Audax Minor
Encyclopedia
Audax Minor the pen name of George F. T. Ryall, was a Canadian
writer who worked as the horse racing
columnist for The New Yorker
for 52 years.
Born in Toronto
, Ryall was sent to England to be educated in 1900. In England, he began working as a general reporter for the newspaper London Exchange-Telegraph and began writing racing reports from England for New York World
.
Ryall afterwards went to New York City
, and his first column for The New Yorker was published on July 10, 1926. The New Yorker had been launched on February 21, 1925. Ryall chose a pen name
because at the time he was still writing for New York World; he used this name in honor of Audax, the nom de plume of British racing journalist Arthur Fitzhardinge Berkeley Portman.
He was the writer of longest record in the history of the magazine, and his column, “The Race Track,” ran from 1926 to 1978. He wrote on various aspects of horse racing, from starting barriers to horse training, from the Saratoga Special Stakes
to the names given horses. "Being one of those peevish fellows who believe that every horse deserves a good name (and you'll find that, on the whole, the better racers are well named),” Ryall wrote in 1960, "I’m sorry to say this year's crop of two-year-olds has fared pretty badly... Ambiopoise... Nassue... Rulamyth...”
He also wrote for PM
, The Blood-Horse, Town & Country
, The Sportsman
, Polo, and Country Life
. Ryall won the Walter Haight Award in 1972.
Ryall also wrote on automobiles, polo
and men's fashions.
He died at Columbia, Maryland
. His obituary
in Time magazine described him as a “jaunty, tweedy Canadian.”
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer who worked as the horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
columnist for The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
for 52 years.
Born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ryall was sent to England to be educated in 1900. In England, he began working as a general reporter for the newspaper London Exchange-Telegraph and began writing racing reports from England for New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
.
Ryall afterwards went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and his first column for The New Yorker was published on July 10, 1926. The New Yorker had been launched on February 21, 1925. Ryall chose a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
because at the time he was still writing for New York World; he used this name in honor of Audax, the nom de plume of British racing journalist Arthur Fitzhardinge Berkeley Portman.
He was the writer of longest record in the history of the magazine, and his column, “The Race Track,” ran from 1926 to 1978. He wrote on various aspects of horse racing, from starting barriers to horse training, from the Saratoga Special Stakes
Saratoga Special Stakes
The Saratoga Special Stakes is an American grade II thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid-August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is for two-year-olds willing to race six and a half furlongs on the dirt....
to the names given horses. "Being one of those peevish fellows who believe that every horse deserves a good name (and you'll find that, on the whole, the better racers are well named),” Ryall wrote in 1960, "I’m sorry to say this year's crop of two-year-olds has fared pretty badly... Ambiopoise... Nassue... Rulamyth...”
He also wrote for PM
PM (newspaper)
PM was a leftist New York City daily newspaper published by Ralph Ingersoll from June 1940 to June 1948 and bankrolled by the eccentric Chicago millionaire Marshall Field III....
, The Blood-Horse, Town & Country
Town & Country (magazine)
Town & Country, formerly the Home Journal and The National Press, is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States.-Early history:...
, The Sportsman
The Sportsman (1865 newspaper)
The first British newspaper titled The Sportsman began publishing from 1865, some six years after the Sporting Life. It ran until 1924....
, Polo, and Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
. Ryall won the Walter Haight Award in 1972.
Ryall also wrote on automobiles, polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
and men's fashions.
He died at Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not...
. His obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
in Time magazine described him as a “jaunty, tweedy Canadian.”