Merry Go Boy Credited With Setting ' Modern Goit ' Of The
Wolking Horse timc-in the show ring-proved to be so popular with the crowds that judges changed their concept of the running walk gait to coincide with the gait shown by this horse. They say this took place largely during the
To A Veferqn l3
Voice of the Tennessee Wolking Horse
Merry Go Boy Credited With Setting ' Modern Goit ' Of The
Matchless ] Ierlv Co Bor '-acknowledgerl " strprelne \ irr- of ilre modern
Tennessee \\' alking F { orse, according to Part-Ou ' ner S. \\-. Beech, Jr.-is in " perfect phvsical condition " for service as a 19-r ' ear-olc1 n ' ith the season jr-rst starting.
That ' s the rrord from Belfast, Tenn., l ' here the twice-champion of
the l ' orld 119 + 7-48) has stood for manv seasons. He is owned by Beech ancl ' C. C. Turner, the latter ' nationallr ' knon-n for his Broadway, Va. farm ' rthere the famous Go Boy ' s Souvenir
stands. \ Vord from Virginia recently came that Fred M. Black oI Broadway had sold his share of Souvenir to Turner. trIerry Go Boy ' s " claim to fame " does not rest solely upon his brilliant championship record, and his superb performance as a sire of many cham-
Prons.
This horse set a brand new record for a Tennessee \\ ralking Horse price when he sold for 555,000 as a fouryear-old before he rvon the 1948 Celebration cl-own. Just last November his son-Go Bo1 " s Shadow, l0 years old and retirecl to stud-brought " more than 555,000 " in another record-setting sale reported on Page 7 in this magazrne.
But even rrore important is thc well cstablishecl fact that " Merry Go Boy set the modern standard for fast running walk gaits in horse shows-in fact changed the manner in which Tennessee Walking Florses are judged."
Old-timers assert that Merry Go Boy, the fastest Walking Horse to his
MORE PARTY I. INE
( Continued from Page 7)
Heights, Fountain Heights and West End. Broke into newspaper work lr,' ith the old Age-
Herald( when Mr. Barrett had it) and the Birmingham News undcr Zipp Nelman and Vincent ' fownsend. That rvas years ago. Good Luck and thanks. BAG.)
Ralph Dav of Salem, Ind. offers a good example of the sincere type ol letter we have received from hundreds of friends welcoming this magazine.
Ralph says:
" I am pleased to know that we are
able to purchase a real Walking Horse magazine. I am a lover of the Tennessee Walking Horses. I own three
registered mares "
" I also attend the Celebration each r, ear. I have my reservation now for
Wolking Horse timc-in the show ring-proved to be so popular with the crowds that judges changed their concept of the running walk gait to coincide with the gait shown by this horse. They say this took place largely during the
1947-48 horse show seasons and greatly incrcased public attendance and recognition of Tennessee \ Alalking FIorse
show classes.
Within recent years Merry Go l3oy has proved to be the overr ' vhelmingly dominant force in the National Fucurity stagccl annually by the Tenncssee \ A / alkinE Horse Breeders & Exhibitors ' Assn.
During the 1960 Futurity at Sheibyville this horse sired more than 50 per
cent of the young horses that receivecl ribbons-the numbers being 24 Nlerry Go Boy sired lvinners out of 45 ribbons. At the 196l Futurity the proportion was about the same, Merry Go Boy sons and daughters taking 24 out of the 46 ribbons against an alltime record field of entries. This amazing mark means a single stallion has outscored all the others of the breed in the two straight Futurities-and some of thc other winners were sired by sons of Merry Go Boy.
Becch points out that N4erry Go Boy is well in his prime right nowhaving a stamina comparable to Allan F-1, the No, I F ' oundation Horse of the breed, Allan began his contribution at age 17 and serviced lll
mares in the last year of his life that ended in September 16, 1910, at age 24.( Facts taken from The Biography of the Tennessee Walking Horse.)
the 1962 Celebration. I will be pleased to read about the care and
training of the breed. I am sure I rvill gather a lot of good information.
( Editor ' s Note-Ralph thosc three registered mares mean you are in the IWH busincss. If they get good care and keep hcaltl. rv rou rrill contribute at least { 0 fine foal tb ' the industry inside of 20 r ' ears.
Othen like lou can make our breed No. 1 in the ' rrorlil of horses. BAG.)
R. C. Fyffe of Staffordsville, Ky., read our book within three days after he received it in December, 1961, and replied: " I have read your book already and it is an outstanding book.
It was helpful in tracing the background of my Tennessee Walking Horse."
( Editor ' s Note-F. C., my book gives back-( Continuecl on Page 21)
A Dedicqtion
To A Veferqn l3
Friends, you al-e looking into the Iace of one of the Great Nlodern Pioneers of the Tennessee Walking Horse \ A / orlcl. He is Henrv lV. Davis of Wartrace, Tenn., standing in front of his famous barn in that community. Mr. Davis was thus pictured in July, 1960.
Toclay he is in ill hcalth-confinecl to his home in \ A / artrace.
It was Hcnry 1 &'. Davis who " fathercd " the National Celebration at Shelbyville with a talk to a civic club.
It rvas Henry W. Davis who was a younger mernber of that great Wartrace ' Beech Glove group led by the late Albert M. Dement and the late
James R. Brantley who " produced " the great Allen Family that perpetuated the ' Iennessee \ Aralking llorse during the " automobile crisis " of
I 920.
He has been a stalwart all through the years.
\ A / ithout him. and his encouragement in the Editor ' s preparation of the book-Biography of the Tennessee
Walking Horse-this magazine would ncver have happened.
In this Volume l, Nuurber I issue we thank this man, we dedicate this magazine to his high purposes for the
Tennessee Walking Horse.( l3AG).