OUT OF THE NORTH By Arlene Eklund
16611 Gaynelle Road Tinley Park, Illinois( 312) 532-3555
We would like to welcome to the VOICE staff of Contributing Editors a young lady who will report on the Walking Horse activity in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Miss Arlene Eklund is a Freshman in Pre-Med at Loyola University in Chicago and comes to our staff with several years of experience in this field. She has owned and shown Walking Horses for two years and her horse, ALLEN DIC TATOR, now retired, was the former Wisconsin State Champion. Arlene will be as active as possible, considering that she is in school, and will appreciate any information from her section of the country that our many readers in that area may wish her to report on. She plans to personally visit as many stables and shows as possible during the season. We feel that Arlene Eklund will be a valuable asset to the VOICE and we welcome her to the staff.
Whoever said " that went out with the horse and buggy” had better take a good look around him. The popularity of the horse, especially the Tennessee Walking Horse is increasing day by day. This horse of the south has taken over the Northern States, and enthusiasts from Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin are rushing to have their mares bred to champion studs. More of the small, one day shows now have an open class, while many of the larger ones include ladies,’ amateur, mare, junior, stallion and gelding, and stake events. Leading exhibitors from the South and West are entering their top Walkers in the Northern shows, and competition is becoming almost as brisk as the Celebration.
The recent Chicago International Horse Show( November 27- December 5) was the scene of five of the most hard-fought Walking horse classes that I had ever seen. Some of the South’ s top horses that passed through the entry gates were: TRIPLE THREAT, HILL’ S PERFECTION, GO BOY’ S ROYAL HEIR, SHADOW’ S DANCER, SUN DUST PRIDE, LADY GODIVA, MERRY MOTION MAKER, DARK MAGIC, SUPREME COMMAND ER, DIXIE DAWN, and MID NIGHT MERRY KAY.
While at the International, I had the opportunity to talk with exhibitors from my area and was surprised to learn of the new enthusiasm that has swept the Mid- West. Jim Altman of the Walkon Stables, Oak Forest, Illinois, is training a beautiful chestnut stud, THE BOMBADIER’ S SON, owned by Paul J. Laninga of Chicago. This horse has a lot of head and leg motion with no flying hocks, and will be one of the top contenders in the Northern Illinois show circuit in the next season. Mr. Altman commented on the need for more Walking Horse classes in the North, and I wholeheartedly agree.
One of Illinois’ leading exhibitors of Walking Horses is Dr. N. A. Thompson, owner of Lucane Stables, Eldorado. His wonderful RAY’ S MAC K took the hearts of the audience and the judges again this year, placing fourth in the amateur, and fifth in the stallion and gelding class under the Doctor. Trainer Leonard Willis rode him to fifth in. the highly contended Championship Stake. This six year-old chestnut stud has always done extremely well in both large and small shows, and I don’ t think that he’ s going to stop now. Dr. Thompson also has a little black mare named LUCANE’ S LEADING LADY, who has been doing very well, taking home a fourth in the mare class at Chicago.
Mrs. Robert Schleicher and her young daughter, Cheryl, are continuing to win or place near the top in every class they enter. This talented team from Gary, Indiana, showed at the Celebration last year, where Mrs. Schleicher on CONFEDERATE RAIDER placed seventh in the owner-amateur, lady riders on mare or gelding class, and then went on to win the owner- amateur gelding class. Cheryl, on MARK OF GLORY, placed seventh in the juvenile 12 years and under event, and ninth in the Juvenile Championship Stake.
Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Houston and their son Lenny of Tinley Park, Illinois, have a truly promising two year old stud, HOUSTON’ S TROU BLE. He is pure black with no white markings and a lot of genuine motion. Trained by Bill Cummings of Beecher, Illinois, he placed first in the junior class at the Wisconsin National Horse Show last June, and I don’ t think that it will be his last win.
I would greatly appreciate any news or views from readers in my area. Because I am a college student, much of my column depends upon your help. Please forward any news to my home address or call( 312) 532-3555, and I will contact you personally.
WISER-MARTIN WEDDING OF INTEREST TO HORSE WORLD
A wedding of wide interest to Tennessee Walking Horse people took place at the First Christian Church in Shelbyville, Tenn., on Sunday, December 27, when Miss Judith Katherine Wiser became the bride of Joseph Daniel Martin of Florence, Ky.
Miss Wiser is widely known as Judy Wiser, who rode her own SHADOW’ S JET to the 1961 World’ s Walking Pony Championship in the Celebration, and the daughter of Mrs. Winston Wiser and the late championship Trainer Winston Wiser of Shelbyville. Mr. Martin is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Daniel Martin of Gallatin, Tenn., and is currently managertrainer of Fray Escue Stables, Covington, Ky.
FEBRUARY, 1965 9