black two-year-old back in the stake because of an intestinal infection . He was very pleased with the show they had made in the class and actually felt that this was a better horse than he had won the
championship with the year before . CHUG-A-LUG had been " fit as a fiddle ”, showing no signs of being sick , until Little Joe found him down in his stall the day ’ after the class . He finally got over his ailment , but his owner , Mr . Bullard , decided that he didn ’ t want to take any chances .
In the Age Stud Class on Thursday night , Lonny had purposely made a cautious show with BEAU GENTRY . He had argued all week with Dr . Greely and his supporters that he should hold the big stud back in the class and not cause too much stir , wait ing until the Championship to show ' em all he had .
Dr . Greely was a little disturbed that they had gotten tied fourth in the Stud Class and made no resby Charles Barry Sanderson
Lonny Barnes was beginning to wonder " what he was doing in the horse business ” as he stood waiting for the gate to open for the world ’ s grand championship stake class at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Festival . He was standing next to BEAU GENTRY , as far back in the shadows as he could get and still be in sight of the gate . Dr . Greely had just left to return to his box seat and Little Joe was busy rubbing and putting the final touches on this , the first horse he had ever groomed for the “ big stake .” Needless to say , young Lonny Barnes was a bundle of nerves . " Go over to the food booth real quick , Little Joe , and get me a cola ,” he said , as he reached for the reins of the big black stud standing nervously next to him . Lonny tried to spit but there was nothing but cotton in his mouth . He lit another cigarette and made note of the way the smoke filtered the brilliant lights of the massive stadium as it rose in the crisp late-night air . Easing back on the fender of a car , he pondered the past seven days and remembered the conversation he had had with the men in front of his stable the first of the week . He remembered his parting words and the reply that he had received . He remembered all too well saying , " I don ’ t put too much stock in all this talk about the ability of some people to get things done .” Now he was beginning to wonder ! Lonny also recalled the statement made to him the first of the week pointing out that " they ” - whoever " they ” are - would not let him win two championships . He thought to himself that he only had one to shoot for now , and that maybe he had a chance after all .
Of the six horses he had brought to the Festival , only four had placed besides BEAU GENTRY . Little Carol Jones had tied seventh on her Juvenile horse and the Rutledge boy had tied third on his Walking Pony after letting him break in the last workout . Lonny had tied sixth on his aged mare and Reserve in the Two-Year-Old Stud Class on CHUG-A-LUG He still regretted that he could not show this fine
40 ervations in pointing out that this was the lowest that BEAU GENTRY had been tied since he was a colt . Lonny had convinced him , however , that it was important that they not cause too much concern for " the powers that be ” and maybe they would not put too much pressure on him in the stake . This was his planning and NOW he would find out whether or not he was right . Lonny Barnes would find out a lot before the evening was over !
Little Joe came back with the cold drink and Lonny took a long gulp just as the tractor finished dragging the track and pulled out of the show ring . He heard the announcer build up the tempo and the excitement of the crowd that now numbered well over twentyfive thousand spectators . All of the twelve entries in the big stake had been briefed by a show official regarding the procedure for entering the ring in the big stake . Lonny didn ’ t like it at all ! The horses were to enter the ring in numerical order and in the running walk . Riding BEAU GENTRY with number 12 made him second on the list , and he always liked to be first or last on a top horse . The red-coated ring steward approached the entry gate and motioned for the riders to get ready to come in . This was his cue !
Lonny mounted BEAU GENTRY , who by now was getting awfully edgy and wanted to move around . The big stud knew something was going on and he wanted to " get at it .” He was tired of standing around . Lonny knew he had several minutes before the class , and worked his way out of the shadows toward the warm-up ring . OP BEAU hit the warmup ring in good form and was doing everything just right . Lonny was pleased . He worked him at a fast flat foot walk for two rounds and then reversed . As he made his second round he could hear the announ
cer call for the class in the background . As he pulle
up to the long fenced-in area leading to the ent . gate he heard the big organ strike up the popu >
re rain of " Dixie ” and the crowd came to its f * with a thunderous response as the first horse enter
VOICE of the Tennessee Walking f