all parts of the country . Announcer , promoter , editor , author , manager , columnist , advertising man — these were his contribution to the Tennessee Walking Horse that all the world knew . Advisor , counsellor , trouble-shooter and peacemaker — these hidden characteristics of the man were known more by horsemen than by the outside world .
Of columnists , editors , advertising men , announcers , authors , horse show managers and lovers of the Tennessee Walking Horse there are many . Who among them can combine all of these characteristics as did Gillie Orr ? None , since only he had that talent to handle successfully all of these jobs — plus the charm and personality ' of a man who loved people , who attracted people and who held their complete confidence .
To list his contributions to the Tennessee Walking Horse is needless , since all who knew him know also of what he has done for the breed .
From that beginning , Gillie Orr went on singing the praises of the Tennessee Walking Horse . In May , 1939 , he started his well-known column , “ Speaking of Horses ” in the Nashville Banner . That same spring he covered his first horse show for the paper at Franklin , Tennessee , and in September of that year , the Banner sent him to Shelbyville , Tennessee to cover a horse show .
Celebration Activities
It was called , somewhat presumptiously perhaps , the First Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration . It was the first big horse show to feature Tennessee Walking Horses , and a most ambitious undertaking at that time . It was the joint effort of a group of civic-minded Shelbywille men and a like group of ardent Tennessee Walking Horse enthusiasts . At that time manv cities throughout Tennessee were starting annual celebrations or festivals , but few have survived the years , and many of those which did survive , have not been continuous . Gillie Orr was a major factor in the growth of the Celebration and in its continuous existence for eleven consecutive years .
The following vear Gilbert M . Orr first contributed to The
Blue Ribbon , and was made Director-General of the Celebration . From 1941 until his death , he continued as both Director-General and Editor of The Blue Ribbon , having taken on the latter job the year following . As editor , he has written much of the material , but also had the imagination
At one Celebration , in spite of his physical handicap . Gillie decided to present one of the trophies in person . Here , Winston Wiser has ridden up to the officials ’ fence to receive the trophy
This is believed to be the lest formal picture taken of Gilbert M . Orr before his untimely death . Many friends had probably not seen him since he grew the mustache
and ingenuity to collect a wide assortment of interesting horse stories for the book .
Announcer Extraordinary
At the 1940 Celebration , Gillie first essayed to act as master of ceremonies at a big horse show . His early realization of his own shortcomings along these lines was the foundation of his brilliant success as the most sought-after horse show announcer in the South . Never satisfied with his own announcing , he asked constructive criticism of his friends , and studied the problems of accoustics , microphone technique , good timing and general horse show procedure . He knew that the public liked a fast-moving horse show , and developed a remarkable skill in filling in unavoidable dead spots with his ready wit and his ability ' to project his charm and enthusiasm over the mechanical , often squawling , speaking system .
Alway ' S in demand as an announcer , he seldom refused requests for his services except for previous commitments . He had announced horse shows at Madison Square Garden , New York City , and the Coliseum in Chicago , and at the same time , rarely failed to appear at a small community one-nighter if he weren ' t otherwise booked . Hardly ' a horse show patron in the South has failed to hear his smooth-flowing , “ Good evening ladies and gentlemen ” as another night of classes opened , and his famous , “ Rack On !” reflected his own sincere delight at seeing a class of five-gaited beauties at the fast gait . Always a lover of the road horse , his “ Let ’ em go !” had brought countless thousands to their feet as the trotters opened up and “ poured on the coal .” “ Let your horses CAN-ter , please ," was his distinctive way of notifying riders to change to the easy , rolling gait . Beside being editor of The Blue Ribbon , and conducting
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