Tony Leonard

[chucklestheclown]

This was part of the KD DRF link. It's too bad the State will take all this money.

Benefit to aid famed ailing photographer

Tony Leonard, one of the greatest equine photographers of the last 50 years, will be at Keeneland on Sunday to sell and autograph copies of his photos of Secretariat. Leonard, 87, and his wife, Adelle Bergantino, 81, have been experiencing great hardship in recent times as wards of the state of Kentucky.

Indeed, the Leonard story has become a heartbreaking one for his many friends in the horse business. According to a lengthy story in the Lexington Herald-Leader, state officials determined in August 2009 that Leonard and his wife were incapable of caring for themselves and ruled that the state was to be their official guardian. They now live in a nursing home against their wishes.

Leonard and his wife, who have no children, were in failing health; their finances and property were in ruins; and no relatives were willing to step forward to sufficiently help them, according to the article. It is believed, however, that Leonard’s archives of photographic negatives could be worth a great amount of money, although the issue of whether they will be liquidated has not been determined.

All proceeds from sales of the signed Secretariat photos here Sunday will go toward defraying the couple’s expenses and debts, according to Keeneland officials.