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Springfield. There are three Tennessee Walking Horse classes scheduled( open, amateur, and stake), and it will be held on June 10th through the 13th. For further information, contact Mrs. Stuller at 1917 Lindsay Road, Springfield, Illinois 62704.
The Stullers own Sun ' s Strut Along, who walked to third in the Junior Stake at the Celebration in 1963. This fine dark bay horse isunderthe skilled training of BUD SEATON. Their son HAROLD shows a beautiful blue roan mare. Serenade in Blue, and the family is looking forward to a very successful show season with their outstanding horses.
I had the privilege of talking with TOM VAN KEUREN. a successful owner and trainer from Beloit, Wisconsin. He is working a pretty threeyear-old filly, Shadow ' s Mardell, owned by MARVIN SHIELDS, also of Beloit. Shadow, as a two-year-old, won the points trophies for the Fourand-Under classes in both the Wisconsin and Northern Illinois show circuits, and plans on making a repeat performance this year. Mr. Van Keuren owns Easter Sensation Sun, by Midnight Sun and out of Easter Sensation, by Roan Allen Again. He’ s a liver chestnut stallion with a white mane and tail, and has sired some wonderful colts.
RAY NELSON of DeKalb, Illinois, has a very fine gelding with Mr. Van Keuren, Shep’ s Surprise King. Last year this chestnut was reserve champion point winner in the Northern Illinois and Wisconsin circuits.
The Walking Horse world would like to express its deepest sympathy to Mr. LEWIS KRANICK and his daughter POLLY on the untimely death of Mrs. KRANICK. This family from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, is well known for its Beau K’ sMidnightSun, a strong competitor in this region. There are many new and promising horses and riders at JIM ALTMAN’ s Walkon Stables, Oak Forest, Illinois. The Bombardier’ s Son, a terrific stallion, has been purchased byGEORGE and CAROLYN WELLS of Cicero. I saw Jim work The Bombardier the other day and couldn’ t believe my eyes. He’ s great! Mrs. Wells will be showing him this season throughout
the Midwest.
Another horse has traded hands, too. Walkon’ s Black Jet, a big gelding previously owned by JOE WIRTZ of Palos Heights, Illinois is now walking for GEORGE DeVRIES, Evergreen Park. Mr. Altman has bought an attractive well-bred stallion, My Midnight Merry Boy, by Merry Boy Albert by Merry Boy, and outof Sun’ s Midnight Merry. He moves very well and will make a lot of heads turn this season.
All horse shows that are members of the Northern Illinois Horse Show Association are required to have at least an open Tennessee Walking Horse class, to be judged under AHSA rules. This class may be cancelled at the closing of entries, however, if less than three entries have been received. This was brought to my attention at the annual business meeting of the NIHSA, held at the Baker Hotel in St. Charles, Illinois, on March 27. The meeting was concluded very well, I think, with some interesting color films of the 1964 Celebration.
THIS and THAT!
By Miriam Merris Humboldt, Iowa
Take a Walking Horse man, mix in years of experience, add bits of history, a large portion of humor, the knack of a story-teller and you’ ve met CHARLES WRIGHT, saddlemaker and owner of Wright’ s Saddle Shop in Fort Dodge, Iowa. This is a place to browse, to talk and to hear the stories of horses who were Walkers long before the breed officially began. Just reserve plenty of time, relax and be carried along back to sixty years ago when Tennessee and Kentucky horsemen began to breed for an outstanding horse type that was fast, easy of gait, even of disposition and had the stamina to cover many miles under saddle.
Charles Wright was born and raised along the Cumberland River just north of the Tennessee border. There were outstanding horsemen in all branches of the Wright family but the best known and most prominent was an uncle, W. C. ALLEN, Sheriff of Clinton County, Kentucky in 1910 and later elected State Senator. As a boy and young man, Charles spent most of his time with his uncle, since they shared a common love of horses. Here it was that he gathered knowledge and experience from an able teacher. Sheriff Allen was a man of means, having interests in coal fields and flour mills besides his large fertile farm. He was an acknowledged expert on horseflesh and kept a large stable of the finest. Allen owned a stallion called Hunter Joe that was his pride and joy. How and where he came from is not known, but he was of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Saddler breeding. Many times while he was Senator Mr. Allen rode Joe the 110 miles to the State Capitol.
The big blaze-faced sorrel was outstanding for he had a ride like velvet. Better still, he was of a quiet disposition unusual for a stallion, so was in great demand as a sire. Mares were brought from as far away as Middle Tennessee. There is no proof, since no papers were kept in those early days, but it is known that the original owner of Allen F-l did bring several of his mares to the Allen farm for breeding. Could the famous Walking Horse foundation sire have been one of Hunter Joe’ s colts? No one knows- but so the story is told.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright came to the Midwest as bride and groom. Since Charles was an expert horseman, he found ready employment training and working colts. He owned two Walking Horses brought from Tennessee, a show mare Annie Bollen and a gelding Silver Allen. These were the first in the area, and of the finest blood-lines.
In 1933 Wright opened his shop in Fort Dodge and has been in business there since. His many customers have become his friends. He has drawn from his years of experience to help many an amateur solve a horse problem. He knows the type of equipment best suited to each breed of animal according to its conformation. He may suggest a new workout routine, a different type of bit, a shoe with shift of weight or correct use of a boot.( Continued on page 147)
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VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse