WEST COAST BARNSTORMING By Connie Keefer
BARBARA WORTH STABLES
The Barbara Worth Stables with Bill Oakford heading the Walking Horse Division is located in Simi, California. After making a couple of wrong turns, I finally arrived at this active stable to find Bill training GO BOY’ S QUEEN R, a pretty chestnut mare. I had the pleasure of watching S. J.( Sam) Molay of Santa Barbara riding his fast moving bay gelding, MR. SUCCESSOR, also his daughter, Nancy Molay on BLUE BLAZES, who was the 1966 High Point Junior Champion rider of California. The Molays have had horses in training with Bill Oakford for a few years and both Nancy and her horse BLUE BLAZES, who is a five-year-old roan gelding, were high point winners for 1966. I was impressed with the facilities and the activity that was taking place at this busy stable. It was very informative and educational to watch Bill, who is one of our top trainers, instruct his students while visiting his stables.
BLUE RIDGE RANCH
Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds and Bob of the Blue Ridge Ranch, at Clovis, California are very proud of their mare, SUNBEAM’ S PRODUCER. This mare has captured the blue in each class that she has entered, since the efficient Glenn Miller has taken over as their trainer, and is heading for the top West Coast Championship honors in the Amateur, Mare and Stake classes. The Edmonds have several other outstanding horses in training, as well as ten outside horses, including their newest arrival CAPTAIN KIDD, a four-year-old stallion by GO BOY’ S CAPTAIN, who is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Stapp of Seattle, Washington. This keeps trainers Glenn Miller and Red Henson very busy.
CAROUSEL STABLES
Carousel Stables is located in Whittier, California in a rural southern setting. Paul Hughes is the well known manager-trainer of this progressive stable. One of his top horses is a six-year-old black mare, CANDY KAY, who tied as High-Point Mare Champion of the West Coast in 1966.
STATELY’ S SUNLIGHT, a six-year-old bay stallion who is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Slee of Rowland Heights, has been in training with Paul for approximately two months and is responding well. Their daughter Terry, one of our outstanding junior riders, will be riding this horse as well as others for Carousel Stables.
I watched Paul work a bold walking two-year-old stallion named SOCIETY CYCLONE, owned by Allied Roofers, who promises to be a threat in the Two-Year- Old classes. Mr. and Mrs. C. Muriello of Downey recently purchased GO BOY’ S STORM, a three-year-old roan gelding, for their grandson Rick, who hopes to show him at the Cow Palace this fall.
Paul is working hard on these horses and many others in order to continue to present top competition in all Walking Horse classes.
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CENTAUR STABLES
Trainers Owen Daniels and Mercedes Murphy in Ontario are working long hours this summer to keep their horses in top form for the coming shows. The stable has several promising young horses, and one outstanding eyecatcher that I saw was KING’ S LI’ L ABNER, a threeyear-old chestnut colt by SHADOW’ S KING who took first in the Three and Over Stallion halter class and tied Reserve Champion Stallion at the 1967 California Celebration. This horse is owned by Dr. and Mrs. C. J. Carter of Rolling Hills Estates.
I watched Sally Ford working the spirited SHADOW’ S KING, a seven-year-old chestnut stallion by GO BOY’ S SHADOW, owned by Ford’ s Walkers of Ontario, also Sarah Emerson on her pretty black mare, STAR’ S BLACK amcrt nwnprf hv Dr. and Mrs. F. C. Emerson of Cla * ^
mont.
This stable has several top juvenile riders that have been taught by Owen and Mercedes, known by many to be two of the best equitation teachers on the West Coast.
Trainer Owen Daniels’ horses reflect his belief of the well known saying,“ If they’ re not nodding, they’ re not
walking.”
COURTESY STABLES
While in the Valley I stopped by the Courtesy Stables to find one of the nicest barn lay-outs that I have ever seen. It was evident that a great deal of thought and planning went into the barn and grounds, and definitely when visiting the West Coast one should make it a point to see this stable.
They have been inactive the first part of this year, but with the new trainer, Dick Harris, things are looking upward for Mr. McClure, and they should start showing by the Futurity or Cow Palace.
I am sorry to announce that GO BOY’ S WONDER BOY, one of Mr. McClure’ s favorites, died in May of this year. I am looking forward to a future visit, when I can watch his top quality horses being worked.
WALKER’ S TENNESSEE WALKERS
I was pleased to receive a letter from Bea Walker, an acquaintance that I made while at the Sacramento show in June. The Walkers have a breeding ranch with a 300 acre pasture area and presently have 22 head of nice Walking Horses.
Bea was very pleased to make a purchase from Richard and Sue Leamon of a brood mare, MACK K’ S MID NIGHT JANE. JANE is by MIDNIGHT MACK K and out of the World Champion Three-Year-Old Mare, MID NIGHT JANE, by MIDNIGHT SUN.
Bea recently sold a two-year-old mare, BLUE’ S BAR FLY by BLUE MIDNIGHT, to Mr. and Mrs. Slee of Rowland Heights, with Paul Hughes of Carousel Stables acting as the agent.
John P. Evans Clothiers— Bud Franklin
Bud Franklin, well-known West Coast trainer, has established a public stables for the training of Walking Horses. Located at the Los Angeles County Fair Grounds in Pomona, the stables are well-equipped with fine stalls. inside working areas, warm-up ring and a show ring. At
present, Bud is working horses belonging to John, Barbaia, Mary and Kathy ' Evans, who exhibit under the banner of
the JOHN P. EVANS CLOTHIERS. Bud is proud that at the lecent 5th Annual California Walking Horse Celebration he entered the Evans’ horses nine times and won nine ribbons. There were two blues, two seconds, two thirds, two fourths and a fifth. Bud will welcome additional owners desiring training for Walkers.
VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse