Robert H. ‘Beans’ McWhinney, a longtime farrier for Standardbreds and the person responsible for shoeing the great trotter Mack Lobell in the 1988 Elitloppet, passed away in DeLand, Fla. on August 29.
McWhinney primarily shod horses for the Sylvester Stable, as well as many other prominent stables, throughout the United States. He began working as a farrier for riding horses while still in high school in order to accommodate his family farm horses. McWhinney then practiced under local blacksmith Charlie Morse, followed by a farrier course at Michigan State University.
His Standardbred career began in 1963 when he was the paddock farrier at the Meadows in Washington, Pa., his hometown area. There he met Cecil Champion when he shod their riding horses. Champion then recommended McWhinney for employment to Ben White Raceway in Orlando, Fla. when they were seeking a quality farrier.
From there he joined Bob Wride and began travelling to numerous tracks to work with horses. This began in Monticello, NY, where he continued to work for 13 summers before continuing out on his own. When he was asked to come to Pompano Park, Fla. for winter training he stayed there for 10 winters. Along the way, he shod horses at Northfields Park, Liberty Bell and different summer training facilities in New Jersey with a few other short stops along the way.
In 1975, McWhinney went to DeLeon Springs Training Center with Tom Tallman and made that his family’s ‘semi-permanent’ home for over 40 years. It was there he took on a new young apprentice, Randy Minger, and began a 40-year friendship with Minger, who long ago successfully broke out on his own.
Due to an autoimmune disease, McWhinney was forced to retire in 1998 and took up his second love, fishing, in both fresh and salt water.
McWhinney always had a quick wit and fun sense of humour, as well as a general love for all people and wished to be remembered that way.
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(Jacque Ramos)