Robert Swenning started out as an ice dancer, winning the 1945 US ice dance title with Kathe Mehl Williams, but later switched to pairs skating with Yvonne Sherman. Together they won the 1947 US Championship in pairs, were second at the 1947 North American and US Championships, and placed fifth at the 1948 World Championships. He later paired with Agnes Tyson and they placed third at the 1955 Nationals. In 1950 he became a skating coach at Berkeley Iceland but, after the crash of the 1961 USA Figure Skating team, he lost interest in skating, having lost so many friends. He and his wife divorced and he partnered with Dr. Sam Castro. Together they raised horses and entered many of them in show jumping competitions. Swenning also earned his trainer’s license and began training race horses. Together with Castro they bought 50 acres in St. Helena, California and started Big Tree Ranch, although they later moved the operation to Clovis, California.
United States