click on the fish  to translate this page into Chinese, Dutch, French,German, Greek, Italian,Japanese, Korean,Portuguese,Spanish, or Russian  MERRY GO BOY Merry Go Boy was sired by Merry Boy, out of Wiser's Dimples. He was bred by Archie Wiser of Wartrace, TN. He was foaled on May 4,1943 on the Wiser Farm. Winston Wiser paid his brother $350 for the colt when he was only a few weeks old. Go Boy was black with a star and a near hind sock. As a weanling Merry Go Boy was the winner of the Weanling Horse Colt Class at the 1943 Celebration during a morning showing. Three classes later, he was reserve to the weanling filly, Frances Langford, in the Weanling Championship. This was the only time he was defeated in his class during his lifetime. He won both the Yearling Colt Class and the Yearling Championship at the 1944 Celebration. That year, Elroy Mallard of Georgetown, KY purchased a half interest in him. R. W. Norman of Salisbury, NC bought a one third interest for $6,000 just prior to his winning the Two-Year-Old Stallion Class at the next Celebration. Go Boy was the winner of the Three-Year-Old Stallion and Gelding Class and the Junior Stake at the Celebration in 1946. On the following night, as a junior, he entered the big stake and was beaten only by Midnight Sun. The grand show stallion came back again in 1947 to win the World Grand Championship. He repeated this victory again in 1948. This was the first Celebration to be held on the then new Celebration grounds. He was purchased just prior to this event by C.C. Turner of Broadway, VA. Merry Go Boy was a conformation model for the Tennessee Walking Horse breed. The expression, "As fine as Go Boy", indicates the high regard in which he was held for his appearance as well as his ability to perform the gaits. One of the first things noted about him was his extreme nodding action. He had three distinct and perfect gaits and has many times been cited for his top performance. This famous show horse was the sire of 3 World Grand Champions - Go Boy's Shadow (1955 & 1956), Go Boy's Sundust (1967), and Go Boy's Royal Heir (1968), as well as an impressive number of World Champions. He was the grand-sire of Sensational Shadow, World Grand Champion in 1971. In the 1960 Breeders National Futurity, 24 out of 46 ribbons were awarded to weanlings and yearlings sired by Merry Go Boy. Nothing appears to be known about what happened to all these colts when they were put under saddle, though. Merry Go Boy died on July 7, 1969, a few short years after his illustrious rival, the "Horse of the Century", Midnight Sun.  click to go to TWHBEA |
