Kentucky 's system of 44 state parks has been referred to as "the nation's finest" and experiences more repeat business annually than those of any other U.S. state . The state's diverse geography provides a variety of environments to experience. From mountain lakes to expansive caves to forests teeming with wildlife, park-goers have their choice of attractions, and they are all within a day's drive of each other.
29-599: Unless otherwise specified, data in the following lists are taken from Kentucky State Parks by Bill Bailey. Although the Kentucky Horse Park is owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is administered separately from the Department of Parks and is not a state park. Breaks Interstate Park is also separate, administered under an interstate compact with the state of Virginia , in partnership with
58-408: A 4,000-square-foot club lounge seating up to 80 patrons. The arena floor is below street level; the arena concourse, with 50,000 square feet of space, overlooks the arena floor and contains six concession stands. There are also two box offices at the arena. The Kentucky Horse Park hosts diverse educational events and competitions. Past examples include: Also, in 2015 the park became the new home of
87-510: A list of all 30+ organizations in one place, with contacts, see the Kentucky Horse Park website. Rolex Stadium is the primary outdoor event venue in the complex. The stadium seats 7,338 in its main grandstand but can accommodate up to 37,338 total capacity when bleachers seating up to 30,000 are used, primarily for larger outdoor horse shows, concerts , and other sporting events. Its show ring measures 306 feet by 406 feet, with
116-498: A result, his art is imbued with a unique spark of life and authenticity; and WHEREAS, During his 50 years of sculpting, Jim Reno has created 15 monumental statues, which include figures of Charles Goodnight , Robert Justus Kleberg, Jr ., and Quanah Parker ; and WHEREAS, He has, in addition, created numerous smaller limited edition pieces, which include bronzes of Indians, cowboys, longhorns, horses, and rodeo and ranch depictions; and WHEREAS, Jim Reno's passion for Texas history and
145-436: A teenager, Reno's life was already taking shape with the support of school teachers who took an interest in him, including one teacher who recognized his artistic talent as a sculptor. Reno took a woodcarving class in high school, and carved a Hereford cow that he contributed to his agriculture class so his classmates could use it as a model to learn how to judge beef cattle. That woodcarving inspired his teacher to enter it in
174-691: A total of $ 94,037.34 in lifetime earnings in the NCHA. In high school, I always was drawing horses. I wasn’t drawing horses because I wanted to. I was drawing horses because I wanted to be with them and wanted to be outside. ~Jim Reno In 1975, he was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the National Cutting Horse Association as vice-president, and then served as president for a total of seven years, his first term from 1976-78 and again from 1986-89. He
203-403: Is Kentucky Horse Park's 5,520-seat indoor arena, expandable to 8,500 for concerts. The arena floor and championship ring measures 135 feet by 300 feet; in addition in indoor horse shows, Alltech Arena can also be used for indoor football , ice hockey , basketball , circuses , boxing , wrestling , concerts, and other special events. The arena contains nine luxury suites, 222 VIP box seats and
232-530: Is a 1,224-acre (495 ha) park dedicated to "man's relationship with the horse." Open to the public, the park has a twice daily Horses of the World Show, showcasing both common and rare horses from around the globe. The horses are ridden in authentic costume. Each year the park is host to a number of special events and horse shows. Additionally, the park contains the International Museum of
261-486: Is also a life-size statue of the 1973 U.S. Triple Crown winner Secretariat with jockey Ron Turcotte aboard being led by groom Eddie Sweat , sculpted by Jim Reno . From harness racing , there is a statue of Bret Hanover . The Kentucky Horse Park also contains the National Horse Center, headquarters for more than 30 national, regional and state equine organizations and associations including: For
290-557: The Ichthus Music Festival , a major Christian music festival originally held in nearby Wilmore until its temporary demise following its 2012 edition. For a constantly up-to-date list of all park events, see the Kentucky Horse Park website. On December 6, 2005, it was announced that Lexington and the Kentucky Horse Park would host the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in September and October. The 2010 games marked
319-458: The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington . I'm a horseman. I needed a ranch to raise horses. My art let me have the ranch. ~ Jim Reno Reno also sculptured the life-size bronze statue of the race horse Dash For Cash , an American Quarter Horse trained by Bubba Cascio , and ridden by jockey Jerry Nicodemus. The memorial was inspired by a photograph of Nicodemus astride the horse after winning
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#1732780602626348-530: The 1976 Champion of Champions race at Los Alamitos Race Course . The AQHA considers it "the sport's richest and most prestigious race for older horses." The statue is located in front of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum . The ashes of Dash for Cash are buried at the foot of the statue. Among his many accolades, Reno was named Texas Artist of the Year (1997–1998) by
377-732: The Decade for the 1990s, and Da Hoss , the first horse to win Breeders' Cup races in non-consecutive years. In late 2008, the champions Alysheba and Funny Cide became residents, but Alysheba died at the park in March 2009. 1994 Kentucky Derby winner, Go For Gin, became a resident of the barn in 2011, while Cigar died at the park in 2014. Besides Thoroughbred horses, Standardbred pacing greats such as Staying Together and Western Dreamer , Cam Fella (deceased) and Rambling Willie (deceased), and Standardbred trotting champion Mr. Muscleman have made
406-587: The Horse, a Smithsonian Affiliate, which has a permanent collection of horse history and memorabilia, along with a rotating historical collection focused on a particular theme. Past themes include A Gift from the Desert (Arabia), Imperial China, and All the Queen's Horses (Britain). Beginning with the 1979 arrival of Forego , one of the leading handicap horses of the 1970s, the Kentucky Horse Park has been home to some of
