Gene McCaffrey

The history of the 173 acre farm which came to be known as Ox Kill Farm, began with its purchase by Gene McCaffrey in 1969.The name Ox Kill may sound like an onerous name for a breeding farm, but here in eastern NY, which was settled by the Dutch in the 1600's, kill means creek.The Ox Kill forms the western boundary of the property.Less than a year after the farm was purchased, Gene, who began his work as a conservation biologist working for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1960, married Vicky, a practicing small animal veterinarian and recent graduate of the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine.With all that land the two decided that the next logical step was to get involved with animals!A wedding present, in the form of a Golden Retriever joined a team of oxen on the property, and was the first of many Goldens to call the farm home.

There was still something missing however, and it didn't take long to figure out what it was.Vicky had had a passion for horses since her youth, and was an accomplished rider, and Gene had a serious interest in practical farming.
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Gene and Vicky also joined the American Shire Horse Association in 1974 and in 1976 Gene was elected for the first time to the Board of Directors, where he has served regularly since, including terms as president and treasurer.Aside from their life membership in the ASHA, both Gene and Vicky are life members of the the Shire Horse Society in England and Gene is also a life member of the Canadian Shire Horse Association.

Their second daughter Erin arrived in the summer of 1976 (on Gene's birthday!).The same year she arrived, the couple purchased Folly Farm Grey Forrester, who was the first gray Shire stallion to stand at stud in modern times in the US.Ox Kill Duke, Countess' second foal, sired by Sarnland Hainton Warrant, was also born in 1976, but was soon sold.Though several foals were born in the intervening years, the true start of the Ox Kill breeding program came in late 1980's with the purchase of Walker House Surprise (1986), Lychett Ash Lady Diana (1987), and Gayton Sunset (1989).These three mares produced countless foals sired by Forrester and Duke, who rejoined the herd in 1986, and good quality mares were kept each year until a substantial herd of brood mares was established, including the champion Duke daughter Ox Kill Koorahana.The loss of Forrester in Detroit to colic was one of life's great tragedies, but along with it came the purchase of Dua He Chi's Roscoe in 1993.Roscoe proved to be a fierce competitor in the show ring, just as his predecessor had been, and also sired many outstanding foals including two of their most successful hitch mares, Ox Kill Minnie Pearl and Ox Kill Madam Sophia.In 1996 Metheringham Upton Isaac was imported from England, and without missing a beat became a star in the show ring, taking one Canadian and two American National Championships among his many other accolades.

Gene McCaffrey 267 Sholtes Road Schoharie, NY 12157 518-872-1295 oxkill@capital.net

In 1974, Rauber received a letter from Gene McCaffrey, the chief of wildlife for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

With additional research, it appears the well-known Shire stallion, Metheringham Upton Isaac, owned by present ASHA Director and Rules Committee Chair, Gene McCaffrey, was allowed to show as a SHS notified colt at the 1996 ASHA National Shire Show in Keystone.This stallion was born in England on March 9, 1995.Based upon the ASHA studbook, he was not registered with the ASHA until April 14, 1997.He was not registered with the SHS until 2001 thus, he had to have been a SHS notified colt at the time of the 1996 ASHA National Shire Show.At that show, he was awarded Reserve Junior and Reserve Grand Champion Shire Stallion.