The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired a Nation by Elizabeth Letts

Mar 10, 2013 Martin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

There is a great story here, but you won't find it in this book. This author is not a good writer; what else can I say? What a disappointment after all the rave reviews! Chapters were repetitive, even using the same sentimental phrases, flashbacks, and allusions time and time again. The author really could have benefitted from a strong editor. As if the story didn't tell itself, we are told ad nauseum how we ought to feel. In effusive language, we read what a remarkable story we are being told!

H...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Flash Beagle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, 2011-reviews

On an icy morning in February 1956, Harry De Leyer, a Dutch immigrant with a young family, is hoping to buy a horse at auction, but his car breaks down. When he arrives, the only horses left are the "kills" - already loaded onto the truck bound for the slaughter house. The horses are skittish and afraid, they know. Only the beat-up looking gray horse is calm and not taken by the understandable air of desperation.
Harry - himself a survivor of a slaughter house machine - the Nazi occupation of h...more On an icy morning in February 1956, Harry De Leyer, a Dutch immigrant with a young family, is hoping to buy a horse at auction, but his car breaks down. When he arrives, the only horses left are the "kills" - already loaded onto the truck bound for the slaughter house. The horses are skittish and afraid, they know. Only the beat-up looking gray horse is calm and not taken by the understandable air of desperation.
Harry - himself a survivor of a slaughter house machine - the Nazi occupation of his Dutch village - returns home with the worn down horse. His young family happily makes the horse their own, naming him "Snowman" and returning him to good health.
Happy ending of story? No, just the beginning as small discoveries lead to larger ones.
Snowman's gentle nature makes him perfect for small children and he is soon carrying even the most timid of riding students. But it's his stubborn nature and love of jumping that causes him to leap paddock fences. Snowman returns home dragging a car tire and fence railing in his wake, giving Harry the first inkling that this horse likes to jump. However, the usual training does not work - and Snowman trips and stumbles over the smallest obstacles - until Harry discovers that what the horse really likes is not little obstacles but big ones.
This is the most unlikely story - and just as it takes perfect timing and skill to jump 4, 5, 6 foot obstacles - it takes perfect timing of events, and right decisions for the right reasons, to lead Harry from his war ravaged village in Holland to the place where his life and that of his noble horse Snowman intersect and remain forever. It's the kind of story that if it were imaginary would spring from a desire that such things really do exist - where human and animal share an unbreakable bond of trust and loyalty; where money cannot buy everything and is turned down; and where against all odds and with sheer determination a cast-off horse and a hard-working immigrant become a legend. This is the true story of Snowman, told with energy, empathy and illuminated with the turbulent social context reflective of the times.

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Jul 21, 2012 Rachel Lohrman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not just a book, it is a story - a true story - about a man who picked a horse from a truck bound for the slaughter house, purchased him for eighty dollars in 1956, and went on win the National Horse Show open jumper championship at Madison Square Garden in 1958.

The horse, nicknamed Snowman, was an old plow horse - big, gray and gentle. The man, Harry de Leyer, an immigrant from Holland, began using the horse for lessons at an all girls boarding school. He was a gentle, predictable and s...more This is not just a book, it is a story - a true story - about a man who picked a horse from a truck bound for the slaughter house, purchased him for eighty dollars in 1956, and went on win the National Horse Show open jumper championship at Madison Square Garden in 1958.

The horse, nicknamed Snowman, was an old plow horse - big, gray and gentle. The man, Harry de Leyer, an immigrant from Holland, began using the horse for lessons at an all girls boarding school. He was a gentle, predictable and safe ride for the girls, but one they felt proud to surpass for the flashy, higher strung horses in the barn. He tried to teach the horse to jump by asking him to step over poles barely off the ground, but the horse knocked his feet on them every time. A while later, hard times prompted Harry to sell Snowman to a man down the road for $160. But the horse returned to Harry by jumping the pasture fence. This continued day after day until the new owner was so fed up with the 'jumper' that Harry sold him, that Harry bought Snowman back. At one point, the man told Harry he had promised the man a quiet horse and instead sold him an overpriced jumped. Harry responded by saying 'had he known he was a jumper, he would have charged the man more.' Harry put Snowman back in the barn at the school as a lesson horse, but began working with Snowman at jumping. He cleared five-foot fences with little effort at all! Snowman excelled so much and so effortlessly that Harry began entering Snowman in shows - putting the big eighty-dollar gray ex-plow horse up against the country's top horses - lean, expensive, and hot-blooded - and rode Snowman himself. Harry and Snowman were quite a sight, compared to the other riders and owners, and they were laughed at early on. But as the big horse began winning ribbons and trophies, he quickly gained notoriety as the 'Cinderella Horse', and Harry as 'the Flying Dutchman'. Everyone was fascinated with the unlikely pair who rose from nothing to champions in only a few years time.

