rex and Harlem Globetrotter.
The farm’s legacy has been a personal passion for breeder Joan Hamilton since her family purchased the property in the early 1960s. With a lifelong love of the American Saddlebred and a keen eye for outstanding stock, Hamilton has created a modern breeding program for the historic facility that is unparalleled in the industry.
While Kalarama’s breeding program has flourished under Hamilton’s direction, so too has the farm’s training program, under the watchful, experienced eye of champion trainer Larry Hodge. He started his public training stable under the Kalarama Farm banner while leasing the facility in 1977. Today Hodge has trained and developed horses that have won more than 100 world’s championship titles—including multiple world’s grand championships in all three divisions.
The care of every horse on Kalarama Farm is of utmost importance to both Hamilton and Hodge. The pair is constantly evaluating their stock and searching for ways to support the best health for each animal. Despite their multitude of achievements, it is this attention to management that is most important to Hamilton.
“In an operation like ours, we spend more time caring for our horses on a daily basis than actually training them – that’s the thrust of our farm,” said Hamilton. “I’m very proud of the level of care we’ve achieved because that care is the most important thing. We want the highest level of performance we can get from every horse and you can’t achieve that goal without detailed, attentive care.”
PROFILE
- Home of five-time World’s Championship-winning stallion Harlem Globetrotter. Under Hodge’s direction, the stallion has won titles from 1982 until 1994. He has 562 registered get to date and is the number one ranked sire of World’s Champions. His get have earned over $500,000.
- Larry Hodge was the 2002 recipient of the United Professional Horsemen’s Association’s Richard E. Lavery Horseman of the Year award.
- Joan Hamilton received the 1997 American Saddlebred Horse Association Breeders of the Year Award in 1997, along with her parents, Paul and Frances Hamilton.
- Kalarama houses more than 150 horses on its 400-acre property, with 20 to 40 foals on the ground each year.
- Exported Harlem Globetrotter get to Germany, Switzerland and France. The stallion’s semen has also been shipped to Australia, England and Canada.
- Kalarama comes from the Greek terms ‘kalo’ (beautiful) and ‘horama’ (sight).
The Discovery
For Joan Hamilton, part of her dedication to the health of horses at Kalarama takes the form of constant research into new issues in equine management and care. Consequently, Hamilton has read extensively about the equine digestive tract and understands the importance of this vital system for her horses.
“I read a good deal about carbohydrate overload in horses and problems with the digestive tract. I was convinced that supporting good digestive health would be beneficial for our horses,” Hamilton said. “Then I read some literature on SUCCEED Digestive Conditioning Program and it made a lot of sense, so I decided to give it a try.”
Hamilton put the product to the ultimate test. She began feeding it to the farm’s leading stallion, Harlem Globetrotter, who – at 25 – was finally beginning to look his age.
“SUCCEED made a huge difference for Harlem Globetrotter,” Hamilton said. “Now he has a bloom to his coat and his eyes are bright, he is filled out and looks like a much younger, happier horse.”
Results
Hamilton and Hodge have both found SUCCEED to be of benefit for show and breeding horses at Kalarama. The product is an important tool in their pursuit of superior management for each horse on the farm.
“There’s no doubt that this is a great thing for our horses,” said Hamilton. “I’m truly grateful for this product’s development.”
