Rodney M. Swanson, a longtime huntsman and horseman, died on July 3 at his home in Hull, Ga., following a courageous yearlong battle with leukemia. He was 69.

Mr. Swanson’s lifelong love affair with horses and hounds began in his teens in the Chicago, Ill., area and was polished during five years in England, Ireland and Wales while training with the British Horse Society.

Ruth R. Handley, a driving force in the West Coast horse industry, died on June 22 at her home in Ramona, Calif. She was 90.

Mrs. Handley was born in Arnold, Neb., and raised on her family’s homestead ranch in Campbell County, Wyo. It was there that her deep-seated passion for horses was fostered.

Seamus Brady, former farrier for the U.S. Equestrian teams, died on July 27 in Whitehouse Station, N.J. He was 77.

Mr. Brady was born in County Cavan, Ireland, and trained at the Irish Army Equitation School in Dublin. He immigrated to the United States more than 50 years ago to work for USET Director Arthur McCashin at his Four Furlongs Farm in Pluckemin, N.J.

Mr. Brady was then drafted into the U.S. Army, where he was a chauffer to a general and learned about welding and metalworking.

Carol Lush, a prominent sport horse and pony breeder, lost her 2 1/2-year battle with ovarian cancer on July 19 at her home, Maple Side Farm in Quakake, Pa. She was 58.

Mrs. Lush’s whole adult life was devoted to her passion for breeding good horses. She began her program in the 1970s by putting together a broodmare band of exceptional individuals. Before the days of the Internet, Mrs. Lush became part detective, making exhaustive searches and tracking down Thoroughbred racing mares with top sport horse jumping pedigrees.

Damien, a CCI**** event horse, was euthanized on July 11 in his pasture in Vass, N.C., after he suffered a severe colic episode. He was 17.

Damien, a 7/8 Thoroughbred—1/8 Dutch Warmblood by Dynamite Cap was bred and owned by Mari and Roger Secrist. The Secrists knew he was special from the day he was born.

Mari started and competed him through the preliminary level before turning the ride over to Phillip Dutton, who swiftly brought him up through the three-star level, placing third at the Bromont CCI** (Que.) and the Foxhall CCI*** (Ga.).