According to friends and acquaintances, longtime purebred owner and breeder Virginia Kraft Payson passed away on January 9 in Central Kentucky. She was 92.
Payson also owned Payson Stud in Kentucky and the Payson Park Training Center before bringing the company to market about 10 years ago. The famed South Florida facility, used by many of the sport’s most respected coaches after she refurbished it, is now owned by Thoroughbred owner Peter Brant.
Trainer Christophe Clement, who trains dogs to win graded bets Rutherienne , Ruthenia and clove for Payson, remember her as “a very successful woman” who was determined and “ahead of her time.”
“Payson will continue and that will be her legacy as well,” he added.
Before entering the horse industry, Payson worked as a reporter for Sports Illustrated magazine for 26 years, starting with the first issue in 1954. She is also the author of 5 books on rowing, dog training, shotgun sports and tennis.
Anna Colombo, a former assistant at Payson Stud who remains in touch with her, said that in recent years Payson has experienced the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease, which has limited her ability to communicate.
“She had a fulfilling life,” Colombo said.
In an interview with BloodHorse in 2013, Payson, a New York City native, recalled her first introduction to the sport as her second husband, the late Charles Shipman Payson. , which first bid for Fasig-Tipton in the late 1970s.
Virginia Payson will then race against such highlights as 1984 Travers Stakes (G1) winner Carr De Naskra and St. Jovite, multiple group 1 winner, was European Horse of the Year in 1992. Other standout horses bred by Payson include Lac Ouimet, L’Carriere, Milesius, Salem Drive, Strawberry Reason and Uptown Swell. Her mare Northern Sunset was named Broodmare of the Year 1995.
Payson was named Breeder of the Year by the Association of Purebred Breeders and Owners in 1997. She was known for her work in crossbreeding before switching to commercial crossbreeding in 1999.
She told BloodHorse in 2013: “People say to me, ‘Well, you’re never going to successfully sell horses because people will believe you’re just getting rid of, with only about eight ponies a year. But in the first case I sold Farda Amiga (3 years old 2002 champion), and the next year included Vindication (2 year old male 2002 champion). With those two great things successful, changed my mind. everyone’s.”
Mike Stidham, who trained for Payson for a short time, says that when her health initially declined, she was still excited to talk about her runners.
Stidham said: “She was always excited about her horses and the way they ran. “Really loves horses. You can tell how much she loves horses regardless of her condition.
“I think, everything she does for the race is quite similar to Josephine Abercrombie, who we just lost (in January 2022).”
This story will be updated with funeral arrangements and additional details as they become available.
