OBITUARY: Catherine A Rutherford, age 58 of Martinsville, Illinois died Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 3:40 p.m. at her home following her valiant battle against breast cancer.
Cathy was born February 18,1966 in Manistee, MI the daughter of Kenneth & Elizabeth Rutherford. She graduated from Decatur (MI) High School with the Class of 1984 and had a business degree from Western Michigan University. She spent much of her life in the family business where she owned, bred, trained and drove Standardbred horses. She raced at numerous tracks in IL, IN, KY, OH, IA, MI and VA as well as Canada. She eventually was licensed as a USTA Paddock Judge and worked at tracks in Oak Grove, KY and most recently her beloved Shenandoah Downs in Woodstock, VA. In true Cathy fashion, she was working there just a few days before she left us.
Cathy dearly loved her animals, both dogs and horses. Cathy loved to cook and to refinish furniture. She rejuvenated her grandmother’s treadle sewing machine to sew horse blankets. She always had a project of some sort to work on.
There are so many adjectives that attempt to describe our Cathy…She was one of a kind, amazing horsewoman, warrior, inspiration, family to everyone, wonderful person, rock, tough, determined, fun to be around, beautiful soul… Her big heart allowed her to not only make friends but keep them, leaving behind a trail of friendships across several states. She feared nothing and took on life as a challenge. Her courage and fear-not attitude allowed her to experience life to the fullest, even as she battled the cancer that invaded her body.
Cathy is survived by significant other Kent Hardway, sister, Nancy Rutherford, and special friend, Megan Strange. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Janet Collier. a Celebration of Life will be held for her at the Martinsville (IL) Community Center on Sat., Nov. 2, 2024 from 12-4 pm.
CATHY’S LIFE, FROM A 2017 ARTICLE: Cathy Rutherford is a harness racing “lifer.” She drove in her first race in 1981, at the age of 14, and has competed as a driver ever since. She delights in every moment she spends with her small stable of horses. “I love getting behind the starting gate,” she said. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world; win, lose or draw. I love the traveling, the people, the horses; all of it. I’m always up for a new adventure.”
“I tend to buy problem children that need a little extra TLC or have had bad luck or a bad rap. That I could win a race with one that overcame some great obstacles to get there, I’ve had that a few times.” One such horse was a female trotter named Fort Riley. She took several years to get to the winner’s circle, but eventually enjoyed a 32-race stretch in which she hit the board 19 times and won four races. “She was one of my favorites,” Rutherford said. “She went from not wanting to race to being the horse everybody watched on the circuit I raced. She wasn’t a great horse, but she was a special horse.”
Rutherford was born in Michigan and now lives in Illinois. Her father, Ken Rutherford, was a trainer and driver, best known for developing successful Illinois-bred trotters. Cathy jogged her first horse at the age of 6 and was helping train by the age of 9. Her first race, a matinee, was with a 2-year-old trotter named Cardinal Brandon, who went on to earn $206,974 in his career.
“I don’t do it full time with a big stable because, like a typical woman, I’m a control freak. I never wanted a big stable because I’ve got to have my hands on everything. That’s why I drive most of my horses, especially my trotters. And the fact I’m a really lousy spectator. I’ve worked too hard to get them to race to have someone else screw it up. If anybody is going to screw it up it’s going to be me.”
Rutherford, following in her father’s footsteps, focuses her efforts on trotters. “Pacers are like a necessary evil in my barn,” she said, laughing again. “We made millions of dollars with trotters when I was a child. My dad had a knack. I prefer them. They’re more of a challenge. They can be very challenging. That’s why I have to color my hair very regularly.”
