Lawrence
Carss
Lawrie Carss (1943-2003) started his
career with horses when he was a young boy. For all of his 60 years, horses
were his life. His father,
Ernest Carss, bred Hackneys, as well as showing most light horse breeds at
the fairs and shows in the Ottawa area. When the daily farm chores were
complete, Lawrie helped his father with care and training of the Carss
show horses. When in high
school, he went to work at Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ryan's Kilreen farm near
Ottawa. At Ryan's he learned
as much as he could grooming horses and ponies under such famous trainers
as Monty Jones, Neil Mulcahy, Jack Redmond, Alf Jones, and Billy
Pinch. He later moved up to
be manager and trainer of the Kilreen Farm. At Kilreen he exhibited a long
list of horses and ponies the included King's Gaiety and Fernwick's Sir Echo. After his time spent at Kilreen, he
trained the Hackney horses and Saddlebreds for Mrs. Ruth Hurdman.
His next stop was at Dr. Bartletts at
Brampton. At Bartletts, he
showed the large group of horses and ponies. At this time, he became associated
with Cassilis Debonaire, where Lawrie trained him for his remaining show
career as well as guiding his career as a breeding stallion. Many of the best pony mares in
Canada were booked to Debonaire.
Through his guidance, Lawrie was largely responsible for improving
the Hackney pony in North America.
When at Bartletts, he produced Ardkinglas Northern Light, winning
the Hackney horse stake at the Royal
three years in succesion. He next moved to the Maplebrook Farm of
Jim Carter, Brampton. At
Carters, he started a public training stable, continued to train
Debonaire, and added a few ponies that the Armstrong family at Brampton
were raising. As the
Armstrong numbers increased, he took the position as manager at Green
Gables Farm. Green Gables was the home to the Armstrong's ABC Farm hackney
ponies, as well as a small standardbred nursery. At ABC, he brought Rag A Muffin to
the top in the Hackney pony division, and showed Haven's Musicman to stake
wins in Canada and the US.
In 1989, he left Canada, and
established a public stable in Massachusetts, showing Hackneys,
Saddlebreds and Road horses.
He later moved to Kentucky, and continued to show at the leading
shows in America and Canada.
Lawrence Carss was
a mentor to many young trainers. He was always more than willing to share
his knowledge with others wishing to improve their training skills, or
advice on wise breeding selections to improve their breeding program.
(Inducted March 2010)
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