Julie Campbell of Washington and Lee University, a historian of all things horse in Virginia, nominated John Baylor, of Caroline County, as the most influential horseman of the 18th century. "He imported blooded horses from England, including, in 1764, Fearnought (ca. 1755- 1776). A grandson or great-grandson of the Godolphin Barb (one of the three foundation sires of the Thoroughbred), the bay stallion had raced before coming to Virginia.

"Baylor bred his own mares to him, as did some of his peers in the Virginia horse world. Fearnought's offspring grew tall and swift and won races of all lengths, making Virginia racehorses the equals of any racehorses in the world."

The greatest horseman of the 18th century, as Campbell believes nearly everyone will agree, was George Washington. Thomas Jefferson, in fact, called Washington "the best horseman of his age." Campbell wrote that Washington "broke and trained his own mounts, and as a horse-racing aficionado, he attended race meets throughout the Colonies. At war, he worried nearly as much about the horses as he did the men."

For greatest horse in 18th-century Virginia, Campbell nominated Janus, who was already a celebrated English racing stallion when imported to Virginia in 1757. The foals he sired in Virginia were of exceptional quality and known for their speed in short-quarter-mile heats. "Of 43 known quarter-mile racehorses born in Virginia and surrounding areas between 1758 and 1783," Campbell wrote, "Janus sired 28; of the rest, one was probably by him, five were grandchildren, and five were descendants."

Campbell nominated William Ransom Johnson as the most influential horseman of the 19th century. A native of North Carolina, Johnson lived most of his adult life near Petersburg and became known as the "Napoleon of the Turf." He owned, bred, trained, and raced horses with great success from the 1810s until his death in 1849. One of his trainers said, "If he just only walked by a horse to look at it, he could tell you just how far that horse could run." Johnson once owned the greatest horse in the 19th century, Virginia's Sir Archy.

Born in Goochland in 1805, Sir Archy was the most sought-after breeding stallion of the era, both in quarter-mile heats and in the four-mile runs that were popular early in the century. Sir Archy's descendants dominated Mid-Atlantic racing for decades. Campbell wrote, "His son Copperbottom became a foundation sire of both the Quarter Horse and the American Saddlebred. Another son, Sir Charles, was a leading American sire of Thoroughbreds in the 1830s. Grandson Boston won 40 of 45 races and was a 16-time leading sire of American racehorses. Great-great-grandson Planet won 27 of 31 races, both trotting and galloping. Robert E. Lee's warhorse, Traveller, may even have had some of Sir Archy's bloodline, and countless racehorses today can boast the same Virginia ancestry."

Campbell nominated Alexander Mackay-Smith as the most influential horseman in 20th-century Virginia. He published 11 books and edited a weekly magazine, The Chronicle of the Horse.

Campbell wrote that "he founded, promoted, or served such state and national organizations as the U.S. Pony Club, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, the U.S. Combined Training Association (now the U.S. Eventing Association), the Museum of Foxhounds, the American Foxhound Club, the American Horse Shows Association, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, the National Sporting Library, the Cleveland Bay Society, the Morven Park International Equestrian Institute, the American Remount Association, the Clarke County Historical Association, the U.S. Dressage Foundation, and the American Academy of Equine Art."

Campbell recalled that "At a memorial service after his death, members of the Blue Ridge Hunt sang foxhunting songs and watched his family ride horses into a grove of trees to scatter his ashes. No Virginia horseman could ask for a better send-off."

The most influential horse of the 20th century, according to Campbell, was Misty, born in 1964 and died in 1972, the subject of an extraordinarily popular book by Marguerite Henry. The book was made into a movie and did much to popularize the annual roundup and sale of ponies in Chincoteague.

For greatest horse of the 20th century, Campbell nominated Secretariat, raised at Meadow Farm in Caroline County. "He became two-time Horse of the Year; world-record holder," as Campbell summarized his career, and was the winner of the Triple Crown in 1973, after which a syndicate bought him for the then-record price of $5.32 million and put him out to stud in Kentucky.

"While he never produced another version of himself," Campbell acknowledged, "he sired fine broodmares, including Terlingua, the dam of Storm Cat, a leading stallion of today. Secretariat had world fame, charisma, and star power that still shines. On Oct. 4, the anniversary of his death, admirers visit Claiborne Farm in Kentucky to place red roses on the red horse's grave." -- B.T.