Midnight Sun to Return to Florida

Posted Monday, December 17, 2012, at 10:01 PM

On Saturday, Dec. 1, Jim & I went to Lewisburg (my home town) to put new flowers in the urns on my parents' monument. He always has to take me to Shoney's for lunch while we are there. That day was no exception.

As we passed in front of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association (TWHBEA) headquarters on Ellington Parkway I remarked about the beautiful statue of the horse there. Little did I know that two weeks later word was out that the statue is going home to Florida.

Friday's issue of the local paper in Marshall County said the life-size bronze statue of Midnight Sun has been on loan from its home at Dixie Plantation in Greenville, FL. The article goes on to say that the original Midnight Sun "was the first winner of the World Grand Championship at the 1945 Celebration, and repeated the feat in 1946."

Now I'm concerned about what will replace Midnight Sun at the TWHBEA headquarters. Surely there is another life-size statue of a beautiful horse tucked away somewhere in the area.

Comments
Showing comments in chronological order
[Show most recent comments first]

I don't imagine there are too many life-size horse models out there available for loan Betty. Is it obvious that something is missing or just because you knew it was there.

-- Posted by stevemills on Tue, Dec 18, 2012, at 7:48 PM

It's been there for several years, so it will be obvious.

-- Posted by bettyhbrown on Wed, Dec 19, 2012, at 6:00 AM

Hi Betty, In the 1950's Midnight Sun was an icon of the walking horse capital of the world.

Does anyone remember who the owner/rider was. Vic Thompson or maybe Steve Hill?

In the past sixty years or so the celebration has come a long way. But to me the fifties were where it all began.

To a very young teenager, the people from all over was so exciting.

-- Posted by moonwalker on Wed, Dec 19, 2012, at 5:52 PM