I've been a long-time reader of the Museum site and have enjoyed it greatly. Now finally comes my chance to offer something back! (Assuming, of course, the search mechanism for the forums isn't broken and I'm not repeating someone's earlier suggestion...)
In the wake of renting the 2003 Disney/Touchstone movie "Hidalgo" (billed as a "true story"), I wanted to learn more about Frank Hopkins and his achievements. Google led me right away to the following site:
A thoroughly documented set of pages and links that show that the "true" story of Frank Hopkins is not just a hoax, but apparently so blatant a fabric of falsehoods that some historians are wondering how or why anyone believes it. Especially telling are the Buffalo Bill museum disclaiming any knowledge of Hopkin's alleged "starring roles" in Cody's Wild West Show, and the Arab historians who not only state authoritatively that the so-called "Ocean of Fire" race Hopkins claims to have won never existed, but also point out that any "3000-mile" race in the Middle East would have to have its finish line somewhere in Eastern Europe...
Looks like a perfect topic to cover in the Museum!
(the search box on the forum page only searches the forum, not the rest of the site as well... maybe I should change that)
But coincidentally I just saw Hidalgo on dvd, and while it's a decent movie, it really was absurd how they kept pointing out that it was based on a true story. From what I understand, Frank Hopkins scarcely even left New York during his life. He was just a guy who made up wild tall tales.
Bob Schroeck
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 | 11:08 PM
<nod> That, and got enough people invested in them emotionally or financially to keep promoting them after his death. He did apaprently do some good by helping preserve the mustangs, but that appears to be the extent of the truth in the story as Disney tells it.
Anyway, thanks!
Yvonne
Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 | 10:41 PM
Sorry, but Hopkins didn't have anything to do with preserving the mustangs, either. I don't think anyone at the Spanish Mustang Registry (SMR) had heard of him until John Fusco started pestering people for info on the horses. I don't know if he contacted the Spanish Barb Registry or not.
I never thought I'd admit this, but I am (shudder) the granddaughter of one of the founders of the SMR, and I happened to be on the ol' homestead in time to hear my parents complaining about how Fusco didn't listen to a word they said, after he went to the trouble of calling them.
Bob Schroeck
Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 | 07:01 AM
I stand corrected. I suppose I should have guessed that the one apparently true thing in the midst of such a pile of self-serving BS would also be BS... <sigh>
Lafter54
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2004 | 04:57 PM
What is this Fusco guy all about?? Why does he twist the stories he gets from others?? I don't think this guy Hopkins did all he said he did. Has anyone obtained documents of his birth to show who his parents are? Is he really Indian or just one big story-teller??
Ty Rannell
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 | 11:47 AM
The stories of Hopkins, are true, but greatly exaggerated, my great great grandfather rode with him many times, and kept alot of journals and diaries, talking about him alot. He did win all them races and he did make his way to Arabia. He did do a lot of unpublished work in preserving mustangs, but never felt it neccessary to make a name for himself. Im trying to write a book about it all right now. Just remember, its not that all the stuff said about him isn't true, its just grealty exaggerated.
H. Elder
Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 | 10:18 AM
I just watched the movie "Hidalgo" and loved I'm sure that some of it was exaggrated but, to make a move there has to be some excitment.
Ty Rannell's accounts amd knowledge of his great-grandfathers diaries , does he have these diaries?
It would be interesting to put the hoax stories to rest, I hope he doesw have proof.
Again I loved the movie and the horse was breath taking , beautifuly marked paint.
Good Luck to Ty Rannell and his book I will be looking for it.
H. Elder
Dr. D Member
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 | 10:20 AM
In response to Yvonne above, the Spanish Mustang
Registry certainly did and does know about Frank
T. Hopkins. A letter from founder Robert Brislawn's daughter can be found at http://www.frankhopkins.com under
the "in tribute" section.
In response to Ty Rannell: we all look forward to
the book. You are not the only one who has come
forward with connections to and in support of
Hopkins. At the http://www.frankhopkins.com site there
is a new interview with a former congressman and
horse breeder who knew and rode with Hopkins and
is still alive.
At the end of the Movie there is a statement that Hidalgo was turned loose in the Kiamichi Mt. of Oklahoma. That he is the sire of some of the horses still running that belonged to the late Gilbert Jones.
However when I visited Bryant years before the movie ever came out, I was shown photos of many of Gilbert's horses. One was a horse named Hidalgo. i ask if that was THE Hidalgo. They said NO that it was just a horse named after him. No one seems to know where the "real" Hidalgo died or who ever owned him after Hopkins.
