Birthday bash celebrates 'Chance' worth taking

More than 150 people turned out to celebrate Chance the Clydesdale’s third birthday at a party held Sunday at Robin Freeman’s Castalia home.

Co-owner Maggie Freeman was thrilled that so many could attend the event at ROMA’s Clydesdale Farm, since the original date had been rained out a week before.

“We wanted to celebrate a ‘chance’ worth taking,” Maggie said, “so we took a chance that it wouldn’t rain us out again.”

Children played games, attacked piñatas and careened down an 18 foot slide as the adults ate funnel cakes and strawberries. Volunteers from the Castalia Baptist Church youth group coaxed the children through the games, giving their parents a chance to relax and mingle.

“It was a really fun experience,” said volunteer Erin Alford, 13. “I would love to do it again.”

Fellow youth group member Lily Boulden, 14, of Nashville agreed.

“Chance was awesome,” she said.

Attendees colored pictures to enter prize drawings and were treated to a preview of an upcoming book based on Chance’s experiences. Children received free pictures of themselves in a miniature barn and romped through piles of hay, searching for treasure.

“I liked the slide,” said Elias Moore, 9, of Nash County. “I like sliding down it, and I could do tricks!”

His brother, Ezra Moore, 4, said his favorite part of the day was the face painting. Their mother, Tamara Moore, was most enthralled by the riding demonstration.

“It was awesome, watching Robin ride,” she said.

Robin Freeman and professional trainer Morgan Harris of Carolina Horsemanship showed off Chance’s training in a ground work and riding demonstration. Chance, who currently weighs more than 1,500 pounds and stands 17 hands tall, just began training in October.

“He has a good heart,” Harris told the watching crowd. “Chance is easy to train.”

Two years ago, it seemed impossible that Chance would ever survive to enter training. Chance was born with a birth defect in his intestine.

When he was five months old, Chance received two surgeries at the N.C. State University Equine Teaching Hospital to bypass sections of his intestine. The bypass surgery had never been performed at N.C. State and only had a 30 percent survival rate.

Chance’s name became the Freemans’ mantra. As he suffered through subsequent infections, confined activity and a hernia that eventually led to more surgery, Robin and Maggie began to repeat the phrase that has now become their farm’s motto and the theme of Sunday’s party: “Have a hope, take a chance.”

“Chance’s full name is ROMA’s First Chance of Hope, and he was named after his dam, Hope,” Robin explained. “Chance’s life is a miracle that shows the power of hope and determination. I want to share that miracle with the people who love Chance, especially the children.”