By Nancy Brannon
Janet (Hawken) Robbins is a long-time equestrienne, having foxhunted with Longreen Hounds, first in the field and later as a Whipper-in. Dubbed affectionately as “Hawk” by her fellow foxhunters, she thoroughly enjoyed being out on crisp fall and winter mornings riding to hounds. At one time, there was also a foxhound named “Hawk.” The story goes that one hunt day a fellow Longreen Whipper-In was calling the hound Hawk off a line and out of deep woods, shouting, “Hawk, Hawk! Come outa there!” Shortly thereafter, Janet appeared saying, “I’m coming as fast as I can!”
Janet’s main is owner of a ladies’ fashion boutique, Chessie’s (named after her favorite Labrador) in Collierville, TN. Janet has for many years “dressed” and given fashion advice to one of her more fashionably-impaired, shall we say, horsey friends.
Janet’s love for horses and riding has never abated, nor her sense of humor about riding and fashion. Another story is that on a bitter cold, windy day out foxhunting, Janet queried over the radio, “I hope everyone is wearing their moisturizer!” The answer came shortly from a fellow Whipper-In, more workmanlike in her approach, “No, but I’m wearing my Bag Balm.”
Her 1897 home in Hickory Valley, TN – Duryea Plantation – provides a picturesque setting, and modern stable facility, for her three horses and mule: Tennessee Walking Horse “Bay Rum;” mule “Uncle Remus;” Thoroughbred “Buddy,” aka The Right Combination; and her reliable foxhunting horse, “Dakota,” who rules the barnyard and pastures. She mainly trail rides with her equestrienne friends around Hickory Valley and LaGrange, TN.
About Duryea Plantation. According to the Hardeman County History records by the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, millionaire H. B. Duryea came to Hickory Valley, TN in 1897, where he “purchased thousands of acres of land and built a mansion… This house was the most modern of its time, with carbide lights and a water system that provided the home with bathrooms and indoor toilet facilities. He beautified the grounds with evergreens imported from other localities and bulb flowers imported from Holland. He built huge barns and silos, and brought to Hickory Valley an improved breed of shorthorn cattle.”
Herman B. Duryea was prominent in horse racing. His horse Dunbar II was only the fourth American horse to win the English Derby. Duryea was associated with Harry Payne Whitney (who also built a home in Hickory Valley) and Whitney sometimes raced his horses under the Duryea colors. In 1912, Duryea’s horse Sweeper II won the 10,000 Guineas Race in England and in 1914 Dunbar II won the Derby and the Prix Noarelles in France. He was half owner with Harry Payne Whitney of Irish Lad, who won the Brooklyn Handicap in 1903 and Metropolitan Handicap in 1904. Duryea maintained stables in England, France, and the U.S. and was a deputy Steward of the American Jockey Club. At his home in Hickory Valley, he bred hunting dogs and gamecocks. Duryea died at his home in New York in 1916.
Janet has been painting for about ten years and her usual subjects are horses. “I always thought I could do it,” she said, “and I finally got around to it!” The subjects of many of her paintings are race horses and scenes associated with them. Her most recent painting “Neck & Neck,” shows the muddy heads and necks of two well-matched race horses. Two other race horse paintings depict steeplechasing. In fact, the steeplechase paintings are what launched Janet back into painting. She painted a mare and foal from a photo she took in Kentucky. The foal was just born! The barn aisle painting is from a photo she took of a racing barn in Maryland. It features early morning mist that one often sees in that pre-dawn time, just before the horses are breezed. There is another painting depicting two riders on a windy day, riding across the moors. One of her favorite subjects, foxhounds, is depicted in an earlier paintings, “Foxhounds
– gone away!”
Janet’s paintings are dispersed throughout this issue of the Mid-South Horse Review.
Janet (Hawken) Robbins is a long-time equestrienne, having foxhunted with Longreen Hounds, first in the field and later as a Whipper-in. Dubbed affectionately as “Hawk” by her fellow foxhunters, she thoroughly enjoyed being out on crisp fall and winter mornings riding to hounds. At one time, there was also a foxhound named “Hawk.” The story goes that one hunt day a fellow Longreen Whipper-In was calling the hound Hawk off a line and out of deep woods, shouting, “Hawk, Hawk! Come outa there!” Shortly thereafter, Janet appeared saying, “I’m coming as fast as I can!”
Janet’s main is owner of a ladies’ fashion boutique, Chessie’s (named after her favorite Labrador) in Collierville, TN. Janet has for many years “dressed” and given fashion advice to one of her more fashionably-impaired, shall we say, horsey friends.
Janet’s love for horses and riding has never abated, nor her sense of humor about riding and fashion. Another story is that on a bitter cold, windy day out foxhunting, Janet queried over the radio, “I hope everyone is wearing their moisturizer!” The answer came shortly from a fellow Whipper-In, more workmanlike in her approach, “No, but I’m wearing my Bag Balm.”
Her 1897 home in Hickory Valley, TN – Duryea Plantation – provides a picturesque setting, and modern stable facility, for her three horses and mule: Tennessee Walking Horse “Bay Rum;” mule “Uncle Remus;” Thoroughbred “Buddy,” aka The Right Combination; and her reliable foxhunting horse, “Dakota,” who rules the barnyard and pastures. She mainly trail rides with her equestrienne friends around Hickory Valley and LaGrange, TN.
About Duryea Plantation. According to the Hardeman County History records by the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, millionaire H. B. Duryea came to Hickory Valley, TN in 1897, where he “purchased thousands of acres of land and built a mansion… This house was the most modern of its time, with carbide lights and a water system that provided the home with bathrooms and indoor toilet facilities. He beautified the grounds with evergreens imported from other localities and bulb flowers imported from Holland. He built huge barns and silos, and brought to Hickory Valley an improved breed of shorthorn cattle.”
Herman B. Duryea was prominent in horse racing. His horse Dunbar II was only the fourth American horse to win the English Derby. Duryea was associated with Harry Payne Whitney (who also built a home in Hickory Valley) and Whitney sometimes raced his horses under the Duryea colors. In 1912, Duryea’s horse Sweeper II won the 10,000 Guineas Race in England and in 1914 Dunbar II won the Derby and the Prix Noarelles in France. He was half owner with Harry Payne Whitney of Irish Lad, who won the Brooklyn Handicap in 1903 and Metropolitan Handicap in 1904. Duryea maintained stables in England, France, and the U.S. and was a deputy Steward of the American Jockey Club. At his home in Hickory Valley, he bred hunting dogs and gamecocks. Duryea died at his home in New York in 1916.
Janet has been painting for about ten years and her usual subjects are horses. “I always thought I could do it,” she said, “and I finally got around to it!” The subjects of many of her paintings are race horses and scenes associated with them. Her most recent painting “Neck & Neck,” shows the muddy heads and necks of two well-matched race horses. Two other race horse paintings depict steeplechasing. In fact, the steeplechase paintings are what launched Janet back into painting. She painted a mare and foal from a photo she took in Kentucky. The foal was just born! The barn aisle painting is from a photo she took of a racing barn in Maryland. It features early morning mist that one often sees in that pre-dawn time, just before the horses are breezed. There is another painting depicting two riders on a windy day, riding across the moors. One of her favorite subjects, foxhounds, is depicted in an earlier paintings, “Foxhounds
– gone away!”
Janet’s paintings are dispersed throughout this issue of the Mid-South Horse Review.
