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An interview with Darley Award winning trainer/breeder Bill Waldron and writer Gina Bass:

GB: Bill... to what do you think you owe your success as a trainer?

BW: Well, We've been lucky and God has blessed us with some great horses, but I want to tell you that this is a business for us. This is not a social event ; but our life. We race horses , that is what we do. These horses have to be conditioned and cared for like the athletes that they are.
At the end of the day many people just get in their cars and go home, they're finished. Their workday is finished, its not like that for us. These horses are our lives and they make our living for us and they get our full attention 24-7.

GB:Is there anything you look for in a racing prospect that perhaps would give you some insight into their abilities?

BW: I insist a horse have a nice long neck coming out of a well laid back shoulder , that's just something a horse's gotta have in my opinion. Oh, yeah and I prefer a horse to have straight hind legs not..what I call dog legged (sickle hocked). Those are the things you can see when you look at a horse, but by far the most important thing a horse has to give is in here (pointing to head) and here (pointing to heart). Without those unseen things the most perfectly bred and conformed racehorse in the world is just an expensive lawn ornament.

GB: You believe in swimming your horses don't you?

BW: Yes , we do. I believe you can keep a horse really fit by swimming him while saving his legs, especially a horse that races for a living. There's a limit to how much pounding any animals legs can take no matterhow fit.

GB: A successful trainer like you probably has a fancy swimming pool and all kinds of equipment, right?

BW: No definitely not! This is a working farm and as far as a fancy swimming pool , the horses are swum in that pond right across the road. We believe in good consistent handling. Our racing prospects are broke in the fall before they turn 3, so we can race at the meet here in Florida at Tampa Bay Downs, our home track.

GB: What bloodlines do you prefer?

BW: Well ZT Ali Baba has been our foundation sire, but we utilise outside stallions like *Wiking who is the sire of our champion filly Dixie Darlene and out of an Ali Baba daughter and if you look on our sales list you will find many colts and fillies by other stallions and out of Ali Baba mares. People are going to see this horse (ZT Ali Baba) is truly a great breeding horse and he is passing on his speed and toughness. We had one of his grandchildren born last week, I'm really excited about that!

GB: Is there anything else you'd like to add to this interview, after all Bill this is your quarter and I want to make people feel like they've really taken a virtual tour of Waldron Farms not just clicked on another webpage?

BW: If you breed or own Arabians you owe it to yourself to see what if feels like inside the winners circle with your horse , not to mention the financial benefits as opposed to showing. Get in touch with one of your local breed organisation or call the Arabian Jockey Club to find out about Racing Arabians. Take it from an old cowboy there is absolutely no feeling in the world like being in the winner circle with a horse you've bred and trained.