1969 Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1969 December Voice | Page 4
^■dmittedly, the story of ACE’S SENSATION and
his rise from a $250 yearling colt with an uncertain
future to the status of a two-time World Champion
sold for a six-figure sum has to be one of the great
est success stories in the annals of the Walking Horse
breed. It is a story of tremendous victories followed
by national acclaim; a story of occasional disappoint
ments and hard luck; a story of determination and
confidence on the part of the horse, his trainer, and
his owner.
The story of ACE’S SENSATION and his trainer,
Wink Groover, is filled with highlights — two World
Championships in successive years; unbeaten seasons
as a three- and a four-year-old against competition in
his age division; a string of 16 straight blues that end
ed only when ACE and Wink defied the odds to tie
third in the Grand Championship Stake at the 1968
Celebration after having shown twice that week en-
route to winning the Junior World Championship; an
unmatched career record of 25 blue ribbons in 31 at
tempts against the finest horses in the country; and
two straight championships at the prestigious Mont
gomery Southern Championship to bring both the 1968
and 1969 seasons to a triumphant close.
ACE’S SENSA1
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^^ertainly these are not all of the highlights — there
have been many more!
The disappointments have been few, and these "dis
appointments’' would have been hailed as highlights
by many other horses, but not ACE’S SENSATION —
special things are expected of special horses! At the
1969 Celebration, ACE and Wink suffered one of their
disappointments: tying reserve in the Aged Stallion
Class and coming back three nights later to tie fourth
in the Grand Championship (and, incidentally, picking
up a first-place vote in each event). Imagine being
adjudged the fourth best Walking Horse in the country
and considering it a disappointment!
Things got worse before they got better: ACE and
Wink tied third in the Aged Stallion Preliminary Class
at Nashville two weeks after the Celebration, and
some people were openly questioning the future of
ACE’S SENSATION. Their concern about his future
proved to be a bit premature as Wink and ACE dem
onstrated that determination mentioned earlier. They
made a truly great show in the stake - a show that
has been matched by few horses and surpassed by
none. This was a big blue ribbon for ACE — a very
big blue ribbon.
• 'ated over ACE’s tremendous victory at Nash-
vhle. his owner, Randall Rollins, took him to Sugarloaf
P arm in Atlanta for a well-deserved rest. He was kept
at Sugarloaf until just days before the Montgomery
show, when he was returned to Wink’s barn for one
day s work. Wink and Randall were obviously con
cerned over what to expect of ACE following his two-
month layoff and went to Montgomery not expecting
anything, though hoping for the best.
(Top) — ACE'S SENSATION and Wink Groover show the form that carried
them to the 1968 Junior World Championship as they leave after receiving
the awards.
(Above) — This presentation ceremony followed the great show by ACE to
win the Nashville show two weeks after the Celebration this year. ACE made
a tremendous effort to gain this very important win.
FIRST OF TWO - ACE’S SENSATION receives the blue ribbon for his vic
tory in (he Aged Stallion Class at Montgomery and his first of two first-place
awards at the Southern Championship.
Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
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