Gwyn R. Tompkins (1861 – November 26, 1938) was an American

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

trainer and owner in both

steeplechase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

and

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

. Tompkins owned and trained Rossfenton who in 1910 won the most prestigious steeplechase event in the United States, the

American Grand National The Grand National Hurdle Stakes is an American National Steeplechase Association sanctioned steeplechase race run each fall at Far Hills, New Jersey. It is a Grade 1 event run over miles. It has been known by a variety of names over the years, i ...

Fifteen years later he gained national prominence in flat racing when he took over from

Louis Feustel Louis C. Feustel (January 2, 1884 – July 7, 1970) was an American Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred horse racing National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame horse trainer, trainer best known as the trainer of Man o' War. The Au ...

in 1923 as head trainer for Sam Riddle's famous

Glen Riddle Farm Glen Riddle Farm was a large horse farm in Berlin, Maryland in the United States. Located on what today is Route 50 between Ocean City and Berlin, it was owned by a wealthy textile businessman Samuel D. Riddle who named it for his home town G ...

. While training for Riddle, 1925 Gwyn Tompkins accomplished something extraordinary in Thoroughbred racing when he conditioned the

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving ...

(

Friar's Carse Friars' Carse is a mansion house and estate situated (NX 926 850) southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Parish of Dunscore, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong as ...

), the

American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when both ...

( Maid at Arms), and the

American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971. The award originated in 1936 when ''Turf & Sports Di ...

(

American Flag The national flag of the United States, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal Bar (heraldry), stripes, Variation of the field, alternating red and white, with a blue rectangle in the Canton ( ...

). In addition, that same year Tompkins prepared the then two-year-old

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who would earn 1926

and Horse of the Year honors. For 1925, Gwyn Tompkins was the

United States Champion Thoroughbred Trainer by earnings There is recognition for the United States Champion Thoroughbred Trainer by earnings but no formal award is given to the trainer in Thoroughbred flat racing whose horses earned the most purse money in North American Thoroughbred racing. Note that ...

. A story in the November 1, 1925 issue of the ''

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'' was headlined: ''America's Leading Race Trainer Near Death at Laurel''

Tompkins recovered from his illness but five weeks later the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' reported that he had resigned as trainer for

due to his health problems

However, he soon signed on with

Isabel Dodge Sloane Isabel Cleves Dodge Sloane (February 1896 – March 16, 1962) was an American heiress and socialite who owned a major Thoroughbred horse racing stable and breeding farm. Isabel Dodge was the second of three children of Canadian-born Ivy Hawkin ...

, heiress and owner of

Brookmeade Stable Brookmeade Stable was a thoroughbred horse racing stable owned by Dodge automobile heiress and socialite Isabel Dodge Sloane. Sloane first won using the name Brookmeade Stable at the Manly Memorial Steeplechase at Pimlico in 1924. In 1929, Sloa ...

. For Mrs. Sloane, he trained horses that won in both

and

. A resident of

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat. The population was 10,057 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an increase from 9,611 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and 6,670 at ...

where Mrs. Sloan maintained her stable, in November 1938 the then seventy-seven-year-old Gwyn Tompkins took a heavy fall on ice and died in hospital as a result of his injuries.

References

May 31, 1910 ''New York Times'' article "''Rossfenton Takes Grand National''"
*[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0A14FF3A581A7A93C5AB178AD95F4C8385F9 November 27, 1938 ''New York Times'' article titled "''Gwyn R. Tompkins; Horse Trainer for Mrs. Isabel Dodge Sloane Dies of Fall on Ice''"] {{DEFAULTSORT:Tompkins, Gwyn R. 1861 births 1938 deaths American racehorse trainers People from Warrenton, Virginia