OVER THE MOON
Elephant & Castle Skipper Darlington focuses on saving the African elephant from extinction, Mary Braga’s “Oakendale Farm” goes on the market for $33.5 million in Middleburg BY VICKY MOON
SAVING A SPECIES: Harry “Skipper” Darlington Jr. grew up at “Chilly Bleak” a cattle farm near Rectortown, but these days he’s mostly concerned about much larger beasts that soon could become an endangered species. A committed environmentalist, Darlington, the son of Jennie Darlington and the late Harry Darlington Sr., is no stranger to far flung projects. His parents took their honeymoon in Antarctica about which his mother wrote an engaging book,“My Antarctic Honeymoon,” in 1956. Harry “Skipper” Darlington Jr. is focused on reversing the plight His grandmother, Ethel Shields Garrett, a of the ever-dwindling African elephant population with Africa ASAP, which stands for Aerial Surveillance Against Poaching. formidable steel heiress, philanthropist and (Courtesy Photo) grande dame of Washington society, saved the circa 1828 columns from the East Portico if that number is not disturbing enough, there of the U.S. Capitol in the mid-1980s when she are only 300,000 elephants remaining on the underwrote their permanent installation at the continent, and at the current rate of poaching, National Arboretum. with 35,000 to 40,000 killed each year, the Skipper is now focusing his efforts on a species could become extinct within the next new organization dedicated to reversing the five to ten years. An African elephant is killed plight of the ever-dwindling African elephant every 15 minutes. population, slaughtered by the tens of thousands “When you see something that is so every year by ivory-hunting poachers.When he wrong,” Darlington says, “it is very hard not to first started reading about the problem about do something about it.” a year ago, he knew he had to do something to help prevent the possible extinction of this CHÂTEAU DE CHIEN: Middleburg’’s equines remarkable animal. may sleep in the lap of luxury, but the town’s A past president of the former Ozone canines now have the good fortune to catch 40 Society, Skipper and several others founded winks in a bespoke bed. Known locally not just Africa ASAP, which stands for Aerial for his rare books and art expertise but also for Surveillance Against Poaching. The new focusing on dogs and horses, Richard Hooper organization, just recently designated a 501 has recently created a new niche. He’s turned (c)(3) non-profit, is now in the beginning his attention to creating elegantly appointed and stages of raising funds to provide long-term, historically rich dog beds called “Châteaux de near-continuous airship surveillance of the la Pooch.” African wildlife refuges where the endangered Following excursions to Leeds Castle in elephants live. England and the Musée de la Chasse in Paris, And sadly die. Hooper began researching the history of dog At the moment, Tanzania is the main focus beds and bases his designs on 18th- and 19thbecause it’s Ground Zero, where one out of century examples, known in France as niches every three elephants are killed in Africa. As pour chiens.
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As early as 1328, dog beds were noted in an inventory of property belonging to a queen consort of France that included two silk cabinets for dogs. Niches began appearing more frequently in the 17th century, reaching their zenith of popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries. Original pieces are few and far between. The largest collections are thought to be at the Château de Vendeuvre in Normandy and now at Hooper’s home-based Middleburg workshop. SHOW HUNTER SHOWPLACE: Humans, horses and dogs can all live in the lap of luxury at the 835-acre, circa 1934 “Oakendale Farm” now on the market for $33.5 million from Washington Fine Properties in Middleburg. Designed by architect William L. Bottomley, it was the home of the late Mary Sayles Braga, who not only owned show hunters but was also a longtime supporter of all country pursuits. She was married to the late Bernardo Rionda Braga, `one of the wealthiest sugar barons in Cuba before Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. Her daughter, the late Pamela Braga Drexel, was the second wife of legendary National Gallery of Art director J. Carter Brown. The estate includes an immaculate 9stall barn, greenhouse, studio, pool and pool pavilion as well an original log cabin.
Sophie, a Chinese Crested Powder Puff, sleeps in a custom-made bed from “Châteaux de la Pooch.” (Photo by Crowell Hadden)
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