Mickey and Dru McCormick: Mane Motion Stables

Mickey and Dru McCormick: Mane Motion Stables

AFTER DRU McCormick graduated from Louisiana State University with a psychology degree, she traded tantalizing French beignets, Cajun and Creole cuisine, and the cypress-lined bayous of “Fisherman’s Paradise” for Middle Tennessee. But her love for Shelbyville — the...
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration

Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration

SADDLE UP your Tennessee walking horses, slip on your favorite pair of boots, and bring your excitement and appetite to the largest event facility in Tennessee for the 87th annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. This year, over 2,000 horses will compete...
Tim Smith and Cavender: Riding Irish luck to victory

Tim Smith and Cavender: Riding Irish luck to victory

EVERY EYE was on the center ring. The floodlights overhead, which had previously illuminated the arena for dozens of Tennessee walking horses (TWH) and their riders, switched off. A subtle hush fell over the crowd as a single spotlight zeroed in on Cavender and his...
Muriel Coble: Courage & commitment

Muriel Coble: Courage & commitment

FIVE DAYS after her 17th birthday, on June 14, 1942, Muriel Moyers nervously squeezed Leonard Coble’s hand. “How old do I have to be to get married?” Leonard asked the justice of the peace in Huntsville. When he responded “21,” 17-year-old Leonard, who most knew as...
The Stackpole Family: Born to serve

The Stackpole Family: Born to serve

Medina Stackpole fluffed her pillow, then jammed it between her aching back and the headboard. She patted the empty spot on the mattress and whispered, “We miss you, Rick.” The words of her eldest son, Ricky, echoed in her mind: “When I grow up, I’m going to serve my...