World Grand Champion in 1963

Sun's Delight D.  #592116

Sun’s Delight was sired by Midnight Sun, out of Wilson Snip’s Chance by Wilson Dean, who was by Wilson’s Allen.  His second dam was Snip’s Chance by Last Chance, by Hunter’s Allen F-10, and his third dam was Snip, a daughter of Grey Lad.  His fourth dam was the famous foundation mare, Merry Legs F-4.  The breeder of Sun’s Delight was A. S. Dean of Christiana, TN.  He was the owner of Sun’s Delight at the 1962 Celebration when this great horse tied second in the event for Junior Stallions and was named Reserve Junior Champion Walking Horse over some of the best competition every exhibited at a Celebration showing.

Sun's Delight D. - photo courtesy of Tony Temple, URL to follow.

Sun’s Delight was undoubtedly one of the most popular World Grand Champion walking horses of all time.  Fine and handsome, this chestnut son of Midnight Sun had, in addition to his beautiful conformation, the three distinct gaits of the true walking horse.  Many considered him the perfect model for the breed in looks, manners and action.
In January of 1961, A. S. Dean took Sun’s Delight to the stable of Neal Branscum in Winchester, TN to begin his training for the ensuing brilliant show ring career, and it was under Branscum’s guidance that this great horse was started and shown through his junior year.  During the fall of 1962, Fray Escue of Covington, KY asked Sam Paschal to begin searching for what he considered to be the “outstanding Tennessee Walking horse in the country”.  Sam visited dozens of stables before notifying Mr. Escue that he had located what he thought to be the most likely prospect for a champion – Sun’s Delight.

This great horse was purchased from Dean on January 7th, 1963 and was brought to Sam Paschal’s City View Stables in Murfreesboro, TN to complete his training.  Exactly eight months later, Sun’s Delight was declared the 1963 World Grand Champion.

Sun’s Delight, as were the two previous World Grand Champions from Sam Paschal’s stable, Setting Sun and Ebony Masterpiece, was retired from active show ring competition following his big win at the Celebration.   He stood at stud at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, TN, and the demand for his services was heavy.  Many knowing horsemen predicted that he would become one of the most outstanding sires of the breed because of his quality and natural way of going.  Many of the sons and daughters of Sun’s Delight made outstanding records in the show ring, and his popularity as one of the leading sires increased with each succeeding crop of colts.  Nothing in Sun’s Delight’s gaits were hand-made, and it was noted that everything he did was done as nature intended.  He proved what he could do and he had the breeding behind him to go with those natural ways.

Since he was retired in 1963, the name of Sun’s Delight D. has appeared in the pedigrees of many many world champions, and on those of six World Grand Champions -  1973 W. G. Ch. Delight Bumin Around; 1984 W. G. Ch. Delight of Pride; 1987 W. G. Ch. Coin’s Hard Cash; 1988 W. G. Ch. Doc’s High Tribute; 1995 W. G. Ch. Pride’s Sundance Star;  and 1997 W. G. Ch. Generator’s Santana.

If you wish to print off this pedigree, click HERE to load a black and white copy.

If you have a story or photos of Sun's Delight D. that you would like added to this page,
please forward them to Walkers West.

----- Original Message -----
From: Sheri Czekanski
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 2:54 PM
Subject: Re: Living Daughter of Sun's Delight D

Star is in surprisingly good shape. We adopted/saved her when she was 27 from a man who was still trying to breed her. Good bloodlines will get you in that kind of trouble, you know. Anyway, she never made much of a broodmare, only had one live foal in the 8 years that we've known her. She was in a TWH Show Barn where I bought my first Walker, "Leggs". Neither one of us (Leggs or I) were made out for the Show Ring so now we all live as one big happy family on 5 acres in Dayton.
The attached picture is one of my favorites. You can't mistake that head and those eyes!

SC

.....WOW !!!  Born 04/16/1976, Starflight Delight is 30 years old, and deserves her own page.  See below.  Thank you for sharing her with us, Sheri  - - the webmaster.

A Living Daughter of Sun's Delight D. - Starflight Delight
<==1962   1964==>
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Last Updated: December 07, 2019
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