WHOA Spring Classic
May 18, 2019 • Franklin, Tennessee
WHOA hosted a show at the
beautiful, historical Harlinsdale
Farm May 18, 2019. This farm is a
thing of beauty and one of the most
revered walking horse accommo-
dations in the history of the breed.
Many, many well known stallions
stood at stud at Harlinsdale Farm
with the incomparable Midnight
Sun leading the parade.
As you drove up the long drive-
way lined with white plank fences,
gorgeous broodmares, often with
foals, grazed on the lush green grass
while across the drive curious year-
lings leaned over the fence as if to
greet you. At the end of the beautiful
drive was the famed white and green
shuttered barn of the legendary
Harlinsdale Farm. Housed in the
barn were the magnificent stallions.
One stall after another held a known
name. Picking just the right stallion
was a difficult decision and one that
was pondered for days. Gait, confor-
mation, color, dispositions
. . .which? what? will cross best with
my mare???
The men that ran Harlinsdale
were such fine gentlemen. They
would always find the time to an-
swer questions about which mare
might cross best with which stallion,
etc. It did not matter to Mr. Harlin
Hayes, Red Williams or, later, Rocky
Jones how important you were or
how unimportant you might be,
everyone was treated with friendly
respect. They even let a young girl
from Missouri who was accompa-
nying her Dad on one of his trips
bringing broodmares to be bred,
ride the one and only Midnight Sun!
Folks that was pretty close to heaven
for a little gal from Missouri. What
Memories!!!!
Mother Nature likes to toy with
the WHOA show schedule. This
show had been in the making for a
couple of years but rain had pre-
vented its proceeding. May 18th,
a Saturday, proved to be a lovely
sunny day with gusts of wind that
challenged entry taking, class sheets,
and ribbons. At one point Mother
Nature grabbed the tent that had
been the only shady place in the
show ring and flung it across the
ring. After that huge gust, staff took
turns holding it down.
Chase Williams of Shelbyville
kept the crowd that gathered on the
green hills surrounding the show
ring entertained with his lively
organ presentations. Shelli MeHaffey
served ably as the Judge. Shelli had
her work cut out for her as the class-
es were filled with excellent walking
horses. In several of the classes any
of the top five could have been the
blue ribbon winner. There were sev-
eral first time show exhibitors which
is always a thrill. New comers are so
very important to the growth of our
industry. We welcome you to the
WHOA family!
It is also always good to see out
of state trainers support our shows
with their entries and to do well
with their horses.
Harlinsdale is THE place to show.
Please mark the date next year and
plan to join us , you will not be dis-
appointed.
– Sis Osborne
On the other side of the camera for once, photog-
rapher Jennifer Barr with WHOA CEO Tommy
Hall and the Honorable Shelli MeHaffey.
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