Frank Hopkins

Frank T. Hopkins (August 11, 1865 unsubstantiated – November 5, 1951) was a self-proclaimed professional horseman who at one time performed with the Ringling Brothers Circus. He was a long-distance rider who claimed to have won 400 races and was recognized by his contemporaries as supporting the preservation of the mustang.

The film Hidalgo was based on Hopkins' purported story, and a few items in his accounts have been verified by outside, reliable, third-party sources. Some experts consider him to be a con-artist, but others side with assertions that he was not.