Pop Geers memorialized in Columbia, Tenn.

Sheila Hickman reports in The Daily Herald that on Thursday, historians and dignitaries stood in the small park on West Seventh to dedicate a new City of Columbia historical marker to harness racing horseman Pop Geers. The park has been there since October 10, 1926, and stands as a tribute to the famous man of harness racing, Pop Geers (pronounced Jeers).

Geers was born in Lebanon, Tennessee, on January 25, 1851, and his parents thought he would become a storekeeper like his father. As a young boy he hitched two calves’ tails together to see if he could drive them. One calf lost his tail, but they recovered and became fine oxen. He traded the oxen to his father, and for $50 he bought a two year old colt.

In 1868, Geers bought a trotting mare, trained her, and sold her for $250. Then he bought the butcher’s horse because “he showed some speed at the trot.” The plain looking horse cost $125, and Geers bought a sulky for $15. With such simple beginnings, Geers considered himself ready to compete.

His problem was that there were no tracks for practicing.

Geers decided to create his own track which was one-third of a mile long. Still a student, Geers found little time to practice. He discovered that the best place to reach a certain gait was on public roads. Geers continued training, and the horse trotted a mile in 2:50. The horse sold for $400, and more importantly men noticed his training style and wanted Geers to train their horses.

The hallmark of Geers training technique was gentleness. Throughout his career no one ever recalled his taking a whip or saying a foul word to his horses. Some called him the silent man of the turf. As a trainer and breaker of horses, Geers stressed keeping his charges healthy. One story about Geers, which may be true, is that King, who was trained by Pop, carried one ear back in case Pop said something the horse needed to hear.

To read the full story, click here.

by Sheila Hickman, republished with permission from The Daily Herald