TEM £ S3 £ E WALKING h ' 42IRSE JANUARY ti
By Betty Bledsoe 9144 Macon Rd., Cordova, Tenn.
The VOICE takes pleasure in introducing a new contributing editor and a new feature column as a part of our campaign to cover the Walking Horse World for ALL of our readers.
Mrs. W. Steve( Betty) Bledsoe, noted horsewoman and teacher of equitation, has consented to cover the Mid- South, centering in Memphis, Tennessee, and to report each month on activities in that area. Each reader living within a radius of one hundred and fifty miles of Memphis can assist Mrs. Bledsoe and the VOICE very much by sending to her news of general interest to lovers of Walking Horses.
A very talented and versatile person, Mrs. Bledsoe combines a life-long love of horses and knowledge of them with a rare ability to write well. Having ridden Walking Horses since childhood, she has been teaching the art of riding for nine years and now maintains six instructors to assist her with the work of“ squaring up the riders.” An instructor in the Shelby County H-H Horsemanship Program, a director of her local saddle club, a general chairman of the Cordova horse show and a judge of juvenile and equitation classes and an experienced journalist, Mrs. Bledsoe is a splendid addition to the growing staff of the VOICE. We very much appreciate her enthusiastic willingness to join with us in making this magazine a more effective VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse.— The Editors.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE SHELBY STABLES
Not too many years ago, the Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse in Shelby County, Tennessee, was as one crying in the wilderness: nobody heard and nobody cared. There have always been horse people in this county, but not
WILL THE MID SOUTH please park in
Walking Horse people. Then the good folk of Middle Tennessee began a“ telling” job and the great Walking Horse himself did a“ selling” job. Now we simply cannot build barns fast enough to house them.
Merry Acres Stables in Cordova, Tennessee, owned by Dr. Steve Bledsoe, has all the creature comforts for both the four-legged and the two-legged variety. The Bledsoes’ s interest in horses dates back to 1956 when they opened a riding camp for children. Since then, some 2000 young Memphians have learned to ride at Merry Acres. The opening of a Walking Horse Stable, last May, was a long-time dream come true. With a generous blending of amateur enthusiasm and the able training of Neil Robinson, they“ walked” into the show season to garner 83 ties, culminating in the stable’ s Cinderalla trip to the Celebration, where they joined the“ Parade of Champions” with Neil up on SUN’ S JOE DIA MOND, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hamilton of Memphis. Elaine Douzanis, a young equestrienne from Memphis, rode her gelding, CHANCE’ S GYPSY SON, to the West Tennessee Walking Horse Championship; and Lynn Bledsoe tied 17 times on LYNN’ S MERRY CHANCE in the Mid-South Circuit. These two juveniles are setting their sights for an even better performance in 1964. The Merry Acres’ junior stallion, KING RICH ARD, and a fine pair of two-yearolds, M. A. S. ROMEO and JULIET are ready to go— with publication of the first show date.
Another of the new stables in Shelby County is located at the George Lee Lenox Farms, 9735 Holmes Road, Collierville, Tennessee. Mr. Lenox has announced his official“ Barn Opening” for Friday, February 7. All Tennessee Walking Horse lovers are cordially invited to enjoy Mr. Lenox’ s hospitality and a barbecue supper in the evening. While you are on the premises, trainer Russell Pate will be happy to show you their fine Junior stallion, MACK K’ S RE FLECTION, as well as their promising two-year-olds, EBONY’ S BLACK LADY and G. L. L. POLA RIS. Mr. Lenox makes one request of those planning to attend his barbecue. Drop him a card showing how many in your party may be expected.
The Alex Robinson Stables, Highway 72, also in Collierville, is operating for the third year. With trainer Phil Goodwin at the reins, the Robinson Stable is bursting at the seams with two-year-olds destined for praise in the coming season. Crown prince of the stable is GO BOY’ S CHATTERBOX, a twoyear-old stallion owned by Dr. W. B. Cleveland of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Johnny Coop wood of Memphis expects great things of his sorrell colt, and Alex will send his fine black SHADOW filly into the twoyear-old competition. One of the best-known and best-loved amateur riders in the field today, Alex will take to the Mid-South show arenas astride his SUNDUST’ S WILD FIRE, in the amateur classes.
John and Marie Jeffcoat of Cordova have been on a two-year buying spree of good broodmares and have bred some to the top stallions in the country as well as their own MIDNIGHT SOUTHERNAIRE, MAU GRAY’ S CRITERION, and a son of GIOVANNI. Their current hopeful is the filly, SUN’ S STRUT TING GAL, a full sister to SUN’ S STRUT ALONG. Last August the Jeffcoat Farm had foaled its way into the training business, so now trainer“ Hot” Fleming is working the better progeny of forty-seven mares, as well as the already successful ROAN EAGLE and JEFF- COAT’ S MISS SISSY.
The Shelby Stables
Wish the Walker’ s family, everywhere, a prosperous’ 64
The latch is always off on our collective stable door.
Come visit us when’ ere you can and see if you agree
Our horses are as great as our hospitality!