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“He was Quite a Horseman” An interview with surviving friends of Frank Hopkins Following the release of the movie “Hidalgo,” a CBS News affiliate ran a related special interest story. Many calls came in to the station asking about the film’s equine stars and where they ended up. But one call in particular caught the attention of a correspondent. A couple in their 80’s, Walt and Edith Pyle, phoned to say that they had been friends of the late Frank T. Hopkins and they were surprised to hear his name again after nearly sixty years. The station contacted screenwriter and horseman John Fusco and he promptly connected with Mr. and Mrs. Pyle who remain active in the breeding and racing of thoroughbreds. The phone call solved the mystery of what Fusco calls the “Pocantico Hills Photo” believed to be Frank T. Hopkins on horseback. Fusco, who initiated both this tribute site and the restoration of the Horse of the America’s Registry, traveled recently to the farm and home of the Pyle’s. All of us had hoped that the movie might catch the attention of older folks out there like the Pyle’s who might have information on FTH. On July 19th, 2004, Walt and Edith sat down with “Hidalgo’s” author and talked 100 mile rides, the Rockefeller’s, and Frank T. Hopkins. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Walt and Edith Pyle only drink decaf, which makes their boundless energy—even in their 80’s—all the more impressive. Down-to-earth dairy farmers and thoroughbred horse breeders, they have lived an interesting and successful life together. Walt grew up in Pocantico Hills, NY, right next door to the Rockefeller Estate. He worked security for the Rockefeller’s at times, served with the 9th Infantry Division in World War II, was a state representative, and former president of the New England Dairy Breeders Association. Edith also worked security at the Estate, owned a riding stables nearby, has led 4-H programs,, and continues her passion of breeding thoroughbreds. Their Pocantico Farms, home of the nationally-known Pocantico Jersey cow line, is still a working and productive dairy farm. JF: Well, I have to say, Mr. and Mrs. Pyle, this is exciting for me, having been on a long journey with Frank T. Hopkins, the movie character, to be sitting down with two people who actually knew the man. WALT: What you mean is, you’re surprised that you found someone as old as him still around! (Laughter) JF: Well, you both look great— EDITH: Well…I don’t know…(laughing) WALT: Frank was pretty well up around our age when we really got to know him. But he was closer with my dad. EDITH: I just tracked down the twins, you know, the Johnson twins who used to ride endurance in the Vermont 100-miler that Frank judged in the 40’s. JF: Dr. Johnson’s girls? The twins that he writes about that were such good riders? EDITH: Yes. I found Nancy from the old Green Mountain Horse Association and she’s kept in touch with them all these years. Here’s their addresses. JF: Good, thank you. WALT: Yeah, Nancy remembers Frank very well. But they hadn’t even heard of the movie. We hadn’t either I guess, until the TV news. JF: Here’s a picture. Dr. Earl Johnson with Frank Hopkins. Is this the twins’ father? EDITH: Ah, yep. JF: And is that Frank? EDITH: Oh, yes. That’s him. WALT: That’s him. And Dr. Johnson. Those are his horses. JF: Okay. WALT: Where’d you get that? EDITH: Is that from "A Judge's Impression of the Ride?" JF: Yeah. Written by Frank Hopkins. (Edith produces a photo copy) EDITH: Okay, well, Nancy sent me this, its out of the Green Mountain Horse Association. JF: Right, I have some other articles by Frank from the same publication. WALT: That was ’41. We did that ride. We’d come up from New York. We won in ’52. JF: You did? EDITH: Yes. JF: So you’re distance riders? EDITH: Well, no. WALT: Edith did the 100-miler five times. JF: Then I’d say she’s a distance rider. EDITH: I only finished twice. JF: That’s not so bad. EDITH: The one we won, we had a horse that had come out of Alberta, Canada. Athabascan Territory Mustang…but sired by a thoroughbred. On her ranch there, way up. She shipped out a trainload of horses. Most of them were sired by the thoroughbred. JF: Who was she who owned this ranch in Alberta? EDITH: Mrs. Davidson. WALT: She had sent these Athabascans down with one cowboy to the railhead in New York state. They’d been traveling…how many days, Ede? EDITH: Seven…seventeen days. WALT: We took them up to the trails on the Rockefeller Estate and turned them loose. Just this one cowboy, me, and Edith. (Laughter) EDITH: We drove them up to a T in the trail where they could go right or left. They went everywhere. And we spent the rest of the afternoon catching them. JF: So how did you two end up working horses near the Rockefeller Estate? WALT: I was brought up in Poncantico Hills. Right next to the Rockefeller Estate. My father worked there. In fact, he wrote a book called “Poncantico Hills: 50 Years on the Rockefeller Estate.” Five generations of the Rockefeller’s. JF: What was your father’s name? WALT: Tom Pyle. JF: What did he do on the Rockefeller Estate? WALT: He was Head of Security, in charge of 35 watchman, and he was Game Keeper. JF: Like a game warden? WALT: That’s right. Edith worked there, too. She worked security and also the kennel. JF: Edith? You worked security for the Rockefeller’s? EDITH: This was during the War. I worked the gate. Let people in and out. WALT: When Nelson found out that my father was going to write a book, he came back to retrieve some photos, but the watchmen wouldn’t let him in. (Laughter) This was back when Nelson was running for President of the United States. JF: Well, I have a photo here that was located in a box at the University of Wyoming. We have an older gent on a horse—with a great seat—and the back of the photo is marked D. Stillman Estate, Pocantico Hills, NY, 1951. Is this Frank Hopkins? EDITH: Yes. WALT: It sure is. JF: You’re certain. WALT: That’s our stables. And that’s Blue Bird. JF: So you can identify the horse, too? EDITH: Blue Bird. She’s one of the Athabascans that came down on the train from Alberta.
WALT: The what? JF: The Long Riders Guild. And they have posted this photo with the caption “unidentified rider.” They have tried to discredit Frank Hopkins, calling him a pathological liar. They state, on a web site, in a book, and on the History Channel, that they believe he never sat a horse, knew nothing about horses, and— WALT AND EDITH: Whooaaaaaa—! EDITH: Oh, hell. WALT: (Laughing) JF: So you’ve seen Frank T. Hopkins ride. WALT: Oh, yes. JF: I want to hear this, but lets back up. How did you come to know him? What was he doing on the Rockefeller Estate? Continue Interview ------> COMING SOON: New Frank Hopkins materials located in Texas... |
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this site sponsored by The Horse of the Americas Registry, & IRAM - the Institute of Range and the American Mustang email:info@frankhopkins.com |
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