As the old year ends and the new year begins we all become aware of many things including the fact that all of our horses are one year older . Two-yearolds must be taught to canter . We must remember to refer to last year ’ s fillies as mares . Since the Celebration we have all been talking about " coming-two ” colts and it will probably be spring before we remember that they are actually two years old . Our threeyear-olds are now called Junior horses and last year ’ s four-year-olds are now Aged horses . From weanlings to yearlings , , . from fillies to mares . . . from this year to next , it ’ s all part of the game of life and it ’ s
not " whether you win or lose but HOW you play the game .” Don ’ t you believe it ! Last year Leo Durocher
said , " Good guys finish last ” . . . and they did ! What happened in 1967 ? Was it a good year for
Tennessee Walking Horses ? Did we make any real progress during the year and if so . . . where ? Perhaps the answers to some of our questions and also
some of yours can be found in a re-cap of the year ’ s activities .
In January of 1967 your editor accompanied Mr . Sam Gibbons and Mr . E . Carl Hengen to New York to represent the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders ’ Association at the annual A . H . S . A . meeting . We made some good contacts but no real progress and they are still not too interested in Tennessee Walking Horses from our point of view . Maybe next year !
The first shows of the season were held in Florida in January , February and March . While offering little emphasis for Tennessee Walking Horses they did provide a reason to " go south ” and a few lucky people were able to attend shows in Miami , Tampa , Gainesville and Winter Haven . There was no organized circuit this year as there had been previously . Breeding became the focal point during the early season and stallion owners from coast to coast began their promotional efforts to get top mares for their studs . It was an excellent year for breeding although we did hear of a lot of " colt loss ” during the late spring . It became obvious early in the year that we were headed for problems as nine major Walking Horse Sales were scheduled to be held from early March in Florida through late April in Kentucky . For almost nine weeks in a row we were faced with Tennessee
Walking Horse Sales which indicated to some that we were either overloaded with stock or that a lot
of people were getting out . Actually , neither was the case ! Few of these sales were roaring successes except those that were established or really had outstanding stock to sell . Several prominent people passed away during the year , including J . H . " Professor ” Noblin and E . E . Williamson of Jackson , Mississippi . Later in the year , Mr . Pat Kimbrough , Mr . Bob Thomas and Mr . John Bowers , all well-known horse personalities , also passed away . We have missed these fine folks in the horse community .
The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Association made some progress this past year . Specifically they purchased property for a new national headquarters building in Lewisburg . They also initiated a group insurance program for the membership which was badly needed , and a new and much improved Rule
Book was printed , as was a book on Walking Horse Equitation . However , the Association is still hamstrung by several lawsuits dating back several years which , when absolved , will open the door to considerably more progress . Your officers are doing the best they can under the circumstances .
In February of 1967 the VOICE moved to new and larger quarters , which enabled us to hire more personnel and increase efficiency in the office . This does not eliminate the fact that we always get a week or two behind after the Celebration , but usually get
caught up be December with our production . Bear with us ! Several interesting items of note occurred during breeding season . SUN ’ S BIG SHOT was purchased by Joe Vann Clayton and was at stud for the 1967 season in Alabama . KEENE ’ S GO BOY was sold at the Murray Farm Sale and was moved to Jack Warren Stables in Tennessee to stand at stud . MACK K ’ S HANDSHAKER was at stud for the first time in Macon , Georgia , and after a fine early season was moved to Doug Wolaver ’ s in Tennessee for the peak season . TRIPLE THREAT , after being officially retired at the 1966 Celebration , was again standing at stud at Harold Wise Stables . With only one more crop of MIDNIGHT SUN colts coming , everyone looked to Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin to see what horse ,
34 VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse