Hubbry Logo
Christopher CheneryChristopher CheneryMain
Open search
Christopher Chenery
Community hub
Christopher Chenery
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Christopher Chenery
Christopher Chenery
from Wikipedia

Christopher Chenery (September 16, 1886 – January 3, 1973) was an American engineer, businessman, and the owner/breeder of record for Thoroughbred horse racing's U.S. Triple Crown champion Secretariat.

Key Information

Early life and career

[edit]

Christopher Chenery, the son of Ida and James Chenery, was born in Richmond and raised in Ashland, Virginia.[1] He had three brothers, William Ludlow Chenery, who became editor of Collier's,[2] Dr. Alan Chenery,[3] and Charles Morris Chenery. (A fourth brother died young.) Chenery's sister was Blanche Chenery Perrin, a writer of novels and children's books centered on horse racing, such as Born To Race[dead link]. As a child, Chenery visited relatives at the farm in Doswell, Virginia known as The Meadow where he learned to ride. This was the farm where he later founded Meadow Stable and where Secretariat was born.

He studied at Randolph-Macon College and Washington and Lee University, graduating in 1909 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.[1] He began his engineering career in Virginia before moving to projects in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, but his career was interrupted with service in the United States Army Corps of Engineers during World War I. During the war, he commanded training facilities at Camp Humphries, Virginia. Afterward, he was a government consultant on engineering and construction.[4]

On January 18, 1917, he married Helen Clementina Bates, who died in November 1967. They had two daughters, Helen Bates "Penny" Tweedy and Margaret Carmichael, and one son, Hollis Burnley Chenery, an economist at the World Bank.[2]

Chenery formed the Federal Water Service Corporation in 1926,[4] later the Federal Water and Gas Corporation. Chenery was involved in two cases before the Supreme Court of the United States that are considered landmark cases of United States administrative law.[5] In 1936, he became the chairman of the board of another utility, Southern Natural Gas[4] later Sonat, eventually purchased by the El Paso Corp. In 1954 he formed The Offshore Company, a Southern Natural Gas Company subsidiary conducting deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. He was chairman of the board and chief executive officer until 1965.[2]

Meadow Stable

[edit]
Racing colors of Meadow Stable

One of the founders of the New York Racing Association, Chenery made his home in the village of Pelham Manor, New York,[4] for nearly fifty years from the early 1920s until his hospitalization in 1968, five years before his death. He was an active member of the community, including serving on the vestry of Christ Church, the Protestant Episcopal Church in Pelham. However, he is best known for his 1936 purchase of The Meadow, an ancestral property in Caroline County near his boyhood home in Ashland, Virginia. It was there that he founded Meadow Stud, a stud farm which bred thoroughbreds, and Meadow Stable, under whose colors the horses ran. According to Alan Chenery Jr., Christopher's nephew, the Chenery brothers decided that the horses from Meadow Stable would wear the blue and white colors of their college fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.[6]

Chenery bought "four or five horses for a moderate price" in 1936, and soon afterward "a good 16-year-old horse named Whiskaway for $115". In 1939, he purchased his foundation mare, Hildene, for $750. Hildene would produce two of Chenery's most important horses: Hill Prince, the 1950 American Horse of the Year, and First Landing, champion juvenile in 1958 and third in the 1959 Kentucky Derby. He also owned Cicada, champion filly at two, three, and four and once the world's leading money winner among mares.[4]

In 1947 Chenery purchased a stakes-winning mare named Imperatrice at a dispersal sale for $30,000. She would go on to produce several stakes winners for The Meadow, but her most important offspring was Somethingroyal, an unplaced mare who became the 1973 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. Prior to foaling Secretariat at age 18, Somethingroyal had already produced Sir Gaylord, a stakes winner who became an important sire, whose offspring included Epsom Derby winner Sir Ivor. Somethingroyal's other stakes winners included First Family and Syrian Sea.[7][8]

In the mid-1950s Chenery was one of three men appointed by the Jockey Club to restructure and restore integrity to New York racing. Along with John W. Hanes and Harry Guggenheim, Chenery organized the non-profit Greater New York Racing Authority, with the novel idea of funneling proceeds to the state. However, it was Chenery who personally obtained the $30 million loan necessary to renovate New York race tracks after banks balked at financing "an enterprise based on gambling".[4]

In 1965 Chenery entered a foal-sharing agreement with Ogden Phipps, who owned a leading sire, Bold Ruler. Each year, they would breed two Meadow broodmares with Bold Ruler. Then, before the foals were born, they would decide by coin toss who got first choice of the two foals. In 1968, Chenery became ill, and his daughter Penny took charge of The Meadow. She chose Somethingroyal as one of the mares for breeding to Bold Ruler. In 1969, Tweedy lost the coin toss with Phipps, who chose the other mare's foal. The Meadow kept Somethingroyal's yet-to-be-born foal, the future Secretariat.[2]

Chenery was admitted to New Rochelle Hospital in late February 1968. He remained there until his death on January 3, 1973, before Secretariat's Triple Crown victory occurred.[4]

Now known as Meadow Event Park, the former farm became the home of the Virginia State Fair in 2009.[9]

Honors

[edit]

Christopher Chenery was recognized by the American horse racing industry with a number of laurels including the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder in 1972 and 1973. In 2019 he received its highest honor when the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame made him one of the Pillars of the Turf.[10]

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Christopher Tompkins Chenery (September 16, 1886 – January 3, 1973) was an American engineer, utilities executive, and horse breeder renowned for founding Meadow Stable and breeding legendary racehorses, including the Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Born in , to merchant James Hollis Chenery and Ida Burnley Taylor Chenery, he attended Randolph-Macon College from 1902 to 1903 before earning a in from in 1909. Early in his career, Chenery worked in and railroad construction in , Washington, and , and he served as a major in the U.S. Army during , commanding training facilities and later consulting for the government. Chenery's business success came in the public utilities sector, where he founded the Federal Water Service Corporation in 1926 and led it as president and chairman until 1948; he subsequently chaired the Southern Natural Gas Company from 1948 to 1965 and the from 1954 to 1965, while also serving as a director of Air Reduction Company. In 1936, he acquired the historic 2,700-acre farm known as The Meadow in , transforming it into a premier breeding operation under Meadow Stable. Over three decades, Chenery's breeding program produced 43 stakes winners, including six champions, and generated more than $8.5 million in purses from 1939 to 1972, with total earnings from racing, breeding, and sales exceeding $12 million. Standout horses included Hill Prince, the 1950 Horse of the Year and National Museum of Racing Hall of Famer; First Landing, the 1958 juvenile champion and sire of Riva Ridge; , the leading money-winning mare of her era and a Hall of Famer; Riva Ridge, victor in the 1972 , , and two other graded stakes; and Secretariat, whose 1973 Triple Crown sweep—winning the , , and by a record 31 lengths—remains one of horse racing's greatest feats, with Secretariat later inducted into the Hall of Fame and syndicated for $6.08 million. Chenery received the for Outstanding Breeder in 1972 and 1973, and he was posthumously inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2019. In 1917, Chenery married Helen Clementina Bates, with whom he had three children: economist Hollis Burnley Chenery, Margaret Anne Chenery Carmichael, and Helen Bates Chenery Tweedy, who managed Meadow Stable after his death. Chenery also played a key role in revitalizing New York horse racing as a founder of the and through his work with The Jockey Club to finance major tracks like Aqueduct, , and Saratoga in the mid-1950s. He died at New Rochelle Hospital in New York after a long illness, just months before Secretariat's triumphs cemented his legacy in American sport.

Early life

Birth and family background

Christopher Tompkins Chenery was born on September 16, 1886, in Richmond, Virginia, and was raised in the nearby town of Ashland in Hanover County. He was the son of James Hollis Chenery, a merchant, and Ida Burnley Taylor Chenery, growing up in modest circumstances typical of a merchant's family in post-Civil War Virginia. Chenery had five siblings, including William Ludlow Chenery, who later became editor of Collier's Weekly from 1925 to 1943, and Blanche Chenery Perrin, a writer; their home life in Ashland emphasized practicality and self-reliance amid the region's economic challenges. The rural environment of late nineteenth-century , with its agricultural focus and lingering effects of the Civil War, profoundly shaped Chenery's formative years and instilled a hands-on, resourceful mindset that influenced his later pursuits. During this period, he gained early exposure to horses through visits to a cousin's in neighboring Hanover County, sparking an enduring interest in the animals.

