Our History: Joan Hamilton

Our History
About Kalarama Farm

Joan Hamilton

Larry Hodge

Paul Hamilton

Joan Hamilton

“A job well done is the best feeling. In fact, I think it’s as good
as it gets.”

That pronouncement by Joan Hamilton summarizes how a young woman whose breeding experience largely consisted of 4H club projects has managed to take the world’s oldest operating American Saddlebred farm to an unrivaled position in the record books.

“Horses were always more important to me than other activities, such as cheerleading or playing the piano,” Joan recalls; at that point, she enjoyed any style of riding and appreciated a challenge — as long as it was a challenge she enjoyed. One summer, Paul sent his pre-teen daughter to a two-week riding camp in Louisville. On the first Sunday set aside for parents’ visitation, Mr. Hamilton — an admirer of American Saddlebreds — was dismayed to learn his good-riding daughter had switched herself from the saddle seat program to the hunter/jumper discipline. He insisted she rejoin the saddle seat equitation riders during the camp’s second week, and returned to see her in a camp show the following Sunday. “I was fourth, and refused to be insulted [like that],” laughs Joan as she recalls the experience. “That was my last equitation class.” Fortunately, the American Saddlebred world permitted her many other ways to participate and contribute.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Joan worked in hospital laboratories for two years, then managed a laboratory for the family business, where she refined the techniques that she employs in her own Kalarama breeding lab today. Later, she returned home to Kalarama, where she found the affable and talented Larry Hodge operating his training and breeding stable in the famed barn that once housed Kalarama Rex and many other farm champions. With the operation divided into two entities, Joan now focuses on developing the breeding operation, where she is continually challenged and inspired to make the informed selections and decisions that have perpetuated Kalarama’s success. Hodge concentrates on developing the stock Joan produces, and preparing horses for outside clients.

The business structure established, Joan then quickly set about locating the horse that would sire Kalarama Farm’s own next generations of champions.

At his daughter’s insistence and after her extensive perusal of available pedigree books, Paul Hamilton purchased Harlem Globetrotter in 1982. The year is key to Joan; it was when her father challenged her to learn the skills that helped ensure Kalarama’s longevity and unparalleled success. “I wouldn’t be doing this if not for his love of American Saddlebreds,” she says. During those years, friend and client David Goodstein was always available when she sought advice, Joan remembers.

“We provide horses for use in all disciplines,” she says. “I appreciate a good horse of any kind. I’m respectful of and fascinated by the American Saddlebred horse,” Joan tells, pointing out that finding the activity that makes a horse happy is the key component to any training plan.

Joan’s eye for outstanding stock has led her to the selection of not only breeding matches, but young performance horses, as well. She chose, for the farm, horses that became world’s champions or title holders, such as Title Bound, WGC ^CHBe Happy, ^CHCallaway’s Hot Copy, ^CHChampagne’s Mr. Perfection, ^CHCallaway’s A Dream Come True, and WGC Hollywood Excellence.

Joan and Larry's respect for each other’s talents and hard work sets the stage for Kalarama’s present-day success. Larry says about his wife’s talent in selecting and breeding horses, “She’s as good as there is. She has a great eye for a horse. She’s a great judge of conformation and what a horse should look like. It takes a lifetime to learn how to cross a mare up, and she’s done it many times over."

The pair exude enthusiasm; they represent experience and history. More than two decades after they put their plans in action, they’re creating the future of Kalarama Farm. Depend on them to deliver entertainment and conformationally correct, good-thinking, talented American Saddlebreds to enthusiasts all around the world for years to come.

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Joan Hamilton

“A job well done is the best feeling. In fact, I think it’s as good
as it gets.”

That pronouncement by Joan Hamilton summarizes how a young woman whose breeding experience largely consisted of 4H club projects has managed to take the world’s oldest operating American Saddlebred farm to an unrivaled position in the record books.

“Horses were always more important to me than other activities, such as cheerleading or playing the piano,” Joan recalls; at that point, she enjoyed any style of riding and appreciated a challenge — as long as it was a challenge she enjoyed. One summer, Paul sent his pre-teen daughter to a two-week riding camp in Louisville. On the first Sunday set aside for parents’ visitation, Mr. Hamilton — an admirer of American Saddlebreds — was dismayed to learn his good-riding daughter had switched herself from the saddle seat program to the hunter/jumper discipline. He insisted she rejoin the saddle seat equitation riders during the camp’s second week, and returned to see her in a camp show the following Sunday. “I was fourth, and refused to be insulted [like that],” laughs Joan as she recalls the experience. “That was my last equitation class.” Fortunately, the American Saddlebred world permitted her many other ways to participate and contribute.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Joan worked in hospital laboratories for two years, then managed a laboratory for the family business, where she refined the techniques that she employs in her own Kalarama breeding lab today. Later, she returned home to Kalarama, where she found the affable and talented Larry Hodge operating his training and breeding stable in the famed barn that once housed Kalarama Rex and many other farm champions. With the operation divided into two entities, Joan now focuses on developing the breeding operation, where she is continually challenged and inspired to make the informed selections and decisions that have perpetuated Kalarama’s success. Hodge concentrates on developing the stock Joan produces, and preparing horses for outside clients.

The business structure established, Joan then quickly set about locating the horse that would sire Kalarama Farm’s own next generations of champions.

At his daughter’s insistence and after her extensive perusal of available pedigree books, Paul Hamilton purchased Harlem Globetrotter in 1982. The year is key to Joan; it was when her father challenged her to learn the skills that helped ensure Kalarama’s longevity and unparalleled success. “I wouldn’t be doing this if not for his love of American Saddlebreds,” she says. During those years, friend and client David Goodstein was always available when she sought advice, Joan remembers.

“We provide horses for use in all disciplines,” she says. “I appreciate a good horse of any kind. I’m respectful of and fascinated by the American Saddlebred horse,” Joan tells, pointing out that finding the activity that makes a horse happy is the key component to any training plan.

Joan’s eye for outstanding stock has led her to the selection of not only breeding matches, but young performance horses, as well. She chose, for the farm, horses that became world’s champions or title holders, such as Title Bound, WGC ^CHBe Happy, ^CHCallaway’s Hot Copy, ^CHChampagne’s Mr. Perfection, ^CHCallaway’s A Dream Come True, and WGC Hollywood Excellence.

Joan and Larry's respect for each other’s talents and hard work sets the stage for Kalarama’s present-day success. Larry says about his wife’s talent in selecting and breeding horses, “She’s as good as there is. She has a great eye for a horse. She’s a great judge of conformation and what a horse should look like. It takes a lifetime to learn how to cross a mare up, and she’s done it many times over."

The pair exude enthusiasm; they represent experience and history. More than two decades after they put their plans in action, they’re creating the future of Kalarama Farm. Depend on them to deliver entertainment and conformationally correct, good-thinking, talented American Saddlebreds to enthusiasts all around the world for years to come.