by Tammy Knox

Carmi, IL — The Barbre Stable has been visible on the Illinois county fair harness racing circuit for several decades. During the past eight years, there is one individual that plays an important role for the stable.

Susie Jochim, who serves as caretaker for the stable’s horses, has become an integral part of the program, and will be gearing up to race three horses out of their barn for the Sunday (July 28) 10-race program at the White County Fair in Carmi.

The Barbre Stable will send out three horses to the track, including Tim’s Finale, who comes to his home track off a wire-to-wire win at the Edwards County Fair earlier this week. The 3-year-old roan colt is from one of Barbre’s former race mares, Broadway Dandy, and he will be one of three siblings from the mare racing on the program.

“Tim’s Finale, Dandy’s Conquest and Dandy Ryan are all racing Sunday, and they are all brothers and sisters,” said Jochim. “It will be a busy night for us.”

A native of Palestine, Ill., Jochim didn’t take the regular road into racing that most follow, which is through family ties. After graduation from Palestine High School, Jochim attended college for one year at Lincoln Trail in Robinson, Ill., and then attended college for one year at Parkland College.

During her time at Parkland, she applied for a job at several different farms and was hired by Buddy Graham to work with the horses at their farm in Salem. Jochim, who has a real love for horses, caught on immediately to the harness racing business and was soon accompanying the racing portion of the Graham’s operation to Chicago, assisting Jerry with horses such as Misty Misty.

“She (Misty Misty) was such a nice filly,” said Jochim. “When she was two, she won the Governor’s Cup at Du Quoin against the boys. She won in 1:58.3 and back in 1:58.4 the second heat. That was back when a horse that paced in 2:00 was something.”

Misty Misty went on to win 14 of her 19 starts as a 2-year-old and earned in excess of $173,000, quite a tally for the late 1970s.

Ironically, when she was retired as a broodmare, her foals never developed her speed.

Misty Misty was a good introduction into racing for Jochim. She continued to learn about harness racing and her passion for the sport and the horses continued to grow. She also met Bill Eggers, who would become her significant other for the next 25 years.

“I wasn’t even 21 years old yet when I worked for the Grahams,” recalled Jochim.

Jochim and Eggers went as a team to work for Tex Moats, a position that both held for 16 years before Eggers death of cancer in 2004.

Following that time, Jochim decided to take some time off from the horses and returned home to Palestine. While at home, she was an assistant basketball coach for her sister and began working at a local golf course in the pro shop. A trip to the Jasper County Fair in Newton brought her back in touch with racing and back in touch with Rick Barbre, who offered her a job to come to Carmi full time and work with their stable.

“For a while, I drove back and forth from Palestine every day,” said Jochim. “I started work for them on the Fourth of July and just completed eight years working for them. In all, I’ve been working with horses for 34 years.”

The Barbres have had many good racehorses over the years. Jochim recalls the first good horse she was associated with was Trendy L, who was a stakes winner at the Du Quoin State Fair as a 2-year-old in 1:53. Jochim accompanied the filly to Chicago for the prestigious Orange and Blue Stakes, and after a win in her elimination, was one of the favorites in the final. Trendy L was beaten a half-length in the final, finishing second.

One of Jochim’s other more notable horses is more current. Uncle Bud, who had a knee injury as a 2-year-old and was unraced, is one of Jochim’s favorites of all time. Uncle Bud, now four, is currently in Chicago for the Barbre family under the direction of trainer Nelson Willis.

Also a son of Broadway Dandy, the gelding has won three of his last four starts and is racing in the top class at Balmoral Park. He has six wins this year and took a new lifetime mark of 1:50.3, making him the fastest horse to ever emerge from the Barbre Stable or from Carmi.

Over the years, Jochim has worked with many horses from the Barbre barn that have gone on to fare well on the pari-mutuel circuit. Other horses of note under Jochim’s care include Iron Byron, Call To Love and Sugar Park.

During her employment in Carmi, Jochim has also assisted with other aspects of the Barbre barn. She watches over the broodmares each spring as they are ready to foal, and this past spring, one of the foals was born early, prompting Jochim to provide extra care in the first few days of his life.

“When he was born, his hooves were not developed and his knees were really bent,” said Jochim. “His legs were more “S” shaped. He couldn’t get up, so I went out and fed him every two hours until he was strong enough and could get up. He’s fine now. He’s up at Walker Standardbreds right now, and he’s a little small, but he’s fine.”

Jochim also steps in when needed to drive horses wherever they need to go, whether it’s to the veterinarian or to race.

The Barbre Stable also has three foals that were just weaned from their mothers, and Jochim is now working with them to teach them to lead before they head out to pasture. She is also prepping one of the stable’s yearlings that will be sold at auction at the Walker Standardbred Yearling Sale, held during the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

The fastest horse that Jochim has been associated with was Spy Hard during her years working for Moats. Spy Hard took a record of 1:49.4 and remains as one of Jochim’s all-time favorite horses.

“Sometimes, it’s hard not to get attached to them (the horses),” said Jochim. “You are around them all the time, so you get your favorites.”

When she’s not working at the barn, Jochim enjoys her two dogs, Rudy, a Jack Russell terrier, and Bear, a Pomeranian.