Some horses just have a special place in your heart. Bethel Wildcat is one of those for Stuart (and me too). Bethel was born and raised at Brownstead Farm and after failing to meet his reserve at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2014, Stuart felt nobody else was seeing what he saw in the sporty and stout yearling, so he took him home, gave him the luxury of time, and raced him himself.

Bethel rewarded Stuart for his perseverance by winning first time out at Keeneland, the first of his two career wins. Retired at age 6, he went to Rosie Napravnik to prepare for the Thoroughbred Makeover, where the pair capped off a successful first year season in his new discipline by finishing 8th in eventing at the RRP.

After his inaugural eventing season concluded, Stuart sent Bethel south for the winter to the barn of longtime friend and internationally competitive 5* rider Buck Davidson. Over the next few years the pair climbed the levels, competing up to Preliminary and training up to Intermediate, but in 2021, Bethel came out of his uncharacteristic 8th place finish at Rocking Horse with a soft tissue injury.

After coming back to Brownstead and enjoying 18 months of being a pasture potato, Bethel started back under saddle. After two months of flatting, starting back over fences and even clinic-ing one weekend, and after hearing that Midway University Equestrian Program was in need of a new upper level horse for their collegiate program, we decided to offer him to them on a lease basis for the 2023 school year.

Hopefully the Midway University students enjoy having a pocket-rocket of a former racehorse who has all of the upper-level buttons well installed!