of the breed through this channel is equal to the organization of the association .
" Those of us who are interested in the breed just for the sheer love of the Walking Horse have thrilled with pride at the success of every Celebration . The first show was held in 1939 and since that time has grown in popularity with each succeeding year . A vast amount of money has been invested in the grounds and equipment that make a perfect setting for a show . The Celebration must be preserved !
“ This brings us to the conclusion that only through a perfect harmony of action on the part of all breeders will the interest in Walking Horses continue to expand . The first move was the establishment of the home of the association in Lewisburg and to disturb such an arrangement would be to begin a disintegration of the stud foundation . With equal importance is the necessity of maintaining the Celebration at Shelbyville .
" The Walking Horse will continue to win friends just as long as all interests are back of these foundations that have brought him thus far . The end is not yet . Let all admirers back such programs as will continue to win popularity for the ‘ World ’ s Greatest Pleasure Horse .’ ’’
The reader will sense from this statement by Mr . McCord that a plan was suggested bv some to move the Breeders ’ Association headquarters and the Celebration to larger communities . This plan was not developed .
Burt Hunter became the first president of the Breeder ’ s Association and Mr . McCord was secretary-treasurer . Mr . Hunter and other presidents contributed articles to that Blue Ribbon No . 15 issue .
The article by Mr . Hunter included these facts not mentioned bv McCord :
A name for the Association was suggested by the late Clvde Westbrook of Cleveland , Miss , ( who urged that the words " of America ” be added so people would not think the group included only breeders of horses in Tennessee ) ; as of 1953 the Association had registered 40.478 horses , and had 1,321 members residing in 45 states and Canada ; Federal recognition of the Tennessee Walking Horse as “ a distinct and pure breed of light horse came on Feb . 2 , 1950 .”
Mr . Hunter also added a personal observation : " I think too , that it is high time the Association , the owners , the breeders and the exhibitors realize there are two distinct types of Tennessee Walking Horse , the show and the pleasure type . Both are important and from a breeding standpoint they are the same , and neither is more important than the other . Instead , a clear and more decisive way of looking at it ; one has made the other . The horse you see in the show ring is the same horse you ride for pleasure , the difference is all in his training . He is weighted , pepped up and ridden with much speed . Our horses of today are show horses and rank along with the best of other breeds .” ( The author is told by veteran riders that it is difficult for the average pleasure horse rider to manage a highly trained show horse , and that the trained show horse is really not adapted to pleasure riding .)
Mr . Hunter recalled how the Celebration was backed by virtually the entire membership of the Association when the show was launched in 1939 . . . to make the Tennessee Walking Horse " the most publicized breed in the nation .”
Work of the Breeders ’ Association has been done to a large extent through committee action , although many personal efforts were made to introduce the breed in important places with important people throughout the world . Recipients and purchasers of horses ranged from Secretary of War Stimson , to Orchestra Leader Paul Whiteman , to Mrs . Eleanor Roosevelt , to the President of Brazil , to Secretary of State Cordell Hull and to many other important personages .
All of these are interesting stories , but this history must be confined to horses and to events .
The Breeders ’ Association selection of the 114 Foundation Sires and Dams ( all deceased ) took place during the 15-year fight for Federal recognition . Their pedigrees are listed in an appendix to this chapter . The Association coincidentally started its voluminous registration files giving each horse a number and issuing certificates to trace pedigrees through five genlerations .
A major project in the Association ’ s promotion program was a documenttary motion picture entitled " Free and Easy .” It traced the history of the Tennessee Walking Horse from pioneer days , and brought the story up to date with scenes " shot ” at the 1948 National Celebration during the Championship Slake .
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AMATEUR SHOW HORSES
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42 Brood Mares
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Bred to such world ' s champions as Midnight Sun , Merry Go Boy and Setting Sun )
PLEASURE HORSES ( Broke for anyone to ride )
STANDING AT STUD SETTING SUN ( 1958 World ' s Grand Champion )
MERRY BOY ' S F-88 GORDON ' S MERRY BOY
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