 |
| L to R: Tom, Tom, Joe, Rob |
Did you know that Bowie, Maryland holds the title of one of two places in the U.S. with a stable that brought up two Triple Crown winning horses and another award winning horse! In this blog we'll explore the "Belair Stable Museum" which is the former home to the stables where those horses lived, and you'll learn about them. We explored it last weekend with our friends Joe and Tom and will walk you through it here and you'll learn about a Groom, Tack Room, and see a "Lawn Jockey" that Rob remembers from his childhood.
WHAT IS IN THE MUSEUM? Today’s Stable Museum highlights the accomplishments of Belair’s
bloodstock over a 200-year racing legacy. It also features Belair’s
other agricultural uses and contains a restored 1923 Stablemaster’s
living quarters.
**AND... IT'S FREE....but you can leave a donation if you'd like.
 |
| The Belair Stable Museum |
WHERE IS IT LOCATED? 2835 Belair Dr. ,Bowie, MD 20715, Ph: 301-809-3089
HOURS: Tuesday - Sunday, 12 noon - 4 p.m.
THE BELAIR STABLE MUSEUM HISTORY
The Stable, built in 1907 by William Woodward, was part of the 20th
century’s famous “Belair Stud Stable,” one of the country’s premier
stables from the 1920’s through the 1950’s
. Belair was home to Gallant
Fox (1930) and Omaha (1935) – the only father/son horses to capture
Thoroughbred racing’s famous Triple Crown Series. In 1955, Belair’s
Nashua, an incomparable champion, was Horse of the Year. Other
champions, including Johnstown, Fighting Fox, and Vagrancy also called
Belair home.
 |
| Tom and Tom in the Stable Master's house kitchen |
WHO WAS GALLANT FOX? Gallant Fox (March 23, 1927 – November 13, 1954) was a United States Thoroughbred horseracing
champion. In a racing career which lasted from 1929 to 1930, he ran
seventeen times and won eleven races. As a three-year-old in 1930, he
won nine of his ten races and became the second horse to win the U.S. Triple Crown.
WHO WAS OMAHA? Omaha was a United States Thoroughbred horse racing champion. In a
racing career which lasted from 1934 through 1936, he ran twenty-two
times and won nine races. He had his greatest success as a
three-year-old in 1935, when he won the Triple Crown.
 |
| Rob and Joe |
WHAT IS THE TRIPLE CROWN?
 |
| A lawn jockey and Rob |
The
Triple Crown, is a title awarded to a three-year-old
Thoroughbred horse who wins the
Kentucky Derby,
Preakness Stakes, and
Belmont Stakes
LAWN JOCKEY? - Back in the 1960s it was popular (at least in Boston) to have a "lawn jockey" statue that held a lantern so people could light up their driveways at night. My (Rob)
 |
| old phone in tack room |
family had one, so when I found one in the museum I had to get a picture next to it
WHAT IS A GROOM? - Grooms are
generally responsible for tasks such as mucking out stalls, feed preparation
and distribution, cleaning and refilling water containers, grooming and
bathing, cleaning tack, bandaging legs, tacking up, and administering basic
first aid for cuts and scrapes. Grooms with riding skills may warm up or cool
out a horse for its rider. Grooms also
hold horses for treatment by the farrier and veterinarian, assist with
preparations for shipping horses to shows or races, and operate various pieces
of farm equipment.
 |
| Omaha; Triple Crown Winner |
TACK ROOM - In the stables, a tack room is a necessary
space for storing saddles, bridles and other equipment in a safe and organized
fashion.
 |
| Triple Crown Winner: Gallant Fox |
NEXT: THE STABLES AND NASHUA, ANOTHER WINNING HORSE
No comments:
Post a Comment