Old Salem Farm mourns the passing of Danny Fitzsimmons, the longtime manager of Old Salem’s Winter Series of horse shows. Fitzsimmons passed away on April 23, 2023.
“There really is no way to express what Danny Fitzsimmons meant to Old Salem Farm,” said Scott Hakim, owner and president of Old Salem Farm. “He dedicated his life to our horse shows, and he was the most reliable, loyal, and honorable person you could ever hope to meet. When something needed to be done, he just did it and never looked for a thank you. Making the horse shows a wonderful experience for exhibitors was what he cared about above all else.”
Fitzsimmons would go out of his way to add special touches to exhibitors’ experience at the horse shows. When kids in the pony division were planning their costumes for the Halloween costume class, he would often go to the store and buy some “extra touches” that he’d give them to make their costumes extra special. On Valentine’s Day, he would hand out hearts and candy to the kids. “Danny never put himself first,” Hakim added. “What he cared about most was the exhibitors and especially the kids. If he could do something to make riding in our Winter Series more meaningful, then he would do it. That’s the way he was.”
Old Salem plans to honor Danny with a special tribute where a Classic or an award will be named in his memory. Details will be announced in the near future. “We are taking our time because we want to get input from a lot of people so we can be sure that what we do is the most fitting and meaningful tribute possible,” Hakim said. “I don’t know exactly how we’ll continue on without him, but I do know that Danny Fitzsimmons will always be part of the Old Salem Farm Winter Horse Show Series.”
Source: Press Release
Photo©: SEL Photography
