QUITE A START— Making their first show together as a team, GO BOY’ S BRENDA LEE and Neil Robinson won the Junior Championship over some outstanding entries. This horse was recently purchased by Barry Saunders of Germantown, Tennessee. Congratulations to new owner and rider
crowd’ s enjoyment of the show. The photographer was Leon Sargent of Memphis who must have walked and run a couple of hundred miles taking pictures. Leon does not allow himself the luxury of taking only ribbon shots and this no doubt explains his amazing number of great unretouched action pictures in the ring.
There was a host of top name professional trainers from Tennessee and they dominated the blue ribbons at this Mississippi State Championship. Of the 13 total blue ribbons awarded in professional classes, 12 of these were won by trainers from Tennessee. The lone exception to this remarkable victory pattern— and incidentally in the most important class— was the victory of Baine Lee of Meridian in the Championship Stake on JET PARADE’ S MIDNIGHT.
The top ribbon winners were Joe Martin and Jimmy Holloway with ten ribbons each. Richard Pate won nine ribbons, Wallace Brandon eight and Ronnie Spears seven. Three men won six ribbons apiece- Wink Groover, Neil Robinson and Doug Wolaver.
The blue ribbons in the 13 classes break down as follows: Doug Wolaver, 5; Joe Martin, Neil Robinson and Mack Motes, 2 each; and Wink Groover and Baine Lee, 1 each. The most exciting class at the show was the Championship Stake which saw Baine Lee and the underrated JET PARADE’ S MIDNIGHT sweep the honors over some top horses. Baine beat such name horses as REFLECTION’ S UNFORGETTABLE, GO BOY’ S FLYING CLOUD, SENSATIONAL SHADOW and GO BOY’ S BIG SHOT. You can see from these names that the water was deep, but Baine’ s big black stud just kept getting better and stronger.
Baine did not show this horse at the Celebration two weeks previously but he beat four that did and certainly should have shown at the big show. Maybe next year!
Baine’ s horse is owned by the Mai Graham Stables of Meridian, Mississippi, where Baine is the head trainer. The horse measures over 16 hands and is as black as night. Baine has won a number of blues with him this year but this victory is certainly the biggest.
Joe Martin was aboard the reserve winner, RE FLECTION’ S UNFORGETTABLE. Joe’ s horse won the stallion preliminary two nights previous and was a strong contender throughout the class even though he threw a shoe, which seemingly affected his performance. Third place in the class went to SENSA TIONAL SHADOW and Wallace Brandon for the Davis Brothers of Calhoun, Georgia. Wallace’ s horse was not in top form during the class although he had been just the night before at a midnight practice session in the empty arena.
Tying fourth in the championship was the local favorite, GO BOY’ S FLYING CLOUD and Ronnie Spears, while the fifth place ribbon was carried out of the ring by GO BOY’ S BIG SHOT and Jimmy Holloway. The Amateur Championship Class was also won by a Tennessee entry, MONEYTREE’ S SHADOW, and Laura Brandon. Laura and her horse won their preliminary class and came back even stronger to win the championship over some tough competition. The reserve horse was SPUR’ S COMMANDER and David Ryan. David and his horse won the Amateur Stud and Gelding the previous night but could not quite upset Laura and her horse despite a tremendous effort.
Making a good show and tying an impressive third in the Amateur Championship was Cathy Bailey and GO BOY’ S BAY CHIEF. The fourth place vote of the judges was won by PRIDE OF SPRING and Gayden Schrock with a consistent and steady show.
The Three-Year-Old Champion of the Mississippi State Show was HANDSHAKER’ S DELIGHT with Doug Wolaver in the irons. This horse is owned by Brad Speight of Jackson, Tennessee, and is a proven performer in the show ring. He tied third in the Three- Year-Old Championship at the Celebration and looks like he will improve with age. Wink Groover riding SHAKER’ S GO BOY placed reserve, while the third place tie was pinned on THE ELIMINATOR and Wallace Brandon. Attractive Jan Wright flew into town in time to win
TWO FOR TWO— Mack Motes rode into the show ring twice and each time came out with the blue ribbon. Both victories were aboard SHADOW ' S ROY AL FLUSH in the two-year-oid division. This is the first appearance for this big two-year-old since the Celebration and it was an impressive showing indeed.
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