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a cigarette . Dink and Dr . Greely leaned forward on the rail and almost in unison said , " Great !” Lonny spoke up as he watched for the judges in the lineup , saying , " Doc ... I think we ’ ve got a chance . . . I can just feel it 01 ’ BEAU is feeling great and everything is right ”
As the trio of judges came around behind the third horse , Lonny went back out to BEAU GENTRY . He pulled the reins up around his horse ’ s withers and draped them carefully . Stepping back , with no hold on the big stud , he whistled lightly and BEAU GEN TRY automatically struck a beautiful standing position . Dr . Greely hollered from the rail , " I told you I taught him to do that as a colt and he never forgot .... how about that , Lonny ?” The crowd picked up his enthusiasm and a roar of applause greeted the judges as they cautiously reviewed this particular horse . Two of the three judges remained silent as they looked him over . The third man , however , eased by Lonny and quietly said , " Keep what you got - you ’ ll be in there , all right ,” and moved on without so much as a nod .
Back in the saddle and back on the rail ! Seven horses , including BEAU GENTRY , were called to the rail for a workout . Lonny was cussing under his breath because he knew without a doubt that he had been called out with the culls . BEAU GENTRY always worked better in the flat foot walk after the first workout and when he hit the rail in a big , bold , strolling gait that made the other horses look like pleasure horses , the crowd picked up the issue . Cafccalls came from ringside . . . " Pull him in , yer honor . . . you know what to do .” From across the ring another man yelled , " If you ’ re going to beat him , Judge , do it in the last workout .” " Pull him in - pull him in .” The judges paid no attention to the chiding from the audience . As the running walk was called , Lonny , in sheer disgust , gathered BEAU GENTRY up and called on him . He figured that if he was going to do anything , it had to be now . In a move that was later called " showboating ,” Lonny drove his horse across the short turn and headed down the straightaway right in the middle of the track . He was in a class by himself and the crowd picked him up . As he neared the turn , with the grandstands coming apart , the judge sent the announcer word to pull him in . The crowd came to its feet as Lonny Barnes and BEAU GENTRY pulled onto the grass with the other exhibitors . With still another workout , or perhaps two , facing them before this night ’ s work would be done , Lonny dismounted to let BEAU GENTRY get his breath for the second time .
Lonny was getting worried about his horse as he was called to the rail for a third workout . BEAU GENTRY was in good shape but he had definitely not been conditioned for such a grueling contest As they hit the rail in the flat foot walk , BEAU began to give in to the task at hand . His head was beginning to droop and he was nosing out in an effort to get air into his parched lungs . He tossed his head in an effort to " spit the bit ” just as they called for the running walk . Lonny honestly didn ’ t know what to do . He didn ’ t like the thoughts of killing a fine horse but still , he knew he was as close as he would ever be to " winning the big one .” He gathered his mount
56 as best he could , noting that another horse was passing him on the inside still going at a fast clip . To his surprise , BEAU GENTRY " came to life ” as the other horse brushed past . He stuck his ears up and , to the delight of the crowd , dug in with his back end ’ forcing Lonny back in the saddle . As he came to the turn Lonny cut him to the inside of the other horse . The crowd roared with approval as BEAU GENTRY rounded the turn . His head was set but he was giving in to pure momentum and hung his nose out to the right , gasping for air . Lonny felt as if he was just " along for the ride ” as he split the wind down the straightaway , with sweat draining off his forehead and into his eyes . He thought to himself , " This is all . . . there ain ’ t no more .
Lonny was exhausted as he sat down on a tack trunk in front of his stable . There was a mass of confusion as Little Joe tried to cool out BEAU GEN TRY . Dr . Pelegrin , Lonny ’ s veterinarian , had already checked the horse and assured everyone that he would be all right . Dr . Greely had assured Lonny that he thought Lonny had done a fine job and that they would work something out about the coming year .
Helen , Lonny ’ s wife , eased her way through the crowd and sat down beside him on the tack trunk . She ran her hand through his duskencrusted hair and kissed him on the cheek . Lonny didn ’ t look up . His wife knew what she wanted to say , but as she saw the tears in his eyes she just squeezed his hand . She wondered again if it was all worth it as she looked up at the ribbon on the front of the barn .
WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW
October 23-29
9 Walking Horse Classes October 26-29 D . C . National Guard Armory
Entry Closing Date Sept . 27
JUDGE C . A . “ Charlie " Bobo
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT 1729 H . Street , Washington , D . C .
Phone Area Code 202 298-7607 or 298-8042
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VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse