Turtle Pond Farm's Marty Hershe, a longtime Florida breeder, passed away Oct. 3 at age 92. A memorial service was held recently at Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. in Ocala, Fla.
Hershe was a part of Florida's Thoroughbred industry since the 1960s. He managed Bruce Campbell's Early Bird Stud for 17 years. When Campbell died in 1977, he bequeathed Early Bird Stud to Hershe. In 1982, Hershe established his own Early Bird Stud, which was primarily a training operation.
Marty married his wife, Carol, in 1985, sold the original Early Bird Stud, and opened a smaller farm. In 2000, the Hershes changed the name of the operation from Early Bird Stud to Turtle Pond Farm, so named because of a pond on the property with a large population of turtles.
The Hershes bred Florida millionaire and graded stakes winner Dry Martini, an earner of more than $1.3 million, as well as graded stakes winner Leroy S., and additional stakes winners Christmas Country, Best Game, Nobel Novice, and Country Duke. Most recently, Jewel of a Cat, a Florida-bred daughter of Wildcat Heir bred by the Hershes, won the Coronation Cup Stakes at Saratoga in August.