fancy trucks that surrounded him and wondered if he would ever own anything so fine . Up front , he could see at least two top trainers who had won World Champioships at the annual Festival Horse Show and wondered if they had any two-year-olds .
Working feverishly to get Tiger Bay ready , Lonny was pushed to make the second-class . He had thought there was a Two-Year-Old Filly class but it had been scratched and they were all going together . It was obvious when Lonny got on his horse that the bay was excited . When he started to work him along the fence , a small crowd began to gather . He could see several familiar trainers ’ faces out of the comer of his eye . " I wonder what they want ,” he thought to himself . As the bay horse began to get used to the surroundings , he loosened up and really started to work . Lonny pulled up and pretended to fix the curb chain . He could see a small group of men talking to Mr . and Mrs . Tad Larson , who owned the horse and had just gotten to the show . Clucking to his horse he eased him from a flat foot walk into a good running walk . He felt good !
When he rode up to the trailer , several people came up close to see Tiger Bay . " That ’ s a pretty good horse you ’ ve got there , fellow ,” said a big man with a cigar sticking out of the side of his mouth . Lonny smiled , trying not to be too impressed .
As the announcer called out , " Two-Year-Old Walking Horses , get ready . You ’ re next and we are tying the Pleasure Class right now ,” Lonny mounted the little bay stud . Mr . and Mrs . Larson came over and said , " Good luck , Lonny .” " Thanks ,” he said . " By the way , what was that man with the cigar talking to you a- bout ?” Mrs . Larson , interrupted her husband before he could say anything , " He wanted to know if our horse was for sale .” " What did you tell him ?” asked Lonny . She laughed , and said , " We told him to talk to you .”
With this show of confidence on his mind , Lonny Barnes entered the ring with eighteen other riders on two-year-olds .
( continued next month )
THE COLUMBUS ALL-BREED SPRING SHOW
The 1966 show season for the Midwest got off to a fine start at the Columbus , Ohio , Annual All-Breed Spring Show , March 23rd through the 28th . Six states — Michigan , Indiana , Ohio , West Virginia , Pennsylvania , and New York — sent fifty-five Walking Horses to compete in five classes - the Amateur being the largest with thirty-one horses in the ring .
Mr . V . G . GOCHNEAUR , Fashion Two-Twenty Stables , hurried home with fourteen blue ribbons from a very successful campaign on the Florida Winter circuit to participate , and took the Mare class with his good-looking Fashion Lady , and also Reserve in the Amateur Championship . His very successful stallion , Mr . Fashion Two-Twenty , was Reserve in both the Open and Championship Stake Classes .
DAVID WELSH , trainer for Leeswood Walking Horse Stables in Oaks Corners , New York , is fast demonstrating his ability to put together and keep in form a winning string , for Leeswood horses took the blue ribbons in the four events they entered . David won the Open on Go Boy ’ s Rebel O ; the Junior Class on
Mr . HENRY SNYDER ’ s Sun ’ s September Song ; and the Stake on Mrs . LEE ’ s Society Souvenir . Mrs . Lee had previously won the Amateur Championship in her first show-ring appearance on Souvenir .
ROBERT WHITNEY , Cox ’ s Creek , Kentucky , was the judge , and did a most creditable job . LOUIS ARMSTRONG and his band performed nightly and helped to draw large crowds . The results of the show are listed elsewhere in this issue .
HOLLANDIA FARM SPRING SHOW
Walking Horses in and around the New York City area have been practically unknown for some years until the past March 20th , when they appeared at the Hollandia Farm Early Spring Show at St . James , Long Island , New York .
It was a small show , but aroused a good deal of interest and curiosity . Through the efforts of a great Walking Horse enthusiast , Dr . PHILLIP LEVITAN , of Smithtown , Long Island , three classes were arranged and about a dozen horses were on hand from Pennsylvania , Virginia , and New York . The number of horses in itself was not impressive , but it was a start . There was an amazing amount of publicity for the Walking Horse classes not only from local Long Island newspapers , but New York papers as welL Dr . Levitan was besieged with phone calls . The Walking Horses were given a thorough going-over by two vets and as A . S . P . C . A . official . One vet was sent by the AHSA , and the exhibitors were complimented on the excellent condition of the horses ’ feet . This was extremely gratifying to the exhibitors , after the criticism that is usually heaped on the Walking Horses . It proves that this great and crowd-pleasing breed of horses can be shown effectively without going to the extremes which have caused so much criticism . There were three classes in the show — Amateur , Open , and Stake — judged by DAVE DAVIS , Maryland . Results were :
AMATEUR : ( 1 ) Sun ’ s September Song , Henry Snyder , New York ; ( 2 ) Go Boy ’ s Virtue , Mr . William St . Clair , Virginia ; ( 3 ) Sun ’ s Storm Warning , Mrs . CebemLee , New York . OPEN : ( 1 ) Society Souvenir , Leeswood , New York ; ( 2 ) Souvenir ’ s Star B ., Mr . Guy Simpson , Virginia ; ( 3 ) Eldorado Kid , Mr . Guy Simpson , Virginia .
STAKE : ( 1 ) Society Souvenir , Leeswood , New York ; ( 2 ) Souvenir Star B ., Mr . Guy Simpson , Virginia ; ( 3 ) Merry Midnight S ., Mr . Dave Stokely , Virginia .
Dr . Levitan held a meeting of the Northeast Walking Horse Association at his lovely home in Smithtown on the afternoon preceding the show . He and Mrs . Levitan hosted a buffet luncheon which was enjoyed by all , after which officials of the American and Northeastern Walking Horse Associations gave talks and showed movies to the many interested people who accepted Dr . Levitan ’ s invitation .
It simply is not possible to give enough credit to Dr . Levitan , who gave so freely of his time to promote this show , to raise money , to line up horses to fill the entry list , to call his many friends and acquaintances to create interest in the undertaking , and to manage columns of publicity in the New York papers and Long Island publications . We need more people like Dr . Levitan in our business !
May , 1966 53