tion but had really added nothing constructive to the line of thought . He seemed to be preoccupied with other problems . About eleven o ’ clock , Lonny went over to M . L . and whispered something into his ear . The young boy jumped up and , with a big grin on his face , started out the door with coat in hand . As he stuck a bright red hat on his head he said , " Man , have you fellows got a surprise coming !”
Helen had finished serving the last of two rounds of coffee and doughnuts when Lonny said , " I ’ ll tell you what : if all of you will come with me I think I can show you something that just might influence your thinking . Let ’ s all go out to the barn .” Always eager to take a look at horseflesh , the group put on their coats and hats and trooped up the hill to the stable . The lights were on and M . L . had fired up a large salamander heater in the cross-tie area . As they crowded around the heater , Lonny turned to M . L . and said , " How about bringing BEAU JACK out for us , little buddy ?” The group mumbled among themselves while Dr . and Mrs . Greely smiled their pleasure as the young colored boy led a black stud colt out of a stall and up to the center of the hall .
" What you got there , Lonny ?” asked ' one of the men with Four Square Enterprises , " a two-year-old ?” Lonny said , " Not just A two-year-old . . . but THE great est young horse that ever lived .” They all laughed , and one man said , " I ’ ve heard that before .”
As the black horse was being stripped of his leg wraps and blankets , Lonny told an interesting story " Fellows . . . Dr . Greely is smarter than the average bear . He started a breeding program of his own sev eral years ago with BEAU GENTRY . He purchased some top brood stock that he felt would nic well with him and we have two of several two-year-olds already in training . Take a look and see what you think .” The group moved in close to the stud colt , who was likewise looking them over . He was feeling good and was a bit hard to hold with a leadline .
Dink Fuller was the first to really commit himself He looked the colt over real good and said , " If he ’ s half as good as he looks , I believe you ’ ve got a winner here . How long have you been working him , Lonny ?” Dr . Greely went into the details of how he was bred how long they had been working him , and how far along he was . They all wanted to see him under sad die . Ralph Wild spoke up , " Why didn ’ t you enter him in the Festival Futurity , Doctor ?” The doctor laughed and said , " Why get a good colt caught up in that mess , Ralph ? We all know how it works and nobody pays any attention to it any more .” Ralph got a little red in the face as he had been a Futurity judge two years before . Trying to overcome his set-back , Mr . Wild said , " Well , I just tied ' em the way I saw ' em . Nobody replied !
As Martin Luther held the colt , Lonny put his left foot into the stirrup and gently swung his leg over the colt as BEAU JACK quickly moved out from under him , eager to get started . The comments from the group were music to Dr . Greely ’ s ears : " Man , look at the way he sets up !” . . . " Listen to that rhythm !” " Damn — he ’ s doing more right now than two-thirds of the horses in the Festival last year .” . . . " Fat , pretty , and black . What more could you ask for ?” Dr . Pratt really got enthusiastic and yelled at Lonny , fell ' im to come up , man !” Lonny smiled as he made the turn at the end of the long hall and kicked his colt , gathering the reins just enough to brace him .
The young colt sensed the situation and he swelled a
bit under the saddle as he took his first giant step down the hall . The clinking of the small chains on his front feet seemed to make music as he flashed past the group in the middle of the hall . M . L . took off his hat and let out a yell as he threw it on the ground in a gesture of real enthusiasm . Lonny carried the stout black stud around the sharp turn at the end of the barn without missing a beat . He clucked to him just one time and again the colt dropped down in the back end and set himself behind the bit as he charged past his admirers with his keen head popping with every step and his ears and eyes attentive to every action of his audience .
Back at the house , Lonny and Dr . Greely were going over the results of their meeting . " Well , Lonny ,” the doctor said , " it looks as if we made believers out of them . . . don ’ t you think ?” Lonny smiled and said , " Yes , sir ! I ’ d like to see the looks on their faces when Ralph Wild makes his report to the king-makers . I ’ ll bet they will squirm a little before the year is over .” ( Next month — Big Business for a Little Man )
BGTETOURT COUNTY RESIDENTS WORK TO IMPROVE WALKING HORSE BREED
Horses are coming to the front , and residents of Botetourt County , Virginia are putting forth a lot of time and effort to improve the Walking Horse breed . Educating the public on the possibilities and pleasure this great breed can bring them as an individual or a family project is most important to them . Teaching bloodlines , sportsmanship , cooperation and responsibility is of great concern to each family having children and a Walking Horse . It should prove interesting to keep an eye on the stock and residents and not the improvements the make as time goes on .
Our congratulations to J . T . and Tommy Hopkins on the mare they bought at the Murray Farm Sale in Tennessee . Doc also has a beautiful chestnut SETTING SUN stallion now standing at his dairy farm near Fincastle .
F . T . Waid and son Bob , also of Fincastle , have PEACHY B , as well as a good , loose-going black filly that is about ready to go to work .
Talk about black horses ... go see Ed Bryant of Troutville and his three black ones . Be on the lookout for his big bold-going two-year-old that will be ready to his the show ring next year .
Tommy Camper at Nod-Away Stables in Buchanan has his big-licking black SONYX . Competition is heavy for Tommy as " Coo-Bug ” prepares to come out next season on CATAWBA LAD — must mention the outlaw " bay ” in the cross-ties at that barn .
Why not go by Bailey-Wick Farms in Daleville and watch little Dick work his horses . He had a successful year this season . His dad , Dr . Bailey , has contributed
much to the Walking Horse breed . Mrs . Ruth Randolph and Dr . and Mrs . Zillheart are breeders of Walkers in the community . Mr . E . L . Talbott is a promoter and enthusiast of the breed .
We ’ ll be looking forward to seeing two of ou . r “ fV young riders , Paige Metz and Freddie Hancock , in
show ring next season . , . nAr (! We wish much success to the breeders , trainers , and promoters of Botetourt County .
Walking Horse 18 Voice of the Tennessee