Longtime Saddlebred trainer and instructor Irvin Kaelin passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2010, at his St. Matthews home in Louisville, KY.

At age 12, Kaelin won the Kentucky Equitation Championship, and a few years later began training and showing horses for the Howell Family at their Indian Hills Stable in Louisville, KY. Upon graduation from St. Xavier High School, Irvin purchased the Indian Hills Riding Academy from the Howells, and eventually instructed his 12-year-old daughter, Ava, to win the same World's Championship Equitation class he had won at the same age.

K.K. Gutridge, a daily visitor to the facilities Kaelin built in Hunting Creek and Bit of Heaven in Prospect, Kentucky, described Kaelin as one of the best horsemen he ever knew. Kaelin trained and showed many young horses to top awards before moving his family to Delray, Florida Training Center in 1972, where he managed breeding operations. The Kaelin family subsequently moved to Texas to develop and manage the Golden Cross Farm for country music singer Ray Price, where Kaelin worked until his retirement.

Upon retiring, Kaelin relocated back to Kentucky, where he attended Kentucky horse shows with his daughter, Ava Whitmore, and good friend and ASHA Director Carl Holden. The last horse show attended by Kaelin was Saturday night of the 2009 Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse show, accompanied by Ava.

Kaelin is survived by his wife, Evelyn; daughter, Ava Kaelin Whitmore (husband Stuart); his son, Dr. Darryl Kaelin (wife Brenna) of Atlanta, GA; and three grandchildren—Audrey, Austin, and Adam.

Please make memorials in memory of Irvin Kaelin to the American Saddlebred Museum, 4083 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, Kentucky, 40511.