LEXINGTON, Ky. — An old barn will soon be new again at Old Friends farm horse retirement facility for former racehorses.
Renovations are underway at Old Friends and Ryan Dial is one of the lead carpenters, bringing the vintage barn back to life using reclaimed wood.
That is how a tobacco barn will become the future of “The Josephine Abercrombie Center for Old Friends.” The space is named after longtime farm friend Josephine Abercrombie, who dedicated efforts to the barn before her passing.
The project is something that president and founder, Michael Blowen, says has been on his to-do list for years.
“Ever since we started Old Friends, I’ve always wanted to have a place where we could display the trophies of some of these horses,” Blowen said.
Funding for the project came from Fasig-Tipton Horse Farm, and its president Boyd Browing. The project was also supported by donations from Scott County tourism. The center will become an homage to the horses in their glory days.
“I hope it allows people to be able to see these horses in their prime, so we can see Silver Charm, who won the Kentucky Derby, or see our Lava Man. Lava Man is the only horse in history to win a race on the dirt, on the turf and the synthetic surface,” Blowen explained.
The tobacco barn has stood on the farm since the 1930s. The wood from the barn is being removed, refurbished and placed back on its foundation.
“When we started, this is what the barn did look like, so when I got here, there were still some styles in between the burrows. That’s what the barn looked like when we got here,” Dial said.
The goal is to be resourceful and maintain the value of what once was.
“Well, it’s a costly one. Number two, it’s a positive back to the barn so they’re not out long, but we keep the same old look with a newly framed barn but we’re using the same finishes so everything still matches as much as possible,” Dial said.
The brand new visitor’s space will feature areas for horse and fan interactions and is expected to be ready this May.
The new space will have a bourbon setting, painted black, and will have screens to watch this year’s Kentucky Derby, and watch horses like Lava Man and Silver Charm’s past races.