1965-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1965 January Voice | Page 5

DRIFTWOOD ACRES STABLES
TENNESSEE
BUD AND CHESTER SEATON JOIN WITH BILLY HALE TO ESTABLISH
NEW WALKING HORSE STABLE IN GALATIN, TENNESSEE
When Billy Hale first became in­
terested in the Tennessee Walking
Horse, it was obvious to those who
knew him, that he would have
nothing but the best. It is a known
fact that he started at the top with
EBONY MASTERPIECE, and has
been striving ever since to establish
a training stable in Galatin that
would carry the winning tradition.
In the fall of 1964, Billy set the
wheels in motion to do just that,
when he hired Bud Seaton, who
had ridden his World’s Grand
Championship horse to his first
major victory as a two year old.
Bud and his brother Chester,
moved from Herin, Illinois, and are
now managing the new Drift Wood
Acres Stables owned by Billy Hale
and are on the way to building a
string of top show horses. The
stables are located on a beautiful
farm near Galatin, Tennessee, and
the original facility was construct­
ed about five years ago. A re­
cent remodeling of the stable has
resulted in a fine modern structure
with many features for training
show horses. There are twelve
large stalls, a automatic cooler for
walking horses, a hallway that
goes around the perimeter of the
building, and many other features
JANUARY, 1965
such as cross tie rooms, tack rooms
etc.
The Drift Wood Acres Stables is
a family affair and the Hales en­
joy every phase of the business.
Lois Hale, Billy’s wife, is kept busy
with young son Rodney, four years
'old and daughter Trina, who is
one year old. But son Kenny is a
frequent visitor to the barn. Hav­
ing shown KENNY’S SUNBEAM
with good success this past season,
fourteen year old Kenny is look­
ing forward to an even more suc­
cessful year ahead.
Bud and his wife Mina, are
pleased to return to Tennessee with
their two sons Kirk, ten years and
Blake, six years. Brother Chester
and his wife Cris have one son Joe,
who is four years old. If all the
Hales and Seatons were to hit the
showring at the same time this
next year, there would be a full
class to start with.
At the present, the feature at­
traction at Drift Wood Stables is
the well known BLACK ANGEL,
an outstanding four year old mare
with a well known show record.
This beautiful mare was World’s
Champion Yearling Filly in 1962 &
Reserve Champion Two Year Old
in 1963. She was shown in 1964
but was not pushed by trainer
Seaton. Having reached maturity
and filled out considerably,
BLACK ANGEL who is owned by
Billy Hale, is in excellent shape
now and is being readied for a most
active season in 1965. Another well-
known horse that is bound for a
few surprises next season is GO
BOY’S CHRYSTAL, an age stallion
that was shown quite successful in
1964 as a junior horse by another
trainer. He too has reached matu­
rity and is showing great improve­
ments. This big dapple gray stal­
lion has a most impressive way of
going and hits a lick like a cham­
pion. CHRYSTAL is owned Pete
Yokley of Pulaski, Tennessee, S. W.
Beech of Lewisburg and Billy Hale.
Not to be overlooked as a real
prospect for the future is the noted
EBONY’S IMAGE, Champion
Weanling Futurity Colt, owned by
Billy Hale. This little black stud
has all the outstanding features of
his great sire and then some. Watch
for him!
Bud is working three outstanding
two year old colts, a full sister to
BLACK ANGEL, that is owned by
Lyle Cashion, a sorrell stud colt
by MIDNIGHT SUN out of old
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