By Sarah Gee
©Voice, November 2006

Dr. W.H. “Harry” Hill has enjoyed a lifelong passion for all things equine. Growing up on a rural Georgia mule and plow stock farm during the Depression, he had his own gaited horse that he rode on errands and to school each day. Upon graduating from high school and entering the University of Georgia, he put his horse habit on hold. From the University he went on to the Medical College of Georgia and from there to an internship. During medical school and the internship he indulged his habit once again by purchasing a pleasure horse. However, the habit was put on hold for a second time when he was drafted into military service for World War II. Dr. Hill served four years in the South Pacific with a portable surgical hospital. He recalls, “It was not a M.A.S.H. unit, we had no wheeled transportation, we carried everything on our backs and we went right along with the infantry.”

Following his return to the United States, Dr. Hill met and married Harriet Hargrove. He also completed his surgical residency and, soon after, bought a Tennessee Walking Horse. He relates, “I bought the horse, a strawberry roan, from a man in Sweetwater, Tennessee. Carl Edwards, who worked for Mr. Budd of Florida Queen Cigars at the time, trained the horse for me. Normally, Carl didn’t take private horses, but he and I were good friends and he agreed to take mine. At that time his sons were just boys, Larry was six or seven years old and Gary was just a little fellow.”

In 1949, Dr. Hill attended his first Celebration. He hasn’t missed one since. Discussing his involvement in the breed at that time, Dr. Hill states, “I didn’t show that first year. I was just beginning my surgical practice. I did have a mare named Linda Wilson and a horse trailer that I pulled behind a Chevrolet Coupe but I didn’t think my mare was good enough to bring to the Celebration. I rode her for pleasure and I rode her in the Shrine patrol in Atlanta. I had a great time with Linda Wilson.”

Later, when Carl Edwards completely stopped taking outside horses, Dr. Hill moved his stock to middle Tennessee. First he was with Bob Burris in Triune and later with Harold Wise and Jack Warren in Lewisburg. It was with Wise and Warren that Dr. Hill enjoyed his first taste of show ring success with a horse named Hillgrove’s Go Boy.

With Jack Warren in the irons, Hillgrove’s Go Boy claimed third in the Two-Year-Old Stallions class and fourth in the Two-Year-Old World Grand Championship at the 1957 Celebration. He went on to walk away with five more Celebration ribbons over the next three years with both Warren and Dr. Hill up.

Always interested in horse breeding, Dr. Hill was extremely proud of homebred Hillgrove’s Go Boy. He’s equally proud of his broodmares. He declares, “I’ve had several good mares. I guess the best broodmare I ever had was Midnight Jane T. In 1957 I bred her to Go Boy’s Shadow and she had a filly. We showed her in the Mare and Foal class at the 1958 Celebration with me leading the mare and Bobby Estes leading the colt. We tied fourth.” Continuing to discuss broodmares, he relates, “I had seven broodmares back then and all of them were pleasure horses that we used to ride the roads. I rode Midnight Jane all over.” Of course, Dr. Hill’s breeding success wasn’t limited to the 1950s, since that time he has raised a number of successful show horses including, most recently, The Man Of The Town and Neon Bright, whom Dr. Hill calls the best horse he ever raised.

In the late 1950s – early 1960s, Larry and Gary Edwards joined their father in the training operation and Carl Edwards and Sons Stables made the move to Dawson, Georgia. Dr. Hill immediately moved his stock to Dawson and has been there ever since. He remarks, “Carl has been dead for over 20 years now. The boys have done a great job for me training. They’re my friends, their wives are my friends, and Mrs. Edwards is my friend.”

Since returning to the Edwards’ barn, Dr. Hill has had a string of very impressive show horses. Horses such as The Falcon D, Brave Falcon, Missy’s Sun’s Delight, John Cajun, Doc’s Choice, Ebony’s Lady Luck, Senator’s Lady Delight, Big Star Bound, The Man In Command, Gifted Lady, All My Money’s On You, The Man In Charge, and The Magic Line have garnered countless ribbons throughout the southeast. However, when you think of Dr. W.H. Hill, a select group of horses immediately comes to mind. Those horses are Delight’s Cold Ice, Pride’s Ringleader, Neon Bright, and Cash’s All Star.

Delight’s Cold Ice was one of the top show horses during the 1970s and early 1980s. An incredibly talented stallion, he strolled to success in both open and amateur competition. At the 1977 Celebration, under the direction of Larry Edwards, he walked away with a reserve tie in the Aged Stallions class. The next year, again with Larry up, he claimed the blue as Aged Stallion World Champion. Two years later Dr. Hill directed Delight’s Cold Ice to the Owner-Amateur Riders 60 & Over World Championship. He repeated the feat the very next year.

The Hills with perennial contender Pride’s Ringleader.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Pride’s Ringleader was a force to be reckoned with. In 1984, Larry Edwards directed him to the Junior World Grand Championship. Five more Celebration titles followed. 1988 saw Pride’s Ringleader in the winner’s circle again as World Champion Walking Gelding. He went on to claim this title again in 1989. Also in 1988, Pride’s Ringleader carried Dr. Hill to his third Owner-Amateur Riders 60 & Over World Championship. He went on to carry Dr. Hill to his fourth and fifth titles in 1989 and 1991.

The best horse Dr. Hill ever raised, Neon Bright, is one bright show ring star. She first hit the ring in 2003 as a two-year-old and quickly grabbed the attention of everyone in the industry. In 2004, she truly came into her own as she strolled down victory lane as a Three-Year-Old Mare World Champion under the direction of Larry Edwards. The next year she was nearly undefeated and she walked away with the Four-Year-Old Mares (Canter) World Championship. In 2006, she continued her winning ways claiming two impressive blues before tying a very impressive third in the Aged Mares World Championship.

A fairly recent acquisition, Cash’s All Star has fully proven his star power for Dr. Hill. In 2006, the striking team of All Star and Dr. Hill put together a perfect show season with five blue ribbons in five show ring appearances, including the Owner-Amateur Riders 70 & Over World Championship.
Discussing his years in the industry, Dr. Hill remarks, “I’ve truly enjoyed walking horses, it’s good therapy I think. I like to win blue ribbons at horse shows but I’ve shown more times and won nothing. There’s just something about the horses and about the people that keeps me coming back. I’ve enjoyed the horses even more since I retired.”

After practicing general surgery in Atlanta for 41 years, Dr. Hill retired to a farm, dubbed Hillgrove Farm, in Powder Springs, Georgia. Surrounded by the ever encroaching metropolitan area, the farm’s livestock now consists solely of a few chickens and peacocks, which suits Dr. Hill fine as he and wife Harriet are just about always on the go.

Very interested in education, Dr. Hill teaches Sunday School at the local Methodist Church and the Hills actively support Young Harris College in north Georgia. Dr. Hill, expounds, “The college is in the mountains of north Georgia and it is an excellent place to begin a liberal arts education. I don’t believe you can start a liberal arts education at a better place than Young Harris College.”

The Hills are also avid travelers, making at least one major trip a year. Their favorite destinations have included Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, most all of Europe, Turkey, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, the Galapagos Islands, and Peru. Of traveling, Dr. Hill says, “The only place I really have no interest in is the Orient. I spent four years there during the war and I really have no desire to go back. Of course the nicest part of any trip is getting home. The one thing I can say for certain after all my travels is that, no doubt about it, we live in the greatest country in the world.”

At 90 years young, Dr. W.H. “Harry” Hill is a true credit to, not only our industry, but to society as a whole. He is a dedicated husband, healer, and friend. He is humble, honest, and respectful. In other words, he is a true gentleman. It really is people like the Hills that make our industry so enjoyable.