12 June, 1963
Breeders Elect Two Directors; Set Registration, Member Marks
Election of two directors for threeyear terms, and reports showing record registration of horses and record enrollment of members featured the brief, harmonious May 11 annual meeting of the Tennessee Walking- Horse Breeder ' s & Exhibitor’ s Assn, of America, Inc., at handsome headquarters in Lewisburg, Tenn.
Executive Secretary H. Tom Fulton ' s financial report also showed the organization ' s treasury in the soundest position in its history. This report also showed substantial assets added to the balance sheet during the past year.
President S. W. Beech, Jr., of Belfast, Tenn., elected last year for a twoyear term, presided for the meeting attended by between 75 and 100 members, Secretary Fulton reported.
Ezell, Glenn, Turner Named
He said two former association presidents, Ed S. Ezell of Chapel Hill, Tenn., and J. Glenn Turner of Dallas, Tex., were unanimously elected for new terms as directors. They were the only nominees named by the nominating committee to appear on the proxy slips, and there were no other nominees on the proxies counted and no nominees offered from the floor, Fulton added.
Details of the financial statement and other formal reports were given by Mrs. Marianne Hawkins, secretary of the association for a number of years.
President Beech expressed appreciation to the membership for their whole hearted cooperation in all steps designed to further the interests. Tennessee Walking horse appreciation as a show animal and as a pleasure animal. He pledged continued efforts to further the breed and called upon all to make suggestions at any time.
Sharing the leadership with President Beech are First Vice-President W. W. Gill, Petersburg, Tenn.; Second Vice-President C. C. Turner, Broadway, Va.; Executive Committee Chairman John H. Amos, Franklin, Tenn.; additional directors Dr. W. F. Fessey, Nashville; French Brantley, Manchester, Tenn.; Dr. W. V. Gamier, Bastrop, La.; Mr. Ez. eJl and Air. J. Glenn Turner.
At a meeting of directors Executive Secretary H. Tom Fulton was reelected for a term of three years. The terms of twro directors expire each year, this providing staggered terms for the six directors.
Breeders’ Home Renovated
Mr. Fulton ' s report pointed out that the Breeders Association owns its own home within a half-block of the Courthouse Square in Lewisburg, is one of the most valuable tracts of land in the city, and the building has been extensively renovated during the past year at a cost of some § 4,000. This work has enhanced the value of the properly considerably and the association has one of the nicest homes among breed registries of the nation, he pointed out. The association is one of the few horse breed registries to own its home.
Various committee reports showed the Tennessee Walking Horse industry is consistently on the upgrade; that more Walking Horse classes are being placed in more shows.
Pleasure Class Emphasis Praised
“ We have had considerable interest shovm in our Pleasure Horse this year; more Pleasure Horses are being shown and sold than ever before; and quite a few people who have no desire to own or exhibit show horses are buying Pleasure Horses and exhibiting them in the shows,” Mr. Fulton continued.
" We strongly urge all shows to constantly keep in mind the fact that the Pleasure Horse rider’ s mount means as much to him as the horse of a rider or owner of a Show Horse means to him. I personally think that some of the shows are overlooking entry fees when they do not add Pleasure Classes, and also classes for juvenile or children riders.
“ Our juvenile riders today will be our adult riders and horse owners tomorrow,” the Executive Secretary emphasized. If we do not keep these children interested and have classes for them to show in— they will probably lose interest, and then where will be our show classes in a few years— if the adult riders and owners disappear. We urge all shows to consider this fact when preparing their programs and brochures, and try to include classes for juvenile riders and pleasure riders in their shows....
3,954 Horses Registered
Mrs. Hawkins’ report on registrations showed a total of 3,954 horses for 1961— this being the highest figure in the association’ s 29-year history except for J947( while Walking Horses bred by the artificial insemination method were registered. The association ban against such registration took effect Sept. 1, 1953).
' I’ lie 1962 figure is a little over 600 more than the banner year of 1961.
A gain of approximately 300 members was reported— which was declared indeed very gratifying— and that gives a total of 1800 paid-up members, the report showed.
President Beech said it had been“ very gratifying to him” to receive the cooperation of all members during the year— and it was“ great to know that we had a fine organization of this size, with everyone striving for one aim— namely to see that the Tennessee Walking Horse is the top horse in the nation,” the Executive Secretary added.
An Apology To
A 16-Year-Old Girl
The Voice Editor hereby apologizes to a 16-year-old girl, Charlotte Lee Neill of Florence, Ala.
Last summer, while the Editor was attempting lo write a Training Book that was abandoned( in October), he asked Charlotte lo write him a letter showing how she had improved her Walking Horse. Charlotte struck him as a most intelligent person— who had done a remarkable bit in training of her own horse. She was 15 at the time. Laier he met her at the Celebration and shook her hand.
In October— when the Editor became ill and others took over the major work of this magazine— the letter prepared for the Training Book appeared on the inside front cover page ol the November, 1962, issue of the Voice. The copy omitied the name of the writer and naturally could not be included in the inside front cover article captioned“ Letter From a 15-Year- Old Girl.”
We apologize to Miss Neill for this omission— for which we personally were responsible. We have heard just lately that she rode in a horse show at Athens, Ala. and placed 2nd in the Pleasure Class and 3rd in Equitation on her“ Reb," trained by herself.
Thai night she rode a 2-year-old from Wallace Dunn’ s Stables near Shelbyville. The horse had been in training just six months. His name is El Cid and Charlotte had ridden him only two or three times. She placed 6th( in the money), riding in competition with many professional riders. She will ride“ El Cid” in many shows this season. Charlotte is a descendant of pioneers in Tennesee Walking Horse history. BAG.