"Arabian Roots" exhibit traces thoroughbred heritage

"Arabian Roots" is in Core 1 of the William T. Young Library basement.

An event in William T. Young Library on April 27 at 1 p.m. will officially open “Arabian Roots: The Pedigree of Kentucky Thoroughbreds,” an exhibit tracing the heritage of the modern thoroughbred horses bred in Kentucky to a stock of Arabian horses imported to England between the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.

As part of the continued focus on the Year of the Middle East by UK Libraries in conjunction with the UK College of Arts and Sciences, "Arabian Roots" illustrates the bloodlines of prominent sires and shows links to Central Kentucky horses.

The exhibit, in Core 1 of the Hub in the basement of Young Library, includes wall panels as well as display cases featuring artifacts and books on some of the central Kentucky sires. The exhibit panels show the evolving thoroughbred from the Darley Arabian through William T. Young’s famed Storm Cat. The exhibit will run from April 27 through July 31, 2015. A satellite exhibit with additional artifacts is also on display in the Morris Library in the Gluck Equine Research Center.

“Arabian Roots” was developed by UK Libraries, The Keeneland Library, and the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center in collaboration with the Pyramid Society and the International Museum of the Horse.