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World Grand Champion in 1993 |
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The Touch #885121 |
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Grey
John's Touch (whose name was later shortened to The Touch) was bred
and raised by Joe C. Martin, a close and dear friend to t Nancy and
Hoil Walker from Murfreesboro. Martin owned both his sire,
Another Grey John, and his dam, Spirit's Ebby. Another Grey John
was sired by Pride's John Grey who was by Pride Of Midnight The first
opportunity for the Walkers to see The Touch was on their television.
On a visit, friends Peggy and Joe C. Martin brought along tapes of
their two-year-old prospect. Nancy Walker liked what she saw and
she liked the idea of getting back into the horse business, an
industry she and Hoil had been associated with for 35 years. She
had been trying to find something for Hoil to do besides working all
the time and this seemed to be the answer. Nancy was ready to
buy Martin's horse; Martin insisted she wait until the horse was
showing more of his potential. In the mean-time the Walkers
acquired a most promising stallion, Pride's Pattern.
As a colt, The Touch was started by trainer Billy Brantley. Then in
1991 he was moved to Ramsey Bullington in hopes a world champion was
in the making. It wasn't long until offers to buy Martin's horse
surfaced. In July Martin kept his promise and offered the Walkers The
Touch. |
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It was decided a young man by the name of Chad Way, who had
worked with Ramsey Bullington, would try his skill at training
the Walker's new and equally young stallion. The Walkers
had met Way when Pattern was with Bullington as a 4-year old.
They quickly grew fond of Way and developed a great respect for
him as a trainer. By the Spring of '93 the Walkers had two
contenders, Pride's Pattern and The Touch. |
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Hampered by an onset of health problems, Pattern was put on the back
burner and The Touch was called upon to feel out the competition in
the Spring Fun Show. Following a popular reserve, Chad Way and The
Touch were rumored to be capable of bringing much interest to the '93
Celebration. With Pattern's career on hold, it was decided in June to
go forward, in full force, with Way and The Touch as contenders for
the world grand championship. After wins at Bethesda and Belfast,
prior to his popular reserve tie in the Celebration's aged stallion
preliminary, The Touch was on his way! |
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instant the five year-old, black stallion and his young trainer
entered the show ring on the final Saturday night of the 55th
Celebration excitement spread among the record crowd. Sixteen
world championship contenders, but only one world grand champion
team to be chosen. 1993 was the year for Chad Way and The Touch.
Way, 22 and the youngest trainer to claim such a victory, had
achieved the life-long goal. A goal which took his
predecessor, Bud Dunn, 44 years to accomplish; a goal which has
evaded many of their associates. Age and dreams were far
from the young trainer's mind as he guided The Touch around the
ring that special night. A virtual unknown until this
summer, The Touch and his trainer worked equally hard to leave
their touch on the crowd assembled to pick and support a favorite.
Neither the bright glowing moon nor the star-filled sky could
outshine the pair that night. |
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Owners
Nancy and Hoil Walker could see and feel a victory, not only in Way
and The Touch, but in the crowd of 29,131. Considered by many as a
non-contender during the early 1993 season, The Touch had enjoyed a
mediocre success during his three and four-year-old seasons with his
biggest win being a reserve title awarded in four-year-old stallion
ranks at the 1992 Celebration. It was a season of surprises
which progressed with The Touch turning in prized winning performances
in Aged ranks at Manchester, Bethesda and Belfast and with a crowd
pleasing reserve at the Spring Fun Show. By the time the 1993
Celebration was here, the young stallion and his equally young trainer
had developed quite a following.
Some may describe it as a fairy tale come to life, for a young trainer
and his virtually unknown horse, riding in their first world
championship, ending with the spotlight and the roses. And if it is,
let the moral of this tale hold true for the dream of having a world
grand champion by owners, trainers and breeders, alike, no matter how
big or small, can come true. |
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If you wish to print off
this pedigree, click
HERE
to load a black and white copy. |
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----- Original
Message -----
From: Risingstar952@aol.com
To: walkerswest@walkerswest.com
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 10:40 PM
Subject: The Touch
Mary Ellen Areaux,
First, I would like to say how much I enjoy your website. I refer
many newcomers to it that really want to know the history of the
Walking Horse.
As I stand The Touch; previously at Twin Hills, through the stay at
Black Hawk and now at Rising Star, I am building a new webpage for
The Touch and your history of him is so accurate and detailed that I
feel anything I would try to write as comments for him for his new
page would either be sub-par to what you have written or bordering
on plagiarism by trying to describe the same events of his life.
I would like your permission to reprint your description of his life
on his new webpage giving you full and total credit for the
comments.
If you can, I thank you in advance and if you cannot I understand
fully.
We do love the Walkers West website. It is indeed a treasure for our
breed.
Sincerely,
David W. Williams
Rising Star Ranch
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If you have a story or photos of The Touch
that you would like added to this page, please forward them to
Walkers West.
<==1992 1994==>
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