Charlie Mills (23 November 1888 in Hamburg – 7 June 1972 in Switzerland) was a German

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

driver and trainer of an Irish descent. Mills was one of the most legendary harness racers in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

during his long career that lasted from the 1900s to the early 1960s. He gained a total of 4 364 victories as a driver, trainer or

breeder A breeder is a person who selectively breeds carefully selected mates, normally of the same breed, to sexually reproduce offspring with specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. This might be as a farmer, agriculturalist ...

. Mills had a great influence on the development of German harness racing before

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Retrieved 19 May 2013. Two of his most famous horses were the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

bred Walter Dear and French Gelinotte. Mills was born as one of the six sons of an Irish horse trainer Anthony Mills. His father came to Germany for working as a trainer at the newly opened Bahrenfeld race track in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

. Charlie soon started to drive himself and won his first race in 1903 at

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. In 1931 he started a

stud farm A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud (animal), stud" comes from the Old English ''stod'' meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding". Historically, ...

named Gestüt Lindenhof in

Templin Templin () is a small town in the Uckermark district of Brandenburg, Germany. Though it has a population of only 17,127 (2006), in terms of area it is, with 377.01 km2 (145.56 sq mi), the second largest town in Brandenburg (after Wittstock) and ...

Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...

with a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

publisher and horse breeder

Bruno Cassirer Bruno Cassirer (12 December 1872 – 29 October 1941Barbara Falk: ''No Other Home: an Anglo-Jewish family in Australia 1833–1987'', Penguin Books, Melbourne, 1988.) was a publisher and gallery owner in Berlin who had a considerable influence on ...

, who later emigrated to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

. In 1935, Mills acquired another stud farm in

Kremmen Kremmen () is a town in the district of Oberhavel, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is located 15 km (10 miles) west of Oranienburg and 38 km (24 miles) northwest of Berlin. It is known mostly for its castle Ziethen. The local church contai ...

. After the war Mills moved to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

in 1947 and had a farm at

Senlis Senlis () is a commune in the northern French department of Oise, Hauts-de-France. The monarchs of the early French dynasties lived in Senlis, attracted by the proximity of the Chantilly forest. It is known for its Gothic cathedral and other ...

, north of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. Charlie Mills spent his last years in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

where he died at the age of 83. In 1966, Mills made a short appearance in a French comedy ''Le Caïd de Champignol'' by

Jean Bastia Jean Bastia (21 February 1919 in Bastia, Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in ...

. The film was shot in Senlis.

Major racing victories

Germany * Deutsches Traber-Derby – Raute (1910), Zora (1925), Lebenskünstler (1926), Plutarch (1934), Probst (1935), Fried (1937), Leo (1938), Dachs (1939), Missouri (1942) Austria * Österreichisches Traber-Derby – Baka (1919), Plunger jr (1920), Vickerl (1927) * Graf Kalman Hunyady-Gedenkrennen – Tizian (1929), Walter Dear (1931), Rama (1937), Gelinotte (1957) France *

Prix d'Amérique Prix d'Amérique is a harness race held at the Hippodrome de Vincennes in Paris, France. The race takes place on the last Sunday of January every year, and has been doing so since 1920, with the exception for the years 1940-1941 when it was cance ...

– Walter Dear (1934), Gélinotte (1956, 1957) * Critérium des 3 ans – Élope (1951), Luth Grandchamp (1958) * Critérium des 4 ans – Bleinheim (1949), Chambon (1950), Élope (1952), Gelinotte (1954), Kimono Royal (1958) * Critérium des 5 ans – Volcano (1948), Agramant (1949), Enfant des Houlles (1953), Fortunato II (1954) Italy *

Gran Premio Lotteria Gran Premio Lotteria, or Gran Premio della Lotteria, or in short, Lotteria, is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Agnano Racetrack in Naples, Italy. The competition, which was inaugurated in 1951, is regarded as one of the mo ...

– Gelinotte (1956) Sweden *

Elitloppet Elitloppet (literally: "The Elite Race") or Solvallas Internationella Elitlopp is an annual, invitational Group One harness event that has taken place at Solvalla Racetrack in Stockholm, Sweden, since 1952. The competition is regarded as one of ...

– Gelinotte (1956, 1957) *

Åby Stora Pris Åby Stora Pris (literally "Åby Grand Prize") is an annual Group One harness event for trotters that is held at Åby Racetrack in Mölndal, 10 km south of Gothenburg, Sweden. Åby Stora Pris has taken place since 1936, the same year Åby Ra ...

– Gelinotte (1956, 1957) Danmark *

Copenhagen Cup KBUs Pokalturnering (unofficial English language, English translation: ''KBU Cup'', ''Copenhagen Cup'') was a Denmark, Danish regional Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football competition contested annually from 1910 to 1953 by ...

– Guy Bacon (1928), Walter Dear (1931, 1932), Gelinotte (1957)Sukuposti – Copenhagen Cup
Retrieved 19 May 2013.

Sources

Hall of Fame – Deutscher Travsport

References

External links

Queen Of Trotters Wins Race Again – Video clip by British Pathé
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Charlie 1888 births 1972 deaths German harness racers German horse trainers German people of Irish descent Sportspeople from Hamburg German expatriate sportspeople in France