The book is chocked full of history - of Harry and his life in Holland before coming to America, and of horses - helping readers to understand where Harry came from and what the horse world is really like. It is told in great detail, and the writing is excellent. Elizabeth Letts ties the story together with truth and emotion. But the real story, the one that touched me, is the story of a bond between a horse and the man who chose him because he 'saw something in his eyes'. It is the story of a man who loved and trusted a horse, and a horse who loved and aimed to please the man. It is the story of a horse who flicked his ears back to hear the man speak just before he entered the show ring. The story of a man who jumped a horse on a loose rein to communicate trust to the horse. Of a man who refused to sell the horse after his championship win for a blank check. Of a man who took off his riding clothes after a show and stepped into his coveralls to do chores and care for his home and horses. Of a horse who carried the man's children on his back - three and four at a time - to the beach and swam in the water with them on his back. A horse who continued to earn his keep as a dependable lesson horse, even after he won the highest honor bestowable on a horse. A horse who would run and jump a course -without a rider on his back! A horse who jumped over a ribbon at his retirement celebration at Madison Square Garden, instead of running through it. A horse who whined three times in greeting each morning when the man entered the barn.

And of a horse who, when his time came - after the first morning of his life he had not issued the three whiny greeting - wouldn't move from his stall without the man leading him to take his final breath. And a man so affected by the loss he walked away from the grave and didn't return for two days.

It is a beautiful story of a bond between an animal and a human, which is something we can all relate to. And it is the story of a horse who rose to greatness because of a patient and loving horseman.

Before the Horse Whisperer, or Clinton Anderson, there was Harry de Leyer. His way with horses is legend, and he is still alive today - now known as the 'Galloping Grandfather' - and rides despite falling from a haystack on his head and breaking his back in several places.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Wendy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A decent story of a horse who was rescued from a kill pen truck and turned into a champion show jumper. Sounds like a great read, but it was unfortunately poorly written. While the author obviously did her research, she crammed a lot of unnecessary and irrelevant information in the book. My hard cover copy is 280 pages and could easily have been 180. She also jumps around chronologically so at times I found myself lost. She was very repetitive, constantly reminding the reader of tiny, barely sig...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a free book from the GoodReads First Read Giveaway. It is the story about a four legged hero named Snowman and his owner Harry de Leyer. Not only is it a heart warming story about the special bond between the two but it is also a true story that gives historical facts that are quite interesting (especially if you are from Suffolk County, NY). I highly recommend it to anyone that loves history, a good story and most of all, horses.

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Dec 07, 2012 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: animal lovers

Shelves: 2012-reads, audiobook-e-book, pennsylvania, usa, virginia

I'm no horse jumping guru or even fan, but who can pass up a well-written story about a lovable animal who just missed the knackers? Not me. And I was not disappointed. I looked forward to listening to this audiobook each evening. I had no idea that the famous Flying Dutchman referred to Snowman's rider and owner. The story also chronicles how competitive horse events went from small payouts to large payouts within a couple years.

I recommend to animal-loving readers. Easy read, not very long.

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Jun 11, 2013 Kimberly Comeau rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book because I was interested in the history of the horse, and was disappointed to discover that this book is heavily padded with histories of the Knox (all girls) School, some of the girls who attended the school, the ladies that ran the school; the different structures that housed New York's National Horse Show; the histories of various wealthy horse owners and their clubs; the newspapers and their decline with the advent of television, and even the life story of one of the repor...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Tamara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story of Snowman and Harry is superb, there is no denying that. I have been horse obsessed since I was young, and own an ex-racehorse now, so maybe it is no surprise that I get chills when thinking about Snowman being pulled off the kill truck, when his jumping talent was discovered, or when he won at Madison Square garden. And yet I still found this book to be overly dramatic regarding the relationship between horse and man. Come on, this is a true story not Alec and the Black. I thought Sn...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Kenzie added it · review of another edition

Harry De Leyer saw the horse soon to be named Snowman on a truck ready to become dog food. Harry De Leyer is a Dutch immigrant moving to America to find a better way to raise his soon-to-be family. When he saw Snowman he saw the fire that this flea-bitten horse had and new that he had something special. Harry bought the horse and brought him home and gave him the tender, love and care that this horse needed to be fit and ready to become a lesson horse where Harry worked. All of the kids absolute...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Aliza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just finished reading this book today, and...wow. I'm actually speechless, it was that good. Picking it up, I really didn't expect much, seeing as I'm more into tales of racers than jumpers, but once I started it I was instantly hooked. I mean, the very fact that Harry saves him from a slaughter van speaks miracles from the start. I shudder to think of what would have happened to Snowman if he hadn't given the broken down plow horse a chance, and took him to be a schooling horse to his student...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Marjorie Thelen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This is a true rags-to-riches story about a plow horse saved from the slaughterhouse in 1956 by a Dutch immigrant to the U.S., Harry de Leyer. Harry's kids named the horse Snowman because he had snow all over him when he stepped off the slaughter house truck on their small farm on Long Island, New York. Snowman went on to become in 1958 Horse of the Year, the Professional Horseman’s Association Champion and the Champion of the Madison Square Garden’s Diamond Jubilee. Letts tells the entire story...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First let me say that I read nearly every horse book ever written as a child, every dog book, every raccoon book, every animal book. As an adult, I am still a sucker for a good animal story. And this is a GREAT animal story. I cried when Snowman died (don't worry - of old age) because I had become so attached to the horse. The writing is fine - the author is knowledgable about horses, horse jumping, and adds some nice historical facts about the times, the sport, and horses in America that are fu...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Brenda Knight rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have loved horses my whole life. I read mostly westerns or horse stories right through high school. I can't believe I never heard about this amazing horse. As soon as I read the cover, I knew I HAD to have and read this book. I truely enjoyed the whole story. I really appreciated all of the photographs in the book also. It made me feel as if I knew the characters personally. Harry was an absolute natural with horses. He connected with them on a deeply personal level. I would have loved to watc...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Mirrani rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-and-reviewed

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

The Eighty Dollar Champion is a book that is both easy to explain and hard to describe. It tells the story of the famous horse Snowman and his owner Harry de Leyer who jumped their way into the hearts of Americans in the mid 50’s. The story itself is not unique; a man from another country comes to America and works hard at what he loves, finds a diamond in the rough and together the two of them soar to the stars. In a time where we find bo...more This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

The Eighty Dollar Champion is a book that is both easy to explain and hard to describe. It tells the story of the famous horse Snowman and his owner Harry de Leyer who jumped their way into the hearts of Americans in the mid 50’s. The story itself is not unique; a man from another country comes to America and works hard at what he loves, finds a diamond in the rough and together the two of them soar to the stars. In a time where we find books on Secretariat and Seabiscuit, Snowman would seem like just another one of those S names thrown in to the mix, but the telling of his story is anything but.

Throughout the beginning of the book readers will discover a lot about the horses of America, how they worked, how they served our country and how they suddenly seemed to vanish once the big machines came along. The stories of riding schools and the back history of the jumping circuits fill the pages with interesting information, not often known to the casual fan of equestrian sport. Unfortunately, it also leaves you wondering what happened to this Eighty Dollar Champion and what his role in all of that past could possibly be. That said, though the pages might have felt a little weighted against Snowman in the beginning, I found that somehow balanced the image of Snowman’s life, found on a slaughterhouse truck, a nobody, then proving at the end that he was much more than he seemed.

Once reaching the story of Snowman himself, the reader becomes easily caught up in his story of hope. It is clear that the author not only loves horses, but loves the bonds of a rider and his horse. Much time was spent cherishing the kindness in the hearts of true, kind horsemen, who focus on understanding their horses and being understood rather than on simply being forced to obey. At times I was reminded of reading the Black Stallion or Black Beauty, where the theme is much the same, treat your horse well and he will love you in return, doing all that you ask. It was easy to become lost in days of this pair, suffering their difficulties and sharing their joys. There were many moments that seemed repetitive, but those also seemed to fit with the theme of the book, imitating the rhythm of hoof beats in the ring. Perhaps that was also unintentional, but it felt right, somehow to fall into that familiar rhythm that is so often described from Harry’s point of view.

Though the book could be called a little repetitive and unevenly distributed in places, having the back history in the beginning is helpful for those who did not grow up in the time of Snowman and the repetition will take horse lovers into the arena to fall into the flow of step and jump as easily as the rider flows with the horse. The mention of a movie deal was thrown into the fray at one point in the book, yet we discover nothing ever came of it. I say that maybe the movie, taken from the pages of the Eighty Dollar Champion, can finally be made!

Note: Though this book was given to me as part of an early review program, the content of my review was in no way influenced by the gifting. The book speaks for itself and my review would have been worded just this way even if I'd gone out and bought it. (less)

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Apr 04, 2012 K rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, non-fiction-historical

A few years ago a wonderful history book that read like a novel was published with a horse as the focal point: Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. The book attracted a tremendous following not only by horse racing and horse lovers but many who saw the book as a look back at another time in America. It was even made into a movie that also attracted a number of viewers.

With her new book on the show jumper Snowman Ms. Letts tries to follow a similar path. But while the book uses Sn...more A few years ago a wonderful history book that read like a novel was published with a horse as the focal point: Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. The book attracted a tremendous following not only by horse racing and horse lovers but many who saw the book as a look back at another time in America. It was even made into a movie that also attracted a number of viewers.

With her new book on the show jumper Snowman Ms. Letts tries to follow a similar path. But while the book uses Snowman as the focal point this is really the story of Harry De Leyer, a struggling riding instructor. Snowman was an unwanted four-year old flea-bitten gray plow-horse that Harry buys in 1956 for $80 from a killer wagon to become a lesson horse. Later Harry discovers this very laid-back lesson horse could jump when Snowman keeps leaving pastures to visit his stable. From there we follow the two as they train and move up to the top shows in the country winning events against the fancy horses of the wealthy and powerful owners and riders.

The book focuses on the years of the 1950’s and 1960’s but it also makes quick visits to the 1940’s and World War II to backfill Harry’s story. Before the war Harry showed a knack with working and riding horses in Holland and he aspired to one day ride for his country in the Olympics. During the war Harry and his family struggled to keep farming while quietly working against the Germans. At the end of the war Harry married his sweetheart and immigrated to the United States, sponsored by a family of one of the American soldiers he tried to help during the war. Harry and Johanna arrived to become share croppers and then slowly they entered into the horse trainer business. By 1956 when Snowman makes his appearance Harry is the beloved riding instructor for the very posh Knox School for girls on Long Island NY.

The 1950’s were a time of change and this book takes a look at how those changes were happening through Harry and Snowman. Up to this point horses and showing were the bailiwick of the very rich that could afford the cost of horses and show life. Top hats and evening gowns were the dress of the show audience and our countries teams were made up only of amateurs who had no need to work. But this “Grand Society” life was coming to an end in the late 1950’s with the advent of the cold war and the American worker. And Harry and Snowman were the symbols of that change.

As Ms. Letts notes at one point after Harry and Snowman win at the National Horse Show “Up in the stands, thousands of people – families with children, shopkeepers, police officers, and secretaries – looked down from their perch high up in “heaven,” clapping wildly and uproariously cheering, smitten by the horse who seemed to fly without wings and yet was so firmly anchored to the ground.” And later she writes “Harry and Snowman seemed to capture the pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps approach Americans admired, especially now, with the Cold War threatening those very values.”

The author does a wonderful job of describing America and the changes that were happening in this country. Ms. Letts also gives us historical asides that explain certain events. And as an equestrian she truly knows horses and the language of the business. There might be times where a non-horse person may feel lost in the descriptions of the horse, training or showing but if one sticks with this book the 1950’s and early 1960’s will come alive again. Definitely a read for those who want to visit our country’s past, those who love showing and horses and those who admire the story of someone who through hard work and skill realized the American dream.(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

Snowman was a horse bound for the “glue factory” when Harry de Leyer spotted him. Something in his eyes told Harry that this was no ordinary horse, and Harry knew horses! Although Harry and his family loved Snowman Harry had bigger plans for his riding school and Snowman was after all only an old plough horse, so Harry sold him to a farmer living down the road. Day after day Snowman would return to Harry’s farm. The only way back for him was jumping fences all the way. When he arrived back one m...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Eighty-Dollar champion tells the extraordinary story of Snowman, the most unlikely champion jumping horse you could possibly imagine. Harry de Leyer, a poor, but determined Dutch immigrant, finds him at an auction being loaded onto the slaughter truck. He looks like he could be a reliable and steady lesson horse at Harry's riding school, so Harry takes a chance and buys him. He does turn into a quiet, dependable riding horse and for a year or more that's what Harry thinks he is. Then Harry s...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Peg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I found this book at Costco, I knew I had to buy it. Harry de Leyer is an immigrant who, along with his wife Johanna, left Holland after WWII, having survived the Nazi occupation of their homeland. They came, as did many others, seeking the opportunity and freedom of the United States. Relegated to menial jobs, Harry was eventually able to use his experience and expertise with horses to secure a job as the instructor for equestrian activities at a prestigious girls' school on Long Island.

T...more When I found this book at Costco, I knew I had to buy it. Harry de Leyer is an immigrant who, along with his wife Johanna, left Holland after WWII, having survived the Nazi occupation of their homeland. They came, as did many others, seeking the opportunity and freedom of the United States. Relegated to menial jobs, Harry was eventually able to use his experience and expertise with horses to secure a job as the instructor for equestrian activities at a prestigious girls' school on Long Island.

This true story opens with Harry showing up late for the day's bidding on horses at New Holland, a weekly auction in the PA Dutch country. No horses are left except those that are already loaded into a truck that will take them off to the "glue factory." A "moment" passes between Harry and a big gray waiting in the bed of the van. Although the horse is undernourished and has obviously been used as a plow horse, something pulls at Harry and he offers the driver $80 for the animal. Once back at his small farm on Long island, Harry spends time caring for the horse, healing the sores caused by pulling the plow, trimming his feet that were overgrown and cleaning his coat until it reflected the horse's improving health. Eventually the horse is put to work, as a lesson horse for the girls at the school. Summer comes and the students go home. Harry can't afford to feed the horse while it is not being used, so he sells the animal for $160 to a doctor who has a farm down the road. The horse is thoroughly quiet and perfectly suited to the doctor's child who is just beginning to ride. All is well until the horse starts showing up at Harry's farm. Gates and fences are checked, but ultimately all realize that the big gray horse is jumping the various obstacles and returning to Harry's farm. The new owner is finally ready to be rid of the horse who won't stay where he is put and Harry once again owns the horse who is known as Snowman. As the story unfolds, Snowman becomes, against all odds, a champion open jumper who wins many of the top competitions in the late 1950's and early 60's. He is jumping against horses well known both on the national and international show circuit.

The reason that I had to buy the book, aside from the obvious, is that as a teenager my parents took our family to the Pa National Horse Show every year. This was one of the shows where Snowman competed. I remember seeing him several times, along with one of his arch rivals, Windsor Castle among others. Also the book details the riders and horses that competed for the US and other national equestrian teams. I loved the pageantry and white-knuckled excitement as these beautiful animals soared over the most daunting and seemingly impossible jumps.

The author has written an very interesting book, but is a bit heavy handed when it comes to driving home such themes as the contrast between Snowman, the plow horse, and the highly refined and expensive thoroughbreds that were his competition. She also repeatedly emphasizes the difference between old money and the status of immigrants, as well as Harry's wartime experiences and Snowman's near end after the auction. If the author had been a bit more deft in portraying these very real differences, I would be tempted to give the book a 5 star rating.

A final note: One of the facts that I enjoyed most was that between competitive seasons, Snowman returned to the riding school and was a favorite of so many of the students who were just learning to ride. His calm demeanor and ability to care for his riders, in addition to his fantastic ability to fly over the most daunting fences, made him one of a kind. (less)

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Sep 27, 2011 Sunny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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From my review/blog www.bookinwithsunny.com

When Harry de Leyer arrived at the weekly Holland, Pennsylvania horse auction, he was late. It was February 1956. He had driven through rough weather from Long Island, New York, in a station wagon with bad lights and one tire that had gone flat. The only one left at the auction was “Killer,” the man who waited every week until the auction’s end to buy all the unsold animals. These he’d load onto his truck and take to the slaughterhouse. Harry had...more
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From my review/blog www.bookinwithsunny.com

When Harry de Leyer arrived at the weekly Holland, Pennsylvania horse auction, he was late. It was February 1956. He had driven through rough weather from Long Island, New York, in a station wagon with bad lights and one tire that had gone flat. The only one left at the auction was “Killer,” the man who waited every week until the auction’s end to buy all the unsold animals. These he’d load onto his truck and take to the slaughterhouse. Harry had hoped to buy a good lesson horse, something his students at an exclusive boarding school for girls on Long Island could ride. He spoke briefly to Killer before returning to his car. He could see and hear the nervous movement of the horses in the truck – all but one. Through the slats, a rather pathetic looking gray plow horse calmly watched as Harry passed. Harry paused and looked at the horse looking at him. In those few moments, man and horse connected. Harry went back to speak to “Killer” again.

The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation is a love story like no other. Elizabeth Letts, hooks the reader within the first two pages and she never lets go until the end of this wonderful true story. Snowman, as the gray Amish plow horse would soon be called, was purchased that day for eighty dollars, including delivery. After weeks of good care and nourishment, the gray became the darling of the entire de Leyer family. Harry knew that Snowman was not another Seabiscuit. Speed was not Snowman’s thing. Seabiscuit could run fast, very fast, but what Harry would soon find out was that Snowman could jump, jump high, very high.

How this young Dutch immigrant, coming to the States with his wife in the early 1950s, found his way to become a riding instructor for the daughters of the wealthy at an exclusive boarding school; to buy an old Amish plow horse; and then to have that horse take him into the rarefied equestrian world of show jumping, all the way to the championships at Madison Square Gardens, is pure magic.

Letts takes the reader back to Harry’s youth on a farm in Holland and then through his wartime experiences under Nazi occupation. The author somewhat overplays a link between Harry’s wartime years and Snowman’s possible hardships as a farm horse (we only know that Snowman bore the marks of the plow and that he was in poor physical condition when purchased). Letts could have loosened up on the issue of man and horse sharing the underdog status. But with the author’s strong background as an equestrian, she excels in describing the time and patience that go into producing a jumper. Sometimes a horse is a jumper at heart, as Harry found out when, for financial reasons, he sold the gentle horse to a nearby doctor. On multiple occasions, Snowman found his way back to Harry, having jumped over every fence between the doctor’s farm and Harry’s. de Leyer happily bought him back from the doctor, and he and Snowman would not part again until death. I told you it is a love story.

In describing Harry’s unusual style of jumping, with extremely loose reins, giving it all to the horse, Letts describes the jumping: “This was more than an act of athletic prowess; it was an act of joy.” She also has a gift for choosing just the right word to enlarge and enrich a descriptive passage, as when writing of the grounds of an outdoor show: “The bright green turf field was as neatly groomed as a golf course fairway.” The word “fairway” allows the reader to see the field on a grand scale.

Snowman’s story is not only his, it is also ours as America’s postwar culture shifted into a democratization of the exclusive world of highly bred show jumpers and the equally highly bred equestrians who rode them. Thanks to the plow horse turned jumper, this was also true of the people who were drawn to the sport. If they’d let such a horse compete, then it stood to reason a bloodline should not be required of spectators to cheer from the bleachers. The world was changing. The author’s depictions of high school women of the 1950s are spot-on. It’s easy for the reader to find their way down memory lane when told of Snowman’s picture on Life Magazine and his appearance on the Johnny Carson Show. Snowman was a horse as at home with four of the de Leyer children riding him bareback as he was taking a six-foot fence in the show ring.

Reading this book was a great ride and if we had been in the ring, I’d say Elizabeth Letts went over some high fences. She may have bumped a few rails, but overall she pretty much cleared the course with thrilling form and only a couple of faults. The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation is an ideal book for the equestrian or horseback rider in your family. What, no family? But you love horses? Then The Eighty-Dollar Champion has your name on it.
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Sep 20, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Elder Wirthlin brief story about this horse caught my attention in his April 2006 conference talk. I have remembered the horse's name and searched for more of his story ever since. This new book was just what I was looking for! I really enjoyed it, though it had some faults. It tells the story of the horse and his owner which are both quite fascinating. I loved the many horse shows that were described in detail and the bits of horse riding/training and especially the photos. The facts about the...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Barb added it · review of another edition

Shelves: gave-it-a-try-and-then-gave-up, most-disappointing, new-in-2011, vine

I was very eager to read this story. I thought it was going to be a heart-warming story about a Dutch immigrant and his relationship with the horse he rescued from the knacker.

I should disclose that I am not a horse person but I am an animal lover. I recently read 'Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of the World's Smartest Horse' by Mim Rivas which I loved. And I hoped this would be a similarly heartwarming story about a man and his horse.

Unfortunately what could have been a great story was i...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, animals, adultbooks, earlyreviewers, nonfiction

Oh my! Can I give a book 10 stars?? I loved this one! More even than Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit, I think, and that's saying a lot. This is the true story of Snowman, a plow horse rescued from going on the knacker's truck (literally at the last possible moment) who became a national sensation as the underdog horse who beat out all the expensively bred and trained fancy show horses to become showjumping's Horse of the Year. Twice! I was amazed. The book is not just a horse story, however, but...more Oh my! Can I give a book 10 stars?? I loved this one! More even than Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit, I think, and that's saying a lot. This is the true story of Snowman, a plow horse rescued from going on the knacker's truck (literally at the last possible moment) who became a national sensation as the underdog horse who beat out all the expensively bred and trained fancy show horses to become showjumping's Horse of the Year. Twice! I was amazed. The book is not just a horse story, however, but a beautiful love affair between man and horse; a loving portrait of Harry de Leyer, the Dutch immigrant and World War II survivor who believed in hard work and self-sacrifice and in nurturing horses to their full potential; and a peek into the privileged but rapidly changing East Coast horse show world of the 1950's, where a self-trained unknown "professional" owner/trainer/rider/groom seemed vastly out of place and unlikely to challenge the snooty rich "amateur" riders from large fancy stables. Little did they know! I had heard of Snowman, vaguely, from mentions in the beloved C.W. Anderson horse books I always devoured as a kid, and in passing as I read about other jumpers. But I did not know anything about his story, and it was a pleasure to read such a well-written and extensively researched book on him. I learned a great deal about the showjumping world of the 1950's (Riding helmets? Who needs helmets! Scary thought) as well as Snowman's particular story. To achieve what he did in the show ring was phenomenal enough, but to then go home and be a placid lesson horse for hundreds of girls day in and day out, as well as a beloved family pet to Harry's six children, was extraordinary. I was moved by the beautiful language, kept in suspense during Snowman's intense jumpoffs against formidable opponents, and brought to tears at a key point near the end. And I was thrilled to hear that Harry de Leyer helped greatly in the making of the book, and is still training new riders today, at age 83!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in horses, in rooting for the underdog (underhorse ;-) or in a fascinating look at America in the 1950's in general and the jumping/horse show world in particular. Having read in the book that a movie about Snowman was once in the planning stages but never got made, I sincerely hope that a Hollywood studio snaps this up soon and makes a film that does Harry and Snowman proud. If ever a story belonged on the big screen, this surely is it. Talk about heartwarming and dramatic! But READ THE BOOK! You won't be disappointed. (It goes on sale August 23; I was fortunate to read an advanced copy for LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.)(less)

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Jun 26, 2011 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

Snowman, the Horse that Inspired a Nation is the subtitle of this book but it doesn't tell the whole story. This is also a book about Harry de Leyer, an immigrant from Holland, who arrived in the United States with his wife, $160, and the dream of a better life than was possible in the Nazi occupied country he left. Harry's story is every bit as inspiring as that of Snowman.

The horse show scenes became just a little bit repetitive in telling the champion's tale but then horse shows are for all...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Harry de Leyer needed a good horse, but by the time he fought through the horrendous winter weather, the only horses left at the auction were those on the truck headed to the slaughterhouse. Unwilling to admit defeat, he persuaded the truck driver to let him take a look at the doomed horses loaded in the back. A certain look in the eyes of a neglected plow horse spoke to Harry, and after paying the driver $80 for the horse, Harry took him home. At that point, the horse was named "Snowman" by Har...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted to love this book more than I did, since the story itself is so inspiring and warm. I think it was mostly the back story that turned me off it. I liked learning about Harry's experiences in the war and the world of horse shows before 1960, but it was presented too dramatically for my taste, always with a feel of impending doom. But I loved reading about Harry and his relationship with and belief in his horse Snowman, and about their triumphs and successes together. What a story. And I l...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Natasha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

An enjoyable story about a man who rose from long odds and was able to follow his dreams. Plus, there are horses!

