Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 and Interstate 75, at Exit 120, in northern Fayette County in the United States. The equestrian facility is a 1,224-acre (495 ha) park dedicated to "man's relationship with the horse." Open to the public, the park has a twice daily Horses of the World Show, showcasing both common and rare horses from around the globe. The horses are ridden in authentic costume. Each year the park is host to a number of special events and horse shows.
The American Saddlebred is a horse breed from the United States. Descended from riding-type horses bred at the time of the American Revolution, the American Saddlebred includes the Narragansett Pacer, Canadian Pacer, Morgan and Thoroughbred among its ancestors. Developed into its modern type in Kentucky, it was once known as the "Kentucky Saddler", and used extensively as an officer's mount in the American Civil War. In 1891, a breed registry was formed in the United States. Throughout the 20th century, the breed's popularity continued to grow in the United States, and exports began to South Africa and Great Britain. Since the formation of the US registry, almost 250,000 American Saddlebreds have been registered, and can now be found around the world, with separate breed registries established in Great Britain, Australia, continental Europe, and southern Africa.
The United States Equestrian Federation is the national governing body for most equestrian sports in the United States. It began on January 20, 1917, as the Association of American Horse Shows, later changed to the American Horse Shows Association (AHSA). In 2001, the organization changed its name to USA Equestrian (USAE) and, in 2003 it merged with the United States Equestrian Team (USET). In 2017, USEF rebranded as US Equestrian. In 2019, USEF moved its laboratory services to the University of Kentucky.
The Racking Horse is a horse breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse, recognized by the USDA in 1971. It is known for a distinctive singlefoot gait. In 1971, the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America, headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, was formed as the breed registry. Its goal is to preserve the breed in a natural state with little or no artificial devices that enhance gait. The horse's tail is naturally raised without nicking or tail sets. Some classes allow special shoes that enhance action, and a relatively newer class allows the use of chains, six ounces and under as action devices. The practice of soring, illegal under the Horse Protection Act of 1970, is also seen within the Racking Horse world. Since the breed's inception, about 80,000 Racking Horses have been registered, with the largest populations located in the US states of Alabama and Tennessee.
Wing Commander (1943–1969) was an American Saddlebred show horse out of the mare Flirtation Walk and by the stallion Anacacho Shamrock. Wing Commander was a chestnut with four white socks and a thin white stripe that ran from his forehead all the way to his upper lip. He was trained to be a five-gaited horse, meaning he performed the walk, trot, canter, slow gait and rack. Through both sides of his pedigree, Wing Commander traced back to the highly influential Saddlebred stallions Rex McDonald and Bourbon King, who were themselves successful show horses. In 1948, the stallion won his first Five-Gaited World Grand Championship, a title he kept for a total of six years. In total he won 6 Five-Gaited World Grand Championships, and was the first of only two horses to accomplish this. In 1950 Life magazine featured Wing Commander as an example of a fine athlete and an American Idol. He was owned by Dodge Stables, and trained by Marvin Lane and ridden by Earl Teater. Wing Commander stood at stud at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and died at the age of 26.
The World's Championship Horse Show, held at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville, Kentucky, in Freedom Hall, is a large horse show that includes the American Saddlebred, Hackney pony, Dutch Harness Horse, and Standardbred breeds. It is usually held annually in late August, coinciding with the dates of the Kentucky State Fair and in the middle of the show season for the three breeds. Any horse or rider who wins there earns the title of World's Champion, and a second-place finish is identified with a Reserve World's Championship title. In addition to the WC and RWC titles, a horse can also earn the World's Grand Championship (WGC) or World's Championship of Champions (WCC) title. The winner of a championship class which requires a qualifier is given one of these titles.
William Shatner is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, from his 1966 debut as the captain of the starship Enterprise in the second pilot of the first Star Trek television series to his final appearance as Captain Kirk in the seventh Star Trek feature film, Star Trek Generations (1994).
The American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association is a breed registry for the American Saddlebred horse. Founded in 1891, it is headquartered at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
Gaines' Denmark was one of the most influential stallions in the development of the American Saddlebred.
Belle Reve Farm is a horse farm located in Versailles, Kentucky that was owned by actor William Shatner, a breeder of American Saddlebred show horses.
Sky Watch was a five-gaited American Saddlebred show horse. He won four open World's Grand Championships and five stallion World's Grand Championships in the World's Championship Horse Show.
Imperator (1974–1997) was an American Saddlebred show horse. He won four Five-Gaited World's Grand Championships and eight Gelding Championships at the World's Championship Horse Show, besides four five-gaited Grand Championships at the National Horse Show. He retired to the Kentucky Horse Park after the end of his show career and when he died was buried there.
Donna Moore (1931-2014) was an American Saddlebred horse trainer. She trained horses for William Shatner at his Belle Reve Farm, and owned her own stables near Versailles, Kentucky.
Sultan's Great Day was a black American Saddlebred stallion sired by Supreme Sultan, out of the mare Supremes Cassandra. Great Day, as he was commonly called, was a twice World's Champion Fine Harness Stallion. In his debut performance, he earned the title 1983 2-year-old World's Champion fine harness stallion. Other prestigious wins followed during his 2 and 3 year old years. He was retired to stud at the age of 4, but was shown a few more times in later years. Great Day was referred to as "one of the most prolific sires of world's champions throughout the 1990s". He sired 387 registered offspring of which 106 were ribbon winners, 63 were futurity ribbon winners, and 24 went on to become champions in their respective disciplines.
Supreme Sultan was an American Saddlebred stallion. He was a chestnut, and was sired by Valley View Supreme, out of Melody Olee. Sultan was sold to Barlite Farms as a yearling, was shown as a 2-year-old, but then repurchased and returned to Ruxer Farms. During his lifetime, he sired multiple champion offspring in nearly every division of American Saddlebred horse show competition and set leading sire records. Noted for his refinement and action, his impact as a sire modernized the Saddlebred breed in both the United States and South Africa. As a result of his influence on the breed, at his death he was buried at Kentucky Horse Park and a bronze statue of him stands atop his grave.
Mary Gaylord McClean is an American horse breeder, horse owner and exhibitor, businesswoman and philanthropist. McClean owns and shows American Saddlebred horses and Hackney ponies, on which she has won multiple Championships. Many of her philanthropic ventures are horse-related.
Elisabeth Goth is a horse breeder, horse exhibitor, and businesswoman. She owns Elisabeth Goth, LLC in Kentucky and raises, shows and sells American Saddlebreds. She has won multiple awards and Championships in the horse industry. She is the vice president of the United States Equestrian Federation.
Redd Crabtree (1935–2015) was an American Saddlebred horse trainer. Crabtree, the son of notable Saddlebred trainers and saddle seat riding teachers Helen and Charles Crabtree, who owned Crabtree Stables, won three Five-Gaited World's Grand Championships and multiple World's Championships in the World's Championship Horse Show. He was president of the United Professional Horsemens Association, vice president and a director of the American Saddlebred Horse Association and was inducted into three Halls of Fame. Redd Crabtree died on January 19, 2015.
Top of the Mark is an American Saddlebred horse who won the Five-Gaited World's Grand Championship in 2016 and 2017. He was named a Horse of Honor by the United States Equestrian Federation in 2016.
Michele Macfarlane is an amateur horse trainer from the United States, who competes in the sport of saddle seat. She has been one of the leading amateur trainers and riders in the sport for over 40 years. Macfarlane resides in San Diego, California and is Marshal for the Scripps Miramar Ranch Saddlebreds parade unit.
