fore where he had to really work. He had been at the bam ever since dawn and had worked hard without breakfast or lunch. Lonny noted that he had just about gotten everything ready and called to him at the other end of the bam, " M. L., you run up to the house and get Mrs. Barnes to fix you a couple of sandwiches, ' fore you starve.” M. L. smiled and headed for the house without a word.
They loaded up four horses in the six-horse van and had no trouble except with a frightened two-year-old stud named BANJO. Lonny crawled behind the wheel of his van and, turning to his friend Don Hill, said, " Well, ol’ buddy, here we go again. The 1968 season is under way.” As they rolled along, Lonny brought Don up to date on his stock and chances for the season. He lit up a cigar and settled back for the trip of about two hours’ driving. As they talked, Don noticed
by Charles Barry Sanderson
SO
It had been almost a month since Lonny Barnes and his ground man had returned from South Dakota. The word had spread in the horse business about the Southern boy who had to be led out of a blizzard by a brood mare. They could laugh about it all they wanted to, but Lonny still didn’ t think it was very funny. Show season had rolled around and Lonny, like almost even’ other trainer in his part of the country, was busy putting the finishing touches( no pun intended) on his string of show stock.
It was a beautiful Saturday morning in April and there was a lot of activity around the stable. They were getting ready to go to the first show of the season at Marksville, a little town just east of the mountains. Lonny was going over the list of classes and was fairly oblivious of the activity in his bam. There was an air of excitement as there usually is on this occasion and he was startled by the ringing of the phone. Putting his cigarette out, he reached for it. " Lonny Barnes Stables...” he said in a rather gruff voice. Helen was busy making last-minute arrangements for entry fees and travel expenses, but she stopped when Lonny answered the phone. She made note of the concerned look on his face. Lonny said, " Well, sure... I thought I would take both of them. Why?” After a moment’ s pause he registered some anger, saying, " Dammit... why’ n the hell don’ t everybody load up and just go to a show without all this checking on who’ se going to take what?” It was obvious that the person on the other end of the line was trying to explain something, and Lonny changed his expression somewhat. After smiling, he said, " I’ m sorry, Paul. It’ s just that... well, you know what I mean. I appreciate your concern.” He laughed and hung up the phone. Helen was bursting with curiosity and said, " What was that all about?” Lonny answered by saying, " That was Paul Miller... you know, that fellow over the way that trains a few horses on the side. He was making a call for an anonymous trainer from Middle Tennessee who wanted to know what horses I was taking today.” Helen responded by asking, " Did he change your mind about your stock?” Martin Luther was so excited he could hardly contain himself. He had never been to a horse show bethat Lonny seemed to be more calm than he had in years past and, laughing, said, " Man... you sure are different now than you were on your first show last year. Why, I can remember how shook up you were... thinking that everybody would be shooting at you and all.” Lonny remarked that in his own mind he really didn’ t have any pressure on him this year. " I know,” he said, " that I’ ve got some good stock— perhaps the best around— but right now they don’ t know it. The only big horse I got is BEAU GENTRY.”
They arrived at the show grounds after an uneventful trip. Pulling into the show grounds, Lonny looked around and had a fine feeling. After all those cold winter months, it was a pleasant sight to see. This show had fine facilities and the grounds were in good shape. " Man, smell that country ham... that just reminds you of a horse show, don’ t it, Don?” Don had to admit that it did and, pointing toward a Lions Club man in a white hat, said, " I believe you better follow him- the other vans are over in that field.”
The window was down and Lonny hung his head out it to make sure he got by a two-horse trailer parked almost in the drive. A voice echoed across the show grounds... " It’ s about time you got here, Barnes!” Lonny looked up to see his old friend Dink Fuller. He stopped and yelled back, " I sure hope you been working horses this winter, old man, ' cause I’ m after you tonight.” Dink laughed and said, " You got your work cut out for you, boy!” And with that, Lonny knew that the show season had started. As usual, there was a big crowd of people around Lonny’ s truck. They just seemed to gather where top horses were. Everyone was full of questions and Lonny had his hands full trying to talk to people and get his stock ready, too. " Lonny,” a fellow said, " I’ ve heard a lot about your two-year-old. People say he is about the best horse you’ ve ever had. How about it? Lonny smiled and said, " Well... we like him. I do
believe he is as good as any I’ ve had, except well, I’ ve had some good ones. Tell you what! Wait ' til the class tonight.”
The show had gotten off to a good start. They had
a local pleasure class with about fifty cowboy horses in it that took about an hour to tie. This was fine with Lonny because he was having his share of trou-
( Continuedon page 42)
Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse