Frank Hopkins
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Frank T. Hopkins (* 1865 ; † 1951 ) was an American cowboy and, according to his own, controversial statements, a successful endurance rider .
Life
Information about Hopkins is almost invariably based on his autobiography and stories shared by him. From this it appears that his mother the daughter of a Sioux - chief was why he often rode in his youth with the Indians to Mustangs to catch.
At the age of twelve, Frank Hopkins is said to have been a messenger rider for the army. After he had ridden endurance races from 1886 and won some outstanding wins, he is said to have appeared in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, where he was invited to an Arab horse race in Paris in 1889. Although the race stretched over 3000 miles and Hopkins was the first foreigner to compete against the desert-tested Arabian horses with his Mustang Hidalgo , he is said to have won the race after 68 days with a lead of several hours. By the time he was 60, Hopkins is said to have competed in around 400 long-distance races.
Movie
After Hopkins' life in 2004 with the film Hidalgo - 3000 miles to fame was also adapted for the cinema and marketed by Disney as a "true story" ( true story ), a discussion arose about the authenticity of the stories. Some called it a complete invention, notably Basha and CuChullaine O'Reilly, founders of the Long Riders 'Guild , who reviewed Hopkins' individual claims. In the conscientiously kept army records, there is no evidence of any endurance rides that Hopkins won - some of the alleged races never took place anyway - neither to Hopkins' participation in Buffalo Bill's well-documented Wild West Show, nor to the Arab endurance race.
The allegedly famous race that has taken place for centuries and crossed national borders is not known to historians in the West or the Middle East, despite sufficient sources in the Arab world. The only representation comes from a Western book (W. Harris: Blood of the Arab ) based on Hopkins' own information.
Hidalgo screenwriter John Fusco admits dramatic embellishments of the film, but refers to the fundamental truth claim of Hopkins to conversations he himself, Fusco, had with Lakota - and Blackfoot- Indians, who told him about distance wins of a Pinto Mustang under a half-blood - Riders and a distance race in Arabia.
Mid- 20th century horse magazines would also confirm parts of Hopkins' account. However, since these documents are not primary sources but rather second-hand accounts (which in turn could theoretically be traced back to Hopkins' narratives), the truth of the Hopkins adventures remains unclear.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Anuj Desai (2004). A Mirage in the Desert Viggo Mortensen's Hidalgo is based on a not-so-true story. Slate (accessed May 22, 2008)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Hopkins, Frank |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Hopkins, Frank T. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American endurance rider and cowboy |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1865 |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1951 |