SAM | SHIRE | HERMANN, MO

Sam is a black Shire bred by Jenson Shires in Nebraska and trained with Merrill McLaughlin at Hermann Farm Museum. Sam was foaled at Jenson and is the son of Gorgeous, who was the first Shire to live at Hermann Farm.

Hermann Farm Museum seeks to connect visitors to Midwestern rural traditions, including using horses for work. Visitors love to see Jazz and Joy at work, as well as their stablemates — two Missouri mules named Pat and Jane, and a horse named Barbara who “thinks she’s a Shire.”

“Jim Dierberg decided to acquire Shire for the history farm to help save this critically endangered breed. Alliance with Jenson Shires in Nebraska was the answer,” the farm told me. “We work closely with Jensons to do the best for these horses and raise the best examples of the breed.”

This “clever” boy is not ridden but is used as an example of a working horse at Hermann.

“Sam is another fine example of the Shire breed,” his handlers told us. “Sam is generally very people oriented with calm and patient dispositions. He is also very trainable and has an excellent work ethic although he has his own mind sometimes and needs gentle prodding to obey commands. Sam seems to understand what it is to come from noble breeding with the Shire history that goes back to the medieval era.”

There are so many opportunities for picturesque moments at Hermann Farm beyond just our photoshoot, and Sam’s handlers say their favorite moments are watching generations of their horses grow up in this beautiful setting.

“Gorgeous was the first to disembark off the trailer and we have a photo of that first step,” they said. “Raising the foal of the original mare is a wonderful experience and to see them grow like Sam has is remarkable, knowing the mission to perpetuate the breed keeps alive with these yearlings.”