Ohio Valley Stables • Hamilton, Ohio

The Charley KingStables

A tribute to one of harness racing's finest horsemen

◆ 1922 – 1999 ◆
Charley and Bettie King

Charles & Bettie King

Dedication This site is dedicated to the memory of Charles & Bettie King and all of the family and friends who were the Ohio Valley Stables
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200+ Horses Trained
3 World Records (Irvin Paul)
$548K Irvin Paul Career Earnings
1950–70 Years of Racing
Charley King and Irvin Paul at Santa Anita, 1962

Charley King and Irvin Paul · Santa Anita, 1962

Biography

One of Harness Racing's Finest

Charley King was one of the top harness horsemen of the 1950s and 60s. Born Charles Lafayette King IV on April 2, 1922 in Rock Castle County, Kentucky, he survived a severe farming accident at 18 that left him in a coma for 29 days — and went on to build one of the most powerful standardbred horse stables of his era.

Starting with a partnership with high school classmate Howard Beissinger and a mare named Ladies First, Charley and his wife Bettie built the Ohio Valley Stables into a powerhouse, campaigning horses like Irvin Paul, Adios Marches, and Argo Kid at the biggest tracks in North America — Yonkers, Roosevelt Raceway, Santa Anita, and Hollywood Park.

Read the full biography
The Stable

Notable Horses

From world-record holders to the stars of television, the Charley King Stables produced legends of the sulky.

Irvin Paul
1960s · Pacer
Irvin Paul
Three world records. $548,000 in lifetime earnings. Runner-up Standardbred of the Year 1962. The sixth top money-winning pacer in the world.
 Ladies First
1950s · Trotter
Ladies First
Charley's first great success — equaled the world record for four-year-old trotting mares and became one of the top earning mares of the 1950s.
 Adios Marches
1960s · Pacer
Adios Marches
Top free-for-all pacer of the mid-1960s with nearly $200,000 in earnings. Competed in the famed 1966 Pace of the Century at Yonkers.
 Annette Sue
1950s · Trotter
Annette Sue
Won a record-setting 16 straight races. Combined with Ladies First for over $300,000 in career earnings — more than $2 million in today's money.
 Argo Kid
1960s · Trotter
Argo Kid
Nearly $150,000 in earnings before his untimely death at age four. Charley believed he had the potential to be one of the best trotters in the world.
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And Many More
Argo Volo, Mr. Budlong, Ordeal, Sharon Irishman, Rostokop, and 200+ others
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Guestbook

Words from Family & Friends

Alan & Mary Lehn
"What a great web page and site, WOW! We really appreciate all the work you did to create this wonderful tribute to your grandparents. We are sure that they must be looking down with pride."
Kathleen King
"This is so so awesome! Bud (Kenny) is so proud of his Dad, Mom, Charlie and John and never stops the wonderful stories of those Crawfordville days. It is an honor to carry this King name."
Rose Lehn
"Absolutely wonderful tribute to your grandparents (my Aunt & Uncle). It really brought back a lot of memories. Thank you for this site."

Leave a Message

Did you know Charley or Bettie? Have a memory of the Ohio Valley Stables you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you.

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Explore the Site

📜 Biography The full life story of Charles Lafayette King IV 🐎 Horses Profiles of the great horses of the King stables 📷 Photos The Ohio Valley Stables photo gallery 🎙️ Recordings Race calls from Santa Anita and Hollywood Park 🎖️ Eli King WWII hero and elder brother of Charley King 🏡 Crawfordville Sharon Farm Stables, Crawfordville, Georgia 🐴 Brooke's Page Carrying on the love of horses ✍️ Guestbook Read messages and leave your own ✉️ Contact Get in touch with the site maintainer