Dissatisfied
with being stuck inside all day, Mike Denton quickly realized that working in a
factory was not the career path for him. In need of a new direction, and steady
job, Mike looked to his family for guidance.
“Both of my older brothers and two of my uncles drove for a living,” Mike said. “After I realized that factory work wasn’t for me long-term, my brother taught me how to drive and it just came naturally. Once I started, it just felt right.” He joined Con-way Freight in 1986 at their Cincinnati service center, and in January 2011 was recognized for achieving two million accident-free miles.
Another passion that comes naturally to Mike is his love of horses. When he’s not behind the wheel, you will most likely find him working on his farm in Walton, Ky. There he breeds thoroughbreds that are trained and raced at the local track.
“Growing up I watched all kinds of cowboy shows on TV and dreamed of owning a horse, but my family was never equipped to have one,” he said. Mike now has five horses and has found that driving for a living does not prevent him from taking care of them.
“Horses are a lot of work, but I drove nights for 22 years and would feed the horses and clean the stalls when I got home in the morning and then again when I was leaving for my shift in the evening,” Mike explained. “Now that I work days, my routine’s the same, just reversed. Most of the racing and training that I am involved in happens on the weekend. It’s a lot, but to me it’s worth it.”
Breeding, raising and training his horses is not only a huge time commitment, but is also expensive. It is possible to accumulate a substantial bill in the two to three years before a horse ever runs a race. Cost aside, Mike’s horses are just like any other pets and being around them brings his family joy.
“My horses are like big dogs, they are my pets and they are loved by the whole family,” he said. With four children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, there is certainly plenty of love to go around. “It’s been a family affair. Recently one of my grandsons became a groomsman for my trainer at the track, and it’s always a lot of fun going out with the little ones to pet the horses. Everyone enjoys it.”