As for Fusco pushing this so hard. I understand where he gets his fuel. Vickie Ives Spears if the head of the Horse of America's Reg. She purchased it from Fusco a few years ago. This is the same person that was kicked out of the SSMA ( Gilbert Jones South West Spanish Mustang Assn.) when she was the vice prez. She was ask to leave after allowing one of her friends, Gretchen Paterson to register a part Quarter horse. However she tells people it was due to ha horse she had that was to tall and Bryant refused to register it. ( That was also true)
She is the one that is under fire for the Twisty cats. see http://www.messybeast.com for this story. This woman has a long history of twisting tails so to speak with any breed of animal to instant popularity and finance. She could care less about Fusco's career, the horses reputation or the movie, other than the fact it got her press. When you investigate Vickie Spears you will have the truth about Hidalgo and Frank Hopkins.
The registry they now support togather is http://www.horseoftheamericas.com
poisonflower
in Texas
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 | 02:43 AM
Yeah, Vickie Ives seems to be into manipulation and exploitation. She claims she doesn't lie, and her friends, who by definition have all drunk the KoolAid, accept this uncritically. But if she doesn't lie, then neither did Nixon. I've seen her lie her head off, and I'm not sure she even knows she's lying. Nor can she accept responsibility for her own behaviors, and apparently she's raised her two daughters to be just like her. (Her husband of about 25 years ended up leaving her after the twisty cat controversy had gone on for a while.)
Personally, I don't care if John Fusco is damaged by association with her, because if he can continue to be around her despite the vile stench created by her willful creation and promotion of these poor disabled cats (as well as her narcissistic personality), then he deserves whatever he gets.
poisonflower
in Texas
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 | 02:54 AM
<<<(Her husband of about 25 years ended up leaving her after the twisty cat controversy had gone on for a while.)>>>
There were allegations being made that Vickie Ives and her associates were practicing Satanism, too.
sapphire
in Texas
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 | 02:52 PM
When somebody brought up the twisty cats on the *Hidalgo* form on Internet Movie Database, Vickie Ives popped in there acting unstable and paranoid and claiming that the Long Riders Guild, twisty cat opponents and (I think) the FBI, CIA and Mafia were trying to destroy her. Someone was spamming one of her horse message boards with anti-twisty cat protests and she started ranting and raving and saying she was going to shoot people out on the road in front of her house. I wouldn't come within a mile of her.
poisonflower
in Texas
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 | 08:29 PM
I think she's on dope.
Lafter54
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 | 01:47 PM
This is for Ty R. Make sure you have all your facts straight about Frank Hopkins before your left looking foolish like Fusco. If you don't have documentation to prove these rides, let it be. Frank didn't do all these rides, I can document where he was at the time he said he was riding. He was working in the subway tunnels in NJ. Trust me, I'm family of Franks.
DBH
in Oregon
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 | 07:43 PM
I don't know anything about Frank Hopkins or this woman you are all shredding (whether she deserves it or not) but I had a relative that was a notorious person back in those days. He married 9 Sioux women who were all stolen from him by the Crow and he ended up married to my great great grandmother who was Red CLouds sister. These are all true facts. He was a big mouth lier but he still did wild and crazy things and was an adventurer and I am sure an interesting man. He was Codys partner in the Wild West Show and also a guide for Brigham Young and others headed west. Cody said JYN was the biggest lier he ever met and my great grandmother, the most honost woman I ever knew, said Cody was a prize winning lier as well. These people were notorious, advertursome, exciting and dishonost -- BUT! the still did a lot of interesting things. Someone did them and I believe they, most likely, were the ones. There's a book out there called 'Fifty Years on the Trail'. It's grampa Johns autobiography and if half of it's true it's a pretty interesting story. I'm this mans great great grandaughter and I've had a life noone would believe but I KNOW it's all true. By comparison I can see that most peoples lives are pretty mundane and boring next to mine. I won't write a biography because people wouldn't believe it anyway.
It's all relative I guess. DBH
Dark Uncle
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 | 08:51 AM
Hildalgo and Frank T. Hopkins are all frauds. Why should we even deal with such idiots. I refuse to do a timeline of a jackass.
irish savage
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 | 08:55 AM
well i am Frank T. Hopkins's grandson and i know for a fact that he didnt do all the rides and he did work in the subway. he was a gay prostitute at night and i was his pimp. so all the storys u heard were fake!!!! he loves the cock!!!!
Frank A Parra
in Glendale, California
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 | 09:42 PM
Hello: Just writing in that I am real, and I hope that the Horse of Frank Hopkins "Hidalgo" was also real. Thank you, and a great site.
the carjacker who took Susan Smith'
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 | 02:25 PM
I'm real, too, just as the Ocean of Fire is real. Just as Vickie Ives is a nice person the world just wants to pick on. Just like Nixon wasn't a crook.
Charles T. Hopkins
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 | 01:51 PM
It is most unfortunate, That people will believe everything they see, Did Frank Ride? Yes, did he have knowledge of Horses?Yes, are fact fabricated? yes. Don't waste time on a movie, or someones claim of fame, Enjoyed the Movie? Yes it was a nice fable, but full of holes, I suppose Frank and the Last samari new each other.
Remeber a movie is like a book it depends if you want to believe what your are reading or you want to enjoy the story.
