1969 Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1969 April Voice RS | Page 65

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in excess of $50,000, JOHNNY MIDNIGHT was nat­
urally of some concern to his many supporters.
What happened in 1966 is also history. He won the
Age Stallion Class on Thursday night and came back
to tie fifth in the Celebration stake, a long way behind
SHAKER’S SHOCKER. Many observers state that
he had '‘reached his peak too early in the year.” Oth­
ers say he was "always over-rated.” He was a mys­
tery to Walking Horse enthusiasts. Reportedly, he
was "heavy” and had to have a special diet. Other
reports say that he had a "mouth and foot” problem.
No one really knows except the men who rode and
showed him.
In late 1966, JOHNNY MIDNIGHT was put in
training with Elmore Brock of Sparta, Tennessee, who
showed him successfully in late-season shows. Shortly
thereafter he was placed at the Vic Thompson Stables
with Mack Motes training and showing him.
Throughout 1967, Mack Motes showed JOHNNY
MIDNIGHT almost every time the gate opened. He
won a lot and lost a few . . . giving rise to the specu­
lation that he would again be a contender for Celebra­
tion honors. Always a controversial horse, he was
placed by one judge in the workout with the culls and
was worked only one way of the ring in order to beat
him. He was tied seventh. The week later he defeated
some of the top contenders of 1967.
At the Celebration that year, he tied fifth in the
class and third in the stake with Mack Motes riding
for Larry and Clinton Gribble of McMinnville, Tennes­
see. He had been there before and the crowd felt a
little remorse for their beloved JOHNNY. Watching
him stride around the ring . . . making every effort to
compete . . . one could not help but be reminded of
some of the heros of the sports world who "stayed
too long.”
In 1968 JOHNNY MIDNIGHT was retired to stud
at the Stallion Stables in Shelbyville, Tennessee. He
was a popular breeding horse and attracted much at­
tention from Walking Horse breeders. Toward the end
of the year, barn talk had picked up the rumor that
he had been repossessed by his original owner, A. S.
Dean. In February of this year it was reported that
he was to be put up for public auction on the square
in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. A crowd showed up but
the horse wasn’t there.
There is still much confusion as to what actually
happened with regard to the ownership of JOHNNY
MIDNIGHT from 1965 until 1969. How much was
paid by whom and to whom, we do not know. Whether
or not he was repossessed, we do not know. We do
know that he died in obscurity on the farm of A. S.
Dean in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on March 20, 1969,
of a twisted intestine.
And so ends "the saga of JOHNNY MIDNIGHT,”
one of the most discussed and perhaps most misun­
derstood horses of this or any other era. A lot of
people tried. JOHNNY tried! It just wasn’t meant
to be!
JESTRIAN FHOTO
1965 — JOHNNY MIDNIGHT with Sain Paschal up
1966 - JOHNNY MIDNIGHT with Elmore Brock up
SERVICE
Box 3133
Burlington, North Carolina
Phone [phone]
April. 1969
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