Snowman

Snowman doing his stuff

Equine films are always popular at the box-office - it is our affinity to the horse. It is not the dog but the horse that is man's best friend. To wit, a new documentary entitled, 'Harry and Snowman' is going on sale at the American Film Market.  This movie will be bought and if you are lucky enough to see it on a marquee view it.

The films centers on a plow-horse, Snowman, who became a championship jumper and won what is considered the triple crown of horse showjumping, the National Horse Show Championship in 1958 and 1959.  Thing was, just two years before, Snowman, was purchased for $80 off a truck that was bound for the slaughterhouse.

Snowman's story has been the topic of two books in addition to this new documentary.  "Snowman" penned by Robert Montgomery in 1962 which is now being re-published by Simon & Schuster, and Elizabeth Letts book, "The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired A Nation" which MGM recently purchased the rights to and has plans to green light for a movie.

The Champ

At film festivals this year, the documentary was a winner, drawing huge crowds which spurred the auctioning of the movie.  There is a large appetite for equestrian stories and they always do well at the box-office - 'Snowman's' story will be no different.

Snowman had worked as a farm-horse for eight years and was used up. He was literally on his way to the meat market when Harry de Leyer, a riding instructor who was looking to buy a horse for his riding school, saw Snowman on a truck and decided to purchase him for $80.  Leyer used Snowman as a children's lesson horse but then realized he had great jumping abilities.  Snowman won every show jumping event he entered throughout the 1950's.  He lived to be 26 years old and is now recognized as one of the greatest show jumpers of all time.   Great story!