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| Staff Writer |
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Being passionate about art and wanting to make a career out of it, Greg Ladd knew that he couldn’t be passive in his approach to reaching his customers. In 1974, Ladd wanted to develop a place where he could offer the best equine-related sporting art in the world in his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky. However, while the Cross Gate Gallery has a home base in the Bluegrass state, it isn’t firmly anchored there either.
“I found out pretty quickly that you can’t wait for buyers to come to you, so you have to take the art to the buyers,” Ladd said. “It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that in 49 years in business, we’ve taken hundreds of exhibitions on the road. All over North America and to England. They are always tied to some kind of horse event.”
While the gallery has an international fan base, Ladd has always managed to make sure to keep the gallery open in Lexington. Cross Gate Gallery has also been focused on creating other events to drive interest in the art.
One of the most popular sports art events is the Keeneland Sporting Art Auction. Also located in Lexington at the Keeneland Racetrack, the event is preparing for its 11th annual event.
In 2013, the Cross Gate Gallery partnered with the Keeneland Association to launch The Sporting Art Auction, and the event has slowly built over the past decade.
“The Keeneland Sporting Art Auction is a perfect example of taking the art to the people. Keeneland probably sells 60% of the Thoroughbred horses sold today,” Ladd said. “As Keeneland says, ‘buyers from 50 countries and 50 states.’ Perfect clientele for what we are doing.”
Growing up in Kentucky, especially in Lexington, provides a natural entry for people interested in horses and horse racing. The city houses Churchill Downs Race Track, which stages the famous Kentucky Derby race. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown of American horse races.
The Preakness and Belmont Stakes make up the other two legs of the race. Ladd attended university at the University of Kentucky, which is also in Lexington. There is a feeling of pride that comes with being around horses.
“We like to say Lexington is the ’Horse Capital of the World,’ so specializing in equine-related art was a natural for the gallery,” Ladd said.
What helped Kentucky become the epicentre of American Horse Racing was what was below everyone’s feet. The bluegrass that is on the farms of the state features a lot of limestone.
That limestone helps provide the nutrients that horses need.
But Ladd’s interest in art dates back to before his college days. Ladd ended up being involved with art while he was working a job during high school.
“I worked for a high-end gallery/decorative arts retail business in high school,” Ladd said. “I guess that’s where I received exposure to quality and design. My first major in college was architecture, so again, drawing and design.”
There’s more to Ladd’s admiration for the sport than just the art piece. He is also interested in watching the sport as well. Just don’t ask him to bet on it.
“Yes, I do have a passion for horse racing,” Ladd said. “All of my children are into it, and my son-in-law is a trainer. I’m not a very good handicapper.”
What he finds interesting about the sport is not just the events themselves. Ladd also is fascinated by the atmosphere and how people carry themselves. It’s not like many other sports in the United States.
“There is a glamour to the sport,” Ladd said. “Horse racing is truly the ‘Sport of Kings’. If you have a horse in a ‘cheap claimer’ or the ‘Breeders’ Cup’, the excitement and anticipation are the same. Saying that, I’ve never had a horse in the Breeders’ Cup.”
Equestrian art can cover a wide range of subjects. Primarily, equestrian art shows people sitting on horses in various poses.
When it comes to the art that Cross Gate Gallery displays, there are plenty of pieces about other sports as well. The gallery focuses primarily on higher-end and outdoor-based sports that the customers enjoy.
“We usually try to include other ‘Gentleman Sports’ that our clientele likes,” Ladd said. “Fox hunting, hunter jumpers, shooting, fishing, etc.”
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Starting a small business is always a risk. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with trying to provide for yourself and your family while not being guaranteed a certain level of income. But Ladd knew that if he was going to try and pursue his dream, he had to do it while he was young.
That way, Ladd didn’t have to worry about children or any other pressures that could make the challenge of building a business even more difficult.
“I started the business in late 1974, graduated from college in 1975, and got married in 1975,” Ladd said. “I knew I had to start making a living. I love what I do and knew if I ever wanted to start a business, I had to do it while I was young.”
Ladd centred the Cross Gate Gallery around sporting art that spans the 19th and 20th centuries. Cross Gate Gallery features prominent artists such as Sir Alfred Munnings, Henry Stull, Franklin Voss, John Frederick Herring Sr., and Edward Troye.
The gallery has also found many contemporary artists to feature as well. Ladd enjoys getting people who aren’t necessarily horse racing fans to try painting the subject.
“Well, I guess Sir Alfred Munnings is probably considered the most important 19th/20th Century painter depicting horse racing,” Ladd said. “Several others before and after, and of course, we sell these artists. What I love to do is take quality contemporary artists who are not necessarily sporting/equine painters and introduce them to the subject. If they are good painters/sculptors, we can get them in front of a clientele that can appreciate the quality and afford the work.”
There Are Plenty Of Up-And-Coming Artists
Cross Gate Gallery also represents many of the world’s best equestrian painters today. Andre Pater, Peter Howell, Larry Wheeler and Sandra Oppegard are just a few of the modern artists they work with.
“There are several good painters/sculptors out there that I really like that have the ability to climb to the top,” Ladd said. “Andre Pater, Marcus Hodge, Quang Ho, Simon Erland, and others, it’s just about producing quality work and then getting the work in front of quality buyers.”
Ladd said that Cross Gate has sold a number of remarkable pieces of art during his career. It would be difficult to say which one was the most significant. He is proud of the volume of art they have moved during their career.
“That is really hard for me to say,” said Ladd about which piece is favourite. “We’ve sold over 2,000 pieces in the ten years we’ve been doing the Keeneland auction. The ceramic tile mural Flat Racing by Leroy Neiman comes to mind. It hung at the old Sportsman’s Park in Chicago. It measured 7’ x 17’ (119 - 12” x 12” tiles).”
Ladd is excited for another Keeneland Sports Auction this year. Cross Gate sends out new catalogues in early November. Ladd said that he is fortunate to have a dedicated staff that will continue Cross Gate’s legacy once he decides to retire.
Ladd wants everyone to be able to take advantage of seeing some of the best equestrian art in the world. It is important for him that the Cross Gate Gallery continues to set the standard in the field.
“I’m lucky,” Ladd said. “I have a great staff, plus my oldest daughter and son now work for the gallery, and I think they’ll do a great job carrying on.”