The Portraiture of Buckhunter or the Carlisle Gelding

Dateca. 1760

Publisher Henry Roberts (active 1730 - 1790)

After work by James Roberts (ca. 1725 - 1799)

OriginEngland, London

MediumEtching and line engraving

DimensionsOverall: 8 7/16 × 5 3/16in. (21.4 × 13.2cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1961-251

DescriptionUpper right margin reads: "11"
Lower margin reads: "The PORTRAITURE of BUCKHUNTER of the CARLISLE GELDING/ This Gelding tho' in very high Form for Running there were Horses that could/ beat him; but in many particulars there were scare his equal, never his Superior,/ that could Run with all degress of Weight, Support frequent Heats Travelling, Running/ often, the whole continued for such a Series of Years, he was bred by the Earl of Carlisle/ and got by ye Bald Galloway Sire of Old CArtouch Roxanna & many eminent Horses, he/ was bred by Capt. Rider in Whittleberry Forest, his Dam was a Royal Mare of Capt. Rider's/ of the Whynot Kind; his Sire was ye St. Victor Barb, Carlisles Dam was got by a Turk/ of the said Earl, his Grand Dam was a Daughter of ye Byerly Turk./ He won several Kings Plates & Matches at Newmarket & supported the severity of/ Running Tryalls for many Years, he was sold from thence at near 14 Years Old &/ afterwards won the following Prizes; 50 Guineas at Huntingdon, 50 at Warwick, 50 at/ Bath, Twice 40 at Peterborough, 40 at Litchfield, 30 at Stratford, 30 at Rothwell, 30 at/ Rugby, 30 at Boston, 25 at Welchpool, 50 at Newmarket, 20 at Litchfield, 20 at Leicester,/ 20 at Newcastle, 20 at Malton, 20 at Spalding & 15 at Northampton, he afterwards fell Lame."
Label TextThe print comes from a collection of forty engravings after the work of James Roberts and engraved by Henry Roberts entitled "The Sportsman's Pocket Companion" published around 1760. Though the horses were drawn by James Roberts, they were likely after other paintings and prints of famous racehorses. The majority of the horses represented in the prints raced between 1708-1755. The collection was originally bound, but the title page stated that "This Work is Contrived that it may be Framed & Glazed in various Sizes, & will make most elegant & pleasing Furniture."

The PORTRAITURE of BUCKHUNTER of the CARLISLE GELDING
This Gelding tho' in very high Form for Running there were Horses that could
beat him; but in many particulars there were scare his equal, never his Superior,
that could Run with all degress of Weight, Support frequent Heats Travelling, Running
often, the whole continued for such a Series of Years, he was bred by the Earl of Carlisle and got by ye Bald Galloway Sire of Old Cartouch Roxanna & many eminent Horses, he
was bred by Capt. Rider in Whittleberry Forest, his Dam was a Royal Mare of Capt. Rider's
of the Whynot Kind; his Sire was ye St. Victor Barb, Carlisles Dam was got by a Turk
of the said Earl, his Grand Dam was a Daughter of ye Byerly Turk.
He won several Kings Plates & Matches at Newmarket & supported the severity of
Running Tryalls for many Years, he was sold from thence at near 14 Years Old &
afterwards won the following Prizes; 50 Guineas at Huntingdon, 50 at Warwick, 50 at
Bath, Twice 40 at Peterborough, 40 at Litchfield, 30 at Stratford, 30 at Rothwell, 30 at
Rugby, 30 at Boston, 25 at Welchpool, 50 at Newmarket, 20 at Litchfield, 20 at Leicester,
20 at Newcastle, 20 at Malton, 20 at Spalding & 15 at Northampton, he afterwards fell Lame."