It is refreshing indeed to note people such as Dr. Jim Ellis who, as a relative newcomer to the horse business, has concentrated on purchasing and producing nothing but top stock. This is the type of program that cannot help but succeed.
DALE HOLLOW STABLE
This new steel fourteen-stall barn was completed last October and is located in Celina, Tennessee. The trainer is James Reed Bailey and the barn is owned by B. C. Nesbitt of Celina.
Mr. Nesbitt has been in the Walking Horse business about a year, and presently has 30 head of horses, including seven show horses. His daughters Diane, 14, and Debra, 13, show, and wife Ann cares for the colts. It is a real family affair with the Nesbitts.
Two of the horses at Dale Hollow that are creating a lot of interest are BLUE RAIDER and PRIDE’ S BAY GAL. RAIDER is a nine-year-old stud that Mr. Nesbitt purchased after the Celebration. BAY GAL is a three-year-old filly that was shown three times last year. She has good size and goes like a stud.
Mr. Nesbitt also has four head of horses in training at Robbins View Stable in Livingston, Tennessee.
BILLY MORGAN ACQUIRES TRAINER’ S POSITION AT CIRCLE R STABLES
Billy Morgan has recently taken over as trainer for the Circle R Stables in West Point, Mississippi. The- ' able, owned by the Robinson Truck Lines, has been under the direction of Ronnie Spears for the past four years. has worked as an assistant trainer for such ssionals as Buddy Hugh, Vic Thomp-
. George Livingston and Casey Jones. For the past months he has been the assistant of Wallace
. andon, working several good two-year-olds.- now working 22 horses but plans eventually in wain about 30 head with several outside horses. In
-; ud classes he will be showing GO BOY’ S HALLENGER and COOL HAND LUKE. CHAL LENGER will also be shown by Linda Robinson De- Shazo in amateur competition.
FLYING CLOUD’ S SON is a top three-year-old stud who goes just like his sire, GO BOY’ S FLYING CLOUD. He is a black roan and is owned by Pete
Robinson.
Billy will be showing a two-year-old by SUN’ S ACE OF SPADES for Kenneth Robinson and a black stud owned by Norman Cash. Both of these horses have the potential to become contenders in their division.
Judy Wilkerson of Oxford, Mississippi has a roan aged stud in training that her niece will show this year. Also, Linda DeShazo will show a four-year-old by SUN’ S DELIGHT.
Billy is just getting set up in his new position but should be showing and selling full blast by the middle of show season.
GENE MAYFIELD STABLE
This small operation in McMinnville, Tennessee concentrates primarily on young horses. Owner Gene Mayfield has been working with horses for years and has sold many fine colts in Middle Tennessee. He is working eight head of horses presently, including a good three-year-old SUN’ S DELIGHT stallion. This is one of the best young horses Gene has ever had, and several prospective buyers have looked at him.
Gene has a full-time job with an automobile dealer in McMinnville, but maintains his interest and activity with horses. He owns all of the horses he is now working but has worked colts for other owners in the past.
GROOVER-SPEARS PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED
Two current World Champion trainers have joined forces in a partnership that is creating widespread interest. Ronnie Spears, formerly of the Circle R Stables in West Point, Mississippi, has moved 22 head of horses to the Wink Groover Stables in Etowah, Tennessee. The new operation has been named the Groover- Spears Walking Horse Stable.
Wink and Ronnie both rode World Champions at the 1968 Celebration. Wink made Celebration history on the Junior Champion, ACE’ S SENSATION, and Ronnie rode the great Two-Year-Old Champion, GUN- SMOKE’ S FIREBALL.
Wink, whose barn was already filled to capacity, has begun construction of more stalls to handle the 50 horses that will be in training. Friends of long standing, Wink and Ronnie are busy culling out Wink’ s stock and moving Ronnie’ s in.
SHAMROCK STABLES
Jim Shannon and Tom Hailey of Shamrock Stables in Green Brier, Tennessee are working ten head of horses at present. Among those horses in training are: DELIGHT’ S MIGHTY MAN, a four-year-old owned by Tom and Jack Hailey; SUN DANCER, a threeyear-old owned by Howard Johnson, Jr. of Nashville and Captain Austin Tucker of Gainesville, Georgia; SUN’ S BIG MAN J, a four-year-old owned by Shannon & Maddox; EBONY MERRY BOY S, a two-year-old owned by Joab Stanley; DELIGHT’ S SPARK, James Shannon’ s two-year-old; a SUN’ S DELIGHT two-yearold owned by Tatum & Mitchell; TEE NEE’ S CAR BON, a three-year-old owned by Boyd Nash; LITTLE ACE, a three-year-old, and MAC’ S HI HAT, a twoyear-old, both owned by Clyde Crain. All of these horses are doing well, and Jim and Tom invite you to visit the stable to watch the training.
JIMMY HACKETT STABLES
CARTHAGE, TENNESSEE Phone 615 / 735-2196
Thirteen-year-old sorrel mare- By MIDNIGHT OF 0AKW00D, heavy in foal to MERRY GO BOY, reasonably priced
WARRIOR RIVER STABLE
This fine new stable is located in Cordova, Alabama, and Buford Brown is the trainer in charge. The stable is owned by a partnership of Hambric and Miller and currently has sixteen head of horses working.
Buford has been at Warrior River Stables about six months and is readying the stock for the coming show season. Buford was at George Witt Stables and Battleground Stables in the past several years.
( Continued on page 54)
50 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse