|
|
Grave Matters: Meadow Lands Farm, Meadow Lands, Pennsylvania
 |
|
Photos by Liz Martiniak © Liz Martiniak 2002; all rights reserved. |
|
|
|
| | Above: Meadow Lands Farm with the grave of Adios in foreground; Below: Grave of Adios |
MEADOW LANDS FARM near Washington, Pennsylvania, was the home of the illustrious pacing progenitor ADIOS. A multiple world champion during his racing career, in which he took a record of 1:57 1/2 during a time trial, Adios was trained and driven by Frank Ervin and for a while owned by Harry Warner of Warner Bros. studio. Purchased by popular driver Delvin Miller in 1948 for $21,000, he was installed as the premier stallion at Miller's farm, Meadow Lands.
Adios lived until 1965, and enjoyed a tremendous stud career, siring over seventy 2:00 performers and the earners of over 15 million dollars, at the time, the most by any stallion, regardless of breed. James C. Harrison, master of Lana Lobell Farms and a distinguished columnist and author, wrote of Adios, "I firmly believe that Adios was the greatest procreative animal that ever lived. I believe him to have been not only the best harness horse sire of all time but superior in any and every way to any running horse stallion as well as to any bull, bear, ram, stag, or any other male of the animal kingdom...those of us who lived in his time lived in the presence of greatness, for at the millisecond of his conception, nature had contrived to reproduce in this animal the ultimate in prepotency."
Adios was buried under his favorite apple tree near the paddock which had been his home for seventeen years, his marker a small boulder and bronze plaque with his name and likeness upon it. He rests with DALE FROST and several broodmares, including COUNTESS VIVIAN and MAGGIE COUNSEL. Since Del Miller's death, the farm is quiet, but visitors are welcome to pay homage to Adios. -- L.M. |
| MEADOW LANDS FARM BURIALS
|
| Stallions | Broodmares |
Adios (1940-1965)
Dale Frost | Betty G
Countess Vivian
Maggie Counsel
Shy Ann
Split
Wanda Baldwin |
|
|
