1968-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1968 December Voice | Page 74

The "big break” came when the
Baums purchased RED BOMBER, a
green-broke young stallion. He was
put in training with Buddy Hugh of
Shelbyville, Tennessee. Buddy used
him as his stake horse when he was
four years old. BOMBER was young
for a stake horse, he was a year be
hind in his training, and he wrent
against the top Walking Horses in
the country. Even so, he placed con
sistently but was not a big winner.
He needed more time to grow, to add
speed, and to acquire more training.
RED BOMBER was returnedto River
Tree Farm. Leo trained and showed
him the next year and won the Ama
teur and Open State Championships
in both Wisconsin and Northern Illi
nois. No other Tennessee Walking
Horse had ever won all four champ
ionships in one year.
As a result of his great show record
many mares came to River Tree to
be bred to BOMBER. This was the
next big step forward as it gave Wis
consin a recognized breeding horse.
The stud fees helped defer the other
expenses and paid for national adver
tising. The heavy breeding made
BOMBER more difficult to handle
but it was instrumental in making
him a better show horse. The crest
on his neck grew, he held his head
high, his eyes flashed, and he be
came highly competitive. His stride
lengthened, his speed increased, and
he developed a desire to show and
win. BOMBER had changed from a
fine Walking Horse to a great Walk
ing Show Horse. When he hit the
showring he was an animated, head
shaking, big-lick show-off, bent on
winning. Tennessee trainers came to
Wisconsin with their world champ
ions to put this "amateur upstart”
inhis place. RED BOMBERatethem
up and sent them back South badly
beaten. The Walking Horse commun
ity was learning about River Tree
Farm and Ixonia, Wisconsin.
Then tragedy struck! In mid-sea
son, RED BOMBER shattered a leg
and died four months later. Even so,
he still won the Open State Champ
ionships of both Wisconsin and Nor
thern Illinois.
RED BOMBER’S accident seemed
like the end of the horse world for
the Baums. Phone calls, telegrams
and letters came from friends and
strangers, competitors and trainers.
They came from California and the
East Coast, from Minnesota and Flor
ida. These messages of condolence
and sincere interest encouraged the
Baums to look for a successor to
RED BOMBER.
74
TOP STOCK — Leo Baum is shown riding his fine 1968 Amateur and Open Class con
tender, SHADOW OF ICHABOD, winner of many lop awards during the past season.
FAMILY SCENE — Breakfast finds the Baum family ready for "country cooking" as
they all contribute to the care of the horses and livestock before going their separate
ways during the day. Pictured above are Jeff, Karen and Jim being served by Mrs.
Baum.
Voice of the Tennpssee Walking Horse