Gene Knowlton
January 2, 1943 - July 18, 2017
Gene was larger than life. Sure, he was a physically imposing man. He could hold a sledgehammer in each hand and swing them alternately. He was generous to a fault, once literally giving a man the shirt off his back. He was a skilled man - raising himself up to become a skilled machinist, leather craftsman, and builder. But those of us a Fjords and Friends knew him best as a horseman.
Gene raised Fjords on his farm in South Carolina, producing Fjords in the "old style” - with big chests and legs. He drove more than he rode, often building his own carriage and wagon. Most of us got to know Gene as he was driving Dan in his black doctor's buggy at Fjord Fest. He gave unstintingly of his time and knowledge, helping anyone who needed a hand, whether it was harnessing, driving, hauling, or managing their horse. He could often be found diagnosing and adjusting chiropractic issues for horses who felt a bit off. And the stories....oh the stories he shared of his life, and his horses left us all admiring him even more.
Gene left us in 2017, the way he did everything - without fanfare or fuss. Those who knew him, and the Fjord community, in particular, continue to miss him.
