Stepping Up With The Carrier Family Of Gobblers Knob

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The Carriers of Gobblers Knob Farm in Franklin, Kentucky, are well known for their head shaking, hard walking pleasure horses. Chip and Bonny Carrier and their son Jared enjoy a common love of the Tennessee Walking Horse and, over the past 20 years, they have attained great success, both in the show ring and in the breeding barn.

The Carriers’ relationship with the Tennessee Walking Horse actually began before Jared’s birth when Chip and Bonny bought a trail horse. Soon they began making the occasional trip to the Celebration. Chip recalls, “We occasionally went to the Celebration and sat in the west grandstand. What I remember most is that it usually rained.”

After spending time on the trails with his parents, Jared decided to get involved in 4-H. He started out showing a grade mare and was soon ready to move on to something more competitive. That’s when his parents purchased Supreme Versatility Champion Money Talks. They relate, “She taught Jared how to ride.”

The next successful horse to call Gobblers Knob home was Silver’s Spinal Tap (Spinal). At Jared’s first Celebration in 2002, Spinal carried him to his very first world championship under the direction of Tommy Loid. Jared and Spinal went on to earn a total of three world championships as well as many other blue ribbons.

In 2003, Jared started a mare named Wired’s Steppin Lady. The first horse Jared trained completely on his own, Wired’s Steppin Lady was a force to be reckoned with in the show ring. Tragically, at four years old she lost a battle with EPM.

Still a youth, Jared continued to rack up world titles. In addition to Spinal, he earned world championships with Royal’s Chosen Lady, Bluegrass Bandit (Bandit), and A Style File (Style). The team of Jared and Bandit proved to be particularly daunting for trail pleasure competitors. All told, they put together a record that includes five world championships, one reserve world grand championship, and one world grand championship.
Very impressively, they accomplished all of this before Bandit reached her fifth birthday. Currently recovering from cancer surgery, no doubt a great 2007 show season awaits Bandit and Jared.

In 2004, the Carriers bought the horse that Jared calls his favorite, A Style File. Under the guidance of trainer Laurie Toone, Jared and A Style File won a reserve world championship at the 2004 Celebration. In 2005, Jared campaigned A Style File successfully until the fall when Leigh Bennett took over the reins for a run at the roses. Style had a very successful 2005 Celebration earning a reserve world championship, a world championship, and the Western Lite Shod World Grand Championship. Following her success on the big oval, the decision was made to breed Style to the Carriers stallion at the time Mr. Coppertop. She delivered a beautiful filly in October 2006 and plans now call for her to return to the show ring in 2007.

In addition to showing, the Carriers have long been interested in breeding. Gobblers Knob encompasses 220 acres, plenty of room for a top notch breeding operation. With the goal of producing competitive pleasure horses, in the winter of 2005 the Carriers set out to find the perfect stallion for their band of good-producing broodmares. That stallion turned out to be World Champion and Supreme Versatility Champion Mr. Coppertop. After buying him, the Carriers bred 10 of their mares to Mr. Coppertop before a freak accident forced them to lay him rest. Nine Coppertop foals currently call Gobblers Knob home with the tenth due this spring.

Not to be deterred and confident in their breeding philosophy, the Carriers recently acquired World Grand Champion Gen At Midnight. This spring he will make his breeding debut with the mares of Gobblers Knob.
Speaking of those mares, the Carriers are justifiably proud of their broodmare band. They explain, “We are now breeding mares that are proven pleasure horses or are proven produces of pleasure horses.” One such producer is 2005 Dam of the Year Finale’s Backdoor Bandit. This productive mare produced WC Silver’s Spinal Tap, WGC Bluegrass Bandit, and WC Silver Bandit as well as two other very promising foals that Jared is currently working toward the show ring.

Over the years, Jared has honed his training abilities by closely observing the various trainers with which the Carriers have been involved. Recently, Jared had the unique opportunity to spend 10 days starting a colt under the guidance of well-known clinician and trainer Clinton Anderson. With a God given gift for working with horses, Jared has been able to incorporate what he’s learned from several trainers into his own personal style of horsemanship. His parents couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments both inside and out of the show ring.

Jared has also been able to coax his mom into the show ring on occasion. A talented rider in her own right, Bonny has made a number of victory passes, most recently with the gifted gelding Venus Dollar General.

Tennessee Walking Horses are truly a family affair for the Carriers. They go to horse shows together, they run the Gobblers Knob breeding operation together, and they delight in seeing each other succeed in the equine arena. As the 2007 show season kicks into gear, the Carriers are eagerly anticipating even greater achievements in the show ring.