"A Life On Horseback" has been published. Click here to read more.
Spencer K. McLean, 84, died May 16, 2005. Everyone who knew Spencer loved her; she was a great lady and will be sorely missed. Short in stature but big at heart, she always had a joke to tell and a smile on her face. Full of good humor and always willing to poke fun at herself, she regularly dressed up as a Leprechaun for fox and coyote Hunts on St. Patrick's Day. Spencer's love of horses began in utero; she was showing open jumpers by the age of 10. In charge of Miss Charlotte Noland's Riding Department at the Foxcroft School for two years, she also was an American Red Cross Clubmobiler in WWII, serving with the Third Army under General George S. Patton Jr.
Born in Watertown, NY, in 1921, riding was a way of life for Spencer. She was a lifelong foxhunter, and promoted the sport in Pony Club unfailingly. Involved in Pony Club almost since its inception, she served on the Horse Management Committee and judged Horse Management at hundreds of rallies, both regional and national, until she retired in 2002. Spencer helped Hildegard Neill Ritchie run Pony Club camps in Colorado for many summers. Spencer's positive influence on USPC for over forty years was truly legendary; in honor of her service to USPC, she was presented with the Founders Award in 1993 and was selected as a Pony Club legend during the 50th anniversary celebration of Pony Club in 2004.
Spencer first became interested in Pony Club in 1958, when her family lived in Kentucky, where she became acquainted with Margaret Lindsley Warden, from Nashville, TN, and Dinwiddie Lampton, MFH, of the Oldham County Hounds. She co-founded the Anchorage Pony Club near Louisville and worked with the Golden's Bridge Hounds Pony Club in New York, as well as several clubs in Colorado. In each location, Spencer taught riding and Horse Management and organized such fun events as overnight rides and bareback broomstick polo. Her experience, wisdom, indefatigable good humor and unlimited readiness to help out wherever she was asked made her a national Pony Club treasure.
Spencer and her late husband Donald arrived in Denver in 1974, where he was Vice President and Treasurer of the Denver Dry Goods Company. They had four children - all of whom rode and foxhunted. Spencer is survived by Donald Addison (Susan Gould) McLean Jr.USPC C-2; Cynthia Kimball McLean, USPC C-2; Woo (Scott Ownbey) McLean, USPC-A; and Caroline Craig (Frank Stern) McLean; as well as grandchildren James Gould McLean, Donald (Trey) Addison McLean, III (USPC C-3), Eric McLean Stern, Kathryn Spencer Stern, and Celia Craig Ownbey.
Until shortly before her death, Spencer hunted with the Bijou and Arapahoe hunts in Colorado. One of her final adventures was to form the "Red Hat Hunt," whose lady members were all over 75 and 'hunted' gimpy, retired foxhounds on horses all over 25! Coyotes beware!
The family celebrated her exceptional life by hosting a great party in her honor. Spencer would have been pleased by all the laughter!
Donations in her honor may be made to the USPC Ritchie Foxhunting Fund, c/o USPC, 4041 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511, or to the MFHA Hunt Staff Benefit Foundation, Masters of Foxhounds Association, Morven Park, PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646. Friends can contact the family through Cynthia McLean, 801- 251 Cardero St., Vancouver, B.C. V6G2H9, Canada; e-mail Cynthia_McLean@hotmail.com .
Spencer's memoirs, edited by her daughter Cynthia, will be published in the fall.
Spencer's first interest in Pony Club was in 1954 when her family lived in Kentucky and she became acquainted with Margaret Lindsley Warden. She was associated with Anchorage Pony Club near Louisville, Golden's Bridge Hounds Pony Club in New York and several clubs in Colorado. In each location, Spencer taught riding and Horse Management and organized such fun events as overnight rides and bareback broomstick polo. Her experience, wisdom, indefatigable good humor and unlimited readiness to help out wherever she was asked has made her a national Pony Club treasure. She is a lifelong foxhunter, and she has promoted the sport in Pony Club unfailingly. She served on the Horse Mgmt Committee, and she judged Horse Management at hundreds of rallies, both regional and national, until she retired in 2002. Spencer continues to volunteer at many rallies and horse trials. Her positive influence on USPC for over forty years is truly legendary.