Annual SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIP HORSE SHOW
1968 MONTGOMERY SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW OFFICIALS : ( Left 10 right ) Emmett Stone , Alvin Ruxer , Charles D Smith , Jim Beasley ,
Mrs . Ruth Bowers , W . O . Crawford , II . 0 . Davis , Jimmy Richardson , O ’ Neil Howell , and Rex Watts .
Montgomery , Alabama - November 16 , 1968 — The grand finale of the Twelfth Annual Southern Champ ionship Horse Show parallels any other climactic end ing I have ever witnessed at a sporting event . To the crowd of over five thousand , the largest we have ever seen at the Garrett Coliseum , the last workout in the Walking Horse Championship Stake was a real " cliffhanger .” Many observers have stated that the title could have gone to any one of four or five horses and the reaction of the crowd would have been the same .
By the time the last workout was over , the crowd was split asunder in their loyalties . In preliminary classes they had cheered wildly for ACE ’ SSENSATION as he won the Junior Stallion Class . They had roundly applauded the great mare , GO BOY ’ S BLACK ANGEL , as she dominated the Mare Class . In the Aged Stal lion preliminary they had approved SENSATIONAL SHADOW when he won his first major blue ribbon of the year and they supported other outstanding stal lions such as MAN OF RHYTHM and JET PARADE ’ S MIDNIGHT . When all of these outstanding contenders hit the ring together , needless to say enthusiasm ran at a peak and loyalties wandered .
There were nine horses entered and they all com peted through the final workout . Judge Rex Watts of Hickory , North Carolina deemed it necessary to give them all a chance until the end . He worked them hard and he worked them deliberately , and when the mom ent of truth came it was ... it was ACE ’ S SENSA TION , the 1968 World Champion Junior Horse with Wink Groover in the saddle for Sugarloaf Farms of Atlanta . Reserve was SENSATIONAL SHADOW in the finest show of his career , with Wallace Brandon
riding for the Bel Aire Stables of Roy and Bonnie Davis *. Third was GO BOY ’ S BLACK ANGEL with
C . A . Bobo up for Mr . and Mrs . M . R . " Bricks ” Corbin , Jr . of Houston , Texas .
It was a great class ! One in which Walking Horse enthusiasts from coast to coast became dramatically involved . They cheered their favorites and voiced their displeasure when only one horse could win the blue . It is gratifying indeed when Walking Horse lov ers really get behind their favorites , especially when their favorites are truly great horses , as was the case i Montgomery , Alabama . Top horses were very much in evidence at xithern Championship and , with over six hundred
ennessee Walking Horses entered , even the best
ere challenged for the top spot in ea^ t inior Championship was won by a o uorse 0f iry well be judged the " most improv gllis e year . MR . FREE WHEEL , ridden by Jimmy E
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Walking Horse Voice of the Tennessee