National Velvet

The franchise originated from the 1935 novel by Enid Bagnold, which follows the story of Velvet Brown, a young girl from a small English village who wins a piebald horse named The Pie in a raffle. Determined to prove the horse's capabilities, Velvet trains him to compete in the prestigious Grand National steeplechase, defying societal expectations and gender norms of the era.

Media Adaptations

The story gained international prominence through the 1944 feature film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney, which remains a landmark in equestrian cinema. The narrative was later expanded into a television series in the early 1960s, further cementing the status of the Brown family and their horses as iconic figures in popular culture.

• The Pie: Velvet's talented piebald horse.
• Velvet Brown: The protagonist and aspiring jockey.
• Mi Taylor: The experienced jockey who mentors Velvet.

The franchise is noted for its enduring influence on horse-related literature and film, often credited with popularising the girl-and-her-horse genre. Its focus on the emotional connection between human and animal, combined with the high-stakes world of horse racing, has ensured its status as a classic of mid-twentieth-century storytelling.