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Owen Fullen, our“ Profiles” subject for October, is shown with two of the many fine walking horses that are worked and shown by amateures Kenny Dickson and Kendall Armstrong at Evans Stables, Athens, Tennessee.
This month our“ Profiles” article is about a most unique Tennessee Walking Horse operation, the Evans Stables, Athens, Tennessee, owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Owen Fullen. Here is one of the major Walking Horse Stables of this area and it is comprised completely of amateurs. At the time of this writing there were three principal) amateur Walking Horse enthusiasts using the facilities of the Evans Stables, Mr. Fullen, Mr. Kenny Dickson and Mr. Kendall Armstrong.
Mr. Fullcn, a 51 year old“ athlete of a man” is better known to people in this area as“ Lip”. This nickname, as I get it, comes from his mannerisms in talking in that he has a friendly tendency to make his point in any conversation. Owen Fullen has been interested in Walking Horses for only six yealrs. In 1958 he decided he wanted a good horse to ride and ended up in a well-known stable in Murfreesboro. Here he purchased a Blue Roan stallion with good blood and some excellent training. He has never regretted the purchase of this horse, even though, as he put it...“ he cost a lot more than I had intended to spend.”
Owen was born and raised in East Tennessee, in and around Athens. He attended Chattanooga Central High School where he excelled in football and other sports. He is married to the former Freda Small, and they live in Athens where he is owner and operator of a Funeral Home. He is a licensed embalmer and funeral director for the State of Tennessee.
On returning to Athens after purchasing his first registered Walking Horse, Owen was faced with a problem he really hadn’ t thought too much about. He had a good horse but no experience... or barn... or trainer; and his horse spent his first night in East Tennessee tied to a tree. It was here that a young man named Kenny Dickson came to the rescue. Kenny had always loved horses and had owned and shown them for some time. Mr. Fullen imposed on him to take his horse for a while. This started a long term friendship that is still going strong.
In 1959 a well planned training stable was constructed. These amateurs were planning ahead. They constructed a stable with 10 stalls, an automatic cooler, and office and the other trimmings that it takes to make a good show barn. Today they are training 6 horses that they show and have several good prosepets coming along.
Kenny Dickson, a long time employee of Mayfields Dairy in Athens is married and has 2 children. His wife Bobbie and sons Steve, 8 years; and Mitch 6 years, share his love of horsesand both the kids ride. Kenny graduated from Englewood High School and still resides in this town where he is now a rural mail carrier.
In discussing the over-all record of the stable, Owen stated that“ Kenny Dickson should get much of the credit for what success we have had. He is a quiet-type that just knows how to get along with horses. What he knows about training Tennessee Walking Horses he has learned the hard way.”
The other training-riding member of the Evan’ s Stable operation is Mr. Kendall Armstrong. He joined the others in 1960 and is considered as capable an amateur trainer as anyone around. Kendall, who has worked in the Mayfields Dairy plant for several years, lives in Athens with his wife Doris and 4 children. The Kendall Klan consists of twin girls, Caren and Sharon, 8 years old and two boys, Terr)', 7 years and Douglas, 5 years. Here also is an enthusiastic horse-loving family.
These three amateur horsemen share the same ideas about the Tennessee Walking Horse business. From their standpoint the most important element is“ showing”. As Owen put it,“ We show before all judges, anywhere. We do not pick our shows and judges”. Their feelings are mutual regarding modern training methods in that they say to compete, the amateur must learn the techniques of the professionals. Most trainers, they say, are doing an excellent job with their stock, and little abuse exists in their area.
With regards to current judging methods, this trio feels that the biggest problem is the“ swap-out” as opposed to rank bad judging. To the amateur who tries to compete in some classes with the pros, this is a keen issue. They admit they don’ t know the answer.
In talking about the future of the Tennessee Walking Horse business Owen Fullen stated that it will be great if we don’ t price horses too high. We should give more people a chance to get into this sport, and high-priced
horses naturally limit the people who can afford it.
Our thanks to Owen Fullen, Kendall Armstrong and Kenny Dickson for setting aside thier crops and spurs long enough to tell us the Evan’ s Stable story;... a story of amateurs with a genuine love for Walking Horses and a keen desire to learn more and compete better.