Needless to say... 1968 has been an interesting and eventful year in the Walking Horse business. A lot happened in the last twelve iths that has affected most of us we feel that the majority of openings” have been for the bet-
-1 ' s take a look. ■nuary we saw RODGERS i " TION start his first full sea
son l-nud in Middle Tennessee aft * r hi as purchased by Gribble, |
Thompson and Short of Shelbyville, " ennessee in June of last year. He lad a successful season in 1968 at tht Stallion Stables. Our 1968 World Grand Champion, GO BOY’ S SUN DUST, also had a fine first season at stud at the Beech Stables in Lewisburg, Tennessee. Owner Dr. B. S. Henry, Russellville, Alabama, states that he is very pleased with the re sponse to his stallion this year. An item of note was the dissolution of the well-known partnership of Bailey and Montgomery Stables. They di vided their property on the Lewisburg Highway and Mr. H. C. Bailey promptly moved GO BOY’ S SHAD OW to the Beech Stables in Lewisburg to stand the 1968 season.
GO BOY’ S INVASION was pur chased by Dr. and Mrs. James A. Johnson of High Point, North Caro lina, and was moved from Stallion Stables to the Kenny Price Stables in Thomasville, N. C. to stand the 1968 season. While this part of the country is not breeding-conscious, they did receive a proportionate share of the available mares and are looking forward to another good year in 1969. Another purchase of note was made by Mr. R. B. Womble who acquired SUN’ S BIG SHOT to stand at stud in the Chattanooga area. He also leased KEENE’ S GO BOY to stand with BIG SHOT. They have had a fine first season and have created a lot of interest in breeding in that area.
With a theme of " Breed the Best You’ ve Got to the Best You Can Find," the 1968 January Stallion Directory was one of the best ever for the VOICE. Creating consider able interest and much controversy was an article regarding the costs of feeding and caring for brood mares while at a breeding station. The facts surrounding this article have led most breeders to establish a new payment plan for breeding that re quests one-half payment when the mare is bred and one-half when she is pronounced in foal. A lot of breed ers have stuck to this and everyone has benefited.
February saw the establishment of a Stallion Station at the old Haynes Haven Stock Farm in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Manager Clint Robinson did a notable job of lining up some fine stallions and made available blood lines that would nic well with almost any type of mare. They had an excellent season for a first year.
February also saw the establish ment of a professional Walking Horse Trainers Association. Over two hun dred interested persons gathered at the Holiday Inn in Shelbyville, Ten nessee, and together they worked out the details of the organization. With Vic Thompson at the helm they have had the expected turbulence for a first-year effort but their prim ary goal of " getting the trainers to gether to discuss their mutual prob lems’’ has definitely been achieved. Next year should witness some defi nite gains in other fields of interest to trainers.
By the time breeding season ar rived, it was obvious that Harlinsdale Farms would again be a prominent breeding station. With SUN’ S DE LIGHT heading their list of top breed ers and such horses as MIDNIGHT MACK K, SPIRIT OF MIDNIGHT and MIDNIGHT DUKE in the lineup, they had another good season.
GLL Farms in Collierville, Tennes see made headlines when it was announced that the famed WAMOO- LANG had been sold for the highest price ever paid for a two-year-old. V. G. " Red” Gochneaur purchased this CARBON COPY colt along with a two-year-old stallion and saw them both progress to World Champion ships under the names of JUDGE. 1 CHOICE and MISTER REE. CAI BON COPY had his best year sine winning his crown in 1964 and it reported that he will stand at Priva Treaty in 1969.
Highlight of the 1968breeding sc son was the 25th Silver Anniversa of MERRY GO BOY as reported the March issue of the VOICE. T response to this great stallion w tremendous, and tribute was paid the horse and everyone who had be associated with him throughout h: illustrious career.
Jimmy Holloway got the sales sea son off to a good start with his an nual sale in Jackson, Mississippi, and by the time that spring had arrived in Tennessee, most Walking Horse enthusiasts were eager to " have at it.” The annual Murray Farm Sale in Lewisburg, Tennessee got things started right. SUN’ S STRADIVARI- US and GO BOY’ S RENDEZVOUS
highlighted the sale, which saw over five hundred fifty horses sold in three
days. The annual MID-WEST Walk ing Horse Sale was held in April in Kansas City and it too was a success.
Mid-April saw the Annual Searcy Horse Show emerge as a big event and a host of top Walking Horses and personalities made the trip to the Arkansas town. Joe and Nell Webb did their usual fine job of managing this show and it was a fitting start for a great show season.
In the spring, the Tennessee Walk ing Horse Breeders’ Association took a step in the right direction by initi ating a promotional program aimed
at the National 4-H Club. It is re ported that they received over eight
thousand inquiries regarding our breed in the first few months that
34 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse