When SHADES OF CARBON and Judy Martin walked their way to the grass for the floral horseshoe and the Grand Championship awards, it was not just a happening but the climax of a well planned and developed career. During his show ring career SHADES OF CARBON had only two riders and trainers; that being the husband and wife team of Judy and Joe Martin.

Joe first saw SHADES at the GLL barn party in 1971 and that fall Gilbert and Mary Foster of Lewisburg purchased him with Joe acting as agent. SHADES was first shown by Joe at the 1972 Columbia Spring Jubilee where he earned his first blue ribbon. Blue ribbons were also earned at Woodbury, Crossville and Tullahoma in 1972. Joe and SHADES won their stallion class at the Celebration that year but as fate would have it, SHADES and Joe were tied reserve in the Two Year Old Stake.

The year of 1973 came with Judy in the saddle. There were several victories that year and at the 1973 Celebration Judy and SHADES won their section of the Three Year Old Stallion Division but tied third in the stake. 1974 was another year for SHADES to collect the blue ribbons. SHADES won both the Four Year Old Stallion Class and the Junior Grand Championship at the Celebration. SHADES and Judy added more blue ribbons to their collection in 1975 and took reserve honors in both the aged Stallion and Stake classes at the Celebration.

A few months later, Harlin and Earl Sadler purchased him from the Fosters and owned him until he was sold in 1975 to Mr. Glen Loe for what is reported to be the highest price ever paid for a Tennessee Walking Horse.

Judy and SHADES won their first blue for 1976 at the McMinnville show. Eleven days later Judy and SHADES took another blue at the Fayetteville show. Judy decided after the Fayetteville show that SHADES was in the shape she wanted him for the big test and did not show him again until the Celebration.

On Monday evening prior to the Stallion class on Wednesday night at the Celebration, SHADES threw a shoe which took some foot. This did not stop SHADES and Judy. The farrier worked from 12:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. replacing the shoe and on Wednesday night Judy and SHADES walked their way to the blue ribbon awards. They were tested and tried to three work outs on Saturday night but, with a flawless performance and composed determination, came out the victors. SHADES was crowned Grand Champion Walking Horse of the World at the 1976 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tennessee, becoming only the thirty-second horse in history to wear this coveted title.

The trio of Judy, Joe and SHADES had a remarkable career. There were twenty-nine blues, five reserves, and only one third.  That is quite a record for only five years of competition. SHADES was retired at the 1976 Dixie Jubilee in Baton Rouge and stood at stud at the Judy and Joe Martin stables. 

Shades was sold right before the big night to Glenn Loe of Tullos, LA for the ungodly sum of $200,000 (?).  He left him at Joe Martin's for a couple of years and then moved him to LA where he stood at stud. It really hurt him from a breeding standpoint as he was far away from many of the very best mares in TN that might have been bred to him had he been left there.  He died in LA a few years ago.