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Our breed is unlike others in many respects , especially when it comes to a " standard ” of comparison . The Arabian horse , with his arched neck and keen head , is always easy to spot . The Morgan horse . . . short in stature , thick in proportions and always eager ... is also true to his standard , as are the American Saddlebred and the Thoroughbred . The Tennessee Walking Horse is another matter . This breed is still seething with the foundation blood of AL- LANDORF , ROYAL DENMARK , GIOVANNI , DANDY
JIM II and BOURBON PRINCE , to name a few , and the in-breeding and cross-breeding of Tennessee Walking Horses for thirty years has not yet given us a horse that is recognizable . It is true that we have arrived at a description of what a Tennessee Walking Horse should be and what he should do , but when we compare the World ' s Grand Champions of the past four or five years we can easily see that they are not at all similar . Again , this brings us back to ROYAL HEIR . Standing fifteen-three hands , GO BOY ’ S ROYAL HEIR is the exact size that most experts state is average for a Tennessee Walking Horse . He is a black , black color with one white sock on his off hind foot . It has often been said that if " conformation ” alone would win the championship . ROYAL HEIR would be the one to beat . He fits the pattern of excellence that we describe for our breed . He is thick and powerful in his chest and flank , and has a short back and strong neck . His head is fine , and his ears are small and almost touch in the middle . ROYAL HEIR also has one other quality for which he is famous , and that is personality . He is the type of horse that appears to " look down on people ” with a certain amount of tolerance . Since he found out what it was that man wanted him to do , he has been most cooperative .
We discussed this horse on several occasions with the various trainers who have worked and shown him and they all say about the same thing . " He was easy to work and was always willing to go .” One trainer went on to say , " You couldn ’ t abuse him or he would fight you , but as long as you treated him right he would work his heart out for you .” Another said , " I never called on him but what he didn ’ t try .”
As far as ability is concerned , ROYAL HEIR had more than his share . Throughout most of his career he has been in excellent health and has had few of the problems that frequently beset show horses , especially since he became an aged horse . He is strong of muscle and wind and sturdy of bone , and has the heart to match . It is true that many horses have been shown that did one or more gaits in greater proportion than ROYAL HEIR , but few have been seen that could do all three gaits both w ? ays of the ring with
more natural ability , grace and rhythm . With Donald Paschal in the saddle , his flat foot walk is smooth and even with a steady head motion . His running walk is big and bold with a lot of drive and action , and his canter is smooth and rhythmical . Both ways of the ring , ROYAL HEIR shows the gaits of our breed with distinction .
Our 1968 World ’ s Grand Champion was the product of the wise breeding of Mr . T . J . Raney and Mr . Howard Binns of Little Rock , Arkansas . They booked their mare , MERRY MARQUITA ( see pedigree ), to the famous MERRY GO BOY in the early spring of 1959 and on June 5 , 1960 were pleased to see the results of their planning . A fine black stud colt named GO GLEN BOY was soon the subject of much speculation and interest . He was broken as a two-year-old in April , 1962 by Wallace Brandon , who was then training in Dallas , Texas , and was not shown as a young horse . He was soon attracting a lot of attention . As a three-year-old he went first to the Percy Moss Stables in Louisiana and then to Mr . E . L . Burgess ’ stables in Sherrill , Arkansas . His first real break came when he was moved to the Green & Hugh Stables in Shelbyville , Tennessee . He was then a four-year-old and on February 1 , 1964 , he became the property of Mr . Hank Sheely of Dallas , Texas , who changed his name in August of that year . In subsequent years he was sold two more times before becoming the property of his present owners .
Now an eight-year-old , GO BOY ’ S ROYAL HEIR has put in at least five years of his young life undergoing the rigors of showring training . He has responded well to the requirements of man and has produced to the best of his ability . No man can ask more ! He has been , and is now , a worthy winner and he wears the Championship of our breed with dignity and poise . What does the future hold for this fine stallion ? Plans at present call for him to be officially retired from showring competition and to be made available as a breeding stud . According to his owners , Dr . and Mrs . Claude L . Sexton of Florence , South Carolina , he will stand the 1969 season at the Donald Paschal Stables in Woodbury , Tennessee . Mr . Paschal , the fifth in a long line of trainers who have worked and shown ROYAL HEIR , was the man who carried him to the top of the Amateur ranks with Candace Williams riding in 1967 and who finally reached the pinnacle of Walking Horse excellence himself as the rider of the newly crowned Champion of the Walking Horse world .
We salute everyone who expressed belief in this horse during the years that he has been active in the top showrings of the nation . To his owners , Dr . and Mrs . Sexton , Candace Williams and Mr . and Mrs . Dennis Williams , we offer our sincere congratulations on a " grand ” champion and express our belief that his contributions to this breed will be seen for years to come .
He has excellent depth of foundation blood in his background . His ability and conformation speak for themselves and his showring record is now a distinct part of our breed . The big question is , " Can he pass his own qualities on to his get ?” If the winner of the Weanling Filly Class at the Breeders ’ Association Futurity is any indication of what he can produce , we can all look forward to seeing a lot of top colts by ROYAL HEIR . It was HEIR ’ S INDIAN LADY , owned by C . L . Kline of Robbins , Tennessee , who was declared the blue ribbon winner . Out of A SHADOW ’ S QUEEN , she becomes the first blue ribbon winner sired by our 1968 World ’ s Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse , GO BOY ’ S ROYAL HEIR .
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FRANK ADAIR STABLES Tignall , Ga . Phone 404 / 285-2751
For Sale :
SHAKER ’ S BIG PROMISE 2-year-old black stallion . Entered 5 shows , tying no lower than second .
32 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse