1963-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1963 April Voice | Page 25

Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
23
Syndicate s 5-Stallion Barn To Make New History
Neiv Type Building
Offers Smell-Proof
‘Stall Security’
Erection of a $20,000 five-stall Stal­
lion Barn, plans to add three more
stall ins to the Vic Thompson Syndi­
cation program and employment of
Ed E/.ell,
i “superintendent of
breeding operations" were announced
at Shelbyviiic, Tenn. on March 27
by Trainer v ia. Thompson.
He said he plans to depart soon to
ride the Southwest Circuit for the 20th
straight year—and is rushing the Vic
Thompson Stables development ac­
tion so as to have it practically com­
pleted before leaving for the South­
west.
To Gel 3 More Stallions
"The Syndicate plans to acquire
three additional proved stallions as
quickly as circumstances permit,” said
Thompson. “We believe that we have
the greatest team ever in Midnight
Mack K and Sun-Dust, but our Stal­
lion Barn will have five stalls and we
plan to fill them.
"Our Stallion Barn will be nearing
completion by the lime of the Murray
Farm Sale, April 18-19, and we invite
visitors to see what we are doing,” Vic
continued.
“We are most happy to have Ed
Ezell, Jr. with us—and he is thorough­
ly equipped to handle the job,” added
Thompson.
He described the Stallion Barn as
follows:
"Constructed of white brick in a
Colonial Type with pillars in front,
measuring 72 feet wide and 60 feet
deep. The building is going up on the
west side of Highway 41-A across the
300-foot Vic Thompson Stables train­
ing barn that was opened just before
the 1962 Celebration.
"The stalls will measure 20 feet by
20 feet, with a 10-foot high block wall
to the roof in between them, and in
between each Stallion Stall will be a
6-foot hallway—so the stallions cannot
smell or kick back and forth. Inside
of each stall the wall will be paneled.
We will have a hallway 17 feet and
six inches where the stallions can be
exercised daily—rain or shine.
"We will have a rest room, and an
office. Windows will be placed at the
top to insure plenty of ventilation for
the horses. There will be a pitched
type roof.
“The Stallion Barn will be operated
Ed Ezell, Jr. and Contractor Ray Beckler—shown as the Syndicate's 5-stal­
lion barn with special facilities got under way. Cost expected to be about
$20,000 for construction and equipment. It's on Highway 41-A, opposite Vic
Thompson's Barn eight miles northwest of Shelbyville, Tenn.
as a completely separate unit from our 1 will do all in my power to bat 100
training stable, with Ed Ezell, Jr. in per cent in foaling all these fine mares
that are coming to your place here.
charge.
“As you know we will take every
“There will be a telephone system
connecting the training barn and the possible step to insure the success of
Stallion Barn to provide instant com­ this plan—and call for veterinary serv­
ices in every case advisable,” Ezell
munication.”
Incorporators of the Syndicate—an­ added.
He is the grandson and son of Ten­
nounced several months ago—are Don
Decker of Omaha, Neb., Jack Corn of nessee Walking Horse pioneers and
Brentwood and Thompson. Both has been riding since early boyhood—
Decker and Corn are also connected except when benched by his back in-
with the Merry Go Boy Syndicate jury.
under which that horse is standing
‘Discovered’ White Star
at the farm of S. W. Beech, Jr. at Bel­
While training at Willow Oak
fast.
Acres at Prescott Ark., Ezell picked
White Star out of a pasture as a 3-
Ezell Starts “Comeback”
Selection of Ed Ezell, Jr. to super­ year-old, and trained her into a show
vise the Syndicate's breeding opera­ horse. The brilliant mare was sold to
tions at Thompson’s stables marks a Dr. W. V. Gamier who presented the
"comeback” by a veteran Tennessee “white charmer" to his wife as a
Walking Horse trainer who suffered Christmas present.
Within a year White Star was rid­
a serious back injury five years ago. He
was a victim of a “slipped disc” that den by 23-year-old Percy Moss to the
apparently developed due to his lift­ Grand Championship of the World
ing a hog during a slaughtering opera­ a t the 1954 Celebration. She is the
tion. Within two weeks, Ezell said, last mare to win that title, the only
he was suffering intense pain with white horse ever to take it, and Moss
every movement.
was the youngest Grand Champion
Very gradually he has begun to re­ rider until Doug Wolaver won on
gain his health, and now he can ride Mack K’s Handshaker in 1961 at age
Tennessee Walking Horses in pleasure 22 .
fashion—but his training days appear
Ezell's father — who also bears the
to be over. His wife, Mrs. Betty Ezell, same first name—was president of the
is teaching first and second graders Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder's
in school at Chapel Hill, and also Association from 1952 to 1954, and
serving as a trainer of gaited horses, has long been on the Executive Com­
and a judge at horse shows for gaited mittee.
classes.
Jim Ezell, now age 9, compiled one
Ezell told Thompson "it is a pleas­ of the most sensational riding records
ure to be associated with you in this ever made by a “tiny mite” horseman
operation and with the fine Tennes­ —sweeping 16 blue ribbons in a single
see Walking Horse studs you have. It year. There are two other children,
is an honor to work with you all and Kris, 12, and Debra (Dee), 11.