Saturday, Apr. 26, 2025

75th Anniversary

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For better or worse, during the 1980s, the culture of the horse world entered the modern world, becoming more specialized and more of a business, and less bound by tradition.
Plenty of major changes swept through the equestrian community during the 1970s. In international competition, the U.S. Equestrian Team was a major international force, with show jumping, dressage and eventing squads sweeping the 1975 Pan American Games (Mexico City) gold medals, and all three teams earning medals over the course of the Olympic Games in Munich (1972) and Montreal (1976).
The decade of the 1960s was a golden era for horse sports and for the Chronicle. The ‘60s saw glamorous hunter stars like Cold Climate, Cap And Gown, and Isgilde become famous. The U.S. Equestrian Team sent jumper stars like Frank Chapot, Bill Steinkraus, Kathy Kusner and Hugh Wiley overseas to compete, and they won on the biggest stages like Aachen.
The Chronicle of the Horse was first published on Sept. 17, 1937, as The Middleburg Chronicle, in a tabloid size format. It was printed locally in Berryville, Va. While it largely focused on the Middleburg horse scene, it grew to cover the entire country. In the early years, flat racing, steeplechasing and foxhunting dominated the pages.

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The Chronicle reports on the founding of the U.S. Equestrian Team training center in Gladstone, N.J., where it remains today.

Jan. 27, 1961

U.S. Equestrian Team Center

Nov. 4, 1960

Margaret L. Smith reports on an epic battle in the conformation hunters at the Pennsylvania National in 1960.

Conformation Hunters

Two breathtakingly beautiful Thoroughbreds were crowned champion and reserve in the Conformation Hunter Division. Cold Climate, his chestnut coat gleaming like gold under the brilliant lights of the arena, earned the title of champion, and won a second leg on the Waiting Home Challenge Trophy, for his owner Mrs. J. Deane Rucker, whose Spanish Mint had won it last year.

Sept. 30, 1960

Editor Alexander Mackay-Smith reports on the Olympic Prix des Nations in Rome in 1960.

Olympic Prix Des Nations

As the shadows moved across the greensward and gaily painted fences in the center of Rome’s Olympic stadium, a bay Thoroughbred mare tiptoed down the ramp beneath a pink-coated rider. The crowd which filled every seat and aisle of the arena suddenly hushed with anticipation.

Jan. 6, 1961

Alexander Mackay-Smith explains to readers about the merging of The Chronicle and Horse magazine.

THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE

Oct. 9, 1953

The issue of judging at horse shows was as much a topic of discussion in 1953 as it is today.

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