Made from a deep purple satin, this jacket options 15 snap buttons and is trimmed on its collar, cuffs and pockets with a cream satin. Belt loops across the waist maintain a cream satin belt. Accompanying the jacket is a purple satin cap with a cream satin band and a big bow. 

After I had the thought to jot down about particular artifacts within the museum’s assortment, I knew that I needed to write about this one. It’s merely gorgeous. The colours are wealthy, and the material is opulent — a lot in order that it was saved with girls’s blouses. However it isn’t a lady’s shirt. This vibrant satin jacket, belt and hat have been worn by a talented driver and well-known horseman in native harness races.

The deed of present for this merchandise turned out to be a gem in itself. Signed by one lady, it listed her identify and people of her 4 sisters. She provided a handwritten historical past of the artifacts — info that will have been tough to piece collectively on our personal. That’s the sweetness (and typically the curse) of our huge assortment. Every merchandise has the potential to inform an enchanting account of a time, a spot or an individual, however provided that we’re in a position to seize these tales. 

So, what makes this satin jacket so attention-grabbing to us? It tells the story of harness racing, of that sport’s recognition, and of the way it was an enormous draw for the Hopkinsville honest every summer time.

The jacket and matching hat belonged to Henry G. Adcock, native breeder and coach of standardbred horses. Adcock was a founding member of the board of the Pennyroyal Honest in 1951, and it was via his management that the race monitor was constructed on the fairgrounds. He even served because the Superintendent of Velocity for the honest for plenty of years. (Observe: I’m dying to know the duties one carries because the Superintendent of Velocity!) Drivers of his horses wore this crimson and cream silk — registered by Adcock with the U.S. Trotting Affiliation identical to homeowners register silks with the Jockey Membership for thoroughbred races — within the Nineteen Fifties and ’60s.

Born in Hopkinsville in 1896, Adcock served in World Conflict I and farmed for almost all of his life. Primarily based on the report of his daughters, the donors of the racing silk, and his obituary in 1992, horses have been his factor. As a breeder, coach and driver, he turned extensively identified in racing circles all through the japanese United States and Canada. 

The historical past of horse breeding and racing dates again to the late nineteenth century in Christian County. Charles Meacham’s “Historical past of Christian County: From Oxcart to Aeroplane,” revealed in 1930, dedicates a whole chapter to our county’s race horse business. His recounting of native breeders and of prize-winning horses illustrates how profitable the enterprise was for this group. In 1923, one in all these horses was offered for $21,000 on the thoroughbred yearling public sale in Saratoga, New York. That Christian County horse — Flying Ebony — went on to win the 1925 Kentucky Derby. 

Harness racing had been a daily characteristic at earlier festivals in Christian County. Also called “sulky racing,” this sport options standardbred horses who race at a particular gait — both a trot or a tempo — whereas pulling a small, two-wheeled cart with a talented driver. The light-weight cart is named a sulky or spider. The time period “sulky” is alleged to have originated as a result of the cart is so small that it will possibly solely maintain one individual — or somebody who sulks and prefers to be alone.

Races are divided into trot and tempo heats. Trotters transfer their legs ahead in diagonal pairs with the correct entrance and left hind legs hanging the bottom concurrently adopted by the left entrance and proper hind legs. Pacers transfer their legs laterally with the 2 proper legs shifting collectively earlier than the 2 left legs. Pacing is a sooner gait than trotting. Breaking the required gait might result in a disqualification in a race. (I needed to watch a YouTube video to grasp this … even a little bit bit.)

The brand new Pennyroyal Honest, established in 1951, didn’t have the capability to host harness races in its first few years. However that didn’t final lengthy due to H.G. Adcock. In 1954, the honest board raised the funds to buy the beginnings of the fairgrounds we nonetheless use immediately. In keeping with a historical past of the Pennyroyal Honest printed within the 1958 Premium Listing and Program Schedule, a one-half acre race monitor and grandstand have been constructed in 1954. In 1956, two stables totaling 74 stalls have been added to the fairgrounds to accommodate each harness and present horses. H.G. Adcock served because the Superintendent of Harness Racing throughout this large improvement section.

Harness racing dominated the honest calendar with races on three to 4 days and nights. The purses paid out to the winners amounted to the largest expense of the honest. Harness racing was huge time and fairly huge cash. A 1958 booklet lists purses starting from $200 to $400 per race.

Again to Adcock. He wasn’t only a honest board member and superintendent. He was additionally actively concerned in harness racing and drove his personal horses in races close to and much. On Aug. 5, 1958, Adcock’s horse Girl Goose, a 4-year previous pacer, set the monitor report on the Pennyroyal Honest beating the earlier report by 2 seconds. The Kentucky New Period famous that this was Girl Goose’s ninth win of the yr. Adcock’s image together with his prized pacer ran within the newspaper. The black and white {photograph} is darkish, however Adcock is most positively carrying this identical purple satin jacket that’s now within the museum’s assortment and at present on show.

Monitor report holder Girl Goose made a reputation for herself regionally, however Adcock additionally as soon as owned one other horse who made it to the massive display screen. Visalia Abbe, a darkish bay, starred within the 1949 movie “The Nice Dan Patch” as famous American Standardbred pacer Dan Patch. A report breaker and a film star — appears like we now have a few equine Native Notables so as to add to the exhibit on the Pennyroyal Space Museum!

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