David Davis
David M. Davis was born July 18, 1951, to Eva E. and Louis S. Davis in Luverne, Minnesota. He died March 1, 2023, in Ocala, Florida.
David began life on the farm north of Beaver Creek, Minnesota, and spent his pre-school and early grade school days as a farm boy riding the family horse, Baldy, many miles and began his love for horses. He could ride bareback almost before he could walk and used the trick of jumping on the horse’s neck when feeding to obtain the riding position.
In 1960 Dave’s dad sold out and moved the family to Luverne, where he bought a restaurant. Dave, at about 9 years of age, sought ways to be near the horse, or any horse, and discovered a small farm with horses near town. It belonged to Burdell Rowe, and soon Dave had a job of sorts cleaning stalls and fitting horses. He made enough money to buy his first horse which he proceeded to fit, train and show with the tutelage of Mr. Rowe. Dave took the horse to his first show, a small 4-H show, and won first place. He was forever lost to the horse world.
Throughout high school and beyond, he could be found at the Rowe ranch, riding, training and learning from an accomplished horse trainer, a man with high standards and impeccable judgment. Also, there were the Rowe children, Joe and Shirley, and Dave became as a member of the family as well as lifelong friends.
After graduating from Luverne High School in 1969, Dave was drafted into the U.S. Army and served honorably with a tour in Vietnam. Upon his discharge from the Army and his return, he once again heard the call to the only thing he knew this well and desired to not just continue, but excel to his perfection standards. Thus began Dave’s professional career as a horse trainer and breeder.
Dave soaked up equestrian genealogy and pedigree information like a sponge and ultimately became an encyclopedia of knowledge unimaginable in depth and accuracy.
Throughout the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, Dave trained countless horses in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, and ultimately he settled in Florida about 2003, training at various ranches, and finally in 2019 his dream of having his own place became a reality.
Moreover, his dream of obtaining the best horses to breed and sire that he could became a goal being realized. It was here that he had finally collected a small group of brood mares with the most desired blood lines and all the existing frozen semen of a World Champion Quarter Horse named Investment Asset. He began his breeding program, achieving his desired results. The first year’s offspring were exacting in features, composition and temperament and were as perfect as Dave had planned for.
In addition, Dave acquired the remaining semen of another Champion stallion directly related to Investment Asset, named Absolute Investment. These two horses were to be the foundation of Dave’s breeding program, and with the quality mares he had collected, he expected to produce more very successful show horses and thus had all the ingredients to expect them to achieve World Class Championship status.
Sadly, although some results have been successfully well underway with four two-year-olds and three yearlings on the ground, Dave’s life was cut short far too soon, and World Champion status is yet to be realized.
BUT … stay tuned … these offspring will undoubtedly be heard of in future years and will continue the legacy begun and produced by David M. Davis, Horse Trainer.
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