AMERICAN WALKING HORSE ASSOCIATION , INC . 753 Herkimer Road , Utica , New York 13502
Report By The President - November 15 , 1967
Three important meetings were held during the Pennsylvania National Horse Show . The first was the Rules Committee of the American Horse Show Association . A change in phraseology to clarify the permissible boot and in handling the boot with the Judge present . A clarification of the groom rule to permit two grooms because the Steward at the Show had restricted the Walking Horse classes to one groom while permitting two or more grooms in other classes . The Show Committee was so nitified and the Steward acquiesced . It was also moved that a recommendation be made to the American Horse Show Association that a paragraph or so of Equitation Rules and Conduct be inserted in their 1968 Rule Book . Also , that a new class called the Park Pleasure Class be recognized by the American Horse Show Association .
Next was a meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Walking Horse Association . Passed by the Board was a motion that the Annual School be held at Quentin , Pennsylvania , the week of May 23 , 1968 . Dr . Lowell Clement was approved as guest speaker and judge - many of you will remember him from several years ago when he did a similar job and did it extremely well . A new trophy for the Amateur Stake at Penn-National Show was authorized with the name to be decided in the future . It was moved that the AWHA support the Rules Committee in its request to the AHSA for Equitation Rules and the proposed Park Pleasure Class .
A proposal was made that consideration be given to a copyrighted seal bearing the initials AWHA . The measure was suggested due to the effort of a group named the American Working Horse Association to use the same initials in their horse activity . Suggested layouts will be accepted up to the first of the year .
The last motion was instructions to the Secretary to send a Get Well letter and flowers to Mr . Jim Rice of Binghamton , New York . Jim is the oldest charter
member of this Association , being in his late eighties . He is well-known throughout the Walking Horse world and much beloved . He was taken ill at the Celebration but , having a better constitution than a horse , he is recovering and all of his friends hope and expect to see him on his horse next season , just as he was this past year . The next meeting was the Semi-Annual Luncheon at which eighty-odd members and guests were in attendance . The president welcomed the members and introduced new members - Dr . Garnier of Mississippi ,
a member of the Rules Committee , and C . C . Turner , whom you all know . Secretary and Treasurer Mrs . Priscilla Marble reported on the minutes of the last meeting and the condition of the Treasury .
Mr . George Henson , of Tennessee , the Walking Horse Judge of the Penn-National Show , said a few words complimenting the show officials and commenting on the calibre of our horses and how well they were
shown . Mr . Carl Hengen , Chairman of the Board , was
thanked for the use of his office trailer , which he brought up to York , Pennsylvania . Mr . Crist took it
the rest of the way and placed it in a very strategic spot in the Show building . Incidentally , we are inrlPhted to Mr . Jim Rice , who contributed the floor rental for the trailer . A nice new conspicuous Walkine Horse banner was procured , new literature was nrinted and the booth was manned throughout the Show bv Mrs . Carl Hengen , Mrs . Priscilla Marble and her sister Dorothy , and Alan Stevenson . Others helped out but these four did the real job and we sincerely thank them and everyone connected with it , for it was a worthwhile effort .
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show at Harrisburg
The last two weeks which encompassed the Pennsylvania National and the Washington , D . C . International Horse Shows have been very busy , exciting , and tiring . These two shows must most definitely be classed among the great Horse Shows of America . Each emphasizes a different phase of the horse show world . Washington puts its emphasis on hunters and jumpers , while Pennsylvania seeks variety . Both feature Walking Horses , which is important to us . The Pennsylvania National at Harrisburg , Pennsylvania had an extremely successful show . Over fifty thousand people attended and over twelve hundred horses participated . One hundred of those were Walking Horses , the second largest Division in the show ; the Hunter Division of course outnumbered all others . Saturday evening , the last night of the show , is the most spectacular of all . Everything builds up to this last night . The most important championships are decided and the pageantry reaches its peak . Seats are completely sold out weeks in advance . Mr . L . W . Crist , an Association Director , enters promptly at seven-thirty on his Walking Horse GO BOY ’ S SPOT LIGHT carrying the American Flag , circling the arena
while the crowd stands at attention . Why is it that the flag horse is always a Walking Horse ? The band remains in the arena while the Parade of International Teams takes place , led by four matched chestnut horses of the Pennsylvania State Troopers . Their respective national anthems are played as the teams receive their awards and everything is very colorful and impressive . The five-gaited , parade , Walking and Open Jumper championships conclude the evening and the Show . ( Results of Walking Horse Classes were reported in last month ’ s VOICE .)
Washington International Horse Show
I think this year ’ s show outdid the ones of past years in every way - entries , color , and spectators . Seven Walking Horse Classes had sixty-odd entries , eight being the smallest class and twelve the largest . Good horses , too ! It was well advertised in advance that the Walking Horses would be inspected before each class by two veterinarians - and they were . It is well known that Washington is the location of our most intense and severe critic . Due to agitation by this individual the Show Management wished to avoid any chance of criticism by the public and took this precaution to prevent it . Your President endorsed the action , for it was exactly what we have been requesting from the American Horse Show Association
for years . It gives me great pleasure to report that fourteen owners accepted the challenge of inspection and came through with flying colors . Not one horse was disqualified or even criticized . The Show Management was highly pleased with the Walking Horses and the officers of the Show Committee went out of
42 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse