Suddenly there was a murmur through the crowd as they came to life. There was no attendant on the gate and two horses had entered the ring. EBONY’ S SEN ATOR, with Marvin Wilson up, was closely followed by C. A. Bobo on GO BOY’ S BLACK ANGEL. A proclamation arose from the stands, " They’ re going to show... they’ re going to go ahead and have it.” In disbelief the crowd of over twenty thousand soaked fans settled down to watch a history-making event unfold. Slowly the horses entered the ring. Each horse seemed to sense the confusion as he entered the ring and there was a momentary pause as each made an effort to signal its rider than something was amiss. Each horse appeared to feel its way around the unfamiliar turf, unaccustomed to being ridden in several inches of water. After the horses entered the ring the judges slowly made their way to the track, each accompanied by a ringmaster with a large umbrella. The grass and the dirt were not to be found except on the east side of the officials’ tent. The rest of the ring was covered with water. In some places it was already four or five inches deep. The groundskeeper had sent his men to open the drains but only one could be located in the water. Emmet Guy managed to communicate with the riders as he blasted the commands to begin the class. The gate was almost closed when another horse entered the ring. It was ACE’ S SENSATION, with Wink Groover in the saddle. He had failed to get the message some few minutes earlier that they were going to show, and had to go back to the barn to get his horse.
As the first workout progressed, the rain continued to fall. It was evidence of real sportsmanship to see each trainer pick his way around, trying to give his competitors a fair chance. Most horses were shown in an entirely different manner than usual: their trainers elected to keep them away from the rail and in the middle of the track. Perhaps the footing was more secure. All riders elected to do this except one— Marvin Wilson kept EBONY’ S SENATOR on the rail. He was by himself in this decision, as the other horses passed him on the inside, but the bold-going black stallion obviously liked his lonely position, and got better and better. Shortly before the horses finished the last workout, there was a tremendous sheet of lightning and the lights went out momentarily. When they came back on, the great Celebration ring was in semi-darkness. AH but the two east banks of lights were out. The horses slowed to a stop as the announcer checked his sound system and found it still worked. From the center of the ring, they turned on the lights above the officials’ stand that are used to spotlight the champions. This was the only lighting on the west side as the Celebration stadium had been turned into a silver glimmer of reflections. Another blast of thunder— and £ he east lights went out a second time, and again ^frey responded and came back on. After the preliminary workout, the instructions of the judges were to rfUll six horses in on the grass and work the others. ^ Contrary to all established practices, there was no
iiicup for conformation. They did not drop the boots
\ f the finalists in this class as they had done in ail
ther classes. They did not strip the horses and judge jfi conformation, a 25 % factor in judging Tennessee
Walking Horses, a practice followed since 1939. Most observers were prone to overlook this discrepancy in view of the situation and were eager to get on with the class. Perhaps this was the decision of the management of the show, or perhaps it was the decision of the judges. At any rate, the 1969 World Championship was void of this one element of competition.
Rumors had been circulating that there was going to be trouble if a certain rider was not put in the good workout. If such a scheme was planned, the hand of nature dampened the spirits of its instigators as no one made a move to challenge the proceedings inside the ring. The rain continued to fall throughout the class— not a gentle summer rain, but a squall! Selected for the final contest were ACE’ S SENSA TION with Wink Groover up; GO BOY’ S BLACK AN GEL with C. A. Bobo riding: THE ENTERTAINER with Joe Webb in the saddle; SENSATIONAL SHAD OW with Wallace Brandon up; SUN’ S ELIMINATOR with David Welsh in the irons; and EBONY’ S SENA TOR with Marvin Wilson riding. Here were the makings of the greatest contest ever witnessed in Celebration history. Here was represented over a halfmillion dollars’ worth of horse flesh. The most select animals that the Walking Horse breed had to offer were to make a final bid for the World Grand Championship in unheard-of conditions.
The judges made their way back to the track. Each horse picked his way carefully toward the edge of the grass as its trainer commanded it to make another effort. Following the pattern that he had found successful, Marvin Wilson put his horse back on the rail. Throughout the final workout it was a chore for spectators to spot a particular horse or find a rider. They all looked alike until they went through the blinding light reflecting in the water. To the spectators it was only a silhouette of GO BOY’ S BLACK ANGEL making a great pass in the running walk or the fine figure of ACE’ S SENSATION as he flat-footed on the reverse, head set and reaching over the rail. On the reverse the crowd came to life as THE ENTERTAIN ER and SENSATIONAL SHADOW came down the straightaway in a splashing dash for the inside turn. Both horses and riders were now accustomed to the conditions and they threw caution to the wind as they hit the back turn in a great running walk. David Welsh, who had chosen to keep SUN’ S ELIMINATOR clear of his adversaries, made a great pass down the middle of the track in front of the big grandstand, drawing the applause of the now-lively crowd. And EBONY’ S SENATOR was still on the rail, walking his way into the minds of everyone in the stands. The longer they went, the better he appeared to get. As the horses were called from the final canter into a walk, the big black stallion gently eased back into a flat foot walk with his thick neck arched, his chin tucked in, and still stepping high in perfect rhythm.
Again, as in the preliminary class on Wednesday, all three judges tied a different horse, mute testimony that horsemen do indeed have different opinions and do see a different show from the other side of the ring. The rain had almost ceased as they called out the winner of the 1969 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. NUMBER 1025... EBONY’ S SENATOR with Marvin Wilson riding for Mr. O. D. " Peck” Carlton was the new champion.
eptember / October, 1969 85