JUDY’ S JOTTINGS
By Judy Byers Killen, Alabama
Spring is finally here and not too soon for us. The people now will be traveling the roads looking at horses and our pasture was full of people looking last weekend. We spent all day showing Evening Sun and his colts as well as selling and trading our mares and yearlings. Our new colts are our best advertisement for Evening Sun and we have already booked many mares to him. We plan to put a better picture of Evening Sun in the May issue of the VOICE, as the January picture did not do him justice. Come see for yourself.
I have received several letters and phone calls from people who read my article. One woman called to tell me about a mare she owns that is expecting her first foal at age 30. The mare is by Ben Allen, the stallion pictured in the VOICE in January( Remember Back When.....). She has all foundation breeding on her papers and of course MRS. EMMONS is anxiously awaiting the birth of this foal. Several prominent mares in Walking Horse history have had colts at a ripe old age. Nell Dement F-3, the dam of Merry Legs F-4, lived 28 years and had her last foal at 26 years of age. The dam of Brown Hal, Jr. F-41 was jumping fences at 20, had her last colt at the age of 29, and lived to be 32 years old. Merry Legs unfortunately died at the age of 21 from colic. Many mares produce foals until they are 20 to 25 years old. We have had several of our own mares foal at that age. Several outstanding stallions have sired colts late in life. Giovanni sired 26 colts when he was 29 years old and old Merry Boy got colts w ' hen he was 31 years old. Old Tom Hal was said to be 35 years old when his greatest son, Bald Stockings, was foaled. The history of the Walking Horse is full of interesting stories of these fine foundation sires and dams.
Show season is starting here earlier than usual this year with Hartsille, Alabama April 10 and Athens the 24th. There will be shows now every weekend until fall. The Florence show will be on Saturday, July 3, and they are planning a big one. Anderson, Alabama will have a horse show this year, as will Green Hill. Lexington has a good show ' every year and Russellville- has its usual big show scheduled. I will try to have the dates for these shows in the next issue so that you can plan to attend.
CARL and LEWIS HOLDEN of Lexington have a two-year-old black filly with RED ALEXANDER. The filly is by Rambler’ s Go Boy and shows some promise after a few weeks’ training. Carl Holden started the filly before seeking professional help. Another Lexington resident has a two-year-old black colt in training at Alexander’ s barn. Actually the young stallion is owned by T. and DALTON WRIGHT.
BARBARA and GEORGE SLOAN of Lexingtonhave a four-year-old roan horse by Sun’ s Eldorado that Barbara will be showing in the amateur classes this year. Another amateur rider in Florence is JAMES SHERMAN. His Another Sim Dust looks like he is ready for the show ring this spring. I didn’ t see his mare, Jet’ s Gambling Girl, work, but Alexander says she is at her best now. They will be shown by Mr. Sherman this year, probably in the amateur classes. We went to Magnusson’ s Gold Star Sale and saw many good buys. C. H. WILLIAMSON and CHARLES MARTIN bought a good roan filly by Carr’ s Roan Allen. Williamson also bought a fine two-year-old bay filly by Go Boy’ s Invasion that he sent back with BOB CHERRY for training. Bob bought a sorrel Go Boy filly, two years old, that looked like a real good buy. Bob will start training both fillies. Charles Williamson and JIM BLEVINS( Popcorn King) have a four-year-old Walking Pony being trained now by BUD DUNN. The pony is Sun’ s Gold Dust by Sun Dust out of a Gold Bond mare. This pony was not shown during the 1964 season but has an excellent record for the 1963 season.
Let me hear from you if you have any news for the Walking Horse world. We are always glad to see other people get in the business, so let me know if you are new to the Walking Horse business.
CATAWBA VALLEY BENEFIT HORSE SHOW BIG SUCCESS
Dateline: Hickory, North Carolina. The members of the three sponsoring clubs( Catawba Valley Saddle Club, and the Viewmont and St. Stephens Optimist Clubs) expressed their pleasure in the success of The Third Annual Catawba Valley Benefit Horse Show. The weather was just perfect for this, " The Carolinas’ 1965 Opening Horse Show.” Over 8,000 were estimated in attendance at the show and exhibitors came from ten states( North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and California) to compete in the 46 classes. A total of 359 horses were shown in the 46 classes, as all were after their part of the $ 7,000 cash prize money and trophies.
AfterSun was named Champion in the $ 1,000 Walking Horse Championship Stake. Trainer KENNY PRICE rode Sun for the owner, H. C. REEVES of Asheboro, North Carolina, and they were mighty proud of Sun’ s form, speed and endurance. Last Year’ s champion Top Talent was close behind in second place. This fine mare was ridden by her trainer, JOHN T. CARTER, and is owned by ROBERT E. PIERCY of Kingsport, Tennessee.
Alvin, ridden by RONNIE CLEMENT of Hickory, North Carolina was the winner the the $ 500 Amateur Walking Stallion and Gelding Class.
Miss Sun Down R, ridden by RAY RENFRO of Fayetteville, North Carolina walked ahead to win the $ 500 Amateur Walking Mare Stake.
Complete results are in the " Horse Show Results” column, elsewhere in this issue.
16 VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse