Longtime Horseman Dennis Lynch Dies at 68

Longtime horseman Dennis Lynch, a senior account executive with Fasig-Tipton, died May 1 after a long battle with cancer. He was 68. 

"Husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend—he was this to all of us," read a statement released Friday by Lynch's family. "He was also a man of deep faith in God.

"'Let's roll from the quarter pole' is something Dennis said many times when he wanted to get everyone moving in the same direction. Although we were not ready for him to leave us, Dennis was ready to move to heaven."

Lynch was born July 19, 1951, in Ashland, Ky., and graduated from the University of Kentucky. After working for BloodHorse in the pedigree department, running his own bloodstock agency for several years, and assisting with the formation of Barretts Equine Sales in California, he joined Fasig-Tipton in 1995 and became one of the company's lead yearling inspectors, a role he held until his death.

"Dennis had been with us for 25 years and was a tremendous horseman and a tremendous ambassador," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr. "He had unique skills of both getting along with people and identifying really good horses.

"At the end of the day, as good of a horseman as he was, he was an exceptional human being. He was truly a remarkable person in his character. There is no telling how many charitable acts he performed that nobody knows about. He didn't talk about it, but he was just an advocate for those who needed a helping hand. He was a wonderful person, and it's a great loss on many fronts. It's painful, but we're grateful to have known someone like Dennis for so many years."

Lynch wrote in his blog April 18: "I sit here thinking my family is provided for, I come from the greatest Irish Catholic family ever, have more and better friends than anyone, and have had more fun in my lifetime than is imaginable. I say that’s pretty good. I have great resolve in my faith knowing that the eternal reward is what we all strive for."

Lynch is survived by his wife, Susan, and two sons, Barton and Hank.