58 SIDELINES MARCH 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 60
By Ann S. Reilly, Ph.D.
A
nyone looking for
Walter “Jimmy”
Lee will most
likely find him on any given
weekend judging a USEF
“AA” horse show. During
the summer of 2013, Jimmy
judged his 1,000th horse
show. Fortunately, he was
able to take a day off from
his busy judging schedule
in May 2013 so that his
good friend, colleague and
collegiate classmate from
the University of Virginia,
George Morris, could induct
Jimmy into the National
Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
Many have asked, “What
took so long to get Jimmy in
the National Show Hunter
Hall of Fame?” Well, most
folks thought Jimmy was
already in the National
Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
How could he not be, having
trained over 125 Virginia
Horse Show Association
and AHSA/USEF Year
End Champions, including
hunters in all divisions from small ponies to four-foot conformation
and working hunter divisions?
Among these champions were: Sign the Card, Perfect Stranger,
Take A Listen, Third of August, Sketiton, Scot To Do, Like a
Charm, The Winning Hand, The Winning Card, Keswick and
many other hunters. The champion jumpers he trained include Jet
Run, Catalyst, Allegro, Free Ride, Doc O’Day, Macho and Obi-1-
Knobee. Jimmy has been the owner and trainer of seven AHSA
(now USEF) grand hunter champions, which just happens to be
the most champions ever owned and trained by one person.
When trainers or friends stop by Jimmy’s Belcort Farm, in
Keswick, Virginia, they immediately comment that the stable is like
a historic hunter/jumper museum. The stable walls are paneled
with brass nameplates over the stalls where Jimmy’s famous
horses lived. The halters of those famous horses, with shiny brass
nameplates, hang in their memory next to their stalls. There are
large, enclosed trophy and photo cases throughout the stable,
which hold trophies, ribbons and photos of all of Jimmy’s champion
horses, including the four world champion Saddle Horses he also
owned. The Belcort stable also houses a superb collection of
photographs of Jimmy’s horses, clients, and historic horse show
memorabilia. Peering into Jimmy’s beautifully appointed office,
e
Sidelines Honor
hunter trainer Bill Schaub
recently
commented,
“There have been a lot of
big horse sales conducted
in that office.”
When Jimmy bought
the Saddle Horses he
told his trainer he would
be the best poor owner
they had. Jimmy said he
“had nothing to do with
the training of the Saddle
Horses, but followed his
trainer’s advice,” which he
says had a great deal to do
with their success. Jimmy
thoroughly enjoyed sitting
in the stands watching his
horses perform.
Jimmy says, “he loves
all types of horses” and
really likes to watch “a
good or great horse from
any equestrian discipline.”
Throughout
Jimmy’s
esteemed
career
he
always said, “A lot can
be learned about training
horses from trainers in
other disciplines.” As
his good friend Sherry
Robertson put it, “Jimmy
has always been willing to share his knowledge. He reads and
studies horses as though it were a college course. Few people
have given as much to the horses as Jimmy Lee.”
Born into a family whose business was publishing newspapers
in Westfield, New Jersey, Jimmy rode and competed as a junior
rider. During college at The University of Virginia, Jimmy rode
and learned from some of the great Virginia hunter trainers. After
college, Jimmy worked for Tom Lavery, a historic Saddlebred
trainer. Later, he opened his own business, Belcort Farm, and
began a stellar career training hunters and jumpers.
But that wasn’t enough for Jimmy. He has spent a lifetime in
every phase of the horse business, as a trainer, judge, owner
and committee member (AHSA/USEF Hearing Committee,
Licensed Officials Committee, Executive Committee, Nominating
Committee, Drugs and Medications Committee and Clinics
Committee); as well as the head of several associations, such
as The National Show Hunter Hall of Fame, the International
Horseman’s Advisory Committee, the American Horse Council,
the Virginia Horse Industry board, and the International Hunter
Futurity, United States Hunter Jumper Association and the Virginia
Horse Show Association.
George Morris inducts Jimmy into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
Photo by Emily Riden
Jimmy Lee
Jumps Into the Hall of Fame