I shamelessly love horses so I was interested in reading this book, especially since I had never heard of Snowman. As I learned in this book, Snowman's fame was during the late 50s and 60s so it made sense that I had never heard of him before. I am very glad someone told Snowman and Harry's story. Letts provides a lot of background information of horses, their riders, and the culture...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Caroline rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-history, sport

I'm a sucker for hard-luck underdog equine stories like Seabiscuit and Secretariat, and this is another that's very much in that vein. It's very moving and uplifting in places, and the early chapters about the fate of broken-down horses, aged work horses, racehorses, jumpers, who nobody had a use for anymore was quite upsetting. That Snowman was saved from such a fate would be enough, but the rest of his story is truly extraordinary.

Snowman was a broken-down plow horse, bought by Dutch immigrant...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Lis Carey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooks, horses, non-fiction

Harry de Leyer was a young Dutch immigrant to the US who came over just after World War II, escaping the devastation of the Netherlands. Before the war, he was a rising young show jumper with a real shot at representing the Netherlands in the Olympics. After the war, he emigrated to the US to start over, hoping to build a career as a horseman despite the losses of the war. Together with his wife Johanna, he carefully, step by step, works his way up from the bottom, working any job with horses th...more Harry de Leyer was a young Dutch immigrant to the US who came over just after World War II, escaping the devastation of the Netherlands. Before the war, he was a rising young show jumper with a real shot at representing the Netherlands in the Olympics. After the war, he emigrated to the US to start over, hoping to build a career as a horseman despite the losses of the war. Together with his wife Johanna, he carefully, step by step, works his way up from the bottom, working any job with horses that he can get, and saving every penny that can be squeezed out to buy their own land. Within a few years, they own their own small farm, and he’s teaching riding at a girls’ school on Long Island, NY.

In 1956, he went to a horse auction and saw a thin, beaten-up old plow horse being loaded on the truck to go to the slaughterhouse. Though he had clearly had a hard life, the gelding was still basically sound, and something about this horse was too compelling for Harry to walk away. He bought the horse for $80, and named him Snowman.

Snowman turned out to be a horse of wonder.

As he regains a healthy weight and his full strength, Snowman proves to be a gentle, reliable horse who could be trusted with young riders. Harry sells him to a local doctor looking for a safe, reliable mount for his young son—but Snowman doesn’t accept the sale. Snowman keeps turning up in Harry’s yard, morning after morning, despite increasingly determined efforts to keep him contained. He’s doing what most horses won’t do: jumping paddock fences to get out of a paddock well-supplied with food and water, and comfortable shelter.

Harry buys him back, and starts teaching him to jump while carrying a rider. It’s the beginning of an amazing story, as the old plow horse is transformed into a champion show jumper, and the working professional horseman becomes one of the show circuit’s most respected riders and trainers. He did at a time when not just the horse world but the sports world in general was still highly stratified, and professionals were regarded as distinctly inferior and not welcome in the rarified upper levels of competition.

This is a fascinating, compelling, and moving story. Harry, Snowman, and Harry’s family are well worth getting to know.

Highly recommended.

I borrowed this book from a friend.(less)

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Mar 08, 2012 Catherine Thompson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, biography

Dutch immigrant Harry de Leyer taught riding at the Knox school for girls in the 1950s. One day, with a budget of $80, he went to a horse auction to buy some schooling horses. He was late, and by the time he got to the auction grounds, everything was closed up. The only person there was the kill buyer, with his load of unwanted horses. One in the truck, a thin dirty grey horse, looked at Harry with big brown eyes that spoke of intelligence and something else. Against his better judgement, Harry...more

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Sep 04, 2012 J rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

A great story to work with here. Sometimes we all need to read something that just feels a little good. In all honesty, you could just look at the cover on this--The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired a Nation--and have a good gist of what is in store for you. However, I enjoyed going deeper into the history. There is a lot of heart, determination, and communication that goes into a sport like horse jumping, so it is nice to read about those times when a rider and a horse c...more

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