September 11, 2025 • 23 mins
Judge Dan Ison and Debbie Holloway Ison share their journey through Kentucky's horse country, from thoroughbred racing dreams to quarter horse breeding and equine therapy programs. Their 36-year marriage has united their complementary passions for horses while building careers in public service, professional speaking, and community development.
- Judge Dan Ison has served as Shelby County Judge Executive for 10 years after 30 years in corporate America
- Debbie has been a professional coach and speaker for 25 years, now focusing on training speakers and women's events
- Debbie rescued her first horse at age 12 when she convinced a farm owner not to put down a paint draft horse
- Judge Ison's childhood dream of owning racehorses was motivated by a teacher telling him it would never happen
- The Isons met at a Derby Festival board meeting almost 40 years ago
- Debbie breeds quarter horses with championship bloodlines for reining competitions
- Judge Ison has owned approximately 15 racehorses throughout his career
- Debbie conducts "Join Up" demonstrations at Horse Sensing to help recovery patients through equine therapy
- Judge Ison rescued two horses including Player, who remained his confidant for 30 years
- Throughout his corporate career, Judge Eisen worked with celebrities including Dolly Parton and John Wayne
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Janette Marson (00:23):
Welcome to Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
I'm Jeanette Marson and I'mMason Warren.
Together, we're uncovering thesecrets, stories and hidden gems
of Shelby County.
Mason Warren (00:32):
Kentucky From unforgettable places to
off-the-beaten-path adventures.
Join us as we explore Kentuckytreasures and Shelby County's
best-kept secrets.
Janette Marson (00:42):
Today's guests are Judge Dan Ison and Debbie
Holloway Ison.
Welcome to Kentucky, hiddenWonders.
We're so glad to have you,thank you.
Dan Ison (00:50):
Thank you, it's great to be here.
Janette Marson (00:52):
Well, I know you both have a lot of things you
do in Shelby County.
But first let's, just one at atime, tell a little bit about
yourself, just a little bit ofbackground, what you're doing
right now, and then we'll getinto the real meat of it.
I wanted to know about yourequine, but first tell me a
little bit about yourself.
Debbie Holloway Ison (01:13):
I've been a professional coach and speaker
for 25 years.
I've retired mostly from thecoaching.
I just trained speakers now andI work with the horses.
I'm getting ready to—I'm notgetting ready to, but my quarter
horse in reigning is gettingready to drop a baby in the next
two or three days, so that'spretty exciting.
So, I'm working with that and Ido women's events.
(01:35):
I've got a women's event in acouple of weeks in Oregon wine
country where women get togetherand talk about women's issues
as it relates to balancing workand personal life and home life,
oh that's.
Janette Marson (01:48):
I knew you were a wonderful speaker and you
traveled all over, but that'swonderful.
So, and then real estate aswell.
Debbie Holloway Ison (01:56):
I've been.
I was in, I've actually been inreal estate for 40 years.
I still have a license.
I don't actively sell now.
I typically refer people tosome really great agents here in
Shelby County.
But I do invest and I flipproperties and I'm getting ready
to plant a subdivision I'mgoing to build.
Janette Marson (02:13):
Oh, that's amazing.
Oh, my goodness, I think Iwould love to sit in one of your
women's, one of the speakerevents that you have for women.
I think it would be wonderful.
Debbie Holloway Ison (02:23):
I would love for you to.
In fact, you can join WomenImpacting Real Estate.
If you go onto Facebook WomenImpacting Real Estate, you can
join that page if you want.
Typically, or someone in mygroup will do something, and
then I'm hopefully going to bedoing a women's event this fall
here.
Oh, my goodness.
Janette Marson (02:40):
Well, I will, and listeners.
There you have it.
We will all be joining thatgroup.
Thank you, judge.
Dan Ison (02:47):
Ison.
Well, I've been the countyjudge here in Shelby County for
the past 10 years.
It's one of the highest honorsI've had.
Life has been very good to me.
I've had very broad-based lifecorporate life, military.
I'm a combat veteran fromVietnam.
Corporate life, military I'm acombat veteran from Vietnam.
Debbie and I met almost 40 yearsago.
(03:09):
It was an interesting meeting.
We were both on Derby Festivalboard and met at that meeting.
We've been married for 34 yearsnow 36.
(03:32):
36.
I was close 36.
And we both have love forhorses and being here in Shelby
County, the saddlebred capitalof the world, they've let a
cowboy and a cowgirl come inDebbie with her quarter horses.
I primarily stay over on theracehorsing side of it.
I've always loved the racetrack, going back to the early 60s
where I was an usher atChurchill Downs and would wipe
seats out.
(03:52):
But I would sit there and thinkI want a racehorse, I want to
be at Churchill Downs.
Well, I've accomplished thatand nothing feels better than to
walk into that winner's circlewith your horse, and our
partners in racing are great.
Debbie and I have a great dealof fun.
I've become very good atmucking stalls and she's become
(04:16):
great at having wonderful babyhorses on the farm.
Janette Marson (04:20):
Oh well, that's wonderful.
I wish it was video because Iwish the listeners could see
your faces.
I know there's more of a storyabout how you two met because I
was watching your faces.
I know there's more of a storyabout how you two met because I
was watching your faces.
But I do want to say when Ifirst started my job here in
tourism, I was so excited tomeet you our first meeting and
you were wonderful.
I knew that you knew marketingand advertising because of your
(04:42):
career.
