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Longtime thoroughbred breeder,
owner Kemling dies
Grand Island, NE - Dec. 18, 2011 - For nearly half a century, Aurora's Paul
Kemling, along with his wife Jackie, bred and raced some of the best horses in
Nebraska thoroughbred racing history.
But they weren't content to just dominate the local racing scene. They were
willing to take on all comers, sending their horses criss-crossing the country.
Kemling-bred horses proved their mettle racing -- and winning -- from New
Hampshire to New York to Kentucky to Arkansas to California. The Kemlings could
be found in the winner's circle at big tracks and small -- Fonner Park,
Aqueduct, Lincoln Fairgrounds, Keeneland, Ak-Sar-Ben.
Paul Kemling died Thursday at the Grand Island Veterans Home at age 91.
Among the Kemlings' top racehorses was Amadevil, who when he was retired in
1982, was the nation's leading money winner ($653,534) among horses that never
won a race longer than a mile. The gelding was inducted into the Nebraska Racing
Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 1969, Kemling told the Lincoln Journal Star that his immediate goal in racing
was to "just win more races," but that he dreamed of "someday having the No. 1
horse in the country.
"I think it's possible for anyone in the business to someday come up with that
horse. If you're breeding good stock and you have the right luck, anyone can get
that best horse."
Paul's brother Orville trained the family's horses. Among the many standouts to
carry the Kemling Bros.' distinctive pink and black silks were Bold Accent,
Amajewel, Roman Zipper, Queen's Turn, That Lady and Izapappa.
The Kemlings perennially were among the leading owners at tracks around the
state, including Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha. Paul and Orville Kemling were inducted in
the state racing hall of fame in 1981.
Kemling is survived by his wife, Jackie; children Michael (Sue) Kemling of Grand
Island; Patty (Craig) Glause of Chapman; and Jeannie (Larry) Siebert of
Henderson; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in
Aurora.
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Journal Star |
