Inducted 2003

RAMBLING WILLIE
"The Horse that God Loved"

Rambling Willie's Accomplishments

• Voted Champion Aged Pacer of the Year three times - 1975, 1976, and 1977

• Highest earnings by a Standardbred at the time of his retirement (1983) - $2,038,219

• Miles 2:00 or under - 79 (Ranked 10th all-time previous to 2003)

• 128 career wins in 304 starts

• Best mile - 1:54.3

• Inspired the book Rambling Willie: The Horse that God Loved, written by Donald Evans

The "horse that God loved" was born on a farm in Monroeville, Indiana; was bred by Raymond Gibson also of Monroeville; was sired by Indiana sire Rambling Fury and out of Meadow Belle by Meadow Gold.  His first lifetime money starts were at Anderson and Converse as a 2 year old.

But Rambling Willie was destined for greatness beyond the Hoosier state.  Veteran trainer Bob Farrington heard about the colt early in his 3 year old career and, with his wife Vivian, made an early morning jaunt in 1973 to buy him for the price tag of $15,000.

Vivian Farrington was given half of Willie for her birthday (Willie being the first horse she had ever owned) and the remaining half was sold to bachelor and keen racing fan Paul Seibert of Cincinnati, Ohio.  They enjoyed watching Willie perform until the age of 13 from coast to coast and back again.  According to Vivian in a recent (2003) conversation, "Willie was an over comer of obstacles."  And indeed he was, as he was plagued with the usual race horse ailments of occasional sickness, minor lameness with splints and curbs, and major problems like bowed tendons.

Upon retirement from the racing wars, Willie lived at the Hall Of Champions at Kentucky Horse Park until his death on August 24, 1995, at the age of 25.

Rambling Willie was inducted into the Indiana Standardbred Hall Of Fame in 2003.  His award was accepted by the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Bob Farrington, Karen.