It was so refreshing to have ajudge executive that knew
exactly what tourism wassupposed to be doing and you
knew marketing, so that wasfantastic.
Dan Ison (04:53):
Well, I spent 30 years in the corporate world working
government relations, communityrelations.
I've been very honored to bewith everybody from Tom Cruise's
mother and I worked together,Dolly Parton, many country stars
.
Mason Warren (05:08):
You worked with Dolly.
Dan Ison (05:09):
Parton, dolly Parton.
I'll tell you a great story.
I was producing a concert.
Dolly had just finished up.
I put her in the limousine andI jumped in and it was a jump
seat and it was on her leg and Ijumped in and she said oh, oh,
you're on my foot.
You're on my foot.
I couldn't get up.
I could not get up.
(05:30):
And finally, I got over footand her husband, Carl, was with
her, and it was the first timeCarl had seen her perform.
And he hit his arm around her.
They were in the corner of thelimousine and she turned to him
and she says was I good tonight?
And he says, honey, you were sowonderful and I'm sitting there
(05:52):
thinking you're the number onefemale country music star.
You couldn't be anything otherthan wonderful, but it was so
great to share those moments.
Debbie Holloway Ison (06:03):
Oh, that's a great story Just what we want
to hear.
Well, he produced that show formany, many years during Derby
Week.
Well, he produced that show formany, many years during Derby
Week and we've met so manycelebrities and politicians and
generals and he's got so manygreat stories.
It was a lot of fun.
Oh, I bet.
Dan Ison (06:20):
Lee Greenwood introduced at my show God Bless
the USA, and he stood on thestage and sung that song to
General Schwarzkopf, who was theguest of Philip Morris at the
Derby.
So many neat things that we'vedone, oh that's amazing.
Mason Warren (06:38):
So you said you kind of got your.
You know you piqued yourinterest in the horse industry
when you were working atChurchill Downs.
Debbie Holloway Ison (06:49):
But how did you, debbie, get?
How did you get started in thehorse world?
Well, as I've said before, whenI was about four years old, I
guess, because there were fourof us kids, we were talking
about what we wanted to be whenwe grew up and I said I want to
be a horse and luckily that didnot work out.
But when I was 12 or 13, afriend of mine at school said
you know, there's a horse farmover the hill, down the road
(07:09):
from where you live, and it wasvery country.
I lived in Middletown and mymom was busy with the other kids
and I thought, well, I'll sneakover there and see.
So I did and there was a hugebarn.
Nobody there, I thought, exceptall these horses.
And I'm just in awe.
And all of a sudden I hear thestall door creak and this man
walks out with a horse.
And I'd always wanted to have ahorse like Scout from the Lone
(07:34):
Ranger Tonto's horse, because hewas white and black.
And he walks out with a horsethat looks just like Scout, only
huge.
He was part draft.
And he's walking towards melike what are you doing here?
And I said, oh my gosh, is thatyour horse?
He said no, I'm getting readyto go put him down.
I said put him down, he goes.
Yeah, he was a companion forone of our thoroughbreds and
(07:55):
that one died, so we're going tokill him too.
And I'm like you can't kill thishorse, I'll take him, give me
your horse.
And I can't imagine what thatman was thinking of a
12-year-old begging for a horse.
And a few minutes later he cameback and I'm just standing
there looking at this huge horseand he goes, all right, look,
you can have him, just leave,don't come back.
And you can't bring him backeither.
(08:16):
And I'm like, okay.
So I'm walking down the road tobring him home and it was
getting dark and I thoughtthat's going to be great.
We've got a barn, even thoughwe've got cows in it, I can make
this work.
And then it dawned on me.
You know, I'm going to have totell my mother when I get there.
So I snuck in the back of thefield, snuck all the way around
the edge, put him in the barn.
You know I'm thinking okay, I'mgoing to say to mom look, they
(08:37):
eat grass.
That doesn't cost anything.
They drink water.
That doesn't cost anything.
He will cost nothing for us tohave him Practice, and then
practice and and get to the backdoor and she's standing there
with her arms crossed.
Did you really think you'd getthat thing in here without
telling me she was so mad?
All I could think of is she'stelling me this isn't going to
work, I've got to take him back.
I said I can't take him back.
(08:57):
I don't want to have to tellher I can't take him back.
Mason Warren (09:01):
But she finally, let me keep him, wow so that's
what started it and you.
Debbie Holloway Ison (09:05):
For a long time I had him.
Well, he was old and he wasfoundered and very large.
I mean you could sit four of us.
Sitting on his back was likesitting on a table.
About six years later he passed.
But I just learned so much fromhim because he was so gentle
and that just started it fromthere and from that point on I
(09:26):
felt like I needed to have ahorse in my life all the time
point on, I felt like I neededto have a horse in my life all
the time.
Janette Marson (09:30):
Oh, and you have , I think.
So you have two very differentequine experiences.
Debbie Holloway Ison (09:39):
I believe Debbie tell us a little bit
about your quarter horses andwhat you do with them.
Well, because I started withPatches, my first horse.
I know he had Draft, I know hehad Quarter Horse, I'm not sure
what all he had in him.
I just fell in love withQuarter Horses, their size,
their agility, the way they werebuilt.
And I stumbled on a horse inVermont on a farm where my
friend lived, and these, therewere two actually, and they were
(10:01):
being neglected.
And she said you know, both ofthese are the daughters of the
most famous reigning horse inAmerica, colonel Smoking Gun.
And I at that point was likeokay, that must be good.
