By Sarah Gee
©Voice, May 2007

A native of Paris, Tennessee, Wayne Dean has been around Tennessee Walking Horses for so long that he no longer remembers his first ride aboard one. His uncle Audie Dean introduced him to the breed that would eventually become a way of life for Wayne and his family.

After graduating from Henry County High School and spending one year at Freed Hardeman University, Wayne decided to dedicate himself full-time to training Tennessee Walking Horses. He spent several years training in various locations before settling down in Lewisburg, Tennessee. An early stint at Valton Rummage’s barn in Columbia, Tennessee, first introduced Wayne to the woman that would become his wife, Valton’s daughter Freda.

Wayne and Freda have been married 25 years and they have two children, Monica Carter and John Dean, and two grandchildren, Carson Carter and Katie Grace Dean. For the Dean family, walking horses are truly a family affair. Wayne relates, “Freda and the kids all showed. The kids were raised at the barn and at horse shows. Where else would they go when we were at a show every weekend!”

Currently, the Deans own 5 horses and Wayne has around 26 horses in training at his barn. In addition to training and showing, Wayne is a very well-respected horse show judge having judged every major show in the industry including the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Wayne is also a successful auctioneer. Besides serving at TWHBEA^SM, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Walking Horse Trainers Association (WHTA), as manager of the Lewisburg Horse Show, and as Vice President of the Marshall County Horseman’s Association. When he’s not training, showing, working an auction, or judging horse shows, he enjoys golfing, buying and selling cars and trucks, and trail riding.

When asked what his greatest accomplishments have been, Wayne is quick to list his marriage and kids, his honest reputation in the horse business, and his success as a horse trainer and an auctioneer. Within the walking horse industry, Wayne is most proud of his reputation as a horse show judge, the three world championships that horses under his direction have won, and his positions with the TWHBEA^SM and the WHTA. His favorite equine related memories include training 1986 reserve world champion Pride’s Challenger and winning the 2004 Fine Harness World Championship with Hal’s Six Shooter.

Dedicated to the betterment of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, Wayne says that he sought the position of Trainers Vice President because he felt that he would be able to make a difference. He explains, “My goal as Trainers Vice President is to ensure that TWHBEA^SM places the welfare of the Tennessee Walking Horse and the Tennessee Walking Horse industry ahead of personal agendas. To me, the horse should always be first! I want to encourage participation among TWHBEA^SM members, especially performance horse enthusiasts, by giving them a voice on the Executive Committee.”