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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