Monday, October 31, 2016

Autumn Chic

Happy Halloween!  For those who want to look "country chic" on this fabulous autumn day, here are some selections, keeping that "autumn orange" on full display.  Enjoy the last day of October!  It's sunny and warm here in Virginia!




Sunday, October 30, 2016

Citation - The Gold Standard in Horse Racing

Horse racing history is so fascinating and I hope others love it as much as I do.  Citation is certainly one of the all time greats.  He raced under the Calumet Farms colors (Warren Wright, Lexington, KY) and was probably their greatest horse and they owned many great ones. He was born in 1945.

Calumet Farms' owner Warren Wright came up with the idea of the horse who would become Citation.  He matched two relatively undistinguished racehorses to produce him. The sire was Bull Lea, who finished a disappointing eighth as a 3-1 second choice in the 1938 Kentucky Derby. Wright figured he might be able to create a decent racehorse by matching Bull Lea with an overseas mare. So he purchased Hydroplane II. The unlikely pair produced a bay colt and the rest is history.

Another tidbit that is interesting but tragic. Citation's regular jockey, Albert Snider, was killed tragically in a boating accident in Florida in early 1948.  He never made it to the Triple Crown and was replaced by a relatively unknown young jockey named Eddie Arcaro.  They raced together in the mud at Havre de Grace (Maryland), the only race Citation would lose for almost two years (they were second). 


Citation won the Triple Crown in 1948 (Secretariat would be the next horse to win the three races in 1973) and also won an amazing 16 consecutive races in major stakes race competition.  He was the first horse to ever win a million dollars.  Racing in the late 1940's a million dollars was a huge amount of money then. In those days horses raced a lot more than they do today, even the top ones.  So it was not unusual to run a race several times in a month.  Trainers used races to get their horses ready for the big stakes races.

Citation ran an amazing 45 races, won 32, finished second 10 times and was third twice.  How incredible is that record?  Some say Man O War was the greatest race horse of all time but he ran only at age two and three, won $250K, making him the leading money winner of his day, and lost only one of his 21 races.  Five of his starts were against only one horse. You decide.

He was trained by the famous "Jones Boys" a father and son team that produced an impressive stream of horses for Calumet.  Both went into the Hall of Fame.  Citation was also inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.  You can find the link here.

Citation retired after the Hollywood Gold Cup. He was not as good a sire as he was a race horse.  But as a sire at Calumet Farm, he produced a number of noteworthy offspring including the Hall of Fame filly Silver Spoon,  Get Around (won $164,868), Guadalcanal (won $243,337) and 1956 Preakness Stakes winner Fabius.

While at stud at Calumet Farm, he was said to be afraid of his owner's Yorkshire Terrier, Timmy Tammy. The dog reportedly nipped at him on several occasions.



He died on August 8, 1970, at the age of 25 and was buried in the horse cemetery at Calumet Farm.

Incidentally, Dwayne Wallace, Chairman of Cessna Aircraft, named his business jet, Citation, in honor of the great racehorse.  Hints of Citation's legacy can be found in the jet's logo in the form of a horseshoe background. Even today, pictures of Citation line the hallways of Cessna's buildings. A famous statue of Citation can be found at Hialeah Park.



(Wikipedia)



Thursday, October 27, 2016

Horse Plates at Pottery Barn

If you're a smart little elf you'll be doing your shopping a bit early this season.  In that department I can help!  Take a look at these cute plates from Pottery Barn and they're on sale!  See them here.  They come in sets of four.  Great gift for your horsey girl friends who love to entertain. 


The Cutest Horsey Tea Towels Ever

I love these new horsey tea towels from Pomegranate. These will make the best gifts for your horsey friends at Christmas.  They are on my shopping list for sure.  See the collection here.


Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Beholden to Boden

I don't shop Boden very often but have friends who love the brand.  The quality seems to be very good and they are having a sale right now.  Their dresses seem to be no-nonsense, with a little bit of vibe.  If you haven't shopped there, take a look at some of my favorites.

This navy dress has a 1960's charm to it. See it here.

This one is really cute but has already sold out in most sizes.  See it here.

This is a great cocktail dress and I love it in both colors. See it here.


This one is very fun.  See it here.

If you live in a warmer climate, this is a great dress for fall and into winter. It comes in three colors.  See it here.


And we can't forget the coat!  See this one here.

It comes with a detachable fur collar.  This screams Audrey Hepburn to me.  Love this!

This is a great holiday top!  See it here.


Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Pretty in Plaid

Thanksgiving is only four weeks from now.  Christmas, a month later. The holidays are upon us!  So what's not to love about these new dishes and accessories, perfect for the holidays, the winter blues, and you can use them right now!  These are from Pottery Barn who hit a home run last season with their toile dishes (which are still available by the way).  You can see these here.


If this isn't enough plaid to please your palate, you can add a few more things......

(See these here)

(See these here)


I am still loving the fur placemats, but how impractical are they?  Really.  Eating on fur?  See them here.



One more thing......

I am loving the plaid dormat too.  See it here.


Love you Pottery Barn!  You make decorating for the holidays so much easier!

Monday, October 24, 2016

The Horses Are Coming.....

To Washington, D.C. that is.  The election will take a back seat in downtown DC to the incredible Washington International Horse Show that starts tomorrow morning.  It's a real treat to see the horses perform inside the Verizon Center, not too far from the Hill.  You can buy your tickets here.

 Some of the horses will be stabled around the Verizon Center while others get to stay indoors.   They started arriving today.

 The President's Cup is Saturday night.  A great display of world class show jumping. 

If you can't make it you can still bid on silent auction items. See them here.

Former Foxhunter's Stash Goes Up for Auction

Contents from the estate of a well-known horseman in Northern Virginia who had a treasure trove of fox hunting memorabilia is going up for auction this coming weekend in Northern Virginia:

This auction includes items from the Estate of James Langley Young, Sally F. Harrison and Stirling Young. The late -Stirling Harrison, former Loudoun Co. Commonwealth's attorney, also has estate items in this sale. Among this family are former masters of the Orange County Hunt in Virginia. Up for bidding, you'll find Antique Sterling Silver Pieces, Louis Vuitton Trunks, Fox Hunting Bronzes, Art Porcelain, Oil and Watercolor Paintings, Lithographs, Antique Books, Horse and Fox Hunting Books, Equestrian and Fox Hunting Art and Decor, Antique Hunting and Equestrian Items, Early Furniture, Clocks, Old Hunting Photographs, China and Glassware, and many other quality items too numerous to mention! See More pictures, and BID LIVE and ONLINE at www.DamewoodAuctioneers.com














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