In these days when we are continually striving to produce better and better colts by planned breeding of the best blood lines , we sometimes tend to place too much emphasis on the Sire side and too little on the Dam side . This is a phase of the horse business that will probably always produce conflicting opinions regarding the relative strength of the sire or dam on the colt , and it will probably always be so . As we study the background of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed however , we find that there are many mares who have distinguished themselves in the breed and have contributed substantially to the advancement of this great horse . One such mare was MAUDE GRAY , owned , bred and cherished by Auburn Gray of Lynchburg , Tennessee . We re-print here , a feature article regarding this great Dam which originally appeared in print on Friday , June 14 , 1940 . We feel that this story is commendable and will certainly add depth to the position that the “ ladies ” of the breed play in the future of the Tennessee Walking Horse .
History is replete with instances of men and women who were born in obscurity , but who , in the course of their earthly sojourn , reached places of eminence in world affairs . And so it is with horses . If one travels the highway between Lynchburg and Winchester , amout a mile east of the Elk River bridge one will see a sign on the right of the road which reads , “ Auburn Gray — Walking Horses With A Future ;” and if the traveler will take this chirt road that leads to the south about three and one-half miles — there one will find a walking horse with a glorious past and a bright future .
This particular individual is Maude Gray 370077 — dowager of the walking breed , if you please !
At the age of 19 years Maude Gray , property of Auburn Gray , Belvidere , Tenn ., stands at the top
12 of living brood mares that have made a notable contribution to the Tennessee Walkihg Horse industry . At least , that ’ s what we think ; and we wonder if you will agree with us ?
This daughter of that grand old foundation stallion , ROAN ALLEN F-38 , is out of MINNIE BLACK by INMINE , second dam by BUL- LETT . She is a beautiful roan , both hind stockings , bald , and with flaxen mane and tail . Her conformation is of the true type for a brood mare . Her state of preservation is remarkable , and she carries her years most lightly . Her manners are those of the “ lady ” that she is , and she can still “ walk ” with the best of them .
In her day MAUDE GRAY entered the show rings as her sons and daughters are now doing , “ and she never lost a ribbon ,” said her present owner . Today she still executes the gaits of the walking horse in a beautiful and true manner .
MAUDE GRAY was bred by John Black of Noah , Tenn ., where she was foaled near Cheatham Springs between Manchester and Murfreesboro in Coffee County . Auburn Gray got her from Tom Taylor about fifteen years ago , kept her two days and sold her to Jake Syler who rode her for about twelve months and then took her to the jockey yard at Winchester with the magnificent price of $ 25 on her head . There was no purchaser , so Jake Syler swapped her to Ulus Syler “ for a little old black stump-sucking horse and gave him $ 35 to boot ,” in the words of Gray .
However , when Ulus Syler came back to Winchester with her the next September , she had a beauburn Gray saw her at the fair there and made a bid on her and
her foal . But Syler wouldn ’ t sell the mare and colt , so Gray gave $ 80 for the dam . Thus , MAUDE GRAY was again in the hands of Auburn Gray .
She was then bred to KING AL LEN 350114 and brought a stud colt , SILVER , which Gray sold to Nathan Fountain of Greenwood , Miss ., for $ 265 during the height of the big depression .
MAUDE ’ S colt No . 2 was a chestnut filly by BROWN ALLEN 350157 which was sold to Lynn Davis at Wartrace for $ 460 . This foal is now JANE GRAY 370104 and is today the head brood mare at the Pointer Stables at Como , Miss .
Colt No . 3 was a full brother to JANE GRAY and went also to Lynn Davis who sold him to Billy Fountain at Greenwood , where , as PRINCE ALLEN , he was a champion in Delta shows for two years Unfortunately PRINCE ALLEN soon died .
No . 4 was HAPPY , by ROE ’ S CHIEF . She is now known as BLONDE GODDESS and is owned by the Donald O ’ Neil Investment Company of Dallas , Texas , where she has won some top awards in big exhibitions . She brought Gray $ 1,000 at two years old .
No . 5 was BOOGABOO 360051 , a blue roan gelding by BROWN ALLEN , sire of JANE GRAY and PRINCE ALLEN . BOOGABOO brought Gray $ 700 when he was sold to Nathan Fountain at Greenwood ; but since that date this son of MAUDE GRAY has placed high in some of the big exhibition of the country , among those being the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration at Shelbyville last September — and he won the walking horse sweepstakes at the big Dallas , Texas , show last March with Gus Blanchard up . He was immediately sold to Pickens Burton of Dallas for $ 2,000 .
No . 6 was the great LYNNIE GRAY 370407 , by NEAL ’ S ALLEN 370067 . This beautiful red sorrel with white markings and with flaxen mane and tail is very like her dam . LYNNIE GRAY was a
VOICE of The Tennessee Walking Horse