Education

Christopher Chenery attended Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, from 1902 to 1903 for preparatory studies, where he began developing an interest in technical fields. Raised in Ashland, this local institution provided him access to foundational education in a familiar Virginia setting. In 1907, Chenery entered Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, to pursue engineering. He graduated in 1909 with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, during which his final year included teaching engineering courses to underclassmen, an experience that honed his technical expertise and pedagogical skills. Prior to university, Chenery gained practical skills in by working as a for the Southern Railway, an early pursuit that aligned with his academic training and foreshadowed his career in railroad infrastructure. This hands-on experience in contributed to his proficiency in civil engineering principles relevant to transportation networks.

Professional career

Engineering and early employment

Upon graduating with a B.S. in engineering from in 1909, where he also taught engineering during his final year, Christopher T. Chenery entered the field of , initially focusing on railroad and projects. As an undergraduate at Randolph-Macon College from 1902 to 1903, he had already gained practical experience by routes for a railroad in , marking the start of his hands-on involvement in transportation infrastructure. From 1909 to 1914, Chenery worked as a field engineer across the Pacific Northwest and , primarily surveying the Alaskan interior to identify potential rail routes that could expand transportation networks in undeveloped regions. These efforts contributed to early 20th-century initiatives aimed at connecting remote areas through rail development, reflecting the era's push for improved logistics and resource access in . In 1914 and 1915, he shifted to investigative work with the Commission on Industrial Relations, where he examined labor conditions in the telephone and telegraph sectors, providing insights into the operational challenges of emerging communication utilities. By 1915, Chenery transitioned into a managerial position as an executive engineer with a Chicago-based firm, overseeing projects that built on his field experience. His career was briefly interrupted by service from 1917 to 1918, when he was stationed at Camp A. A. Humphreys in to train cavalrymen in riding techniques. Resuming his professional roles afterward, he conducted a comprehensive study from 1919 to 1920 on the federal government's and construction activities in , analyzing efficiencies in public infrastructure initiatives. This period solidified his expertise in managing large-scale endeavors, paving the way for further advancements in the 1920s.

Public utilities executive

Chenery's business success came in the public utilities sector. In June 1926, he founded the Federal Water Service Corporation (later renamed Federal Water and Gas Corporation) and served as its president and chairman until 1948, overseeing water and gas companies across multiple states. From September 1948 to 1965, he chaired the Southern Natural Gas Company, becoming chairman emeritus until 1968, and from 1948 to 1956, he was chairman of Southern Production Company, Inc., involved in oil and natural gas production. Additionally, from 1954 to 1965, Chenery founded and led the Offshore Company as chairman and CEO, focusing on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. He also served as a director of Air Reduction Company.

Entry into horse breeding

Childhood interests and initial involvement

Christopher Tompkins Chenery developed an early affinity for horses during his childhood in , where the rural environment fostered a range of outdoor pursuits. Born in 1886 and raised in modest circumstances, he frequently rode horses owned by his cousin Bernard Doswell at a farm in nearby Hanover County during the early 1900s, often when not occupied with odd jobs to support his family. As Chenery pursued his engineering career in the West, Chicago, and later as a utilities executive, his interest in horses persisted and deepened, evolving from youthful riding into a more informed passion for . During , while serving as an engineering instructor at Camp A. A. Humphreys (now ) in , he taught to cavalrymen, which further honed his equestrian skills and reinforced his lifelong enthusiasm. Amid his professional commitments, he casually attended horse races and read extensively about breeding and racing, laying the groundwork for his future involvement in the sport. In the 1930s, as his business success in public utilities provided financial stability, Chenery made his first modest investments in , purchasing a small number of broodmares to experiment with breeding as a hobbyist endeavor. These early acquisitions, acquired at moderate prices while he continued building his corporate enterprises, marked his transition from spectator to participant in equine activities. His motivations were rooted in blending practical agricultural expertise with a deep-seated passion for the grace and athleticism of Thoroughbreds, viewing as a harmonious extension of his rural roots and professional acumen.

Acquisition and development of The Meadow

Motivated by a lifelong interest in horses developed during childhood visits to relatives' property in , Christopher Chenery sought to establish a dedicated breeding operation in the mid-1930s. In 1936, Chenery purchased the family's ancestral farm in , a property that had once belonged to his Doswell relatives and was previously known as Doswell Farm. He lovingly restored the estate, converting it into a renamed The Meadow, complete with facilities for breeding, training, and housing horses. Chenery's early breeding efforts focused on acquiring foundation broodmares to build the herd, beginning with the purchase of a small number of horses in 1936 at moderate prices. In 1939, he acquired the blind broodmare Hildene for $750, which served as a cornerstone of the initial stock. This was followed in 1947 by the acquisition of the stakes-winning mare Imperatrice for $30,000 at a dispersal sale, further bolstering the breeding foundation. The acquisition and development of The Meadow were financed through profits from Chenery's extensive utilities enterprises, including his roles as president and chairman of the Federal Water Service Corporation from 1926 to 1948 and chairman of the Southern Natural Gas Company from 1948 to 1965.

Meadow Stable operations

Breeding program at Meadow Stud

Meadow Stud was established by Christopher Chenery in 1936 upon his acquisition of the historic farm in , initially with the purchase of a few horses to initiate a dedicated breeding operation focused on producing high-quality racing stock. The stud emphasized breeding lines that combined speed and , drawing from established bloodlines suited to American racing demands. Chenery's breeding program centered on carefully selected foundation mares acquired in the late and , which formed the genetic backbone of Meadow Stud. In 1939, he purchased Hildene, a blind broodmare from the Blue Larkspur line, for $750; she became one of the most influential dams at the farm, producing the champion Hill Prince (foaled 1947, by out of Hildene) and First Landing (foaled 1954, by Turn-To out of Hildene), both of whom traced their Virginia-bred roots through Chenery's program. Another key foundation mare, Imperatrice (foaled 1938, by Caruso out of Cinquepace), was acquired in the early and proved equally vital; she produced six stakes winners, including the filly Somethingroyal (foaled 1952, by ), whose lineage extended to major champions and solidified Imperatrice's status as a cornerstone of 20th-century breeding. Additional mares like Iberia contributed to the broodmare band, enhancing the farm's emphasis on diverse yet complementary bloodlines. The breeding philosophy at Meadow Stud prioritized Virginia-bred Thoroughbreds, with Chenery favoring selective matings to imported and domestic stallions renowned for imparting stamina and class, such as the Irish-bred , who sired multiple key foals from the foundation mares in the 1940s and 1950s. Operations were managed directly on the farm, allowing for hands-on oversight of mare care, foaling, and early development, which supported a strategy of retaining promising offspring for racing while selling select yearlings to bolster the program's sustainability. By the mid-20th century, these efforts had yielded dozens of foals annually, with notable sales at auctions and retainers that included future champions, establishing Meadow Stud as a leading breeding entity.

Racing stable management and key horses

Christopher T. Chenery established Meadow Stable in 1936 upon acquiring a farm in , initially to breed and race Thoroughbreds under his blue-and-white colors. By the 1940s, the stable had begun actively campaigning its homebred horses at major tracks including in New York and in , focusing on high-stakes competitions to showcase their potential. Chenery adopted a hands-on approach, personally overseeing operations until health issues in the late 1960s necessitated his daughter Penny Chenery's involvement, while emphasizing the selection of expert trainers and meticulous preparation for elite events. He hired accomplished trainers such as J.H. "Casey" Hayes, who handled early stars like Hill Prince and , and later , who guided Riva Ridge and Secretariat. Logistics involved transporting horses via rail and van from to East Coast circuits like Saratoga and Aqueduct, as well as to for the Triple Crown races, with entries strategically targeted at graded stakes to maximize earnings and prestige. Among the stable's standout horses was Hill Prince, a Virginia-bred colt who became its first major star, winning the 1950 , earning Horse of the Year honors that year, and securing 17 victories in 30 starts over four seasons. First Landing followed as a champion two-year-old in 1958, capturing the 1959 and amassing $779,577 in earnings while siring future champions for the stable. The filly dominated from 1961 to 1963, clinching three consecutive divisional championships as a leading money-winning mare with over $783,000 in purses, trained by Hayes. Riva Ridge revitalized the stable in 1972 by winning the and under Laurin, posting 17 wins in 30 starts and helping avert financial difficulties. Secretariat, though achieving his historic 1973 Triple Crown—capped by a 31-length victory—after Chenery's death on January 3 of that year, had been bred and owned by him, earning Horse of the Year titles in 1972 and 1973 with record-breaking performances. From the through the , Meadow Stable amassed over $8.5 million in purses across numerous graded stakes victories, predominantly on the East Coast, establishing it as a powerhouse in American . Many of these successes stemmed from horses bred at Chenery's adjacent Meadow Stud.

