SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (June 8, 2016) – Robert Sweeney, former executive vice president and general manager of California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, passed away last week. He was 89.
A California native, Sweeney spent 11 years with the CTBA, seven as executive vice president and general manager, and retired in 1989 to San Juan Capistrano.
Sweeney, who would go on to be editor of the CTBA’s California Thoroughbred magazine, wrote his first article for the publication when he was in the army during World War II. After graduating from USC, Sweeney spent 19 years as director of industrial relations with Robertshaw, then with Buzza Cardozo Greeting Card Company.
He turned down a vice presidency when the company was relocated to Cincinnati through a merger and, having already owned and bred a pair of mares, joined a horse sale company in Pomona.
Four years later, he was hired as assistant to then-CTBA general manager Brian Sweeney (no relation), and took over as executive vice president and general manager in 1982.