Catching up With the Crane Family

Long after the morning feed, training horses, going to school, afternoon chores, prep for tomorrow, and rodeo setup, I caught up with the Crane family. The Cranes have deep roots in the equestrian world. Specializing in young horses and thoroughbreds, they have loved horses for generations. Mr. Joseph Crane and Mrs. Cathy Crane met while working with quarter horses and in other avenues available to make ends meet in the industry. This instilled an unusually strong work ethic, honesty, and good humor in their next generation. Their son, Clovis Crane, said: "It's who we are; it's our way of life. The difference is this is what I want to do, not because of the money. We're just lucky enough we're able to make some money doing it." Clovis will often be seen at the 2-year-old sales with Crane Thoroughbreds' consignment, at rodeos riding broncs, and at pony racing events supporting his daughter, Rosey. Crane Thoroughbreds was formed in 2004. The program starts 200 to 300 head a year, and has produced 23 graded stakes horses in total. One year, nearly half the finalists of the Retired Racehorse Project also came from this program. Clovis credits this to a more well-rounded breaking experience. Clovis, his wife Joanna, daughters Rosey, Amara, and Dalia, and son Coy came together to remind us what a horsey lifestyle really is, with everyone immersed in the love of horses. "All the kids are involved," Clovis said. "It's who we are. It's a way of life." Rosey chimed in, "One day, I was just learning to crawl and went out and was petting the horses' legs." Clovis shared that "each spring we get each of the kids a pony to train and they sell the ponies before Christmas." The Cranes have been doing this for six years now. This project of starting out young ponies for others provides a very specific kind of encouragement and growth. It's the responsibility and the deep enjoyment of developing and helping a life, and of finding it a perfect family. Rosey really enjoys the task. "It's great," she explained. "I love doing it. It makes me a better rider, and I get lots of different things from it." Rosey also described one of her favorite ponies, "Mashed Potatoes. He was really good. We started him, and he did a little bit of everything. Rodeo, pony races; he was a little pet." The pony she has now is a little black-and-white mini. "I'm teaching him to lie down. He is getting better and showing lots of improvement." This mentality of balancing horsemanship and life responsibilities is a daily practice. Listening to his daughter talk about her project pony, Clovis said: "We are really lucky. We like the horses. We got lucky to have gotten good enough to have it make some money." Aside from developing ponies as Christmas presents for others, Rosey attends school and trains her own ponies and horses for rodeos and pony races. As part of the U.S. Pony Racing organization, Rosey rode three winners at Parx on August 15, two more at Timonium on September 5, and two at Laurel Park on September 20. Rosey shared her pony-training schedule and what her daily life looks like. "It's feeding the horses before school, school, homework, after-school activities like riding her horses, and then it could be anything," her dad said with a laugh. "It really depends on how Rosey's feeling." Galloping across the pastures, bareback rides, and riding double with friends. Wandering into the strawberry patch, swimming with the ponies, watching a pony wander alone, or simply taking a nap. Rosie laughed and said, "It's desensitizing, Dad. It's all desensitizing." It's clear that Rosey puts time, effort, and thoughtful planning into her work. Rosey attributes much of this to her father, whom she says "helps her." Clovis maintains an extremely busy schedule. Last month, he was immersed in preparing for the inaugural Heroes Rodeo event that supports first responders, riding in a rodeo in New Jersey, helping Joanna and Rosey prepare for the Laurel Park race day, supporting his son's and daughter's wrestling meets, and being available to his family. After a barn fire in 2020 that took not only stock, buildings, and equipment but also a part of his heart, Clovis said he's glad he's in a position now to give back to those who helped him through that hard time. "It means a lot for us to give back," he said. He says it's a lifestyle and that he's lucky to be able to do what he is passionate about. "I enjoy helping people, but I enjoy the horses more. Aside from my kids and family, helping horses is my joy. I thoroughly enjoy helping the horses be the best they can be."