1968-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1968 December Voice | Page 5

AIMING AT 1969
Many factors go into the making of a great horse.
We have been led to believe that "champions breed
champions” and that the name of the sire is perhaps
the most important single factor in determining the
potential greatness of a young horse. We have been
led to believe that an "undefeated” horse has more of
a chance to achieve greatness than one who has been
beaten. We also have heard that the owner or the
trainer have more to do with the record of a Champ
ion than the horse himself. While all of these factors
may contribute somewhat to the attractiveness of a
particular horse, they will hardly assure his victory in
the showring. We mention this because it has a defi
nite bearing on our subject . . . ACE’S SENSATION.
Early in his career ACE’S SENSATION began to
draw attention to the fact that it might be the indi
vidual that counts and not some of the other things
that we lean upon so heavily. His sire, SUN’S ACE
OF SPADES, was known in some areas of Walking
Horse activity but certainly was not what could be
termed a "major breeding stallion.” In fact, until
ACE’S SENSATION came along, he was little-known
and had been pasture-bred until being moved to Mont
gomery after the sale of Lakeside Farms in Gunters-
ville, Alabama. He has been the property of Mr. Car-
mage Walls, owner of the Southern Newspaper Farms
in Montgomery, for many years and is now standing
at stud there under the management of Mr. Clifford
Dean.
In the spring of 1964 ACE’S SENSATION was just
one of several weanlings that romped around the pas
tures in Guntersville. He captured the eye of Mr. Roy
Davis of Calhoun, Georgia, not because of his breed
ing or his looks at the time, but rather because of
-
Randall Rollins, Atlanta, Ga., owner of Ace’s
Sensation, has always thought of the World Junior
Champion Walking Horse, as a “Super Horse." It
is not surprising that he would buy this horse, be
cause Mr. Rollins decided some time back that he
wants to build the “Calumet Farm” of the Walking
Horse business. And from the price he paid, it is
obvious that he feels Ace’s Sensation is a very im
portant part of this program.
The 37-year-old owner of Sugarloaf Farms, who
was born in North Georgia, just five miles from
Ringgold, first came to know horses as a youngster,
on the family farm. His wife, Peggy, and their
children Rita Anne, 15; Richa rd, 14; Pam, 11;
Robert, 6; and Tim, 5; all enjoy their horses.
Mr. Rollins’ quiet, easy-going disposition explains
why he is able to move about at horse shows vir
tually unnoticed. In characteristic fashion even his
close associates have been unaware that plans are
underway for the building of several new barns to
stable top show stock and to expand the finest Ten
nessee Walking Horse bloodlines and breeding opera
tions possible.
Photography by Larry Krantz
December, 1968
"his lick.” Mr. Davis points out, "He was just a
scrawny six-month-old colt but I liked the way he
moved out in the field.” For the grand sum of two
hundred and fifty dollars, Mr. Davis purchased ACE’S
SENSATION. The following fall ACE was broken to
ride by Billy Hiles, a young colored boy who works
for the Bel Aire Stables. Later he was worked by
Harold Kennedy, then training at Bel Aire Stables.
ACE was always a "handful” and the first time he
entered the showring he reared up at the gate and
broke Mr. Kennedy’s nose. Harold showed him two
times as a two-year-old and won two blues with him.
ABOVE - Randall and Peggy Rollins take a good look at ACE'S SENSATION
as trainer Wink Groover prepares to work the big stallion for his new owners
BELOW - Making a fast turn around the ring, the 1968 World Champion Jun
ior Walking Horse shows the ability that makes him a leading contender for
1969.