WEST COAST WALKINOD
AG t f-o by Helen Porter
INU I tb 6444 Hickory Avenue Orangevale , California
A buying trip to Tennessee planned by Mr . and Mrs . Mearl Brown , included Helen Porter to help select a few mares . First stop in Tennessee was the GLL Farm neat Memphis . Horses were going strong at 5:30 a . m . TROUBLE IN THE HILLS was working that consistant nod around the beautiful huge dry arena . ( Outside it was not only dark , it was raining .) He was of special interest since he had won the big Stake at the two day Fall Show of the Northern California Walking Horse Association held at the State Fair grounds in Sacramento . Stalls all around this large GLL arena create an opportunity to see horses working while visiting those at the stalls .
Stepping over to an adjacent barn a number of two year olds were considered and one fine airy bay filly , granddaughter of LAST CHANCE and MERRY BOY was remembered .
Out to see the brood marcs , then back into the main barn to consider a black four year old stallion by MID NIGHT SUN . He looked even better going than he had at the stall , fine , fast , black and by MIDNIGHT SUN , MIDNIGHT SUNSHINE nodded himself to a California home . Not that the Porter ’ s needed another stallion ; just that , — well — if the right horse . . .
Individuals and stables in Tennessee and Alabama were visited . George Witt showed some in the barn under the lights and discussed others of interest , one particularly interested the Brown ’ s and arrangements were made to see her on her way back home . .. which turned out to be next morning early . A beautiful black mare by GO BOY ’ S INVASION and in foal to TRIPLE THREAT ; just the sort they ’ d had in mind . ( INVASION ’ S CHOICE ).
The California car made its way on up toward Shelbyville , stopping here ’ n there . Near Lewisburg at Doug Wolaver ’ s , in HANDSHAKER country , liked the way HANDSHAKER ’ S PRIDE moved and another black marc made the top of the list .
Interesting people , helpful people , in person and on the phone , by card and letter , but time was extremely limited . The final result ; these , plus JET ’ S SWEET HEART , strongly bred WILSON ALLEN mare and granddaughter of JET PARADE . A beautifully made mare , SUN DUST MARY by SUN DUST was discovered at Buddy Hugh ’ s Stable and she immediately became the number one contender as a possibility for twelve year old Rick Brown .
It wasn ’ t easy to leave those MASTERPIECE fillies on the Breckenridge Farm or to miss seeing some of the other people and horses . Mr . Fritzche at the Feed Store was special and visions of him riding with a feed sack on a stick to train the grand entry ' horse certainly fits his enthusiasm . The privilege of riding some of the great horses at various stables was unexpected and certainly deserved a great deal more than the limited time we had * Young horses , just ready to start under saddle , and some
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started were fav Uiuvo ivy — uuu — did we ever . . . saw marvelous 5 > omc
wild goose ^ff5 \ d bloodlines , places , people and horses examples of tnc ° tanl in the breed . Tennessee during interesting and m 1 tcd just what we expected , the
thc “ off season \ undcr extreme pressure of time people and horse IncidcntaUy it was 47 hours and 45
( although we welFavettevillc to Orangevale , driving minutes driving to * ian > tor three , and sleeping on the
Ther _ r
' many missed mentioned a great
. deal What
, including they were that thinking California
0f weathei m y record breaking wind and ram that though wa California landscape just then . That
wc ' wcrc fortunate to miss and enjoyed good driving con- ditions most of thc trip .
The horses , five mares for the Brown ’ s and MID NIGHT SUNSHINE for the Porter ’ s , arrived later , Tommy Fouche with his highly recommended van and service solving the major problem of transportation perfectly .
MIDNIGHT SUNSHINE and HANDSHAKER ’ S PRIDE will be appearing in some of the show classes later The delightful little chestnut , SUN DUST MARY has been bred to UPTOWN GOLD STRIKE and may go in some pleasure and conformation classes . SWEET HEART , along with MARY are the Brown favorites and monopolize the family interest . Good politics on their part as the space will become critical at thc family barn when that TRIPLE THREAT foal arrives . They won ’ t be the ones to leave .
MIDNICHT^T T ° MCUTEvrMrS >. He , en Porter is pictured with cu H i l^c fine horse she just recently purmanv * i ! 4ld . dIc Tennessee . This horse will be appearing in "> an > of the shows in California this year .
Top Money ..,
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Bigger Ring . ..
Rossville , Georgia * June 10 , 1967
VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse