1966-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1966 May Voice RS | Page 25

C. A. 8030 and Carbon Copy outside lobby of CLL Forms.
CHARLES ALEXANDER BOBO, best known as
"Bobo” throughout the horse world, is perhaps one of
the busiest Walking Horse trainers in the field today.
You only have to enter the gates at the GLL Farms
to see that a manager-trainer of such an operation
has to be top-notch in many areas. This is why Charlie
Bobo fills the bill. "Bobo” is a top trainer, and has
ridden many we ll-known mounts over the years. He
is a good businessman and a qualified horse-breeder.
"Bobo” was born and raised on a livestock farm
in Lebanon, Tennessee. Around 1940 he started buy­
ing, breaking and selling mules in that area. Charlie
says that during the next four years, when he should
have been behind a plow, he and "SLIM” ROLLIE
HEARN spent much of their time trading and talk­
ing about horses. Along with the mules he occasion­
ally bought a saddle horse, attended a few horse
shows in Middle Tennessee and, as a result, spent
less and less time with his plowing and more and
more time with horses. He then decided to enter the
professional realms of the Walking Horse business and,
on October 1, 1945, he began his long and successful
career as a trainer at the Walnut Grove Farms in
Maryville, Tennessee, for Mr. P. A. WATERS, or
this first job, he recieved $100 a month and a three-
room house, and worked from four in the morning
until nine at night. After 21 years of training, the
hours are still long but the benefits are much be er.
After one year at Walnut Grove Farms, Bo o
opened his own stable in Maryville. When Alcoa Alum­
inum opened facilities in that area, the fumes rom
the plant began bothering his stock, so Charlie move
to Cleveland, Tennessee, where he worked with Dr.
BOB HEINES. For five years, he trained m the Dig
stable behind Bradley High School. While there, he
worked a horse for Mr. BEN HASHE, and his nex
May, 1966
move was to Greenville, North Carolina, for five years,
the last two of which he and Mr. Hashe were part­
ners. Today they still hold partnership in several
horses.
Bobo” next moved to Thomasville, North Carolina,
for another five-year stay with Mr. JOE BALES, the
last three years of which he operated his own stable
under the name of C. A. Bobo & Sons Stables.
After the 1965 Celebration, he moved to Collier­
ville, Tennessee, where he has about 44 horses in
training and a constant waiting list.
Over the years, Charles Bobo has ridden so many
top horses that it would take more space than is
available to print the owners and the classes they
have won. However, here are some of the horses
that are synonymous with the name "Bobo”: from
Maryville, Little Ed, Little Dictator, William Blunt,
and Honey Dew, a junior mare that sold for S6,500,
the first big price that he received for a horse; from
Cleveland, Midnight Dark Venture, Inez, and Perfect
Diamond; Midnight Kathleen, Midnight Blue and Mid­
night Dark Melody are a few from Greenville. At
Joe Bales in Thomasville some of "Bobo’s” top mounts
were Mr. Executive, Sun’s Bottle & Bond, Fair Warn­
ing, Lou’s Lulu, Lady Godiva, Sun Dust Shadow,
Town & Country, Sun’s Zenith, and Sundown S. From
the C. A. Bobo & Sons Stables came such names as
Miss Sundown R., Go Boy’s Dark Night, Midnight
Black Lady, Super Sport, Mike’s Mighty Man, Sun’s
Top Brass, Sun’s Holiday, Sun’s Contender, Go Boy’s
Streak and Sun’s Spring Queen.
(Continued on page 34)
MARTHA and CHARLES Bobo enjoying some Brunswick stew
at a recent barn party.