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Founder/Owner
C. Gibson Downing III
C. Gibson “Gip” Downing III was searching for a project that would expand his knowledge of construction, landscaping and thoroughbreds after having spent his formative years designing and constructing everything from terraces and gardens to the renovation of the family home. His thoughts turned to a farm – a raw piece of farmland that would allow him and his father, the late C. Gibson Downing Jr., to pursue their common interests, shared perspectives and unmistakable dedication to excellence, and most of all their love of thoroughbreds; hence on his birthday in 1972 the original land known as Winfield was acquired.
Over the next several months he worked and reworked the plans for the renovation and expansion of the residence, ultimately seeing the project completed in May of 1974. Then, the farm and gardens, with his mother’s love of English Roses as the center piece, the gardens grew to some 200 English Roses with over 400 American and Korean Boxwood. While the grounds and the farm saw some 500 hardwoods, spruce, evergreens and ornamentals placed. The development of the thoroughbred operation came while he was in high school, first with the renovation of an existing gambrel roof dairy barn into a facility for sales preparation and with the acquisition of several weanlings for resale and broodmares in November of 1978.
Downing III, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, with a background in accounting, architecture and law served as a legislative assistant under two Kentucky Governors receiving an accommodation for his outstanding service. He designed and produced in the mid seventies land survey presentations for the Old Richmond Group in connection with the Lexington-Fayette Urban Service Area Expansion, and for the Paris Pike Preservation Group involving the development of a major four-lane highway in the Paris Pike corridor; that were instrumental in both groups successfully defeating their respective proposals before government agencies and regulatory bodies. Remaining in Lexington after graduating from Sayre School, he attended both the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University in order to continue with the development of Winfield. Specifically the construction of the state-of–the-art Stallion Complex and Intensive Care Unit; both of which have been recognized world-wide in their use as models by noted breeders and veterinarians for development of other farms and clinics, and featured in various industry publications.
He has been instrumental in the production and development of more than 117 stakes horses with earnings in excess of $42,500,000 for the clients and partners of Winfield, including such graded stakes horses as Cameroon, Ginny Dare, Lykatill Hill, Mayflower Lass, and Silver Goblin. As the standing syndicate manager of the stallions at Winfield, he has managed four Champions, a world record and two track record holders from the sire lines of Damascus, Northern Dancer, Explodent, Grey Dawn II and Mr. Prospector, as well as sons of Graustark and the dam of Mr. Prospector, who themselves have produced Champions El Bakan and Shelburne, and Canadian Horse of the Year, Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and Grass Horse Imperial Choice.
His passion for design, construction and landscaping lead to the establishment of Winfield Landscape Services in 2005, a landscape design, construction and maintenance firm which has built a clientele of thoroughbred operations, area businesses and residential homeowners. He is a sponsor member of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and member of the American Horse Council, Thoroughbred Club of America, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the Kentucky Equine Education Project and Commerce Lexington. |
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Founder
C. Gibson Downing Jr.March 1929 – September 1994
C. Gibson “Gip” Downing Jr., a Lexington, Kentucky native, was educated in the Fayette County Public Schools attending Henry Clay High School, and with background in commerce graduated first in his class with High Distinction from the College of Law at the University of Kentucky upon returning from duty in the United States Air Force in England. He joined the law firm of Stoll, Keenon and Park, where he remained the senior partner until 1988, when he founded the firm of Downing and Willmott. His thirty-eight year law career encompassed a wide variety of interests, from politics to the thoroughbred industry. He serve four terms, 1966 thru 1972, as the Kentucky State Senator from the 12th District in Fayette County, Kentucky, where he was named Outstanding Freshman Senator in 1966 and Outstanding Senator in 1968, 1970 and 1972. During his terms in the legislature he was responsible for the drafting and ultimate passage of several key pieces of legislation including both the Kentucky Standardbred Development Fund and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, 1976 and 1978, and ultimately drafted and negotiated the legislation currently in force related to the sales and use tax exemptions for the thoroughbred industry. He retired from the Senate in 1972 to devote his energy to his law practice and partnership with his son, C. Gibson Downing III.
His practice of law in the equine related field and involvement in the founding of Winfield, led him to be considered one of the most prestigious lawyers and horsemen in the industry. Serving as a Director of the Keeneland Association, Inc., Maxwell H. Gluck Center, and Breeders’ Cup, Ltd., and as the President of Breeders’ Cup, Ltd., 1982 thru 1987, he received several awards and honors for his outstanding achievements and contributions to thoroughbred racing including the distinguished William H. May Award, 1987, and the Keene Dangerfield Award, 1989. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the Kentucky State and American Bar Associations, Thoroughbred Club of America, and the American Horse Council.
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