Jim joined the Air Force in 1946 and was stationed in Japan as a Cryptographer for fourteen months. In 1950 he was discharged in Tampa, Florida, and remained there to establish the Babb Sea Food Company, which catered to the hotel and restaurant trade with seafood specialties. This company grew until he set up the Babb & Treagle Sea Food Company in Akers, Louisiana, where they shipped seafood nationwide.
Like so many of our professional trainers have stated, the genuine love of horses lingered and Jim’ s desire to work with them increased until finally he decided he must try his hand at the horse business. After much consideration and planning he closed his business in Louisiana and purchased a farm in Rogers, Arkansas where he began a snail public training and breeding operation. From this small beginning, Jim progressed in many phases of the horse business. In 1957 the Babbs moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he set up another stable and promoted Old Glory as a breeding stallion. In the spring of 1958, Jim moved to Joplin and the Brownwood Stables where he really began to find himself as a trainer.
While at Brownwood, Jim became well-known for his training and showing of such horses as Pleasure’ s Merry Boy, Top Hat, and Midnight Pleasure R. G. While here, Jim started some of the great horses of the breed, including the wellknown mare Top Talent. From 1958 until the death of Mr. CHARLES L. BROWN in 1962, Jim Babb was trainer for Brownwood Stables and won top honors at major shows throughout the Mid- West, including the American Royal, Missouri State Fair, Omaha, Tulsa and many others.
After handling the complete dispersal of the Brownwood Stable stock, Jim moved to Jackson, Mississippi and again set up a training stable. While operating out of Mississippi, Mighty Sunbeam, trained by Jim Babb, was never beaten by a Mississippi horse and, under Jim’ s guidance, CATHY BAILEY, talented young juvenile rider, won her classes at Montgomery, New Orleans and Dallas, and placed second at the Celebration. Jim handled the sale of Midnight Pleasure R. G. for one of the highest prices ever paid for a breeding horse.
Recognizing the great potential of the Mid-West as a growing center for Walking Horse activity, Jim Babb decided to return to Missouri and, in January of 1964, moved to Carthage where he and Mr. W. G. ROBERTSON opened the Jim Babb Stables. Last year they sold over 65 horses, including a two-year-old that brought the highest price ever paid for a two-year-old in this state. Concentrating on top horses, the Jim Babb Stables captured- blues last year at Tulsa, Clinton, Jefferson City, the " Heart of America” show, Springfield, Missouri State Fair, Lee’ s Summit, Adrian, the " Saddle & Sirloin” show in Kansas City, Ash Grove, Battesville, Oklahoma and Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Specializing in Juvenile and Amateur horses, Jim is a recognized judge in the A. H. S. A. and the T. W. H. B. & E. A. and, in the past, has judged some of the top shows in the country.
The Babb family loves the horse business, and Jim’ s attractive wife, the former MARILYN JONES of Belton, Missouri, is an active supporter of her favorite " hoss trainer.” Although the mother of two small children( Charles, 4f2, and Johnny, 3), Marilyn tries to assist as much as possible in the stable business.
One of the best-liked members of the " pro” ranks, Jim Babb is considered by all who know him as a reed asset to the business. With people such as Jim representing the Tennessee Walking Horse business and trying hard to expand interest and activities with the breed in the great Mid-West, we cannot see how the future can be anything but " great.”
Our thanks to JIM and MARILYN BABB for allowing us to present to readers of the VOICE this " Professional on Parade” article.
NEW " SLEEPING SICKNESS” VACCINE FROM FORT DODGE LABORATORIES
A new encephalomyelitis vaccine, said to mark the first improvement in 25 years in production of vaccines against " sleeping sickness” of horses, has been placed on the market by Fort Dodge Laboratories, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Encephalomyelitis viruses used in production of this new vaccine are grown in a tissue culture system comparable to that used in the preparation of poliomyelitis vaccine. Previously, " encephalo” vaccines have been produced inembryonated chicken eggs.
Both Eastern and Western strains of the disease are incorporated in the new vaccine, which is expected to afford more reliable protection and, because it is more highly purified, is less likely to cause systemic or local reaction. It is marketed by Fort Dodge under the trade name " Encephaloid” and sales are confined to veterinarians.
NOTICE
A request for a copy of the VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse magazine issue of January, 1963, has been made by Mrs. Marian Bjerken, periodical librarian at the Middle Tennessee State College Library at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This library is seeking to maintain a file of all issues ofthe VOICE, and this is its only missing copy. Any person who can supply this missing issue is requested to write to Mrs. Bjerken at the college in Murfreesboro- where a Horse Science School short course will be held in June, 1965.
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