On Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, at 9:30 in the morning, Tickle Me Pink passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness. Pinky, as she was known to everyone, was the 15-year-old strawberry roan mare owned and loved by Cassi Slagle of Cookeville, Tenn. Foaled on March 4, 1998, to Carol Smith from Wiggins, Miss., she was by JFK and out of Royal’s Miss Miracle, by Pride’s Royal Master. Successfully beginning as a two-year-old, Pinky had a very extensive show career. For her last five and a half years, she was owned by Cassi Slagle. During this period, she was campaigned exclusively in Juvenile divisions, starting with Youth 11& Under and graduating to 12-17.

Pinky and Cassi showed over 75 times in the course of their time together, and out of the 40 plus blue ribbons won by Tickle Me Pink, 27 of those were from this duo. The pair won many high point awards from the Upper Cumberland Walking Horse Association, including 2012 Performance Horse of the Year. Along with these accomplishments, Pinky and Cassi were tied in the top three during this period 83% of the time, and they were consistently ranked in the Top Ten in the Walking Horse Report and WHOA National High Point standings. Pinky and Cassi were experiencing an undefeated season until her untimely death.

Pinky was a great ambassador for the breed, and not a show night went by without a spectator commenting on her beauty, or several little girls excited about seeing and petting a “pink horse.” Pinky was sweet, gentle, and the same every day. She was always there for an encouraging nudge, and she would never let you down at a show or at the barn. Pinky was loved by any and everyone who met her. She was truly a one-of-a-kind horse, and a member of the Slagle family, a sweet blessing that will never be forgotten.