435-541: The Kentucky Department of Parks. Kentucky Horse Park Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky . It is located off Kentucky State Highway 1973 (Iron Works Pike) and Interstate 75 , at Exit 120, in northern Fayette County in the United States. The equestrian facility
464-400: The Kentucky Horse Park their home, as well as 5-gaited American Saddlebred geldings CH Gypsy Supreme, CH Imperator and CH Sky Watch (all deceased). A number of horse sculptures stand in the Kentucky Horse Park, including a Man o' War statue on a pedestal near the entrance, over the horse's grave, which was moved here from Faraway Farm during the establishment of the park in the 1970s. There
493-570: The NCHA, served twenty-one years on the NCHA executive committee, and was inducted into the NCHA Members Hall of Fame . Reno grew up in New Castle, Indiana in a single parent home. When Jim was only five, his father deserted the family, forcing his mother to work in an auto factory to support her two boys. At age 7, Reno got a job mucking stalls at the county fairgrounds, which is when he first developed an affinity for horses. As
522-720: The Texas State Art Commission. SENATE RESOLUTION 737 - April 26, 1999 Senator Lindsay offered the following resolution: WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pleasure in congratulating Jim Reno of Kerrville on the honor of his being named the Texas State Artist for 1997-1998 in three-dimensional media; and WHEREAS, Mr. Reno is renowned for his expertise as a cutting horse trainer and competitor and world renowned for his bronze statues of horses and historic Texans; he lives his art, and as
551-456: The first time the games were held outside of Europe ; additionally, the eight Olympic -level world championships had never been held together in a single location within Europe. As part of the games, several improvements to the park were slated: On February 1, 2007, Governor Ernie Fletcher announced that he would seek an additional $ 38.3 million in improvements to the park in preparation for
580-606: The flooring made of sand and fiber; however, artificial turf has been brought into the stadium for soccer and football games on occasion, among other events. It is the largest outdoor concert venue in Central Kentucky with a capacity of up to nearly 52,000. There are six concession stands at the stadium and six restrooms, meaning that concession and restroom facilities may be limited for events that require larger capacity; however Rolex Stadium features an 18-by-33-foot Daktronics ProStar LED videoscreen. Alltech Arena
609-411: The games and other major horse events. In his address to the 2007 General Assembly the governor suggested: The new indoor stadium and additional exhibition space, costing $ 28 million, would be financed with 20-year bonds. The roadway improvements, at $ 10.3 million within the park, would come from the state highway fund . The resort hotel would be constructed and financed without state funds. Although
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#1732780602626638-516: The park is owned by the state government, it is administered separately from the state park system . Kentucky Horse Park Arboretum Jim Reno Jim Reno (1929–2008) was a bronze sculptor who focused his artistic abilities on western themes and famous horses, such as Secretariat . Reno's most notable sculpture is titled Secretariat—31 Lengths which is on display at the National Museum of Racing at Saratoga Springs, New York . He
667-523: The parks departments of both states. Kentucky's 24 "rec parks" span the state from Columbus to Pikeville . Each features outdoor camping areas with a variety of outdoor activities. Kentucky offers more state resort parks than any other state. Each features a lodge complete with dining room and Wi-Fi wireless Internet access. Ten of Kentucky's recreational parks and two of its resort parks are simultaneously designated as state historic sites. An additional eleven state historic sites are also maintained by
696-496: The side. Reno was an owner, trainer and breeder of cutting horses for about 30 years; he retired in 1995. He and his wife, Mary Jo, owned the cutting horse stallion Shorty Lena by Doc O'Lena and out of Moira Girl. The first winning cutting horse Reno trained was an Arabian mare named "Madida". She earned the title Horse of the Year for the Gulf Coast Cutting Horse Association. Reno earned
725-872: The state competition, which Jim ended up winning. That same teacher helped him get a scholarship to the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis. After graduating from high school, he attended Herron School of Art on a six-week trial scholarship which developed into a full scholarship. He received his degree in 1952, and headed west for a job interview with The Walt Disney Company in California, but because of his strong desire to be in Texas, he ended-up in Houston instead. Sculpting opportunities were few, so he started training horses, and did some sculpting on
754-466: The western culture as it is reflected in his art has brought joy to a generation of Texans; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 76th Legislature, hereby extend congratulations to Jim Reno for being named the Texas State Artist for 1997-1998 in three-dimensional media; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for Mr. Reno as an expression of
783-414: The world's greatest competition horses, including John Henry , Horse of the Decade for the 1980s and the top money-winning Thoroughbred gelding in racing history. With the exception of a few months in 1986, John Henry lived at the park from 1985 until his death in 2007, alongside other racing greats such as Forego and his fellow 1970s champion Bold Forbes , and more recent residents Cigar , voted Horse of
812-513: Was also commissioned in 1973 by Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery (Tweedy) to sculpt a life-size bronze of the horse for the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky . Reno also sculpted Dash For Cash , cattleman Charles Goodnight , Comanche Indian Chief Quannah Parker , and many other depictions of legendary people and horses. Reno raised and trained cutting horses, and competed in NCHA cutting horse events. He served two terms as president of
841-628: Was inducted into the NCHA Members Hall of Fame in 1990. His work as a sculptor is wide-ranging, and can be seen in collections of individuals, businesses, the White House permanent collection, and museums around the world. Among his most notable sculptures is the life-size statue of Secretariat , the Triple Crown winner affectionately known as "Big Red". The statue is located at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center in
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