Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop (October 5, 1920 – December 27, 2004) was an American horse trainer. [1] In 1954, Bishop became the first female African American to train Thoroughbreds in the United States when the West Virginia Legislature authorized her with the license for training racehorses.

Professions: Horse Owner, Trainer Childhood in a Horse Family Horse racing ran in Sylvia Bishop’s family. Her parents were James H. and Barbara Snowden Rideout. She had three brothers who all worked as grooms and four sisters who all married trainers or jockeys. From the time she was thirteen, Sylvia Bishop was visiting horse tracks and stables.

Apr 12, 2024 · Explore the extraordinary life of Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, the pioneering horse trainer who made history as the first black female licensed trainer in the United States. Sylvia was born in Charles Town in 1920 and developed a deep passion for horses at a young age.

Apr 17, 2024 · In 1954, Bishop was officially granted a trainer's license from the state of West Virginia, making her the first Black woman in the country to become an official Thoroughbred trainer.

Feb 25, 2021 · Charles Town, West Virginia, is remembering the life of Sylvia Bishop, a woman who worked her way up to become an award-winning horse trainer. At the age of 14, Bishop worked as a groomer at...

Apr 11, 2024 · Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, who was born in Charles Town in 1920, had a pony as a little girl, according to her daughter, LaVerne Bishop. Her love for horses was sealed when a family visiting...

Apr 12, 2024 · CHARLES TOWN — City officials joined representatives from Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races on Friday to dedicate a sign to Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, a Charles Town native and America’s first black female horse trainer.

Apr 17, 2024 · Speeches, songs and prayers incorporated a ceremo nial unveiling of a memorial marker honoring the life and career of Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, a Charles Town native who became the first African-American woman in the United States to become a licensed horse trainer.

Feb 3, 2021 · After getting her start at the Charles Town racetrack as a 14-year-old grooming horses, Rideoutt Bishop, a life-long resident of Charles Town, became the first licensed female African-American horse trainer in the United States in 1961.

Apr 22, 2020 · Trainer Sylvia Bishop standing next to “Bright Gem” with jockey Jack Sollars aboard the winner of race number 3 at Laurel Racecourse on August 19, 1963. The cover of the December 1961 issue of Ebony magazine featured a photograph of Bonnie Bianchi.