Bluegrass

Horse trainer overcame prejudices

by | Mar 3, 2016 | Life & Style

Retired horse trainer Herman Benson had much success but it did not come without hardships as racial barriers were overcome.

Retired horse trainer Herman Benson had much success but it did not come without hardships as racial barriers were overcome.

Retired horse trainer Herman Benson lived with and broke through racial barriers in a career that took him from tiny Jewett in East Texas to the ranches of the wealthy in Dallas.

In spite of what he encountered, Benson, 72, who now tends his own horses in Nevada and works as a greeter at Wal-Mart in Wylie, declared, “I had a lot of fun doing what I do.”

The horse trainer went to segregated George Washington Carver High School in Jewett until 1959 when he left school and went to work with a horse trainer named Casey Jones, who was white, cleaning the barn and helping with elite Saddlebred horses.

By Joe Reavis • Staff Writer • [email protected]

For the complete story see the March 3 edition of The Farmersville Times or click here for the e-Edition.

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