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