When the “Catching Fire” horses trotted their way into the Capitol pulling the carriage holding Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, most residents and students were unaware of just how close to home these horses galloped.
The two horses, named Tristan and Dieuwe, reside in Lady Lake, Fla., a town a little less than 70 miles away from Gainesville, at the Grand Oaks Resort and Museum in southern Marion County.
Susan Kelly, director of marketing and special events for Grand Oaks, said the two were among about 17 other horses picked to star in the movie and were recruited about two years ago.
Tristan and Dieuwe won over the directors with their showmanship and flair, Kelly said, and were given the privilege to pull the carriage for Lawrence and Hutcherson.
“They’re very calm, and their flashiness caught the director’s eye,” she said. “And that’s when they said ‘These are the two horses we need to use for Katniss and Peeta.’”
Kelly said the horses, who stand at about 6 feet tall, have no film training but were bred to pull carriages and compete in dressage, giving them an edge over other horse breeds.
“They have a beautiful gait, and that’s what the filmmakers were looking for,” she said. “It was exciting to see them in the movie. Everyone here has seen it, and we’re like, ‘Oh my God, those are our boys!’”
Kelly said even though they stay in the show barn from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily to meet visitors, they still pull their weight at the resort.
“All of our horses have a job. They’re not just here to eat grass,” she said. “They give carriage rides, especially for those who use us as wedding sites. Many brides have gotten the opportunity to be pulled by two movie stars.”
Samantha Troast, a 20-year-old UF English junior, said because the horses were local, the film holds special meaning.
“Just to learn they were in the movie, it kind of shows you the different places that went into making this movie,” she said. “It’s more than just Hollywood. It’s places across the country that have important aspects.”
Kristen O’Brien, a 21-year-old UF English senior who has already seen the movie three times, said she is happy they included horses from a local area in the film.
“I like that they take horses from somewhere local, a farm or a breeder close by,” she said. “It’s not like they’re specifically trained for the films, so that’s nice.”
O’Brien said if she had enough free time, she would make the trip to Lady Lake to visit the horses.
“They’re really pretty horses. They’re like Black Beauty,” she said. “I’d like to get a picture.”
A version of this story ran on page 1 on 12/3/2013 under the headline "Local horses ‘catching fire’ on silver screen"
