Longtime National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame board of trustees member Charlotte C. Weber was chosen as the museum’s interim board chair through a vote by its executive committee.

Weber, previously a vice chair, will serve in the chair position formerly held by John Hendrickson, who died at age 59 on Aug. 19. Hendrickson was the museum’s chair since 2017. Weber has been a museum trustee since 2001.

A prominent breeder and owner of racehorses for more than half a century and the founder of Live Oak Stud in Ocala, Fla., Weber is one of American racing’s most iconic and respected figures. She has a lifelong connection with horses that developed into a passion for racing, which began with her first winner, Llallauco, at Monmouth Park in 1967.

Weber purchased the 1,100-acre Live Oak Plantation in Ocala from Peter A. B. Widener III in 1968 and renamed it Live Oak Stud. In the 56 years since, Live Oak has expanded to more than 4,500 acres and has developed into one of the most renowned Thoroughbred farms in the country.

Live Oak has been recognized four times, most recently in 2020, as Florida’s breeder of the year and 10 of the farm’s homebreds have been honored as Florida-bred champions. Those include Florida horse of the year winners Miesque’s Approval, Sultry Song and World Approval. Miesque’s Approval and World Approval were both Eclipse award and Breeders’ Cup winners.

Since 2000, Live Oak has won 1,014 races with purse earnings of more than $62 million. Nine Live Oak horses have surpassed $1 million in earnings and the farm has won 90 graded stakes during that time. Grade 1 winners campaigned by Live Oak include Brilliant Speed, High Fly, In the Gold, Laser Light, My Typhoon, Solar Splendor, To Honor and Serve, Victory to Victory, Win Win Win and Zo Impressive, as well as the Eclipse champions. Live Oak has ranked in the top 10 among North American owners in purse earnings five times since 2000, including a peak position of No. 2 in 2006.

Weber was recognized in 2005 with the Penny Chenery Most Distinguished Woman in Racing Award. She also was honored by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association that year as national owner of the year and southern regional owner of the year. Live Oak previously had been honored as TOBA’s national outstanding owner and breeder in 1991. Live Oak also won the Sovereign Award for outstanding owner in Canada in 2020 and 2021.

Along with the National Musuem of Racing and Hall of Fame, Weber sits or previously has served on the boards of the Campbell Soup Co., Metropolitan Museum of Art, Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners, Wake Forest University, New York Women’s Foundation and National Horse Show Association of America, among others. Weber also is a member of The Jockey Club and The Jockey Club of Canada.

A native of Philadelphia, Weber studied art and interior design at the University of Paris. Her professional museum experience includes a stint as the assistant curator of paintings and sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.