1968-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1968 September/October Voice RS | Page 62

SUN’S ELIMINATOR.
A total of 26 states was represented on the entry
list that totaled 1,662 horses. There were 1,646 en­
tires last year.
The Three-Year-Old Championship was settled on
Friday afternoon, due to the postponement of Thurs­
day night classes. The winner was the popular and
hard-working Carlton Pitts on GO BOY’S BLACK
ROOSTER, owned by Captain and Mrs. E. A. Self of
Mobile, Alabama. This big black stud stayed on the
rail doing three gaits and won the nod of the judges.
Carlton has had great confidence in this horse for
two years and his feelings were well rewarded with
this championship. BLACK ROOSTER won in a class
of 19 horses, with Joe Martin riding REFLECTION’S
SHADOW for owners Payne, Martin and Wiser tying
reserve.
The 1967 Two-Year-Old World Champion, DOUBLE
DELIGHT 00, did not show in 1968, despite the fact
that he was entered in the program and was on the
showgrounds. No reason was given for his absence
from the ring.
The Two-Year-Old Class saw some of the best young
horses in the history of the breed enter the ring "in
quest of a blue." The general consensus of judges,
officials and spectators was that this was also the
cleanest groups of horses to enter the ring in years.
These two facts combined should give us all a lot of
confidence as to the future.
The blue ribbon went to Ronnie Spears and GUN-
SMOKE’S FIREBALL, owned by Paul Thompson and
Jimmy McDonald. This horse made a great show and
thrilled the crowd by doing a running walk that is
rarely seen on such a young horse. Ronnie was par­
ticularly happy with this victory because he has had
the colt for all of his showring training.
Second in this class of 37 entries was EBONY’S
OLD CHARTER and Dickie Pate, who also tied in the
reserve slot in one of the two-year-old preliminaries.
Dickie’s horse was in much better form in this class
and kept the pressure on Ronnie and his horse. Third
place went to SHADOW’S ROYAL FLUSH and Mack
Motes. Mack’s horse is another big-lick horse that will
improve more with age. Mack is extremely high on
this horse and feels that the best is yet to come from
this fine colt.
Two top contenders did not show back in the Two-
Year-Old Championship. JUDGES’ CHOICE, the filly
champion, and MISTER REE, one of the two stallion
champions, did not enter the final class in their age
division.
The Amateur Champion of 1968 is the popular
former champion, MOONGLOW, JR. and Burt Dau-
gette. Burt gave her horse a masterful ride in defeat­
ing one of the best classes of amateurs in many years.
Burt tied second to GO BOY’S CHATTERBOX and
Candace Williams in the amateur stallion preliminary
class but came back strong to win the final. The
championship class attracted 22 entries and the judges
had a difficult task to select the top ten. The reserve
tie went to HURRY SUNDOWN and Patti Reams.
Patti was not considered one of the top contenders
prior to the class but her performance certainly makes
her a threat to all future championship competition.
Tying third was the veteran team of Mrs. Frank
Parnell and LADY GODIVA. Whenever they enter the
ring, they are always in top form and end up at the
top of the class. The fourth place tie went to Candace
Williams and GO BOY’S CHATTERBOX. Candace
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won her preliminary class earlier in the week and won
the championship last year on ROYAL HEIR.
The Juvenile Champion of 1968 put on on of the
best performances ever seen by a juvenile. Judy Til-
lett and THE UNTOUCHABLE made two magnificent
shows to win the title for the third straight year. Judy
has now won six straight blues in the Celebration
over a three-year span and she was never better than
in 1968.
Judy had to'turn back the hopes of 26 other entries
to win the championship and this she did in impres­
sive fashion. Judy and her horse will no doubt go
down in the record books as one of the greatest juven­
ile teams of all time, an honor justly earned.
The reserve award went to HILL’S PERFECTION
and Kim Lovette. Kim battled Judy all the way and
made a great show to win reserve championship hon­
ors. SHADOW’S GAY LADY and Sara Hickerson
were third, while MERRY BELLS and Mary Vann
Jenkins were a popular fourth.
The Pony Class saw a real battle for the blue with
the final nod going to SETTING SUN’S APOLLO and
Lynn Doughty. Lynn and her horse were in their best
form ever and it took just that to beat this class of
32 ponies. Reserve went to ECHO’S LITTLE MAN
and Larry Martin. Larry won his preliminary class
earlier in the week, as did Lynn and APOLLO. These
two fine young competitors know what competition is
all about and they really gave the crowd quite a show.
APOLLO is no stranger to blue ribbons, having won
the Two-Year-Old title in 196