Later years and death

Family and succession

Christopher Chenery married Helen Clementina Bates on January 18, 1917. The couple resided primarily in Pelham Manor, New York, while maintaining ties to through family properties. They had three children: daughters Margaret Emily Chenery (born November 4, 1919, later married William Chester Carmichael) and Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (born January 27, 1922, later married John Bayard Tweedy), and son Hollis Burnley Chenery (born 1918), who pursued a in . Penny Chenery Tweedy emerged as the most involved family member in Chenery's enterprises, particularly Meadow Stable, beginning in the . In 1967, amid her father's declining health, she assumed management responsibilities for the stable, making key decisions that helped sustain the operation, including retaining Meadow Stable when her siblings favored selling it, with Riva Ridge's success in 1971 playing a pivotal role. Her siblings provided limited support—Margaret Carmichael focused on her own family and development interests in , while Hollis Chenery, serving as vice president and chief economist at the World Bank from 1972 to 1982, had minimal direct involvement in the horse breeding or racing activities. Chenery's succession planning emphasized gradual transitions, with corporate leadership roles handed off in the mid-1960s, including his position as chairman of the board of Southern Natural Gas Company until 1965, followed by chairman emeritus until 1968. By the early 1970s, farm operations at The Meadow saw a partial handover to family, primarily under Penny's direction, ensuring continuity for assets like the breeding program and key horses such as . This arrangement preserved the stable's legacy amid Chenery's advancing age.

Illness and passing

In the late 1960s, Christopher T. Chenery began experiencing the onset of , which progressively diminished his capacity to manage his business and racing interests. By 1968, the condition had advanced sufficiently that his daughter, , assumed management of Meadow Stable and related enterprises. That year, Chenery was admitted to New Rochelle Hospital in New York, where he received ongoing care until his death. Chenery passed away on January 3, 1973, at the age of 86, following a prolonged illness at New Rochelle Hospital. His funeral services were held shortly thereafter, and he was buried in Woodland Cemetery in , near his longtime home in Richmond. Following Chenery's death early in the 1973 racing season, his family promptly organized the handling of his agricultural, business, and equine operations to ensure continuity amid active campaigns at Meadow Stable.

Legacy and honors

Impact on Thoroughbred racing

Christopher T. Chenery's establishment of Meadow Stud in Caroline County, Virginia, in 1936 significantly elevated the state's status as a breeding hub. By transforming a modest into a premier operation, he demonstrated that could produce world-class racehorses, drawing national and international attention to the region's fertile lands and breeding potential. This focus helped shift perceptions from as a peripheral player to a competitive center, inspiring subsequent investments in local equine infrastructure and influencing the growth of the state's breeding industry. Chenery's innovations emphasized self-sufficient homebred racing, where he prioritized developing his own stock rather than relying heavily on out-of-state acquisitions. Starting with just four broodmares, Meadow Stud bred 43 stakes winners, including six champions, showcasing a strategic approach to bloodline selection that maximized returns from internal resources. He also pioneered collaborative breeding arrangements, such as foal-sharing deals with prominent families like the Phippses, which broadened access to elite genetics while fostering industry partnerships. Additionally, Chenery co-founded the in 1955, introducing a non-profit structure that reinvested proceeds into racing improvements, benefiting breeders and trainers nationwide. He mentored his daughter and was known for his genuine care for his horses. Following Chenery's death in 1973, Meadow Stud continued under family management, producing notable champions into the late 1970s and solidifying his vision's enduring viability. Horses like Secretariat exemplified this legacy, embodying the homebred excellence Chenery championed. The operation was eventually sold in 1979, but its foundational role in Virginia's equine sector persisted, contributing to regional economic vitality through farm employment and agrotourism that attracted visitors to the . Meadow's successes helped bolster local jobs in breeding, training, and support services, stimulating Caroline County's economy during and after Chenery's era.

Awards and recognitions

Christopher T. Chenery was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as a Pillar of the Turf in 2019, recognizing his foundational contributions to breeding and racing through the establishment of Meadow Stud. In 1985, Chenery was honored with induction into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame for his pioneering work in equine sports, including the development of a renowned breeding and training operation that elevated 's profile in the industry. Chenery received the for Outstanding in both 1972 and 1973, accolades stemming from the successes of horses bred at his Meadow Stable. He was also presented with a of the Year plaque by the New York Turf Writers' Association in 1950 for his early achievements in breeding. In recognition of his broader business and philanthropic efforts, Randolph-Macon College awarded Chenery an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1964.

References

Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.