BARN STORMING ( Continued From Page 30 )
Mr . Thurman , a well known farmer around Maryville , has been in the Walking Horse business for six years . He plans to stay in all phases of the business , including brood mares , standing a stud and training . The Thurman Stables has a main show barn with 16 stalls in the middle with the riding hall around it . The entire structure is made from concrete block and cherry wood . A visitor is made welcome in a fine paneled office and lounge that is 16 ’ x 24 ’. They have an automatic walker and a modern tack room with all the facilities for caring for top show horses and there are 12 additional stalls in an adjoining stable .
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Riding High Siables
After we left the Thurman Stables we wound our way through the country-side to the Riding High Stables of Carolyn & “ Skip ” Standsberry . Here is a young couple who have embraced the Tennessee Walking Horse in a manner that is a pleasure to see . These people really love their horses and have the patience and fortitude to work hard to fit their horses into their everyday lives . Mr . Standsberry , who is employed at the Dixie and Ohio Freight Lines , is the ground man for his charming wife , who handles most of the training . Together they have managed to conquer a big shiny black stallion named MERRY BOY ’ S SHADOW that Caroline showed last year to win the junior championship of the East Tennessee Horse Show Association . When they first acquired this horse he was hard to handle . He was appropriately named “ Thunder ” and tried to live up to his name . With patience and strict handling , they managed to win him over and have since won many blues with him in and around the East Tennessee circuit . Carolyn tied 5th with “ Thunder ” in a fast amateur class at Knoxville . The big horse looked great in the final workout . Riding High Stables consists of a new 6 stall barn and is located in a beautiful meadow with a branch and
32 spring running through it on a 21 acre spread . Carolyn and Skip are now working SUN ’ S TRIPLE TREAT a brown roan two year old filly by a WILSON ’ S ALLEN stud out of a SOCIETY MAN ’ S mare They are also training MONEY TREE ’ S ACE , a black three year old gelding . We hope to see a lot of these people in horse shows from East Tennessee to Shelbyville during 1964 .
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J & G Siables
We received word from Dr . Ben Fuson of Middlesboro , Ky . about his new Walking Horse operation . At this point the principals of Fuson Stables are strictly amateurs and are new in the business . Dr . Fuson has acquired the assistance of Bill Gibson , a 23 year old trainer who was with Bud Seaton before moving to Middlesboro . They have a six stall barn and are in the process of obtaining some horses with show prospects . Bill is also working with the J and G Stables of Tazewell , Tennessee ( just across the state line from Middlesboro ), owned by Jimmy and Gary Venable . They are working a 3 year old gray mare by a son of MID NIGHT SUN out of CROWN JEWELL ; a 2 year old stud by MIDNIGHT SUNGLOW out of a mare by BUDDY LEE ; another two year old stud by SOUTHERN SUN out of ACC ’ S SWEETHEART and a two year old filly by SUN ’ S BIG SHOT . The J & G Stables , which Carson Venable , Jr ., also has an interest in , is a six stall operation on a ten acre spread . Gary Venable showed his gray mare in the Knoxville Show and put on a commendable show against top competition . Bill Gibson also made his 1964 debut in the Knoxville Show on a horse owned by the Venables .
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Jim Messenger Stables
Jim Messenger of Sparta , Tennessee , gave us a first hand report on his Walking Horse activities and plans for 1964 . Jim , who also operates a shirt factory in Sparta , has 17 horses in training and always has some of the finest and fastest moving show stock in this territory . At present he is working GO BOY ’ S SENSATION , that tied 9th in the Celebration 2 year old stake and is owned by Lester Flatt . He is also getting good results with a full brother to SEN SATION named GO BOY ’ S PER FECTION M , a two year old stud , GO BOY ’ S DARLENE , a speedy mare that tied third in her class at Knoxville , JIM ’ S GOLDEN ROCKET , an aged horse that Jim will show many times this year as his stake horse and a two year old SHADOW filly . The Messenger Stables will be well represented in 1964 .
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Battleground Stables
Several members of the VOICE staff have horses in training with Billy Brantley in Fort Oglethorpe , Georgia . It appears that we spend more time with you , watching your horses than we do watching our own . At any rate , here is a report on the activities there :
Billy Brantley ’ s Battleground
Stables in Fort Oglethorpe , Georgia is the center of much attention in the tri-state area of Tennessee , Georgia and Alabama these days . For years it has been said that Chattanooga needs a good Tennessee Walking Horse Stable . Now it has one . Mr . and Mrs . L . O . “ Sheriff ” Ledford , principal stockholders of the corporation that owns the facilities , have gone all out to provide the best conditions for training and caring for show horses . A nine-stall tractor trailer van has just been completed and is ready to roll .
Billy , who worked for Sam Paschal for three years and for the Bel Aire Stable of Roy Davis in Calhoun , Georgia for two years has had his hands full lately training horses and judging . He hurried back from Florida , where he judged a show on April ninth just in time to carry one horse to the final night of the Knoxville Show .
He has 14 horses in the stable and is working hard to get several ready to show . Billy has five handpicked two year olds . Headliner to date in this class is the stallion , SETTING SUN ’ S APOLLO , owned by Dr . and Mrs . Eugene B . Sliger . This crowd pleaser won the blue in the recent Knoxville Dogwood Arts Festival Show . GO BOY ’ S
( Continued on Page 34 )
VOICE of The Tennessee Walking Horse