WELL-KNOWN EXHIBITOR TO CELEBRATE NINTIETH BIRTHDAY
By Fred E. Friend
One of the most remarkable men in the Walking Horse World will celebrate his ninetieth birthday, May 18. Dr. N. B. Hardeman, 3482 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis, Tennessee, has achieved distinction in several areas of life. He is co-founder and was for many years president of Freed-Hardeman College, Henderson, Tennessee. He has been an outstanding evangelist among the Churches of Christ for more than sixty-five years. And since 1880 he has been a lover, owner, rider, and exhibitor of good horses. Dr. Hardeman was honored by being selected to judge the first National Walking Horse Celebration in 1939. From 1940 through 1954 he owned and exhibited a number of the outstanding horses at the Celebration. As he commented,“ When I passed my eightieth birthday, I thought it was time to retire from active competition.” However, his interest in the Celebration and other outstanding horse shows is as keen as ever and he expects to be on hand when the 1964 program begins in Shelbyville.
Perhaps Dr. Hardeman is best known as the owner, and frequently as the rider, of MAID OF COTTON, one of the outstanding show mares of the forties. This beautiful daughter of MERRY MAKER was fourth in the Grand Championship stake in 1948 and sixth in 1949. Dr. Hardeman also rode her to several amateur championship classes during that decade and in the early fifties. Among the other outstanding horses which he showed were SUN’ S DARK LADY, SKIPPER’ S SON OF MID NIGHT( The sire of EBONY MASTERPICECE, 1962 Grand Champion,) and SUN’ S NIGHT CAP, which Dr. Hardeman calls“ the most glamorous horse I ever owned.” He leaves no doubt however, that he considers MAID OF COTTON the best horse he ever
Dr. N. B. Hardeman— 90 years young and still an avid lover of the Tennessee Walking Horse.
owned in his long career as an exhibitor.
During the late thirties and throughout the forties, Dr. Hardeman rode virtually every day as relaxation from his strenuous duties as a college president. During this time he won many championships in shows throughout Tennessee, and he also showed in such major events as those in Chicago, Tulsa, Dallas, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City. His graceful and dignified equitation always seemed to get the very best out of his mounts, and consequently he was a favorite exhibitor in these major shows.
Over the many years which he has been interested in Tennessee Walking Horses, he has watched the remarkable development of the horse into its present wonderfully improved style and conformation. Although he recognizes the great spectator appeal in the modern development of speed and greater action in the gaits, he is not very sympathetic to these innovations and would prefer to see the horses allowed to walk more naturally. He is, however, quite happy to see the increased interest in Walking Horses in all of the major shows of the nation and feels sure that this trend will continue.
When asked to name the best Tennessee Walking Horse that he has ever seen in his long years of observation, Dr. Hardeman replied without hesitation:“ MID NIGHT SUN, of course. History must accord him first place among the horses that have exerted great influence on the breed. He and his offspring are largely responsible for making the Tennessee Walking Horse what it is today.
“ Judges must look below the saddle and tie the horses,” Dr. Hardeman concluded as a comment on the present situation in the Walking Horse World.
On his eighty-fifth birthday, me; re than seven hundred guests overflowed the ballroom of the Peerbody Hotel in Memphis to honor Dr. Hardeman for a life of serand a career of many accomp- ments. Among those appearing-n that testimonial program were the then Senate Majority Leader, Lyndon B. Johnson, the then Governor of Tennessee, Buford Ellington, and Senator Albert Gore of Tennessee. It is quite significant that on that occasion Mr. O’ Neil Howell paid tribute to“ Hardeman, the Horseman.”
When this distinguished exhibitor celebrates his ninetieth birthday on May 18, it would certainly be appropriate if greetings from all of his friends in the Walking Horse World were a part of his day. The VOICE is happy to extend congratulations and best wishes to Dr. N. B. Hardeman on this occasion. We shall look forward to visiting with him during the twenty-sixth annual National Celebration.
SOUTHWEST HORSE SHOW SETS SPECIAL DEDICATION
The recent untimely death of Mrs. William R.( Ruth) Walker in an automobile accident in Lake Charles is a sore loss to the horseloving world in this area.
Members of many local organizations, believing this, have decided to pay a unique honor to Mrs. Walker.
Since 1948, Mrs. Walker had been the leading organizer of horse shows in Lake Charles.
As a tribute to Mrs. Walker the Southwest Louisiana Horse Show Association and the Young Mens
16 VOICE of The Tennessee Walking Horse