And she said, yeah, we shouldbuy him.
So she bought one, I bought theother for just nothing, brought
her down here and that startedmy breeding for reigning and she
(10:22):
had seven babies.
And now I've got anotherColonel Smoking Gun
granddaughter that I've bred toa vintage smoke for those people
that know reining and she's dueany day now.
So I've bred for many years.
Probably 10 years now I've beenbreeding oh that's amazing.
Mason Warren (10:37):
That is amazing.
I'm always curious where, likehow horses get their names and
things like that, like it always.
Just sometimes it feels likeit's a full sentence.
Debbie Holloway Ison (10:46):
Well, it is because you want to combine
the dam and you want to combinethe sire.
You want both of those names inthere, like, for example, one
of my horses.
I put it on facebook and forpeople to pick out names and the
winning name was gonna stop fora blonde.
Okay, it's a long story, butthere's always different names,
so I have to figure out a namefor this one, okay, and I said
(11:08):
to my granddaughter you know,I'll let you help me name him.
And she said well, let's namehim Jabooty.
I'm like Jabooty it's a made upname that she, as she, used to
play when she was younger.
She'd play this game andJabooty was her friend.
I'm like, well, could we maybethink of something else?
She said, nope, jabooty to do,I've got to make that work with
something you could be doingbusiness as Djibouti.
(11:33):
You call that horse Djibouti.
I'm going to have to come upwith something else.
So we will combine Annie'ssparkling gun with a vintage
smoke.
So if anybody's got an idea ofa name, I haven't decided on one
yet, so you just combine thenames like Annie's sparkling
smoke.
Mason Warren (11:49):
I was going to say like vintage gun of Djibouti or
decided on one yet.
So you just combine the names,like Annie's Sparkling Smoke or
you know.
Yeah, I was going to say likeVintage Gun of Djibouti or
something like that.
So I'm trying to think, I'mtrying to work that in for you,
for your granddaughter.
Debbie Holloway Ison (11:58):
Oh yeah, so I've got to work on a name.
Okay, and when I started withhorses, what got me into really
doing the groundwork with themwas something called Join up.
That I learned many years agofrom a clinic I went to and I do
it now out at horse sensing asa volunteer and any like.
There's a group coming out nextTuesday and a lot of tours will
(12:19):
stop by and if they request it,I can do a join up
demonstration, because horsesare really very much like people
.
People typically don't fight,they flight, they run away from
trouble and they run away fromtheir problems and you have to
get them to want to come and gethelp.
And I work through this processwhere they bring a horse in the
ring that is completely buckingand kicking and running and
(12:41):
wants nothing to do with anyoneand by the time I'm done he is
following me around without ahalter, just following me.
He'll back up with me, he'llwalk forward, and join up is a
wonderful thing to do for horsesto calm them down and bring
them into your herd, becausethey want to be part of your
herd.
They just don't know how.
Mason Warren (13:00):
I've seen you, I've seen a demonstration of
that, when you were at HorseSensing.
There was a bus group that wasout there.
It was fascinating.
I grew up in Shelby County.
Debbie Holloway Ison (13:23):
I did not grow up around horses so I'm
still a little like I'm going tokeep a distance.
And so we got done and this iswhat made me realize this is
something we should do moreoften, because it was the first
time we did it.
We do a one hour meetingafterwards and one of the women
said I felt like Debbie was Godand I was the horse and she was
telling me just come sit with meand you'll be okay, just join
(13:44):
up with me.
And she's crying and saying nowI get it, now I know it's okay
to ask for help and somethinglike that is so deep for someone
in recovery that it's importantfor them to see that you do
this with others and they canconnect.
Janette Marson (13:59):
Oh, that is amazing.
So many things you can dothrough that equine industry
therapy.
And then, Judge Ison you have acompletely different experience
with horses and I am just dyingto know like what was your
first horse?
What got you started in tomaking your Churchill Downs
(14:20):
dreams come true?
Tell us, Tell me the story.
What was that path?
Dan Ison (14:23):
Yes, there's a couple of parts of it.
When I was I want to say fouror five years old there was a
racetrack in Louisville calledDouglas Park and at Douglas Park
was a racehorse that was namedSergeant Bill.
I would go over morning andgive a sugar cube to Sergeant
Bill and he and I took up and Iloved Sergeant Bill.
(14:46):
There was a racetrack fire.
Sergeant Bill died in that fire.
Bill, there was a racetrackfire.
Sergeant Bill died in that fireand it was very emotional as
four-year-old to five-year-oldto lose my horse, but it showed
the love I had for horses.
In about the sixth grade I wasin school, the teacher said what
(15:06):
do you want to be when you growup?
I said I want to own aracehorse farm.
And the teacher said and it wasone of the greatest motivations
I've ever had be realistic,danny, you'll never have a horse
farm.
That drove me to have my horsefarm.
(15:27):
It drove me to have my horses.
I've had probably 15 racehorses.
I love the track.
I worked on the racetrack forfour years.
I was the track photographer inwhat was called the film patrol
when you see the running of arace.
I used to take those movies Nowto show my age.
(15:47):
It was 16-millimeter film thatI did this with, but I was going
to be a professionalphotographer on the races.
I was traveling all theKentucky circuit.
I was getting ready to go toFlorida for the winter, for the
circuit, and Uncle Sam said I'drather you come to Vietnam.
I joined the Air Force with theunderstanding I'd go to
(16:09):
photography school.
I got out of the basic trainingand they said you're going to
be a policeman and I told theassignment sergeant.
I said I'm a photographer, I'msupposed to be taking pictures
and I'll never forget.
He said, son, we don't needpeople to take pictures of this
war, we need people to fight it.
(16:29):
That ended my working career,but I still wanted to have
horses.
Debbie and I got married.
We came out here and bought afarm.
I had rescued a horse.
I went to buy equipment for afarm and I found two horses in
(16:50):
10 by 10 stalls that were notbeing treated properly and I
said to the lady I said can Ibuy that horse?
She said you have to buy themboth.
I said I don't want two horses,I just would like this one.
She said if you're going to buythem, you have to buy them both
.
And I thought, okay, I'll do it.
And I rescued them both, both.
And I thought, okay, I'll do it.
And I rescued them both and Icalled Debbie and I said I need
(17:18):
some help.
She said what'd you buy?
I said I bought two horses.
She said you went to buypitchforks.
I know, but I bought thesehorses and I don't know how to
get them home.
So we literally walked thesehorses two miles to get them
home.
One of them was an appendixwhich is part thoroughbred, part
quarter horse.
Player was his name.
(17:39):
Player and I became dearfriends.
If I had a problem I went tothe barn and Player and I talked
.
I had promised Player, as longas I was alive Player would have
a good home.
Player passed away about a yearago.
We hadn't played for 30 years.
Mason Warren (17:59):
Oh, wow, wow.
Dan Ison (18:00):
And to this day, when I walk to the barn, I can see
Player with his head hung overthe stall saying where you been.
Mason Warren (18:08):
Yeah.
Dan Ison (18:08):
But horses, as Debbie says, they can mean so much in
your life.
Player, gave me somebody toconfide in, somebody that I
could go out and say it's been areally bad day.
Player, how are you doing?
Yeah, that's the enjoyment ofour horses.
Now I've got a three-year-oldthat's on the racetrack.
(18:32):
Partners and I are gettingready to take it out to
Churchill, get him all certifiedand we'll probably take him to
California.
I've always wanted to race inCalifornia and California has a
wonderful deal they will pay ourshipping costs for our
thoroughbred, really, and thefirst race we run in, if we win,
(18:54):
they will add 40% to the purse.
So $100,000 race becomes$140,000 race.
Mason Warren (19:01):
Wow.
Dan Ison (19:02):
I can't wait to fly to California to see my horse run.
Janette Marson (19:06):
I bet, oh my goodness, so have you ever had a
horse in the Kentucky Derby?
Dan Ison (19:13):
I haven't gotten there .
That's always a horse owner'sdream.
I have been in a movie.
I was at a bed part where Istood in the winner's circle
with the Derby trophy, andthat's as close as I've come to
a Derby horse.
Janette Marson (19:29):
Oh well, I say it's in your future.
I definitely and shame on thatteacher, some people that would
break somebody.
You know if you're inelementary school to hear that.
But I'm so glad that it firedyou up to make your dream come
true.
Dan Ison (19:44):
Best motivation I've ever had.
Janette Marson (19:47):
A lot of times people will be discouraging and
it will motivate me as well.
But yeah, I'm so glad it didn'tdiscourage you.
Is there anything that you havenot told that a hidden secret
not a secret, but a hidden factor something that you have
always wanted people to knowabout you?
So I was very interested aboutthe Tom Cruise story and the
(20:09):
Dolly Parton.
That was wonderful.
Maybe something nowCalifornia's coming up.
Anything else that's big foreither one of you.
Debbie Holloway Ison (20:17):
Well, I will say and I don't know, I'm
pretty sure everyone here knowsthis he is a huge John Wayne fan
.
If you go in his office at thecourthouse, he's got more John
Wayne sayings.
Go in his office at thecourthouse, he's got more John
Wayne sayings.
I won't repeat some of them.
He loves everything, John Wayne.
(20:42):
We've got a cutout, stand-up,full-size cardboard image of
John Wayne in the basement.
He's just a huge, huge JohnWayne fan.
Janette Marson (20:46):
Well, so the question is did you ever meet
John Wayne?
I did meet John Wayne.
Okay, there we go.
Dan Ison (20:51):
And it was so interesting.
I'm standing out at a countryclub under a tree having a
bourbon, when a friend bringsJohn up and introduces me and I
said Mr Wayne, it's such anhonor to meet you.
He said please call me JohnWayne and I said no, mr John
(21:13):
Wayne.
Debbie Holloway Ison (21:14):
He said call me John.
He's like okay, Mr John Wayne.
Dan Ison (21:19):
And we stood there and I said, john, nobody's going to
believe that I stood inKentucky drinking bourbon with
John Wayne.
I said can I get a picture?
He said how you want to pose it.
I said, man, just stand besideme, don't move.
But his philosophy that heconveyed in the movies is
(21:42):
something that I truly love.
I was giving a speech the othernight when we're talking about
roads in Shelby County andaccidents that were occurring
and I said I must quote JohnWayne when I make this statement
you just can't fix stupid.
So you know we can repair theroad, but if you're going to
(22:05):
drive down the road with youriPhone up and you're trying to
text, it just can't fix stupid.
Janette Marson (22:13):
Well, we could end right there.
Thank you both for being on ourprogram, kentucky Hidden
Wonders and Debbie, thank youfor all that you do for therapy
for the women of the UnitedStates, not just here in Shelby
County.
And Judge Ison, I can't tellyou thanks enough for being a
great judge, for leading ourcounty, for making us prosperous
(22:35):
, for being a friend, for mebeing able to talk to you and
Mason as well.
Dan Ison (22:40):
We adore you both and thank you so much for being on
the show.
Thank you, it was an honor.
Mason Warren (22:48):
Kentucky Hidden Wonders is a Shelby KY Tourism
production.
Your hosts are Janet Marcy andMason Warren.
To learn is a Shelby KY Tourismproduction.
Your hosts are Janet Marson andMason Moore.
To learn more about Shelby KYTourism and to start planning a
visit, head to visitshelbykycom.
Welcome to Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
I'm Jeanette Marson and I'mMason Warren.
Together, we're uncovering thesecrets, stories and hidden gems
of Shelby County.
Mason Warren (00:32):
Kentucky From unforgettable places to
off-the-beaten-path adventures.
Join us as we explore Kentuckytreasures and Shelby County's
best-kept secrets.
Janette Marson (00:42):
Today's guests are Judge Dan Ison and Debbie
Holloway Ison.
Welcome to Kentucky, hiddenWonders.
We're so glad to have you,thank you.
Dan Ison (00:50):
Thank you, it's great to be here.
Janette Marson (00:52):
Well, I know you both have a lot of things you
do in Shelby County.
But first let's, just one at atime, tell a little bit about
yourself, just a little bit ofbackground, what you're doing
right now, and then we'll getinto the real meat of it.
I wanted to know about yourequine, but first tell me a
little bit about yourself.
Debbie Holloway Ison (01:13):
I've been a professional coach and speaker
for 25 years.
I've retired mostly from thecoaching.
I just trained speakers now andI work with the horses.
I'm getting ready to—I'm notgetting ready to, but my quarter
horse in reigning is gettingready to drop a baby in the next
two or three days, so that'spretty exciting.
So, I'm working with that and Ido women's events.
(01:35):
I've got a women's event in acouple of weeks in Oregon wine
country where women get togetherand talk about women's issues
as it relates to balancing workand personal life and home life,
oh that's.
Janette Marson (01:48):
I knew you were a wonderful speaker and you
traveled all over, but that'swonderful.
So, and then real estate aswell.
Debbie Holloway Ison (01:56):
I've been.
I was in, I've actually been inreal estate for 40 years.
I still have a license.
I don't actively sell now.
I typically refer people tosome really great agents here in
Shelby County.
But I do invest and I flipproperties and I'm getting ready
to plant a subdivision I'mgoing to build.
Janette Marson (02:13):
Oh, that's amazing.
Oh, my goodness, I think Iwould love to sit in one of your
women's, one of the speakerevents that you have for women.
I think it would be wonderful.
Debbie Holloway Ison (02:23):
I would love for you to.
In fact, you can join WomenImpacting Real Estate.
If you go onto Facebook WomenImpacting Real Estate, you can
join that page if you want.
Typically, or someone in mygroup will do something, and
then I'm hopefully going to bedoing a women's event this fall
here.
Oh, my goodness.
Janette Marson (02:40):
Well, I will, and listeners.
There you have it.
We will all be joining thatgroup.
Thank you, judge.
Dan Ison (02:47):
Ison.
Well, I've been the countyjudge here in Shelby County for
the past 10 years.
It's one of the highest honorsI've had.
Life has been very good to me.
I've had very broad-based lifecorporate life, military.
I'm a combat veteran fromVietnam.
Corporate life, military I'm acombat veteran from Vietnam.
Debbie and I met almost 40 yearsago.
(03:09):
It was an interesting meeting.
We were both on Derby Festivalboard and met at that meeting.
We've been married for 34 yearsnow 36.
(03:32):
36.
I was close 36.
And we both have love forhorses and being here in Shelby
County, the saddlebred capitalof the world, they've let a
cowboy and a cowgirl come inDebbie with her quarter horses.
I primarily stay over on theracehorsing side of it.
I've always loved the racetrack, going back to the early 60s
where I was an usher atChurchill Downs and would wipe
seats out.
(03:52):
But I would sit there and thinkI want a racehorse, I want to
be at Churchill Downs.
Well, I've accomplished thatand nothing feels better than to
walk into that winner's circlewith your horse, and our
partners in racing are great.
Debbie and I have a great dealof fun.
I've become very good atmucking stalls and she's become
(04:16):
great at having wonderful babyhorses on the farm.
Janette Marson (04:20):
Oh well, that's wonderful.
I wish it was video because Iwish the listeners could see
your faces.
I know there's more of a storyabout how you two met because I
was watching your faces.
I know there's more of a storyabout how you two met because I
was watching your faces.
But I do want to say when Ifirst started my job here in
tourism, I was so excited tomeet you our first meeting and
you were wonderful.
I knew that you knew marketingand advertising because of your
(04:42):
career.
It was so refreshing to have ajudge executive that knew
exactly what tourism wassupposed to be doing and you
knew marketing, so that wasfantastic.
Dan Ison (04:53):
Well, I spent 30 years in the corporate world working
government relations, communityrelations.
I've been very honored to bewith everybody from Tom Cruise's
mother and I worked together,Dolly Parton, many country stars
.
Mason Warren (05:08):
You worked with Dolly.
Dan Ison (05:09):
Parton, dolly Parton.
I'll tell you a great story.
I was producing a concert.
Dolly had just finished up.
I put her in the limousine andI jumped in and it was a jump
seat and it was on her leg and Ijumped in and she said oh, oh,
you're on my foot.
You're on my foot.
I couldn't get up.
I could not get up.
(05:30):
And finally, I got over footand her husband, Carl, was with
her, and it was the first timeCarl had seen her perform.
And he hit his arm around her.
They were in the corner of thelimousine and she turned to him
and she says was I good tonight?
And he says, honey, you were sowonderful and I'm sitting there
(05:52):
thinking you're the number onefemale country music star.
You couldn't be anything otherthan wonderful, but it was so
great to share those moments.
Debbie Holloway Ison (06:03):
Oh, that's a great story Just what we want
to hear.
Well, he produced that show formany, many years during Derby
Week.
Well, he produced that show formany, many years during Derby
Week and we've met so manycelebrities and politicians and
generals and he's got so manygreat stories.
It was a lot of fun.
Oh, I bet.
Dan Ison (06:20):
Lee Greenwood introduced at my show God Bless
the USA, and he stood on thestage and sung that song to
General Schwarzkopf, who was theguest of Philip Morris at the
Derby.
So many neat things that we'vedone, oh that's amazing.
Mason Warren (06:38):
So you said you kind of got your.
You know you piqued yourinterest in the horse industry
when you were working atChurchill Downs.
Debbie Holloway Ison (06:49):
But how did you, debbie, get?
How did you get started in thehorse world?
Well, as I've said before, whenI was about four years old, I
guess, because there were fourof us kids, we were talking
about what we wanted to be whenwe grew up and I said I want to
be a horse and luckily that didnot work out.
But when I was 12 or 13, afriend of mine at school said
you know, there's a horse farmover the hill, down the road
(07:09):
from where you live, and it wasvery country.
I lived in Middletown and mymom was busy with the other kids
and I thought, well, I'll sneakover there and see.
So I did and there was a hugebarn.
Nobody there, I thought, exceptall these horses.
And I'm just in awe.
And all of a sudden I hear thestall door creak and this man
walks out with a horse.
And I'd always wanted to have ahorse like Scout from the Lone
(07:34):
Ranger Tonto's horse, because hewas white and black.
And he walks out with a horsethat looks just like Scout, only
huge.
He was part draft.
And he's walking towards melike what are you doing here?
And I said, oh my gosh, is thatyour horse?
He said no, I'm getting readyto go put him down.
I said put him down, he goes.
Yeah, he was a companion forone of our thoroughbreds and
(07:55):
that one died, so we're going tokill him too.
And I'm like you can't kill thishorse, I'll take him, give me
your horse.
And I can't imagine what thatman was thinking of a
12-year-old begging for a horse.
And a few minutes later he cameback and I'm just standing
there looking at this huge horseand he goes, all right, look,
you can have him, just leave,don't come back.
And you can't bring him backeither.
(08:16):
And I'm like, okay.
So I'm walking down the road tobring him home and it was
getting dark and I thoughtthat's going to be great.
We've got a barn, even thoughwe've got cows in it, I can make
this work.
And then it dawned on me.
You know, I'm going to have totell my mother when I get there.
So I snuck in the back of thefield, snuck all the way around
the edge, put him in the barn.
You know I'm thinking okay, I'mgoing to say to mom look, they
(08:37):
eat grass.
That doesn't cost anything.
They drink water.
That doesn't cost anything.
He will cost nothing for us tohave him Practice, and then
practice and and get to the backdoor and she's standing there
with her arms crossed.
Did you really think you'd getthat thing in here without
telling me she was so mad?
All I could think of is she'stelling me this isn't going to
work, I've got to take him back.
I said I can't take him back.
(08:57):
I don't want to have to tellher I can't take him back.
Mason Warren (09:01):
But she finally, let me keep him, wow so that's
what started it and you.
Debbie Holloway Ison (09:05):
For a long time I had him.
Well, he was old and he wasfoundered and very large.
I mean you could sit four of us.
Sitting on his back was likesitting on a table.
About six years later he passed.
But I just learned so much fromhim because he was so gentle
and that just started it fromthere and from that point on I
(09:26):
felt like I needed to have ahorse in my life all the time
point on, I felt like I neededto have a horse in my life all
the time.
Janette Marson (09:30):
Oh, and you have , I think.
So you have two very differentequine experiences.
Debbie Holloway Ison (09:39):
I believe Debbie tell us a little bit
about your quarter horses andwhat you do with them.
Well, because I started withPatches, my first horse.
I know he had Draft, I know hehad Quarter Horse, I'm not sure
what all he had in him.
I just fell in love withQuarter Horses, their size,
their agility, the way they werebuilt.
And I stumbled on a horse inVermont on a farm where my
friend lived, and these, therewere two actually, and they were
(10:01):
being neglected.
And she said you know, both ofthese are the daughters of the
most famous reigning horse inAmerica, colonel Smoking Gun.
And I at that point was likeokay, that must be good.
And she said, yeah, we shouldbuy him.
So she bought one, I bought theother for just nothing, brought
her down here and that startedmy breeding for reigning and she
(10:22):
had seven babies.
And now I've got anotherColonel Smoking Gun
granddaughter that I've bred toa vintage smoke for those people
that know reining and she's dueany day now.
So I've bred for many years.
Probably 10 years now I've beenbreeding oh that's amazing.
Mason Warren (10:37):
That is amazing.
I'm always curious where, likehow horses get their names and
things like that, like it always.
Just sometimes it feels likeit's a full sentence.
