The Huron Expositor, 1994-03-16, Page 76Pegs 14A -Farm Progress '94
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A 56 -year-old "love affair"
by Sue Ann Ellis
WALKERTON--A Walkerton
horse lover bought his first horse at
the age of 16 and, 56 years later, he
still trains and shows his own hor-
ses.
Thousands of ribbons decorate the
home of Ralph Walker. They are a
tribute to his years of showing
horses. It takes a certain look and
form for a horse to be a champion,
and Walker seems to have an eye
for picking winners. Walker's hor-
ses brought home nine ribbons from
the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
in Toronto last fall.
He has been competing at the
two-week November event, the
largest indoor livestock show in the
world, for 30 years, and said it is
the highlight of his year.
"I often think of retiring, but as
long as I'm healthy, I'll keep doing
it. It keeps me busy and we're
always looking for a better horse,"
Walker said.
Walker starting showing road
horses, or roadsters, some 30 years
ago and said there has been no
looking back. He and his horses
average 20 shows per season. They
have won competitions all over
North America, including the team
class for the last three years -at the
Toronto show.
Horses are judged on form, and
three different gaits: jog, road gait
and full speed. Walker has never
had more than five show horses at
one time and now he has four.
"I've always emphasized quality
rather than quantity."
How does he pick his winners?
Some of his show horses are
former harness racers, but Walker
said only one in 1,000 will make a
show horse.
"It's very hard to find a top show
horse. You have to have an eye for
what's needed for the show rmg."
He shows a horse until it quits
winning and sometimes that comes
earlier than expected. While in the
show ring in 1980, Walker's 14 -
year -old Star Lee Over dropped
dead.
"The judge had him marked to
win too, but a dead horse can't get
the award."
Walker and his horses have not
outgrown their small town roots.
They still compete in the Walkerton
Little Royal Fair every fall.
"The Walkerton Fair is like a
tradition for me. I compete there to
help make the Walkerton horse
show the outstanding show it's been
for years."
Walker and his wife Myrna
came to Walkerton in 1953 when
he bought the Walkerton Dairy
(located on old Durham road where
the Battery Pro is now). They made
their own ice cream and sold it at a
dairy bar out at the front of the
dairy. They sold the business to Bor-
den's Dairy about 10 years ago
when Walker 'retired'. The
Walker's have three children.
"They are interested in the horses
but they're not diehards Lke I am,"
Walker said.
Ralph Walker, a Walkerton horse lover, is pictured here with
some of the thousands of ribbons decorating his home. (Sue
Ann Ellis photo)
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