100 Years Of Walking In Wartrace

By Sarah Gee
©Voice, September 2006

Last Chance (last son of Merry Legs) with Jim Brantley (left)
and Albert Dement (at lead).

2006 marked the 100th anniversary of the Wartrace Horse Show. Known as the “Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse,” Wartrace’s history is deeply entwined with that of our great breed. This small Middle Tennessee railroad town has ties to several of our breed’s most renowned founders, promoters, and champions.

Originally dubbed “The Greatest All-Day and Night Show in Tennessee,” the Wartrace Farmer’s Carnival and Stock Show featured live music, a dog show, a beauty pageant, an auto show, and a ball game. Equine activities included a mare and colt show in the morning and a horse show in the evening. The horses were shown up and down the graveled Front Street, from one corner to the next. Strings of light bulbs draped up and down the street provided illumination and a water trough in the middle of the street provided refreshment for the show horses. Class winners would usually receive a valuable sack of flour or coffee. The wellhouse served as a judge’s stand and also as a place for visitors to congregate. A band made up of local merchants provided music for the event. As the wellhouse was clearly the place to be, the band would often set up and play from there. A thriving railroad center on the L & N main line between Nashville and Chattanooga, Wartrace (pop. 500) was easily accessible and the Wartrace Farmer’s Carnival and Stock Show would often draw up to 5,000 visitors. The show was held on Front Street for nearly 20 years before moving to the show grounds.

The Wartrace Farmer’s Carnival and Stock Show was greatly supported by the fact that Wartrace and the surrounding area was home to several dedicated and successful Walking Horse breeders and trainers. First and foremost among this group were James R. Brantley, Albert Dement, W. Henry Davis and Floyd Carothers.

Allan F-1

Jim Brantley, whose farm was at Needmo (now Noah) near Beech Grove purchased Old Black Allan or Allan F-1, the horse that would become our breed’s founder, in the spring of 1903 for $110. He bred the stallion to his mare Gertrude and produced Roan Allen F-38, one of the most influential sires in our breed’s history. Shown by Wartrace natives Albert Dement and Henry Davis as well as several others in numerous divisions including Walking Horse classes, saddle and buggy combination classes and five-gaited classes, Roan Allen was also an accomplished show horse. In fact, he took at least one blue at the Wartrace Farmer’s Carnival and Stock Show.

Merry Legs with Huda Dement

Brantley sold Allan F-1 to Albert Dement in 1910. Dement bred him to his mare Nell only once before the stallion’s death in September of that year. The result was the great foundation mare Merry Legs F-4. Dement would go on to develop a scientific system for breeding Walking Horses involving inbreeding and linebreeding. In addition to his contribution as a breeder, Dement was well known in the show ring and he played an instrumental part in the formation of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ Association of American (now TWHBEA).

After visiting the Crimson Clover Festival in Winchester, Tennessee, W. Henry Davis proposed the organization of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. He will be forever remembered as the “Father of the Celebration.” Davis and Floyd Carothers operated a large breeding operation near the center of Wartrace for several years. Together they purchased Strolling Jim. They brought the talented three-year-old gelding to Wartrace in April of 1939. Four months later, Carothers directed him to the World Grand Championship at the very first Celebration. Carothers went on to become a very successful trainer and, later, the proprietor of Floyd’s Walking Horse Hotel (now the Walking Horse Hotel) in Wartrace. Davis continued to breed quality Walking Horses. He stood the well known Giovanni as well as Sun Ray and Top Wilson. In 1942, after having seen Winston Wiser ride the horse that would become Midnight Sun, he suggested to Wirt Harlin that he buy the gangly stallion. The rest is well-known Walking Horse history.

Other noted early Walking Horse enthusiasts from the Wartrace area include Orman and E.G. Gilmore, Fred Powers, the Walker family, Tom Kimbro, W. Arthur Hoyle, Allen Bobo, Joe S. Crawford, Brantley Stevens and Bob Murchison. Later, men such as trainers Steve Hill, Winston Wiser and Ray and Mack Tenpenny would cement Wartrace’s reputation as the “Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse.”

Steve Hill grew up in nearby Beech Grove riding horses for his uncle Johnson Hill. One of the horse’s Steve worked for his uncle was a young colt then known as the Johnson Hill Horse. The horse was later renamed Wilson’s Allen. At age 14, Steve made his show ring debut aboard Wilson’s Allen at the Wartrace Farmer’s Carnival and Stock Show. Two years later, Steve embarked on his almost 60-year career as a professional Tennessee Walking Horse trainer. He spent most of his career in Beech Grove.

Winston Wiser began his training career at his family’s farm in Wartrace. It was there that he trained 1943 World Grand Champion Black Angel and started 1947 and 1948 World Grand Champion Merry Go Boy. Black Angel was a Wartrace horse through and through having been bred by resident Fannie Bramblett. Wiser would go on to become the only Walking Horse trainer to win five World Grand Championships.

Ray and Mack Tenpenny developed their training skills at the Dement Farm. They helped train both Merry Legs and her son Merry Boy. At the 1961 Wartrace Horse Show, Ray Tenpenny was responsible for a most memorable moment. That year, Doug Wolaver showed 1960 World Grand Champion Mack K’s Handshaker in the Wartrace stake. Ray Tenpenny was up on Go Boy’s Cheerleader. The judge put both horses back on the rail for a workout and Tenpenny and Go Boy’s Cheerleader emerged victorious. Mack Tenpenny went on to work many great horses with Steve Hill at his Beech Grove stables.

Over the past 100 years the Wartrace Horse Show has continued to prosper. It is consistently listed as a favorite show by trainers, exhibitors and spectators alike. It combines down-home tradition, great competition and fond memories galore. It’s no surprise that the “Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse” hosts one of our industry’s most revered and anticipated events.