QUITE A START — Making their first show together as a team , GO BOY ’ S BRENDA LEE and Neil Robinson won the Junior Championship over some outstanding entries . This horse was recently purchased by Barry Saunders of Germantown , Tennessee . Congratulations to new owner and rider
crowd ’ s enjoyment of the show . The photographer was Leon Sargent of Memphis who must have walked and run a couple of hundred miles taking pictures . Leon does not allow himself the luxury of taking only ribbon shots and this no doubt explains his amazing number of great unretouched action pictures in the ring .
There was a host of top name professional trainers from Tennessee and they dominated the blue ribbons at this Mississippi State Championship . Of the 13 total blue ribbons awarded in professional classes , 12 of these were won by trainers from Tennessee . The lone exception to this remarkable victory pattern — and incidentally in the most important class — was the victory of Baine Lee of Meridian in the Championship Stake on JET PARADE ’ S MIDNIGHT .
The top ribbon winners were Joe Martin and Jimmy Holloway with ten ribbons each . Richard Pate won nine ribbons , Wallace Brandon eight and Ronnie Spears seven . Three men won six ribbons apiece - Wink Groover , Neil Robinson and Doug Wolaver .
The blue ribbons in the 13 classes break down as follows : Doug Wolaver , 5 ; Joe Martin , Neil Robinson and Mack Motes , 2 each ; and Wink Groover and Baine Lee , 1 each . The most exciting class at the show was the Championship Stake which saw Baine Lee and the underrated JET PARADE ’ S MIDNIGHT sweep the honors over some top horses . Baine beat such name horses as REFLECTION ’ S UNFORGETTABLE , GO BOY ’ S FLYING CLOUD , SENSATIONAL SHADOW and GO BOY ’ S BIG SHOT . You can see from these names that the water was deep , but Baine ’ s big black stud just kept getting better and stronger .
Baine did not show this horse at the Celebration two weeks previously but he beat four that did and certainly should have shown at the big show . Maybe next year !
Baine ’ s horse is owned by the Mai Graham Stables of Meridian , Mississippi , where Baine is the head trainer . The horse measures over 16 hands and is as black as night . Baine has won a number of blues with him this year but this victory is certainly the biggest .
Joe Martin was aboard the reserve winner , RE FLECTION ’ S UNFORGETTABLE . Joe ’ s horse won the stallion preliminary two nights previous and was a strong contender throughout the class even though he threw a shoe , which seemingly affected his performance . Third place in the class went to SENSA TIONAL SHADOW and Wallace Brandon for the Davis Brothers of Calhoun , Georgia . Wallace ’ s horse was not in top form during the class although he had been just the night before at a midnight practice session in the empty arena .
Tying fourth in the championship was the local favorite , GO BOY ’ S FLYING CLOUD and Ronnie Spears , while the fifth place ribbon was carried out of the ring by GO BOY ’ S BIG SHOT and Jimmy Holloway . The Amateur Championship Class was also won by a Tennessee entry , MONEYTREE ’ S SHADOW , and Laura Brandon . Laura and her horse won their preliminary class and came back even stronger to win the championship over some tough competition . The reserve horse was SPUR ’ S COMMANDER and David Ryan . David and his horse won the Amateur Stud and Gelding the previous night but could not quite upset Laura and her horse despite a tremendous effort .
Making a good show and tying an impressive third in the Amateur Championship was Cathy Bailey and GO BOY ’ S BAY CHIEF . The fourth place vote of the judges was won by PRIDE OF SPRING and Gayden Schrock with a consistent and steady show .
The Three-Year-Old Champion of the Mississippi State Show was HANDSHAKER ’ S DELIGHT with Doug Wolaver in the irons . This horse is owned by Brad Speight of Jackson , Tennessee , and is a proven performer in the show ring . He tied third in the Three- Year-Old Championship at the Celebration and looks like he will improve with age . Wink Groover riding SHAKER ’ S GO BOY placed reserve , while the third place tie was pinned on THE ELIMINATOR and Wallace Brandon . Attractive Jan Wright flew into town in time to win
TWO FOR TWO — Mack Motes rode into the show ring twice and each time came out with the blue ribbon . Both victories were aboard SHADOW ' S ROY AL FLUSH in the two-year-oid division . This is the first appearance for this big two-year-old since the Celebration and it was an impressive showing indeed .
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