Parade , Luncheon ' Honors " The Hales " As Gallatin Expresses Gala Tribute
2 November , 1962
Parade , Luncheon ' Honors " The Hales " As Gallatin Expresses Gala Tribute
Tribute to Mr . and Mrs . Billy Hale of Gallatin , Tenn .— as owners of World ’ s Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse of 1962 — Ebony Masterpiece — was expressed at Gallatin on Saturday , Oct . 13 , with a triplex celebration , sponsored by the Gallatin Lions Club . Hale is a member of this civic group and has been a leader in urging the Lions to sponsor horse shows in his community .
A street parade featuring three high school bands with the spectacular Ebony Masterpiece ridden by Trainer Sam Paschal , and several automobiles containing officials provided an attractive feature . Democratic Governor Nominee Frank G . Clement , Nashville , decorated die champion with a floral horseshoe to climax this occasion on the Courthouse Square .
He and other speakers praised Hale ’ s contribution and said it reflected credit upon all in the community and county . Lion ’ s President John Phillips presented Hale with a Cbambe r of Commerce citation . Mayor Ed McDonald , Judge Stokley Dismukes , Chamber President Felix Fly and others took part .
Mrs . C . H . Paschal , mother of Sam , was an honor guest . Riding in the parade behind Sam was 11-year-old Kenneth Hale on his pony — Showboat .
Present for the occasion were a number of Tennessee Walking Horse leaders , including President S . W . Beech , Jr ., of die Breeders and Exhibitors ' Assn ., Lewisburg , Tenn .
Pesons prominent in the history of Ebony Masterpiece were likewise introduced at the luncheon which preceded the parade . An informal dance was held in the evening .
Guests included : H . L . Worrell of Solitude Stock Farm , Goodlettsville , Tenn ., where Ebony Masterpiece tvas bred with Son of Midnight siring the horse out of Lady Lee — both of whom are now at this farm .
Trainer Bud Seaton , who trained the horse as a 2-year-old and rode him to the Celebration for 2-Year-Old World Championship in 1958 for the owner Clay Simpson , Bowling
Green , Ky ., both were present at the Gallatin festivities . Rounding out the group was Okley Hayes ot Herrin , 111 ., at whose stables Seaton was working the horse in the summer of 1961 when Ebony was acquired by the Hales on Paschal ' s recommendation . The champion won the Kentucky State Fair Horse Show after the Celebration but was to be retired from competition at the Southern Championship Show in Montgomery after appearing in exhibitions there .
Ebony was also exhibited at the Baton Rouge Dixie Jubilee and between the half before 60,000 spectators at the Ole Miss-LSU football game .
Judy Knowles ' Record On Spur ' s Ace Recalled
Unfortunately complete records of Celebration victories are not readily available on some facets of the great show through the years — but mention of a record does develop some source material .
General Manager Sam Gibbons told the Voice Editor , Fred Turner at age 19 years was the youngest male rider ever to win the Owner-Amateur Reserve Championship ( at the 1962 Celebration ). Sam said “ the girls have done il before but noL the boys ."
One of the girls he had in mind was Judy Knowles , then of Mobile , who rode Spur ’ s Ace to great triumphs before he was retired from the ring with an impressive ceremony in 1961 .
Judy was Reserve Amateur Champion on Spur ’ s Ace in 1958-59 , for two years in a row , and we are informed that she was younger than Fred when this happened . She also won the Mrs . E . L . Burgess Memorial Challenge Trophy in 1958 in a big upseL , repeated in 1959 — and then took reserve in 1960 although her horse was handicapped by two very large splints .
In 1962 Miss Knowles won reserve in the Ladies Amateur-Owner class on Mr . Spur .
Hal Wilson Traced To Sire Gold Bond
Ann Bixby , a “ college working girl ” with her address at 6144 E . Broadway , Mt . Pleasant , Mich ., owns a mare who traces to Wilson ’ s Allen . The mare was bred to a grade stallion when she acquired her , and this spring foaled a " beautiful Walker type filly .” She was then bred to a registered Arabian stallion “ because there are no Walkers in our area . Next year I hope to take her to a good Walker stallion ,” Ann writes .
She likes the Voice and the Biography , wants a training book — and also would like to get some information on Hal Wilson and a mare named , Bonny Colleen Sorrel . “ Both are dead now and I ’ m having problems ,” she adds .
To try a helping hand we searched our nine Breeders ’ Assn , stud books and found the following , in Vol . VII :
HAL WILSON
No . 453587 — Sorrel horse ; near hind sock ; foaled June 24 , 1945 ; bred by owner , Carl Gilbreath , Columbia , Tenn .
SIRE , Gold Bond 420919 . DAM , Marquita 360201 . Looking up Gold Bond , we found he was foaled Sept . 15 , 1939 , and bred by Henry Kerby , Shelbyville , Tenn . Fie was sired by Wilson ’ s Allen who was sired by Roan Allen F-38 out of Birdie Messick F-86 . Gold Bond ’ s dam was Kerby ’ s Lady Lou 420916 . Lady Lou was sired by Bryom ’ s Allen 370317 ( by Merry Boy out of Grey Eagle Williams , by Black Diamond Wilkes ; 2nd dam by Bramblett F-9 ; 3rd dam by Grey John ). Lady Lou ’ s dam was Kerby ’ s Trixie Girl ( sired by Wilson Allen out of Drew .)
Marquita was foaled July 10 , 1936 ; bred by Carl Gilbreath , Columbia , Tenn .; sired by Allen Brooks II out of Gilbreath ' s Mary Allen . Allen Brooks II was sired by Allen Brooks out of Lady Hal ( sired by John A . F-32 out of Mary Gilbreath .)
We could not find Bonny Colleen Sorrel .