merryland: two years in the life of a racing stable

Acclaimed author and third-generation Maryland horseman Josh Pons describes the thrills, triumphs, and setbacks of prepping young Thoroughbred racehorses amid the uncertainties and pressures wrought by encroaching development, casino gambling, and political ennui.

Josh Pons won two Eclipse Awards for his journalism in The BloodHorse, presented for best stories of the year in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. He is the author of two books published by Eclipse Press: Country Life Farm: Three Years in the Life of a Thoroughbred Horse Farm, which sold 10,000 copies, and Merryland: Two Years in the Life of a Thoroughbred Training Farm.

Pons joined BloodHorse upon graduation from the University of Virginia, where he majored in English. After three years as a journalist, he entered the University of Kentucky Law School, graduating in 1982, then returned to his family’s Country Life Farm.

Professionally, he served as president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association for six years and is currently president of the foundation responsible for the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center. He and his wife, Ellen, live in Fallston, Maryland, on Country Life, the oldest Thoroughbred farm in the state.