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Midnight Sun (1940–65) was one of the leading sires of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed, and a two-time World Grand Champion in 1945 and 1946. He was trained by Fred Walker and lived almost all his life at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee.
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC), sometimes known as the Celebration, is the largest horse show for the Tennessee Walking Horse breed, and has been held annually in or near Shelbyville, Tennessee since its inception in 1939. The Celebration was conceived by Henry Davis, a horse trainer who along with several other horsemen, felt the Shelbyville area should have a festival or annual event. Although the Celebration was originally held in Wartrace, Tennessee, it moved to Shelbyville, the seat of Bedford County, a few years later. The Celebration spans 11 days and nights in late August and early September annually, and finishes with the crowning of the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walker on the Saturday night before Labor Day. The TWHNC draws an estimated 2,000 horses and 250,000 spectators to Shelbyville each year.
Strolling Jim (1936–1957) was the first Tennessee Walking Horse to become World Grand Champion of his breed. Since Strolling Jim's death, a restaurant, street, and annual marathon in his hometown of Wartrace, Tennessee have been named after him.
The Talk of the Town was the first Tennessee Walking Horse to win three World Grand Championships, and one of only two horses ever to do so.
Steve Hill was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer. He is one of only three horse trainers to win the breed's World Grand Championship four times, and trained the first three-time winner.
Emerson "Bud" Dunn was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer from Kentucky who spent most of his career in northern Alabama. He trained horses for over forty years and won his first Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Championship at age 74 with Dark Spirit's Rebel; at the time, he was the oldest rider to win the honor. He was inducted into the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame in 1987 and named trainer of the year in 1980 and 1991. In 1999 at age 81, Dunn surpassed his own record for the oldest winning rider by winning his second World Grand Championship, riding RPM. He died of a heart attack in January 2001.
Winston Wiser (1910–1961) was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer from Shelbyville, Tennessee, who won five World Grand Championships on three separate horses.
Ebony Masterpiece was a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won a World Grand Championship in 1962. After his show career he retired to stud, where he sired over 3,500 foals, six of which also became World Grand Champions.
Billy Gray was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer who won four World Grand Championships on different horses. Gray was named Trainer of the Year in 1982.
RPM was a Tennessee Walking Horse who won a World Grand Championship in 1999. As a four-year-old, RPM was sold for $1.25 million, estimated at the time to be the highest price ever paid for a Tennessee Walking Horse. RPM was trained by Bud Dunn, who also trained the horse's sire to a World Grand Championship in 1992.
Setting Sun was a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who competed in his breed's World Grand Championship three times. On his first attempt, in 1956, he placed third; he won the Reserve World Grand Championship in 1957 and the World Grand Championship in 1958. He was trained by Sam Paschal. After his wins, Setting Sun made nationwide television appearances. He died in 1976 and is buried near Newport, Tennessee.
Merry Walker was a Tennessee Walking Horse mare. She gave birth to the show horses Go Boy's Shadow and Rodger's Perfection, who won three World Grand Championships between them.
Donald Paschal was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer who won two World Grand Championships.
The horse industry in Tennessee is the 6th largest in the United States, and over three million acres of Tennessee farmland are used for horse raising or horse-related activities. The most popular breed in the state is the eponymous Tennessee Walking Horse, and it became an official state symbol in 2000.
White Star was a Tennessee Walking Horse mare who won her breed's World Grand Championship in 1954. After her Championship win, she was exhibited in multiple shows across the United States.
William Earl Bobo is a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer. He won the World Grand Championship at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in 2003 with the stallion The Whole Nine Yards. Bobo also showed the notable horse Rowdy Rev, who competed in the World Grand Championship several times but never won. Bobo has been named Trainer of the Year by the Walking Horse Trainers Association.
Gen's Armed and Dangerous is a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won his breed's World Grand Championship in 1994.
Vic Thompson was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer. He and the horse Sun's Jet Parade won the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration's World Grand Championship in 1957. Thompson was the first president of the Walking Horse Trainers' Association and was later inducted into the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame.
Pride's Generator (1975-2001) was a Tennessee Walking Horse who won three World Championships before being retired to breeding. Standing at stud first at S. W. Beech Stables and later at Waterfall Farms, he sired over 2,000 foals, of which two became World Grand Champions and over 100 became World Champions.
References
- ↑ Green, Ben A. (1 January 1960). "Biography of the Tennessee walking horse". Parthenon Press. Retrieved 2 August 2016– via Google Books.
- ↑ "Kentucky New Era - Google News Archive Search" . Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ↑ Green, Ben A. (1 January 1960). "Biography of the Tennessee walking horse". Parthenon Press. Retrieved 2 August 2016– via Google Books.
- ↑ "Ebony Masterpiece #560586 home page by Walkers West" . Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- 1 2 "Mid-South Horse Review News" . Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ↑ "Tennessee Walking horse - Johnny Midnight #602410 home page by Walkers West" . Retrieved 2 August 2016.