In his heyday as a trainer, few could compare to Hershel Talley. He always said, “This is a horse show..and if we don’t look at it that way, we need to do something else.” Showmanship says it all about Hershel...his fierce love of competition made him one of the greatest showmen of all times.
Jack Doss recalls more about this, “Hershel studied every class he ever entered, and no matter how full the ring might be of horses, he had that special talent and sixth sense to always place his horse in a manner where none of his competition could ever cover him up. That was showmanship at its finest.” Doss continued, “Hershel never took any shortcuts, because he was never satisfied by anything less than perfection. Like any great athlete, he worked at it, not only for himself, but imparting this wisdom to his juvenile and amateur riders.”
And even after some of his riders moved on to other barns, Hershel took the greatest of pride in their accomplishments. Lynne Utter Northrop is the most prime example of this, winning 20 World and World Grand Championships with what many consider the greatest gelding of all times, Mister Delight H out of C.A. Bobo and Sons Stables, winning another world title, as did her late father Howard Utter on another great gelding Star Of The Show, the Amateur Reserve World Grand Championship on her late mother’s Mr. Wilson’s Major, and her mom, the late Miss Helen herself won the Over 15.2 Amateur Stallion World Championship twice on Wilson.
Robbie Spiller was another of Hershel’s highly successful riders. Her father and Hershel were great friends during the years the Talley family was in Tuscaloosa, and once they’d moved to Baileyton, Mr. Spiller sent Robbie’s walking pony there for Hershel to train, when Robbie was 13. It was on this pony, Delight’s Champ, that Robbie won her first world title on, out of C.A. Bobo and Sons Stables, a few years later in juvenile ranks, and in the years since then, she has won several more blue ribbons at the Celebration in amateur competition.
He was also proud of my own accomplishments in the showring, and the Talleys were among the first to come to Steve Aymett’s barn in 1982 after I’d won the 15.2 amateur stallion preliminary and the 15.2 and Under Amateur World Grand Championship, to congratulate my family and myself. Priscilla told me just in the past few weeks, that her Daddy loved reflecting on all he did to teach “little Sarah to ride, show, and compete to maximum ability”, which he most certainly did...and hearing that meant the world to me...and I lovingly credit him for his vast contributions to the showring success I enjoyed for so many years.
That was part of the magic of Hershel Talley...he cared, and cared so deeply about his family, his horse, his customers, and his friends (and all of his customers were his friends for life). He was just as proud to see the juvenile and amateur riders whose careers he had “started” go on to won out of other barns as if they’d all still been riding for him...but once influenced by Hershel, no matter what barn you rode out of, you were still riding for him...because he’d taught you so well.
As I’ve said before, of the many great trainers I rode under in my almost 20 years of living to show Walking Horses, the three greatest influences were Hershel, J.T. Leech, and of course Steve Aymett. With the great education Hershel and J.T. had given me, Steve picked up where those two left off...and until the day I am no longer able to throw a leg over the back of a horse, the voices in the back of my mind, voices that will always be there, will be Hershel, J.T. and the much more soft spoken Steve advising me what to do.
Hershel Talley...Mr. Blue Ribbon...Mr. Showmanship...great trainer of horses and riders...I know you’ll be watching down on all the shows. You have no idea how many trainers, as well as amateur and juvenile riders you influenced, even those who never worked or rode under you. One of these is Sonny Holt, who was thrilled that the trainers consulted chose him to judge your show this year. He’s told me how seeing you ride helped cement his own determination to become a trainer...and a great one he was. He was so very honored to be asked to judge your show this year...and when the offer was extended to him, he said only if he could donate his fee back to the show, as a small way of showing his appreciation for your influence on his life as a horseman.
Sonny told me, “When I was first starting out at a very young age, working in the horse business, first for friends and family, then for George Witt, Hershel was such a great inspiration to me...and I don’t know whether I ever told him that or not. But he knows now...and also knows how many other of us good ol’ Alabama boys who went on to become trainers that did so largely in part because of seeing the great riding skills and showmanship of Hershel Talley.”
Another of these good ol’ Alabama boys who was introduced to the Tennessee Walking Horse was the late, Joe Vann Clayton, when as a teen, Joe Vann hung out at Hershel’s barn when Hershel was training in the Gadsden-Attalla area. As Joe Vann grew up, becoming a trainer himself, he and Hershel faced off in some of the most exciting stake classes I ever witnessed in the state of Alabama. Hershel and Joe Vann were the best and dearest of friends until the day Joe Vann died.
And prior to that, when the Talleys were in Tuscaloosa, Brooks Randall sent his son, the late Henry Randall (brother of Billy Randall) at age 12 to teach Brooks how to ride...and he too went on to become a successful trainer. Others who benefited greatly from Hershel’s generosity in passing on his training skills were Charlie Spencer, still training in Tuscaloosa, and his late brother Gabe Spencer, both very gifted horsemen.
In Hershel’s Baileyton years, Decatur, Alabama, attorney Kenneth Shelton, who trained his horses himself, was another of the young men Hershel mentored...and Kenneth loved Hershel tremendously...not just for what Hershel taught him, but even more for the kind of person Hershel was. To know Hershel was to adore him, to be in awe of him and all he could do with a horse, any horse.
After making and showing Duke’s Roan Allen with great success as a young stallion, then a stake horse, Hershel sold Roan Allen to Montgomery, Alabama’s Dr. Grady Price...his own all time favorite amateur mount. Price states he always thoroughly enjoyed watching Hershel show. In a letter of condolence he sent to the Talleys after Hershel passed, he wrote, “I remember Hershel saying, “I’d rather get beat then be passed by another horse in the showring - and my own attitude when showing was pretty much the same.” Price continued, “Hershel was always so much fun to be around. He was such a great man and beyond great horseman...I feel so fortunate to have had so many wonderful times with him, as well as the priceless memories of him which will be with me forever.”
And that is the tip of the iceberg for all of us who knew, loved, and highly respected Hershel Talley and all he stood for. Reflections all all the fabulous horses and shows Hershel made, reflections on the man of such great integrity he was, will continue to influence all lucky enough to have known him well forever and always.