The Egan Family Makes “Big” Things Happen

HFAdmin | July 23, 2010

Meet Tim, Ann, and Jack Egan, a “horse family” from the east coast. Owners of the beautiful North Point Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut, the Egans are proud to call themselves one of the few Percheron breeders in their home state. Let’s take a closer look at their story.

Their love for Percherons started in 2008. While Ann grew up with horses, as did Tim, neither had owned draft horses in the past. It wasn’t until they were at the Eastern States Exposition in 2007 where Tim was showing steer that they happened to watch a draft show during their lunch break. “They were just so pretty, and that’s why I was drawn to them,” Tim said. Soon after, the Egan family purchased a pair of geldings and found themselves hooked.

While some may assume that draft horses are a lot different than the average sized horse, Ann says they aren’t. “I was always taught to watch where a horse puts its feet. The size of the horse doesn’t matter, you just need to watch where they’re stepping. Percherons are very careful.” She added that contrary to popular belief, the draft horses really don’t eat that much more than smaller horses. “They eat maybe about seven pounds of grain a day, which isn’t that much for their size. The only time their size really makes a difference is when I’m trying to bridle them. I have to stand on a mounting block to reach their head.”

Even though the Egans are incredibly busy, operating their farm without employees in addition to running Tim’s restoration and building company, they somehow still find time to do things as a family. “We always eat dinner together, even if it’s late at night,” Ann said. “We also travel a lot as family, and we enjoy going to fairs, riding the ferris wheel, and having fun together.” The Egan’s 9 year old son, Jack, especially likes to spend time fishing with his dad and playing ice hockey in the winter.

Tim and Ann are also founders of the New England Percheron Association, after discovering that most of NationalPercheronAssociation clubs were located more in the western parts of the country. “We wanted to get a group of people together to share their ideas, information, and learn more about the breed,” said Ann. “There was another group like that for a while around here but then it went along the wayside, so we decided to start one ourselves.” Ann emphasized the importance of acting upon a need versus just talking about it. “We must’ve looked crazy starting the club, since we were so new to the breed,” she said. “Now people ask us how we’re so successful in just two years, and the answer is that we just work really hard.” While it’s exhausting, the Egans know at the end of the day that it’s all worth it.

Pictured above: The Egan’s mare, Flora

During their first show season, the Egan’s two mares, Flora and Larissa, took All American nominations. Ann told us, “All American contest is a contest where horses earn points by winning classes at rated shows (Levels A, B and C). At the end of the year, all the nominees are judged against each other and a winner is selected in each age group and each sex. That horse is the All American for that year. Once a horse wins All American, they retain that title for the whole oif the lives. Even being nominated is an honor.”

Tim Egan offered this bit of key advice to families who might be interested in raising Percherons: “I suggest talking to several breeders, get their thoughts and advice first. We talked to a lot of people before we got started. Ask a lot of questions, find out about the work load, learn about the breed and know what your goals are.”

To learn more about the Egans and North Point Farm, visit their website at www.northpointfarm.com. You can also follow them on Twitter at @northpointfarm. (Fun fact: If you are a college student interested in pursuing a career in equine management, check out North Point Farm’s Internship Program!)

Photos provided by Ann Egan. Article written by Mandee Widrick.
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