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People On The Move - Sam Fieramosca
03/04/2010 - By Tobi D. Tesoriero
COLONIAL FARMS
The year was 1950. Harry Truman was in the White House. Fats Domino, Nat King Cole and Hank Williams were on the radio - The Beatles had not yet crossed to our shores - and records were still vinyl. The United States was embracing its post World War II recovery. The baby boom had just started. And the term suburban sprawl had not yet been coined; sleepy bucolic towns and countryside lay pristine and beautiful. It was in just such a setting that Sam Fieramosca and his father, John, happened upon Colts Neck, New Jersey.
The Fieramoscas were from urban Elizabeth. Sam and his dad had a jacket manufacturing business there. But these men loved being in the country. They enjoyed riding horses. So, in their search for a place to board their two horses they came upon 113 acres for sale in Colts Neck. Sam joked that two acres would probably have been more than enough for their two horses at the time! But they purchased all the land.
In 1952 Sam entered the service while our country was involved in the Korean War. While serving, Sam’s dad contacted him, asking if he realized that their land was in thoroughbred country. Thus, an idea was planted and the journey began in earnest for the Fiermoscas’ entrance into the world of thoroughbred horse breeding.
They bought two mares. One was a stakes winner. They started to buy more and continued to breed. They branched out and bought a stallion. Through the years they developed Colonial Farms into one of largest thoroughbred horse farms in the state.
Sam explains that, “A thoroughbred is a race horse. It is bred for speed. It is not a trotter.”
Colonial Farms has 80 horses presently. It has had as many as 110 at one time. As one might expect the farm is a seven day a week, 24 hour a day operation. Colonial Farms offers many services. They are a commercial boarding and breeding farm. They have a year-round boarding service. They offer complete reproductive management for mares, foaling services, and sales preparation and breaking. Sam is joined by the next two generations of his family in the business. His son John is the general manager and his granddaughter Rebecca (who worked for ten years for the New Jersey Equine Clinic) is also in the saddle.
One of Sam’s favorite parts of his business is foaling a mare. “And, since we do race some of our own, there is nothing like winning a race. Going to winner’s circle a lot of fun!” he adds.
Colonial Farms has a rich history. It is in the section of Colts Neck known as Scobeyville. The farmhouse in which Sam lives and where he and his wife raised their family is over two hundred years old. Sam joked that if he had purchased all the farm land available to him in the 1950s he would be a really wealthy man today. A great deal of that land has given way to housing and development.
In addition to his work on his own farm Sam has been active in the horse industry. He has been on the HBPA’s (Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association) Board of Directors; he has served as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Association; and he has been honored as a recipient of the prestigious Virgil W. (“Buddy”) Raines Distinguished Achievement Award.
Unfortunately, Sam says his is an industry in turmoil. The advent of casinos and the lottery severely impacted its purses. He says, “We [breeders] are relying on future legislation to keep us going. We hope slot legislation gets approved. That would generate more purse money.” He also said that many breeders are leaving New Jersey. Neighboring states like Delaware and Pennsylvania have approved slots (video lottery terminals, installed at racetracks) so it is becoming harder and harder for New Jersey to stay competitive. With the introduction of slots and the resulting revenue, it is felt that purse sizes would be larger and draw more people and money into the sport.
Sam feels blessed to have been able to run his own farm. And he feels grateful that he was able to bring his family up on Colonial Farms as it is such a special place.
STATS
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
Huddy’s
FAVORITE MUSIC
Contemporary music and operas
FAVORITE MOVIES
The Quiet Man
PET PEEVE
Impatience
THREE PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH
Tim and Carol Williams; My children; My Grandchildren - Rebecca Bennett, Ryan Bennett, Rikki Bennett, Desiree Bennett, Ryan Vaina, Dana Malone, Beabea Fieramosca, Tessa Fieramosca
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