Among so many great qualities, Mr. Bymaster defined what it means to be a Havre Blue Pony

You know when people say: “I wish I could be like him or her, or them”? Maybe that phrase gets used a little too often but, for me, there’s plenty of times when it’s been so true.

Earlier this week, Dennis Bymaster passed away — and for me, I definitely hope I can be as much like Mr. Bymaster was as I possibly can.

For anyone who didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Mr. B, as so many of us were allowed to call him, I’ll fill you in on a couple of things about him. First, he was the longtime golf coach at Havre High, and, one of the purest golfers I have ever seen in Havre’s golfing community. Secondly, Dennis loved all things Havre Blue Ponies, and he loved Havre High as much as anyone I have ever known.

And it’s for those reasons, not to mention the fact that he was one of the single nicest people I have ever come in contact with, that If I could be just like Mr. B, I'll be doing really good in this world.

And, in some ways, without even knowing it, I’m trying.

For starters, I became Havre High’s head golf coach last fall, so, in that regard, I’m following in his footsteps. And I know, if I could even do a sliver of as good a job as Mr. B did coaching golf, I’ll be doing really well because he was that good.

When you talk about things you missed out on when you were younger, playing golf for Mr. B at Havre High is probably at the top of my list.

You see, when I was in high school, golf and tennis were both spring sports, so I didn’t get the opportunity to play golf for the Blue Ponies, or for Mr. B. And that’s something I know I will forever have missed out on.

But I do know how good of a coach Mr. B was, and so many of you who played for him, and learned the game from him, you know it, too. Yet, while I didn’t get to play for him, I did play a lot of golf with him at Beaver Creek Golf Course back in the day, and, I learned so much about the game from him.

Even at a young age, I also had a lot in common with Mr. B — mainly we loved sports, we loved Havre High and we loved to talk about golf. So, whenever I was around him, we almost always talked about the game of golf, and anytime I got the chance to play with him, I soaked up as much as I could from him.

It’s also worth mentioning that the first time I ever played him in men’s league, I got my butt kicked, too.

Of course, it wasn’t just Havre High golf Mr. B was famous for. No, he loved Havre High in general, and he loved HHS sports. He rarely missed a game, of any kind, and even if he did, he still was in tune to what was going on. It didn’t matter if it was basketball or football, which I know he loved so much, or wrestling or swimming, or any other sport HHS offers, he supported it, he cheered for the kids and he always knew what was going on. Mr. B was one of the most well-informed Blue Pony fans I’ve ever known, and that gave us something else in common — we loved to talk about HHS sports.

In my time at the HDN, I have had many conversations about Havre High sports with Mr. B, and he has paid me so many compliments about our coverage of his beloved Ponies, and I will cherish those times, and those compliments for ever. They’ve always meant so much to me because he’s meant so much to Havre High.

Now, getting back to wanting to be just like Mr. Bymaster, there’s one more way I‘m doing that, and it’s something I know, I’ll never, ever catch up to his standard on — my lawn. I have become a pretty self-obsessed green thumb when it comes to lawn care, but in no way shape or form will I ever be able to care for my lawn like Mr. B cared for his. With all due respect to everyone else in Havre, his lawn could have won Yard of the Week every week, every summer, for years and years and years, it was just incredible. Yes, all of you who knew him know what I mean. Honestly, that’s a standard I’ll never be able to live up to. Mr. B’s lawn has always been a thing of beauty.

That was Mr. Bymaster, though. He was a beautiful man. He was kind, polite, intelligent and so much more. In other words, he was a true gentlemen, a class act. In that regard, he’s someone we should all aspire to be like.

Dennis Bymaster was a truly great golf coach, a great golf teacher, a great teacher, and one of the most diehard Blue Ponies I’ve ever had the honor of knowing. It’s safe to say, he wasn’t just a Blue Pony, He WAS THE BLUE PONIES.

Dennis Bymaster was a special man, someone I’m so lucky and honored to have known for as long as I did. He will be missed by so many, but his legacy will forever be at Havre High.

Thank you, Mr. B. Thank you for all you did for me, and for all you did for so many. You did so much for all of us, and in so many different ways. Blue Pony Nation will miss you. We will all miss you.