It is refreshing indeed to note people such as Dr . Jim Ellis who , as a relative newcomer to the horse business , has concentrated on purchasing and producing nothing but top stock . This is the type of program that cannot help but succeed .
DALE HOLLOW STABLE
This new steel fourteen-stall barn was completed last October and is located in Celina , Tennessee . The trainer is James Reed Bailey and the barn is owned by B . C . Nesbitt of Celina .
Mr . Nesbitt has been in the Walking Horse business about a year , and presently has 30 head of horses , including seven show horses . His daughters Diane , 14 , and Debra , 13 , show , and wife Ann cares for the colts . It is a real family affair with the Nesbitts .
Two of the horses at Dale Hollow that are creating a lot of interest are BLUE RAIDER and PRIDE ’ S BAY GAL . RAIDER is a nine-year-old stud that Mr . Nesbitt purchased after the Celebration . BAY GAL is a three-year-old filly that was shown three times last year . She has good size and goes like a stud .
Mr . Nesbitt also has four head of horses in training at Robbins View Stable in Livingston , Tennessee .
BILLY MORGAN ACQUIRES TRAINER ’ S POSITION AT CIRCLE R STABLES
Billy Morgan has recently taken over as trainer for the Circle R Stables in West Point , Mississippi . The - ' able , owned by the Robinson Truck Lines , has been under the direction of Ronnie Spears for the past four years . has worked as an assistant trainer for such ssionals as Buddy Hugh , Vic Thomp-
. George Livingston and Casey Jones . For the past months he has been the assistant of Wallace
. andon , working several good two-year-olds . - now working 22 horses but plans eventually in wain about 30 head with several outside horses . In
- ; ud classes he will be showing GO BOY ’ S HALLENGER and COOL HAND LUKE . CHAL LENGER will also be shown by Linda Robinson De- Shazo in amateur competition .
FLYING CLOUD ’ S SON is a top three-year-old stud who goes just like his sire , GO BOY ’ S FLYING CLOUD . He is a black roan and is owned by Pete
Robinson .
Billy will be showing a two-year-old by SUN ’ S ACE OF SPADES for Kenneth Robinson and a black stud owned by Norman Cash . Both of these horses have the potential to become contenders in their division .
Judy Wilkerson of Oxford , Mississippi has a roan aged stud in training that her niece will show this year . Also , Linda DeShazo will show a four-year-old by SUN ’ S DELIGHT .
Billy is just getting set up in his new position but should be showing and selling full blast by the middle of show season .
GENE MAYFIELD STABLE
This small operation in McMinnville , Tennessee concentrates primarily on young horses . Owner Gene Mayfield has been working with horses for years and has sold many fine colts in Middle Tennessee . He is working eight head of horses presently , including a good three-year-old SUN ’ S DELIGHT stallion . This is one of the best young horses Gene has ever had , and several prospective buyers have looked at him .
Gene has a full-time job with an automobile dealer in McMinnville , but maintains his interest and activity with horses . He owns all of the horses he is now working but has worked colts for other owners in the past .
GROOVER-SPEARS PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED
Two current World Champion trainers have joined forces in a partnership that is creating widespread interest . Ronnie Spears , formerly of the Circle R Stables in West Point , Mississippi , has moved 22 head of horses to the Wink Groover Stables in Etowah , Tennessee . The new operation has been named the Groover- Spears Walking Horse Stable .
Wink and Ronnie both rode World Champions at the 1968 Celebration . Wink made Celebration history on the Junior Champion , ACE ’ S SENSATION , and Ronnie rode the great Two-Year-Old Champion , GUN- SMOKE ’ S FIREBALL .
Wink , whose barn was already filled to capacity , has begun construction of more stalls to handle the 50 horses that will be in training . Friends of long standing , Wink and Ronnie are busy culling out Wink ’ s stock and moving Ronnie ’ s in .
SHAMROCK STABLES
Jim Shannon and Tom Hailey of Shamrock Stables in Green Brier , Tennessee are working ten head of horses at present . Among those horses in training are : DELIGHT ’ S MIGHTY MAN , a four-year-old owned by Tom and Jack Hailey ; SUN DANCER , a threeyear-old owned by Howard Johnson , Jr . of Nashville and Captain Austin Tucker of Gainesville , Georgia ; SUN ’ S BIG MAN J , a four-year-old owned by Shannon & Maddox ; EBONY MERRY BOY S , a two-year-old owned by Joab Stanley ; DELIGHT ’ S SPARK , James Shannon ’ s two-year-old ; a SUN ’ S DELIGHT two-yearold owned by Tatum & Mitchell ; TEE NEE ’ S CAR BON , a three-year-old owned by Boyd Nash ; LITTLE ACE , a three-year-old , and MAC ’ S HI HAT , a twoyear-old , both owned by Clyde Crain . All of these horses are doing well , and Jim and Tom invite you to visit the stable to watch the training .
JIMMY HACKETT STABLES
CARTHAGE , TENNESSEE Phone 615 / 735-2196
Thirteen-year-old sorrel mare- By MIDNIGHT OF 0AKW00D , heavy in foal to MERRY GO BOY , reasonably priced
WARRIOR RIVER STABLE
This fine new stable is located in Cordova , Alabama , and Buford Brown is the trainer in charge . The stable is owned by a partnership of Hambric and Miller and currently has sixteen head of horses working .
Buford has been at Warrior River Stables about six months and is readying the stock for the coming show season . Buford was at George Witt Stables and Battleground Stables in the past several years .
( Continued on page 54 )
50 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse