Team #826 Robert Piro and Duffy
Photo by Creek Dreams Photography
Team #826: Robert Piro and Duffy
From: Boxford, Massachusetts
Ages: 74 & 26
Combined Age: 100
Test: Training Level Test 2
I grew up on Long Island, NY, and spent most of my adult life around Boston. I started riding when I was 43. My wife, Mary, had returned to a childhood passion for riding and my two daughters (then five and seven) had joined her. I would come home from work, and they would be at the barn, so I would never see them. In self-defense I joined them in the insanity and that led to us building our first farm in Acton, MA. We had the farm in Acton for 14 years before moving Pirouette Farm to Norwich, VT. There we had 110 acres, 26 stalls, and grew all our own hay.
I started eventing a couple of years later. I met Waterview (Duffy) on a horse shopping trip to Ireland. He was 12 and I was 60 at the time. He is a 16.3 hand Irish Sport Horse that I bought from Carol Gee of Fernhill Sport Horses. He had been ridden by Oliver Townend and had even completed an Advanced horse trials in England.
He colicked six months after I got him and had surgery, so I lost a year bringing him back. After that, we had a great partnership and went on to complete 36 sanctioned events over seven years. After that Duffy became “the Professor” at Pirouette Farm and taught low-level eventing and dressage to aspiring riders. He is a wonderful horse, always quite sane, and very smart. I have been privileged to partner with him and complete our Century Club ride together.
I would like to thank TDF for this wonderful program as well my groom extraordinaire, Mary, and my trainer for many years, Jane Hamlin.
