1962-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1962 April Voice | Page 30

April, 1962
28
1961 Celebration Stars Grand Champion 'Major Wilson' In Miracle Role
(Editor’s Notc-The 1961 National Cele­
bration at Shelbyville, Tenn. featured more
miracles and the Editor believes it important
to cover this event briefly in this No. 2 issue
of the Voice. He cannot think of any better
method than to print here an excerpt from
the 1961 Celebration Brochure issued in De­
cember as a 20-page booklet, bearing on
the cover a color photo of World’s Champion
B. Major Wilson, with Owner Claude Brown
riding. Inside it is the historic photo shown
here. Copies of this brochure, designed as a
supplement to the Biography of the Tennes­
see Walking Horse, may be secured for SI
from Ben A. Green, Shelbyville, Tenn.)
That 23-year miracle we call the
Celebration reached new heights in
1961— broke all records for everything
from Aug. 28 through Sept. 2. Attend­
ance soared to 56,124 paid for six
nights; horse entries rose to 1,148;
seven new barns were erected; enthusi­
asm mounted to an inexpressible pilch
at the Celebration Grounds in Shelby­
ville, Tenn.
But of all the miracles—adding up
to the great miracle—the greatest by
far was a four-side achievement contri­
buted without fanfare, without ad­
vance notice, even wlihout undue ef­
fort, by a sober-visaged, heavy-set
Buick automobile dealer from a lively
but small town in the hills of Ken­
tucky—Morehead.
This miracle-maker weighed an un­
believable 250 pounds; rode a 9-year-
old stallion to the Tennessee Walking
Horse Championship of the World;
and this amateur-owner beat the
world’s greatest collection of Walking
Horse professional trainers and riders
in history on his own home-grown,
home-raised, home-trained animal.
One veteran follower told me "This
is the greatest individual thing that
has ever happened for Tennessee, the
Celebration and the Tennessee Walk­
ing Horse industry. It is a priceless
gain.”
That Buick dealer who says his
horse, Major Wilson, "rides like the
twin-turbine car I sell with power,
dependability and a smooth-riding
feel” is Claude Brown, current King
on the Tennessee Walking Horse
Throne as owner-trainer-rider of the
champion.
Runner-up to Major Wilson—with
the Reserve Grand Championship—
was another Kentucky-owned horse,
Mighty Sun, property of Mr. & Mrs.
J. R. Lewis of Georgetown, 65 miles
from Morehead. Mighty Sun was Ten-
nessee-reader and trained by Elmore
Brock of Sparta, Tennessee. At age
five years he is regarded as a future
contender.
Crowning of the 1961 Celebration Grand Champion of the World presented
this picture when Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird,
presented the floral horseshoe to signalize the crowning of B. Major Wilson as the
title-holder. Pictured with them are Angela IJulan, challenge trophy; Kay Williams,
permanent trophy; and Celebration Queen Carey Gates Thomas, the Blue Ribbon.
Earlier the Celebration, Inc. presented Lady Bird with 16-month-old LBJ’s Black
Shadow, by Go Boy’s Shadow out of Midnight Princess E. The Vice President
received a 40-pound Tennessee ham. He said: “You will remember Lady Bird and
think of a beautiful Tennessee Walking Horse but remember me and think of a big
Tennessee ham.” The quip ioas widely quoted in the nation’s press.
Others tied in the first ten in the
Grand Championship Stake were:
Third—Golden Sundust, owned by
Brenda Howell, Athens, Alabama,
Wink Groover up.
Fourth—Beloved Belinda, owned by
Miss Gene Wild, Sarcoxie, Missouri,
Sam Paschal up.
Fifth—Fascinating Rhythm, owned
by W. T, Baynard, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, Jack Warren up.
Sixth—Spur's Clown, owned by Tal­
ley & Coleman, Greensboro and Tus­
caloosa, Alabama, Hershel Talley up.
Seventh—Spur's Merry Man, owned
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Parnell, New-
(Continued on Page 29)
SUN S JET PARADE
$100 Stud Fee At Time Of
Service—85 Per Cent Of
Mares Bred to Him in '61
Safe In Foal
Vic Thompson's Stables
SHELBYVILLE, TENN. PH. 4-4461 & MU 4-3956