On June 6, 2019, a new chapter began at Xalapa when title to the famed Kentucky stallion station and thoroughbred nursery in Paris, Kentucky transferred to John G. Sikura. It was just the fourth time in nearly 200 years that such an event has occurred.
The custodians, visionaries, and contributors to this one-of-a kind patrimony of the Commonwealth spared no expense of cost, labor, materials or imagination in the construction of this magnificent property which has been referred to as the Biltmore of the Bluegrass. The mystical and mythical allure of Xalapa stands as a tribute to a true titan of the Gilded age, Edward F. Simms, the founder of Sinclair Oil. It was Simms who developed Xalapa into one of the most important thoroughbred establishments in the country. During the 1920's, he and John E. Madden, Arthur B. Hancock and Colonel Phil T. Chinn were generally regarded as the most influential commercial breeders in America.
The torch has been passed. Driven by the passion to restore and revive the grandeur of arguably one of the most stunningly beautiful horse properties in the World, Hill ‘n’ Dale, with your help, will usher in an era whose impact on the industry and the breed will be enduring. If you believe, like we do, that everything matters, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, the obscure becomes the obvious. Welcome to Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa.
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