[Windsor1]

I hope the mods will allow this to stay here--the Giveaways forum doesn't seem to see much action and I would really like to rehome these.

A few gems in this group, I think:

SPUR (I already have copies of these, otherwise wouldn't be parting with them!)

September/October 1986 -- features on the Maryland Million, New Bolton
March/April 1989 -- features on jockey Randy Romero, historical feature on the Maryland Hunt Cup
November/December 1990 -- features on Lane's End farm and the great Gallorette
July/August 1992 (sporting art issue) -- features on Sam-Son Farm and "racing silks, past and present"

Also one issue of Paddock (a publication of Oak Tree Racing Association) with a nice piece on John Henry, and the August/September 1978 issue of CLASSIC, with an aerial cover shot of Affirmed and Alydar dueling down the stretch in the Belmont Stakes.

Also included, The Blood-Horse anniversary publication A Quarter Century of American Racing and Breeding, loaded with photos of notable Thoroughbreds from 1916-1940.

Oh, and one issue of The Thoroughbred of California, July 1981.

A lovely trip down memory lane here!

Recipient to pay exact postage, please. PM if interested.

[Windsor1]

These have been claimed. Thank you.

[Glimmerglass]

SPUR during that era was a good magazine. I later got to know the owners, editor and a few writers/photographers when it was based in Middleburg, VA. Whoever gets them will be happy

[Windsor1]

SPUR during that era was a good magazine. I later got to know the owners, editor and a few writers/photographers when it was based in Middleburg, VA. Whoever gets them will be happy

That's so cool--I knew you knew about SPUR! I told the lucky recipient that I have what I think may be the biggest collection of SPURs in the country. I have a precious few issues dating to the SIXTIES, if you can believe it, when it was called SPUR of Virginia. And it is absolutely an early incarnation of the same publication. It made the switch somewhere between the Winter 1970 and April 1974. Between those two dates, the covers were identical except that by the latter date, the "of Virginia" had been dropped.

I'll have to take a picture.

Oh, and for giggles, the masthead of my 1969 issue (still SPUR of Virginia) says that the advisory council consisted of Walter D. Fletcher, Mrs. E.H. Augustus (assume that's the Peggy Augustus of Keswick?), John S. Pettibone, Daniel G. Van Clief, Thomas N. Lavery, and Milton Ritzenberg. Honorary member was L. Clay Camp, President, Virginia Thoroughbred Association.

[Glimmerglass]

Windsor1 - that really was a Virginia 'Who's who" advisory board in 1969! If I recall correctly that magazine had its roots (direct or indirect) with the pre- 1920's publication "The Spur" based in NY and published by The Angus Company. I have a few copies from back then I bought on eBay years ago.

The Spur, physically oversized publication, was somewhat similar to Doubleday Publishing's Country Life in content and best of the best 'country squire' focused advertising to the well heeled crowd. 'Sport and Society' being their focus. With the flocking of the wealthy from Long Island to Virginia for horse & hound it made sense for rise of The Spur of Virginia

I think I have (or had at assembled at one time) most of the issues of the Tower Whitney led CLASSIC magazine of the 1970's. An underrated publication but like Spur drained the owners of the magazine a fortune and never broke even.

As I recall the owners of Spur in the late 1980's were given advice to change the title as it was either too Western in its suggestion or for others hinted it was some S&M niche title. Eh, not so much!

With the mention of Peggy Augustus does she still breed horses out of Old Keswick? The famed property has been on the market for many years now.

[Windsor1]

Windsor1 - that really was a Virginia 'Who's who" advisory board in 1969! If I recall correctly that magazine had its roots (direct or indirect) with the pre- 1920's publication "The Spur" based in NY and published by The Angus Company. I have a few copies from back then I bought on eBay years ago.

I wondered about that, whether the old, old, OLD Spur was a precursor of the modern one or a separate publication.

I think I have (or had at assembled at one time) most of the issues of the Tower Whitney led CLASSIC magazine of the 1970's. An underrated publication but like Spur drained the owners of the magazine a fortune and never broke even.

I got my first issues of CLASSIC around 1980 from the teenager who first gave me riding lessons (saddle seat!).

In retrospect I can see how it went under. It was truly all over the map, covering art and events and personalities and places from every imaginable discipline. I think it even had a training/riding how-to article every now and then. Really a mishmash. Which of course was also part of its charm, I suppose. I have all but a couple of issues of that one too.

With the mention of Peggy Augustus does she still breed horses out of Old Keswick? The famed property has been on the market for many years now.

I wish I were well-informed or -connected enough to answer that! Keswick is such a lovely area. I have drooled my way through there (and past Cismont Manor) many a time on my way from Fredericksburg to Lynchburg. I had a subscription to The Thoroughbred Record for just one year when I was a kid, and I remember Old Keswick being on the cover once--just a lovely shot of horses running in one of the beautiful pastures. :-)