1969 Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1969 April Voice RS | Page 45

Seldom in the history of any breed has a
horse come upon the scene that caused
as much interest, controversy and discus­
sion as did the incomparable JOHNNY
MIDNIGHT; A Tennessee Walking Horse
of rare ability and merit. JOHNNY ... as
he was affectionately known by his many
fans, died on March 20, 1969.
This is
his story!
AIMING HIGH — This is the cover of the April 1965 VOICE which featured
JOHNNY MIDNIGHT with his trainer and owners. They were all aiming
high with good cause at that time.
THE SAGA OF JOHNNY MIDNIGHT
JOHNNY MIDNIGHT first came upon the scene as
the heralded full brother of SUN’S DELIGHT, 1963
World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse. He
came close on his brother’s heels and attracted much
acclaim as a three-year-old with trainer Neal "Shorty”
Branscum rid ing him. He climaxed the season tying
ninth in both the Class and the Junior Stake in 1963.
"Shorty” had also ridden SUN’S DELIGHT as a jun­
ior horse and in many people’s minds he had come up
with an even better horse with JOHNNY. Speculation
grew as to the merits of this fine black stallion by the
great MIDNIGHT SUN and out of the famous WIL­
SON’S SNIP’S CHANCE. He was bigger than his illus­
trious brother and he was black. In 1964, still in train­
ing with "Shorty” Branscum and owned by Dean and
Beckler, he was shown sparingly. By Celebration time
there was growing interest and he was given close
scrutiny by a lot of horsemen as he was ridden to tie
third in the Age Stallion Class (then four years old
and over) and fifth in the Championship Stake.
By spring of 1965, the word was out that JOHNNY
MIDNIGHT had been purchased by Gribble and Eaton
of McMinnville, Tennessee, and had been placed in
training with Sam Paschal of Murfreesboro. Sam, rider
of three Celebration grand champions including SUN’S
DELIGHT in 1963, appeared to be the logical pros­
pect for JOHNNY MIDNIGHT. They were a perfect
April, 1969
team and all observers had them billed as incompar­
able. JOHNNY MIDNIGHT appeared on the cover of
the VOICE in April of 1965 in full color, the first time
a Tennessee Walking Horse had been promoted on
such a grand scale.
As the season developed, so did "the saga of JOHN­
NY MIDNIGHT.” In his usual manner of showman­
ship, Mr. Paschal worked the big black stallion in
secret. Reports stated that Sam carried JOHNNY to
his farm every morning at five o’clock and worked him
in the early morning silence and darkness. We were
privileged to receive a personal invitation to see him
work one morning, and were dumfounded. JOHNNY
MIDNIGHT was fat and slick and worked with the
ease of a well-oiled machine. We have never seen a
horse work so well or do as much as he did that
morning in a pair of small boots. He moved with en­
thusiasm and carried his head high. His flat foot walk
was big and bold, and his running walk . . . well, you
had to see it to believe it!
History now records that JOHNNY MIDNIGHT was
tied third in the Age Stallion Class in 1965 and was
Reserve behind the great TRIPLE THREAT in the
Grand Championship at the Celebration that year.
Sam Paschal and his owners were not to be denied,
however, and they embarked upon a program aimed
I at 1966. For a horse that cost a figure reported to be
(Continued on page 65)
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