( Continued from page 24)
CARBON COPY for S125,000.00; TRIPLE THREAT for S 130,000.00; and THE ENTERTAINER for $ 85,- 000.00 point out that top stock brings top prices. The Celebration emphasizes the increase in interest
in the breed. In the past six years, attendance has doubled with well over 100,000 people attending the
1967 show. In the pleasure market there is greater interest than ever before. Last September a new National Registry was formed for Half-Walkers in Mansfield, Ohio. This group has sent out over 7,000 replies to inquiries, w ' hile registering 1,100 horses and gaining memberships from 1,200 people. The breed still has many nagging problems but major steps are being taken on a number of fronts to alleviate these areas of concern. The prime need is determination to solve the problems and willingness to work to see this accomplished.
In addition to strides already mentioned, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ Association is also making progress. They now have registrations under control and are almost completely caught up on back material. They have plans to complete construction of a new national headquarters building in Lewisburg this year and we understand that they now have initiated a new major film on the breed, as well as starting a 4-H Club project and other promotional ideas. Congratulations on this program!
Another indication of progress is the development of the Walking Horse Trainers Association. This organization has been needed for years and we trust that these men will accept their vast responsibility regarding the future of the Walking Horse business While working hand-in-hand with other organizations they represent a most important segment of the business and, as they develop, so should the Tennessee Walking Horse. They have worked long and hard to get started on the right foot and indications are that they have. We wish them much success!
The VOICE is very proud of the rapid progress that has been made by the breed and by our magazine. The interest and enthusiasm of those people connected with Walking Horses are responsible for this development. We appreciate your past support and look forward to your continued cooperation in helping to further the Tennessee Walking Horse breed.
ALABAMA WALKING ON
by Gail B. Chambers Box 14 Morris, Alabama
It is not much longer until show season, and everyone is hustling around trying to put the finishing touches on all their horses. Cooley’ s Stables in Boaz, Alabama is no exception. Albert Byron has taken over as trainer and has been breaking a number of colts by SPURS CLOWN which are good prospects
for the coming season. Dr. W. L. Cooley, owner of the barn, will be showing STAN THE MAN this season,
and his daughter Dee Ann will show a gelding owned by Dr. C. L. Hampton of Galax, Virginia. This horse was high point winner in the state of Virginia for two years and should be one to watch! Dr. Cooley also has a three-year-old and a four-year-old gelding that will be showm by Mr. Byron.
Dr. Cooley has interests other than Walking Horses. On his 250-acre farm he raises Hereford cattle and quarter horses. Adjoining the farm is Sandy Downs, the much-talked-about quarter horse racetrack. Dr. Cooley invites everyone to come by and visit.
Mrs. A. W. Washburn of La Fayette tells me they have been raising Walking Horses for twenty years and how have a black stud colt believed to be their best one yet! He is by STATELY GO BOY out of CRICKET GIRL, a twenty-year-old HOLDENS AL LEN mare. She tells me that this mare is also the granddam of the HANDSHAKER KAY mare Doug Wolaver has been showing for the past several years.
Wayne Luna, trainer at Bridlewood Stables here in Morris, plans to be ready when the gates open! All the horses are looking good, including three new horses in training with Wayne. Mr. Emmett Cavett of
Birmingham has a beautiful black two-year-old filly by EBONY MASTERPIECE that is working good, and Mr. Douglas Price of Clay is the owner of a tv / o-year-old
SPURS CLOWN colt. Raymond Phillips of Corner has recently put his big black four-year-old stud in training here.
ALLEY CAT is feeling his oats after a short rest here at home, but has now gone back to work at Bridlewood. We plan to be ready, too!
Bank-Note Stables, located between Hartselle and Decatur, was started three years ago by Jimmy L. Jones. He was joined last year by Dr. Kenneth Swafford and Bill Hampton. Recently Dan Dobbs has started helping Jimmy work some of their stock. MIGHTY GO BOY’ S PRINCE is standing at stud here; he belongs to Dr. Harold Blanton of Hartselle. Dr. Blanton
owned GO BOY’ S SUN DUST at one time. PRINCE is solid black and, I understand, has some fine colts to
his credit. A shocking blow at Bank-Note Stables was the recent death of IKE’ S IMAGE, the junior horse that Jimmy showed last year. He was owned by L. B. Williams of Haleyville.
Heart of Dixie Stables, owned by Dr. and Mrs. N. S. Luton of Phenix City, is going strong. Trainer Bill Cantrell, from Smithville, Tennessee, has been training here since May 1966 and is presently working sixteen horses. GRISHAM’ S ROMEO, a three-year-old stud, will be shown by Dr. Luton. A sorrel with light mane and tail, ROMEO is showing very good prospects. BUI says SUN’ S COLT 45, another three-year-old stud, is the best horse he has ever ridden. SUE’ S ROYAL LADY, Mrs. Luton’ s black mare, has done well for herself in past years and is looking for an even better year as a four-year-old. EBONY’ S MISS NANCY, a blue roan owned by Norman Luton, Jf- > will be shown in three-year-old mare classes. The Lutons have two horses by DEVILS GO BOY that they have raised; LUTON’ S LITTLE MAN and DEV
AvLSUPER sport- EBONY’ S DEBUTANT, by EB ONY MASTERPIECE, wUl make her debut in the
two-year-old class this year. BUI also has high hopes torSUN’ S LOVELY LADY and GO BOY’ S CYCLONE.
52 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse