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Life size bronze of famous racehorse and Alberta jockey George Woolf unveiled. “So Long, Charley!” is the name of the statue depicting Cardston hero George Woolf riding Seabiscuit to victory in the riveting 1938 race against War Admiral. The statue will be unveiled Saturday, July 17, at the Remington Carriage Museum in honour of what would have been Woolf’s 100th birthday. Two Albertans, Woolf and Seabiscuit’s other principal jockey, Edmonton native Red Pollard, rose to instant world-wide fame with the surprise win in the “Match of the Century.”
The $150,000 statue was commissioned and donated to the Province of Alberta by Cardston ranchers Jack and Ida Lowe. It will stand outside the Remington Carriage Museum in Cardston, a provincial facility that houses the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles in North America. The statue will strengthen the museum visitor experience by celebrating a thrilling chapter in horse racing history and the supreme achievement of an Alberta horseman.
“This statue captures an incredible moment of unexpected triumph in a story that many people do not realize has a strong Alberta connection,” said Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit. “On behalf of the Government of Alberta, I would like to thank Jack and Ida Lowe for their generous donation and strong commitment to showcasing Alberta’s rich history.”
Created by Lethbridge artist Don Toney, the statue depicts the moment when Woolf called out “So long, Charley!” to War Admiral’s jockey Charley Kurtsinger as Seabiscuit surged to the lead at Maryland’s Pimlico Race Course, ultimately winning by four lengths and setting a new track record.
“When I was a kid growing up in the 1930s, George and Seabiscuit were household names,” said the statue’s co-donor Jack Lowe. “I always felt George needed recognition for what he did, to come from nothing and achieve so much, and that’s what we hope to accomplish with this statue. The bronze is a beautiful piece of work and I think people are going to be in awe when they see it.”
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