Queen Elizabeth's love of horses often brought her to Kentucky

Late British monarch visited US state five times between 1984 and 2007

Queen Elizabeth II visits Lane's End horse farm in central Kentucky in 1984. Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth visited Kentucky several times on visits to the US. Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth attended the 133rd Kentucky Derby in 2007 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth stopped again in Versailles in 1991 for a private visit at Lane's End, which completed a two-week official tour of the US at the invitation of then-president George HW Bush. Photo: Lane's End

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup is run annually in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo: Lane's End

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth attend the 133rd Kentucky Derby as guests of former US ambassador to the UK William Farish at Churchill Downs. Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth was hosted by Lane’s End on her visit to the Bluegrass state in 1984 upon the inauguration of the race named in her honour, the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Photo: Lane's End

Queen Elizabeth returned to Lane's End during her visit to Kentucky in May for the 2007 running of the Kentucky Derby. Photo: Lane's End

The Farish family broke ground on Lane's End in 1829. Photo: Lane's End

Retired horses live out the rest of their days in comfort on the farm before being laid to rest in the Lane’s End cemetery. Photo: Lane's End

In 2018, Lane's End was named Leading Stud Farm in America for the 14th time. Photo: Lane's End

During her 1991 visit to Kentucky, the queen was looking for stallions to breed with her mares for the following year and toured several horse farms. Photo: Lane's End

The queen visited about a dozen central Kentucky horse farms to look at thoroughbreds, including a few mares she boarded in 1989. Photo: Lane's End

At Lane's End, she apparently was most impressed with Alysheba, the 1988 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year. Photo: Lane's End

Since the 19th century, central Kentucky has been home to some of the world’s most famous thoroughbreds. Photo: Lane's End

Queen Elizabeth visited Versailles, Kentucky, where the Kentucky Castle, a luxury hotel, restaurant and spa is located. Photo: The Kentucky Castle

Kentucky Castle in Versailles, Kentucky. Photo: Public Domain

Thoroughbred AP Indy lived most of his life at Lane's End Farm, where he was born and raised, and stood his entire stud career. Photo: Lane's End

One episode of the Netflix show The Crown features the queen on a journey that takes her through Kentucky to learn more about horse breeding. Photo: Lane's End

Will Farish purchased the first 90 hectares that eventually became Lane’s End. Photo: Lane's End

Actress Jenny McCarthy was among the celebrities at the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs the year the queen attended. Getty Images

Actress Tracy Tweed, musician Gene Simmons and actress Shannon Tweed did not steal the queen's thunder in 2007. Getty Images / AFP

Actress Regina King was also a 2007 Kentucky Derby attendee. FilmMagic

During her more than 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II made several visits to the US as both princess and monarch, and while most of these visits were focused on meeting American leaders, she also found time to pursue her passion: horses.

One of her favourite destinations was the state of Kentucky, known around the world for its horse races and breeding programmes.

She visited the state a total of five times between 1984 and 2007, touring local stud farms and meeting some of horse racing's biggest names.

Her love for horses began when she was four years old after she was given a Shetland pony and grew adept at horseback riding, People reported. Throughout her life, the queen owned hundreds of horses, including numerous winning racehorses.

She was a regular on the UK horse show circuit, often attending the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show, the country's largest outdoor horse show.

During her first visit to Kentucky in 1984, she visited Keeneland for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, the first race named in her honour, Lex18 reported. Lane's End Farm in Versailles hosted the queen during this visit.

Her second visit was to Hermitage Farm in Oldham County in May 1986. Bill Landes, who worked at Heritage Farm for 45 years, spent two months preparing for the visit and remembers his nerves when the queen arrived.

He recalled her keen questions and clear love of horses.

"When she got into that much detail [with her questions], that said it all," he told Kentucky's WLKY.

The queen paid another visit to central Kentucky in 1989, and then her fourth visit was in 1991, when she viewed stallions that could potentially breed with her mares, Lex18 reported.

Her final trip to the state came in 2007, when she attended the state's most beloved sporting event, the Kentucky Derby.

Those working at Churchill Downs in 2007 remember the queen's visit as an exciting and complex time. David Sweazy, vice president of operations for Churchill Downs in 2007, said the visit required the tightest security operation for any celebrity attending the event.

"Leading up to her arrival, we met for months and had 32 meetings with the British Secret Service, United States Secret Service, and local and state law enforcement," Mr Sweazy told The Courier Journal.

"On some days, we met multiple times to go over every detail of the queen's visit."

Public sightings of the queen at the event were rare, but when people did greet her, she waved and smiled in reply.

Queen Elizabeth died last week at the age of 96. Her funeral is due to take place on September 19, and all horse racing, the only major sport in the UK due to take place on that date, has been postponed, Sky Sports reported.

The queen with horses throughout the years — in pictures