Debbie Holloway Ison (10:46):
Well, it is because you want to combine
the dam and you want to combinethe sire.
You want both of those names inthere, like, for example, one
of my horses.
I put it on facebook and forpeople to pick out names and the
winning name was gonna stop fora blonde.
Okay, it's a long story, butthere's always different names,
so I have to figure out a namefor this one, okay, and I said
(11:08):
to my granddaughter you know,I'll let you help me name him.
And she said well, let's namehim Jabooty.
I'm like Jabooty it's a made upname that she, as she, used to
play when she was younger.
She'd play this game andJabooty was her friend.
I'm like, well, could we maybethink of something else?
She said, nope, jabooty to do,I've got to make that work with
something you could be doingbusiness as Djibouti.
(11:33):
You call that horse Djibouti.
I'm going to have to come upwith something else.
So we will combine Annie'ssparkling gun with a vintage
smoke.
So if anybody's got an idea ofa name, I haven't decided on one
yet, so you just combine thenames like Annie's sparkling
smoke.
Mason Warren (11:49):
I was going to say like vintage gun of Djibouti or
decided on one yet.
So you just combine the names,like Annie's Sparkling Smoke or
you know.
Yeah, I was going to say likeVintage Gun of Djibouti or
something like that.
So I'm trying to think, I'mtrying to work that in for you,
for your granddaughter.
Debbie Holloway Ison (11:58):
Oh yeah, so I've got to work on a name.
Okay, and when I started withhorses, what got me into really
doing the groundwork with themwas something called Join up.
That I learned many years agofrom a clinic I went to and I do
it now out at horse sensing asa volunteer and any like.
There's a group coming out nextTuesday and a lot of tours will
(12:19):
stop by and if they request it,I can do a join up
demonstration, because horsesare really very much like people
.
People typically don't fight,they flight, they run away from
trouble and they run away fromtheir problems and you have to
get them to want to come and gethelp.
And I work through this processwhere they bring a horse in the
ring that is completely buckingand kicking and running and
(12:41):
wants nothing to do with anyoneand by the time I'm done he is
following me around without ahalter, just following me.
He'll back up with me, he'llwalk forward, and join up is a
wonderful thing to do for horsesto calm them down and bring
them into your herd, becausethey want to be part of your
herd.
They just don't know how.
Mason Warren (13:00):
I've seen you, I've seen a demonstration of
that, when you were at HorseSensing.
There was a bus group that wasout there.
It was fascinating.
I grew up in Shelby County.
Debbie Holloway Ison (13:23):
I did not grow up around horses so I'm
still a little like I'm going tokeep a distance.
And so we got done and this iswhat made me realize this is
something we should do moreoften, because it was the first
time we did it.
We do a one hour meetingafterwards and one of the women
said I felt like Debbie was Godand I was the horse and she was
telling me just come sit with meand you'll be okay, just join
(13:44):
up with me.
And she's crying and saying nowI get it, now I know it's okay
to ask for help and somethinglike that is so deep for someone
in recovery that it's importantfor them to see that you do
this with others and they canconnect.
Janette Marson (13:59):
Oh, that is amazing.
So many things you can dothrough that equine industry
therapy.
And then, Judge Ison you have acompletely different experience
with horses and I am just dyingto know like what was your
first horse?
What got you started in tomaking your Churchill Downs
(14:20):
dreams come true?
Tell us, Tell me the story.
What was that path?
Dan Ison (14:23):
Yes, there's a couple of parts of it.
When I was I want to say fouror five years old there was a
racetrack in Louisville calledDouglas Park and at Douglas Park
was a racehorse that was namedSergeant Bill.
I would go over morning andgive a sugar cube to Sergeant
Bill and he and I took up and Iloved Sergeant Bill.
(14:46):
There was a racetrack fire.
Sergeant Bill died in that fire.
Bill, there was a racetrackfire.
Sergeant Bill died in that fireand it was very emotional as
four-year-old to five-year-oldto lose my horse, but it showed
the love I had for horses.
In about the sixth grade I wasin school, the teacher said what
(15:06):
do you want to be when you growup?
I said I want to own aracehorse farm.
And the teacher said and it wasone of the greatest motivations
I've ever had be realistic,danny, you'll never have a horse
farm.
That drove me to have my horsefarm.
(15:27):
It drove me to have my horses.
I've had probably 15 racehorses.
I love the track.
I worked on the racetrack forfour years.
I was the track photographer inwhat was called the film patrol
when you see the running of arace.
I used to take those movies Nowto show my age.
(15:47):
It was 16-millimeter film thatI did this with, but I was going
to be a professionalphotographer on the races.
I was traveling all theKentucky circuit.
I was getting ready to go toFlorida for the winter, for the
circuit, and Uncle Sam said I'drather you come to Vietnam.
I joined the Air Force with theunderstanding I'd go to
(16:09):
photography school.
I got out of the basic trainingand they said you're going to
be a policeman and I told theassignment sergeant.
I said I'm a photographer, I'msupposed to be taking pictures
and I'll never forget.
He said, son, we don't needpeople to take pictures of this
war, we need people to fight it.
(16:29):
That ended my working career,but I still wanted to have
horses.
Debbie and I got married.
We came out here and bought afarm.
I had rescued a horse.
I went to buy equipment for afarm and I found two horses in
(16:50):
10 by 10 stalls that were notbeing treated properly and I
said to the lady I said can Ibuy that horse?
She said you have to buy themboth.
I said I don't want two horses,I just would like this one.
She said if you're going to buythem, you have to buy them both
.
And I thought, okay, I'll do it.
And I rescued them both, both.
And I thought, okay, I'll do it.
And I rescued them both and Icalled Debbie and I said I need
(17:18):
some help.
She said what'd you buy?
I said I bought two horses.
She said you went to buypitchforks.
I know, but I bought thesehorses and I don't know how to
get them home.
So we literally walked thesehorses two miles to get them
home.
One of them was an appendixwhich is part thoroughbred, part
quarter horse.
Player was his name.
(17:39):
Player and I became dearfriends.
If I had a problem I went tothe barn and Player and I talked
.
I had promised Player, as longas I was alive Player would have
a good home.
Player passed away about a yearago.
We hadn't played for 30 years.
Mason Warren (17:59):
Oh, wow, wow.
Dan Ison (18:00):
And to this day, when I walk to the barn, I can see
Player with his head hung overthe stall saying where you been.
Mason Warren (18:08):
Yeah.
Dan Ison (18:08):
But horses, as Debbie says, they can mean so much in
your life.
Player, gave me somebody toconfide in, somebody that I
could go out and say it's been areally bad day.
Player, how are you doing?
Yeah, that's the enjoyment ofour horses.
Now I've got a three-year-oldthat's on the racetrack.
(18:32):
Partners and I are gettingready to take it out to
Churchill, get him all certifiedand we'll probably take him to
California.
I've always wanted to race inCalifornia and California has a
wonderful deal they will pay ourshipping costs for our
thoroughbred, really, and thefirst race we run in, if we win,
(18:54):
they will add 40% to the purse.
So $100,000 race becomes$140,000 race.
Mason Warren (19:01):
Wow.
Dan Ison (19:02):
I can't wait to fly to California to see my horse run.
Janette Marson (19:06):
I bet, oh my goodness, so have you ever had a
horse in the Kentucky Derby?
Dan Ison (19:13):
I haven't gotten there .
That's always a horse owner'sdream.
I have been in a movie.
I was at a bed part where Istood in the winner's circle
with the Derby trophy, andthat's as close as I've come to
a Derby horse.
Janette Marson (19:29):
Oh well, I say it's in your future.
I definitely and shame on thatteacher, some people that would
break somebody.
You know if you're inelementary school to hear that.
But I'm so glad that it firedyou up to make your dream come
true.
Dan Ison (19:44):
Best motivation I've ever had.
Janette Marson (19:47):
A lot of times people will be discouraging and
it will motivate me as well.
But yeah, I'm so glad it didn'tdiscourage you.
Is there anything that you havenot told that a hidden secret
not a secret, but a hidden factor something that you have
always wanted people to knowabout you?
So I was very interested aboutthe Tom Cruise story and the
(20:09):
Dolly Parton.
That was wonderful.
Maybe something nowCalifornia's coming up.
Anything else that's big foreither one of you.
Debbie Holloway Ison (20:17):
Well, I will say and I don't know, I'm
pretty sure everyone here knowsthis he is a huge John Wayne fan
.
If you go in his office at thecourthouse, he's got more John
Wayne sayings.
Go in his office at thecourthouse, he's got more John
Wayne sayings.
I won't repeat some of them.
He loves everything, John Wayne.
(20:42):
We've got a cutout, stand-up,full-size cardboard image of
John Wayne in the basement.
He's just a huge, huge JohnWayne fan.
Janette Marson (20:46):
Well, so the question is did you ever meet
John Wayne?
I did meet John Wayne.
Okay, there we go.
Dan Ison (20:51):
And it was so interesting.
I'm standing out at a countryclub under a tree having a
bourbon, when a friend bringsJohn up and introduces me and I
said Mr Wayne, it's such anhonor to meet you.
He said please call me JohnWayne and I said no, mr John
(21:13):
Wayne.
Debbie Holloway Ison (21:14):
He said call me John.
He's like okay, Mr John Wayne.
Dan Ison (21:19):
And we stood there and I said, john, nobody's going to
believe that I stood inKentucky drinking bourbon with
John Wayne.
I said can I get a picture?
He said how you want to pose it.
I said, man, just stand besideme, don't move.
But his philosophy that heconveyed in the movies is
(21:42):
something that I truly love.
I was giving a speech the othernight when we're talking about
roads in Shelby County andaccidents that were occurring
and I said I must quote JohnWayne when I make this statement
you just can't fix stupid.
So you know we can repair theroad, but if you're going to
(22:05):
drive down the road with youriPhone up and you're trying to
text, it just can't fix stupid.
Janette Marson (22:13):
Well, we could end right there.
Thank you both for being on ourprogram, kentucky Hidden
Wonders and Debbie, thank youfor all that you do for therapy
for the women of the UnitedStates, not just here in Shelby
County.
And Judge Ison, I can't tellyou thanks enough for being a
great judge, for leading ourcounty, for making us prosperous
(22:35):
, for being a friend, for mebeing able to talk to you and
Mason as well.
Dan Ison (22:40):
We adore you both and thank you so much for being on
the show.
Thank you, it was an honor.
Mason Warren (22:48):
Kentucky Hidden Wonders is a Shelby KY Tourism
production.
Your hosts are Janet Marcy andMason Warren.
To learn is a Shelby KY Tourismproduction.
Your hosts are Janet Marson andMason Moore.
To learn more about Shelby KYTourism and to start planning a
visit, head to visitshelbykycom.
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