JIMMY HICKS
RETIRES
BLUE ' S MARY D . QLL
AT MONTGOMERY .
WORLD CHAMPION
15.2 UNDER MARE TO
VISIT COURT OF
EBONY MASTERPIECE
LAST TRIP - Dr . and Mrs . Harry 1 . Blaylock of Birmingham , Alabama pose
with BLUE ' S MARY DOLL as she makes her last trip in ihc * show ring . She was retired at Montgomery after winning the 1969 World Championship for Mares 15.2 and Under .
In one of ihe most impressive retirement ceremonies in years , 1969 World Champion 15.2 and Under Walking Mare BLUE ’ S MARY DOLL made her final performance at the Montgomery ' Southern Championship Horse Show . The Garrett Coliseum was filled almost to capacity on the final night and it was a fitting time and place for this superb horse to make her final show with trainer Jimmy Hicks in the saddle . The story behind the rise to fame of this fancy black mare is quite interesting . We first saw her at Montgomery in 1967 . She was being worked by J . W . Hicks early one morning in the coliseum and was being somewrhat overshadowed by some of the " big-name ” horses being worked at the same time . As J . W . pulled her in to let her blow , we walked over and talked to him . We were very much impressed with the mare and asked some questions about her . We learned that she was by BLUE MIDNIGHT BOY and out of MARY WARRIOR , and was a five-year-old . She belonged to Dr . and Mrs . Harry Blaylock of Birmingham . Alabama , and was definitely not for sale .
This mare represented a challenge to a number of people . It was obvious that she was a real top horse and that both the mare and Jimmy Hicks , the man showing her , were virtually unknown in the Walking Horse world . Together we embarked on a two-year record of showring participation and promotion that ultimately led to the " big time ” and the 1969 World Championship . F ’ rom an unknown in 1967 ( she tied seventh in the Mare Class at Montgomery ) to the Celebration championship in 1969 , BLLTE ’ S MARY DOLL proved that " it can be done if you ’ ve got the horse and a little help .” In a career that lasted for six years , this mare won over fifty blue ribbons .
A lot of credit must go to both the owners and the trainers of this fine mare . They have made every ' effort to do things the right way . They were smart in their show schedule , and promoted her in the right places and at the right time . They made every effort to participate in the affairs of the Walking Horse business and were gentlemen about it . They also took their lumps and didn ’ t complain when things didn ’ t go their way . It finally paid off with a most impressive victory at the Celebration .
In talking with Mrs . Blaylock about MARY DOLL , we learned that Jimmy was the youngest trainer to win a ribbon in a professional class at the Celebration . He tied on BLUE ’ S MARY DOLL when she was a two-year-old in 1964 . They are quite proud of the fact that their horse is " Alabama bred , born , trained . . . and retired ” and hope that they can make even more contributions to the Walking Horse activity of their state in the future .
BLUE ’ S MARY DOLL will be bred to EBONY MAS TERPIECE in the spring , and we will all look forward to the first colt out of this mare . It is horses such as these that have made our breed great .
UNKNOWN IN 1967 — J . W . Hicks is pictured at Montgomery in 1967 as he finished a workout with BLUE ' S MARY DOLL . They tied seventh that year in the Southern Championship .
22 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse