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The VOICE takes pleasure in introducing a new feature column, which will appear monthly, as a part of our continuing effort to provide the best possible coverage of the Walking Horse World. In this column you will read " news and views " from the training stables where show horses are made ready for competition in the show rings.
This column will be a cooperative effort of the editorial staff. Correspondence for this feature should be directed to the Editor. This month’ s report has been prepared by Fred E. Friend.
One of the young trainers who has really proved that he knows how to make horses is Neal Branscum, who trains at the Arnold Farms, east of Winchester, Tennessee, on Highway 64. Neal is the man who started SUN’ S DELIGHT and showed him to the Junior Reserve Championship in 1962. This one fact alone is enough to recommend him as an expert in his chosen profession. But we must recall that he also did a great job with SOCIETY PLAYBOY and several other prominent winners in the show rings.
Now working a dozen horses, Neal is especially proud of two full, younger brothers to SUN’ S DELIGHT. Both are black and beautiful and truly natural Walking Horses. JOHNNY MIDNIGHT, now 4 years old, made some good shows last season and won his share of ribbons; but he is just now coming into his own. Three-yearold MIDNIGHT IMP really looks like his famous older brother, except for difference in color. He is beginning to go like him, too. Mr. A. S. Dean, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is proud of them and is especially interested in them because they are the last colts out of his great broodmare, WILoUiN SNIP’ S CHANCE, who died last year. Any trainer would be happy to have one of these colts. It is the good fortune of Neal Branscum to
Also showing a lot of promise is a five-year-old black stallion with a blaze, BOUNTY HUNTER, by SUN’ S JET PARADE. He has never been shown, as Neal has brought him along slowly for Mr. Troy G. Arnold, owner of the farm. For. Mr. Glenn Tatman, of Portland, Indiana, Neal is ready to begin showing a beautiful black colt by RODGER’ S PERFECTION and out of a full sister to TALK OF THE TOWN. Also eye-cathing is a black two-year-old filly by MID NIGHT SUN out of a mare by MERRY GO BOY. She is just starting to work but has the motion and the looks to make a good one. She is owned by Mr. Bill Ellison, of Gainesville, Georgia.
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Over at Vic Thompson ' s Stables, 8 miles north of Shelbyville, on Highway 41-A, things are really moving along despite Vic’ s trouble with a leg and foot injured some years ago.( All Vic’ s friends will join in wishing him a rapid recovery.) There are so many good horses in this barn that we can report on only a few of them this month.
BLACK SOUTHERNAIRE, sixyear-old black stallion owned by Mrs. Will C. Terry, of Cleveland, Mississipi, has never looked better. Ready for both amateur and open classes is the popular Champion SHADOW’ S RED WARRIOR, owned and shown by Deedy Decker, Omaha, Nebraska; this horses’ s latest victories came in the stud class and the amateur stake at Fort Worth in January. Vic also reports that UNTOUCHABLE, owned bv O. D.“ Peck” Carlton, of Albany, Georgia, is as great as ever. MID BLUE, owned by Olin Holt, Kokomo, Indiana, is ready for the season and will win his share of the ribbons. A really ton. black. Junior mare is JET’ S MISS AMERICA, owned by Mrs. Florence Bishop, of Midway City, California; she has a real back end and all the motion you like to see.
Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Darby 0f Oklahoma City, recently bought GREAT COMMANDER, a black three-year-old gelding, which is showing great potential. In his first show he tied third in the Junior Stake at Forth Worth. You will be hearing more about this horse. Also a good Junior horse is SENSATION IN BLUE, by MERRY GO BOY out of a mare by MIDNIGHT MACK K. W. T. Ellinson, Gainesville, Georgia, owns this young stallion, who has already made quite a record. A SUN DUST colt, a sorrell with a flax mane and tail, is showing real stride and motion and will be heard from when the show season really gets under way. He is owned by Luther McIntosh, Greenville, Kentucky.
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The Bailey-Montgomery Stables, West of Shelbyville on the Lewisburg Highway, is readying some good horses for competition in 1964. SUN DUST QUEEN will again be shown by Cathy Bailey, of Jackson, Mississippi. SHADOW’ S PLAYBOY, a four-yera-old stallion, who looks like his famous sire and who has his way of going, is ready for the gates to open. There are also some top-bred young horses in the barn, including two two-year-old fillies by GO BOY’ S SHADOW. The plentiful crop of good yearlings by both SHADOW and PIDDLEY indicates that this famous barn will continue to supply its share of real show horses. H. C. Bailey and Jack Montgomery have a fine operation going.
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Joe Webb reports from the Porter Rodgers Stables in Searcy, Arkansas, that they have a great string of horses ready for the 1964 season. Heading the list is the many times champion, PERFEC TION’ S CARBON COPY, a real contender for the World’ s Grand Championship in 1964. Joe says,“ I don’ t see how he could be working any better.” The many observers who rate this beautiful black, four-year-old stallion one of the truly great show horses of the breed will be eager to see his first shows as an aged horse.
28 VOICE OF THE TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE