Needless to say . . . 1968 has been an interesting and eventful year in the Walking Horse business . A lot happened in the last twelve iths that has affected most of us we feel that the majority of openings ” have been for the bet-
-1 ' s take a look . ■nuary we saw RODGERS i " TION start his first full sea
son l -nud in Middle Tennessee aft * r hi as purchased by Gribble , |
Thompson and Short of Shelbyville , " ennessee in June of last year . He lad a successful season in 1968 at tht Stallion Stables . Our 1968 World Grand Champion , GO BOY ’ S SUN DUST , also had a fine first season at stud at the Beech Stables in Lewisburg , Tennessee . Owner Dr . B . S . Henry , Russellville , Alabama , states that he is very pleased with the re sponse to his stallion this year . An item of note was the dissolution of the well-known partnership of Bailey and Montgomery Stables . They di vided their property on the Lewisburg Highway and Mr . H . C . Bailey promptly moved GO BOY ’ S SHAD OW to the Beech Stables in Lewisburg to stand the 1968 season .
GO BOY ’ S INVASION was pur chased by Dr . and Mrs . James A . Johnson of High Point , North Caro lina , and was moved from Stallion Stables to the Kenny Price Stables in Thomasville , N . C . to stand the 1968 season . While this part of the country is not breeding-conscious , they did receive a proportionate share of the available mares and are looking forward to another good year in 1969 . Another purchase of note was made by Mr . R . B . Womble who acquired SUN ’ S BIG SHOT to stand at stud in the Chattanooga area . He also leased KEENE ’ S GO BOY to stand with BIG SHOT . They have had a fine first season and have created a lot of interest in breeding in that area .
With a theme of " Breed the Best You ’ ve Got to the Best You Can Find ," the 1968 January Stallion Directory was one of the best ever for the VOICE . Creating consider able interest and much controversy was an article regarding the costs of feeding and caring for brood mares while at a breeding station . The facts surrounding this article have led most breeders to establish a new payment plan for breeding that re quests one-half payment when the mare is bred and one-half when she is pronounced in foal . A lot of breed ers have stuck to this and everyone has benefited .
February saw the establishment of a Stallion Station at the old Haynes Haven Stock Farm in Spring Hill , Tennessee . Manager Clint Robinson did a notable job of lining up some fine stallions and made available blood lines that would nic well with almost any type of mare . They had an excellent season for a first year .
February also saw the establish ment of a professional Walking Horse Trainers Association . Over two hun dred interested persons gathered at the Holiday Inn in Shelbyville , Ten nessee , and together they worked out the details of the organization . With Vic Thompson at the helm they have had the expected turbulence for a first-year effort but their prim ary goal of " getting the trainers to gether to discuss their mutual prob lems ’’ has definitely been achieved . Next year should witness some defi nite gains in other fields of interest to trainers .
By the time breeding season ar rived , it was obvious that Harlinsdale Farms would again be a prominent breeding station . With SUN ’ S DE LIGHT heading their list of top breed ers and such horses as MIDNIGHT MACK K , SPIRIT OF MIDNIGHT and MIDNIGHT DUKE in the lineup , they had another good season .
GLL Farms in Collierville , Tennes see made headlines when it was announced that the famed WAMOO- LANG had been sold for the highest price ever paid for a two-year-old . V . G . " Red ” Gochneaur purchased this CARBON COPY colt along with a two-year-old stallion and saw them both progress to World Champion ships under the names of JUDGE . 1 CHOICE and MISTER REE . CAI BON COPY had his best year sine winning his crown in 1964 and it reported that he will stand at Priva Treaty in 1969 .
Highlight of the 1968breeding sc son was the 25th Silver Anniversa of MERRY GO BOY as reported the March issue of the VOICE . T response to this great stallion w tremendous , and tribute was paid the horse and everyone who had be associated with him throughout h : illustrious career .
Jimmy Holloway got the sales sea son off to a good start with his an nual sale in Jackson , Mississippi , and by the time that spring had arrived in Tennessee , most Walking Horse enthusiasts were eager to " have at it .” The annual Murray Farm Sale in Lewisburg , Tennessee got things started right . SUN ’ S STRADIVARI- US and GO BOY ’ S RENDEZVOUS
highlighted the sale , which saw over five hundred fifty horses sold in three
days . The annual MID-WEST Walk ing Horse Sale was held in April in Kansas City and it too was a success .
Mid-April saw the Annual Searcy Horse Show emerge as a big event and a host of top Walking Horses and personalities made the trip to the Arkansas town . Joe and Nell Webb did their usual fine job of managing this show and it was a fitting start for a great show season .
In the spring , the Tennessee Walk ing Horse Breeders ’ Association took a step in the right direction by initi ating a promotional program aimed
at the National 4-H Club . It is re ported that they received over eight
thousand inquiries regarding our breed in the first few months that
34 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse