1967-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1967 December Voice | Page 51

tax structure of walking HORSF
industry threatened by new ruling
The following news release was received by the
VOICE just prior to press time on this issue. It was
of such importance that we decided to put it in im­
mediately. Make note of the significance of this rul
mg as it may seriously affect your financial condition
insofar as taxes are concerned.
"USDA Says Walking Horses Luxury,
Not Farm Activity
"Executive Director Clayboume Ross of the Upper
Duck River Development Association declared yester­
day that 'I have been informed by an official of the
TVA that the U. S. Department of Agriculture at
Washington has officially ruled that the Tennessee
Walking Horse industry is a "luxury enterprise” and
not an agricultural enterprise; insofar as the federal
government is concerned.’
"Ross said that 'if this ruling stands it will greatly
affect our Upper Duck River development program
because we cited the Tennessee Walking Horse indus­
try as a great agricultural asset to our four-county
area which is by history and development the home
of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed.’
"Ross said he had told Ben Green of the TIMES-
GAZETTE about this ruling and that he was informed
by Green that a letter was immediately dispatched
by him to President Lyndon Johnson asking that the
President act at once to get this ruling rescinded.
Green’s letter said:
" 'I am writing directly to you because you at­
tended the 1961 Tennessee Walking Horse Na­
tional Celebration, you own and have owned
Tennessee Walking Horses, and you are in a
position to bring about action to have this rul­
ing rescinded immediately.’
"Green said he sent copies of his letter also to Gov.
Buford Ellington, U. S. Senator Howard Baker and
U. S. Representative Joe L. Evins seeking their action
in the matter. The newspaperman also said in his
letter that he has helped to list almost 50 horse
breeders in Bedford County on a map to be issued
soon by the Shelbyville and Bedford County Chamber
of Commerce.”
As more information is received on this issue we
will keep you informed.
NORTH DAKOTA
CHAMPIONSHIP HORSE SHOW
FEATURES WALKING HORSE CLASSES
This year Walking Horse owners in North Dakota
were successful in adding two Walking Horse pleas­
ure classes to the North Dakota State Championship
Horse Show held at Rugby, N. D. To this writer s
knowledge, these were the first performance classes
ever held for Walking Horses in this state, although
apparently, a few years ago, there were occasional
halter classes.
In the two-year-old class Calvin Miller won first
place riding MILLERS FANCY BOY. This colt does
the flat walk and running walk with snap and sty e
to please any pleasure horse owner. Second place
was awarded to MERRY MAN’S FLAME, ridden and
December, 1967
owned by Ben Hanna. Dan Hanna pushed SUN’S
DAKOTA GOLD into third place, while Wade Miller,
nine-year-old son of Calvin Miller, followed for fourth
place on MILLERS GO GAL.
The three-year-old class was given prime spectator
time by the show committee. After the class was re­
tired from the arena the crowd gave a warm and
voluntary round of applause louder than that received
by any other class. The Walking Horse would cer­
tainly rank as one of the lesser-known breeds in this
state and it was interesting to note the number of
persons visiting the barn where the Walkers were
stabled and the various questions they asked. Many
of these same people made it a point to be in the
grandstand when this class was called.
After the dust settled, NICKERBOCKER RICKEY,
owned and ridden by Wm. F. Hodny, was given the
blue ribbon. Judy Koester captured second place on
a fine mare named ACE’S GENTLE MISS. Dan Han­
na, whose stallion, PLAYBOY’S LIBERACE, lost a
shoe minutes before the class was called, finished
third. Mr. Hanna prevailed upon the farrier to re­
move the remaining shoes and entered the ring just
as the class was about to close with a barefoot stal­
lion in a somewhat excited condition, as the ride from
the farrier’s to the ring was a fast one. Art Buckner,
a fine gentleman of 68 years, rode MERRY BAL­
LERINA, his four-year-old mare, to fourth place. The
horses not placing needed perhaps a little more train­
ing and age, but I am sure they will be back next
year to challenge this year’s winners.
None of the horses in our classes were trained in
the manner of show horses, and perhaps very few
are of show caliber were they up against average
competition. Few were shod and most were ridden
with standard Western tack, but all were pleasure
horses ridden by proud owners. This is the utilitar­
ian horse which the average buyer here in North
Dakota would want. We feel that our show did much
to promote the breed.
All of the horses in the two-year-old class were
bred by Calvin Miller of Rhame, North Dakota. Mr.
Miller operates a picturesque 18,000-acre ranch in
southwestern North Dakota and has been breeding
fine Walking Horses for about 18 years, presently
having about 80 head. He is the only breeder of
Walking Horses in this state. I visited his ranch a
couple of weeks ago to view the 1967 models and
I must say that every Walking Horse mare had a
colt at her side zipping across the prairie at a run­
ning walk. Calvin’s pride and joy is a six-year-old
stallion called SUN’S MERRY MAN. This stallion is
one of only two stud colts sired by HILLS PERFEC­
TION before he was gelded. HILLS PERFECTION
has won several titles and is still performing.
We hope this article will give readers an idea of
the status of the Walking Horse in North Dakota.
We are not ready for the real show horse as yet. We
want a horse good to look at, a pleasure to ride,
gentle enough for our childrep to learn to ride on,
one good enough to walk the legs off a quarter horse,
and, come show time, one that with a little extra
oats, some brushing and perhaps even a pair of shoes
will show himself as a true representative of the
breed called the world’s greatest pleasure horse.
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