Hambletonian

Object Details

Eno, Henry C.

original artist

Marsden, Theodore

artist

Thomas, Henry Atwell

Description

Equine art was a popular subset of sporting art in 19th century America, and attracted many artists seeking to capture the nostalgia of great sporting achievements. Racehorses were popular subjects for lithographs because they were virtual “celebrities” of their day; top harness racing horses were immediately recognizable to the public. Because lithography could be mass-produced relatively cheaply and replaced much more quickly than paintings with each new crop of winners, so sporting prints became a popular choice of wall decoration in gentlemen clubs and male dominated offices. This form of art can still be seen in taverns and dining clubs. As Harry T. Peters was himself a sportsman, Master of Fox Hounds, and noted equestrian, it is not surprising that this collection would contain so many prints featuring

In North America, trotting began as a favored leisure past-time for rural communities at the end of the 18th century as well as a means of transportation. In the 19th century, the first harness racing tracks were established as the sport became incorporated into county fairs. Early trotting horses were raced under saddle in the same fashion as flat-track thoroughbreds. “Under saddle” racing was said to be faster for trotting horses than when attached to a cart. As practical transportation began to favor sleeker, improved wagons, harness racers moved away from saddle horses and trotters became more popular than thoroughbreds as middle and upper class men engaged in amateur trotting races with their transportation horses. The sport became a “great equalizer” because horses of modest origins became heroes. By the end of the Civil War, harness racing had evolved into a horse pulling a two-wheeled cart, called a sulky, along a mile-long track in less than 2 minutes 30 seconds. The trotting Grand Circuit was founded in 1871 to showcase the best horses in metropolitan areas of the East Coast and then slowly the sport moved inland across the country. The popularity of the sport gave way to new breeding techniques. In 1788, an English thoroughbred named Messenger was brought to America to stand for stud. His offspring were labeled Standardbred horses in 1879, because they are able to meet the “standard” of trotting a mile in 2 minutes 30 seconds, averaging 30 mph. They are shorter and more muscular than thoroughbreds, allowing them to easily move attached to a cart.

Messenger’s great-grandson was the stallion Hambletonian 10, who sired so many foals that nearly every American Standardbred can trace their lineage back to him.

This is a color print of old man with long white beard holding the bridle of the bay stallion Hambletonian. They stand in gravel yard beside a red Dutch stable. The man wears wide pants, a rumpled sports jacket, and a brimmed hat. A mare and colt stand in a grassy meadow in the background, and stable boys lounge in the doorways.

Hambletonian was bred in Sugar Loaf, NY on May 5, 1849 by Jonas Seely. He was registered as Hambletonian 10 but commonly known as Rysdyk’s Hambletonian, named after the British thoroughbred of the same name. His dam was the Charles Kent Mare, or “Kent Mare”, a descendant of the Norfolk Trotter breed known for its smooth gate; and his sire, Abdullah was known for being both mean and ugly, and had been bought for only $5. Nevertheless, William Rysdyk, one of the farm hands, purchased Hambletonian for $125. Hambletonian’s unusual build allowed for his long hind legs that were the key to his success, providing more length for every push. His first race took place at the Orange County Fair in Goshen, NY and immediately stirred public attention for his appearance and his competition with his half-brother Abdallah Chief. The rivalry was finally settled in 1852 at the Union Course on Long Island when Hambletonian trotted the mile in 2:48 ¼ seconds, a full seven seconds before Abdallah Chief. Rysdyk put Hambletonian to stud for the first time at age two, when he mated with four mares for $25 a mating. During the height of his career, Hambletonian earned $500 per mating, and his Rysdyk’s total stud earnings came to $200,000. Hambletonian fathered 1,331 foals with 1,900 mares by the end of his life on March 27, 1876, and at least 40 of his progeny were able to trot the mile in less than 2:30. Hambletonian’s blood runs through most of today’s Standardbred trotters and several Morgans, earning him the title of “Father of the American Trotter.” He was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as an “Immortal” in 1953 and the prestigious harness race, the Hambletonian Stakes, is named after him.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection

1866

ID Number

DL.60.3528

catalog number

60.3528

Object Name

lithograph

Object Type

Lithograph

Measurements

image: 19 in x 25 in; 48.26 cm x 63.5 cm

place made

United States: New York, New York City

See more items in

Home and Community Life: Domestic Life

Clothing & Accessories

Art

Peters Prints

Domestic Furnishings

Horses

National Museum of American History

Subject

Horses

Chronology: 1860-1869

Architecture, Domestic Buildings

Record ID

nmah_325762

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b5-044d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa