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World Grand Champion in 1978 |
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Mark of Carbon #692213 |
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MARK OF CARBON was
destined to be a great horse from the time of his conception. He
had both a sire and grandsire as World Grand Champion Walking Horses.
Not only did he have a great lineage but had absolute devotion from
both his owner and his trainer. MARK OF CARBON has been part of
a threesome since he was foaled on May 22, 1969. The other two
being: his owner, Verd Walker, and his trainer, Joe Webb. This
trio has known the ecstasy of victory and the agony of defeat.
Nothing they have experienced can compare with that Saturday night in
September when the lights were turned out and number 425 was declared
Grand Champion Walking Horse of the World. |
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campaigned extensively as a junior horse due to injury and
received the third place award in the four-year-old stallion class
at the Celebration in 1973. MARK OF CARBON and Joe Webb
experienced their first aged victory in Little Rock, Arkansas as a
five year old. As an aged stallion, MARK won many blue ribbons and
in 1976 won the 15.2 and under Championship at the Celebration.
Verd and Joe felt that MARK OF CARBON had the ability to compete
with the big horses and decided to go for the big stake. The
year 1977 saw MARK and Joe continually battling a round of
injuries but the true agony was experienced when MARK cast a shoe
in the Championship Stake at the Celebration, breaking his foot
off into the quick, and having to be excused from further
competition in the class. Early in the 1978 show season MARK
was the victim of another injury and he was out of competition for
a great part of the show season. MARK gave a perfect
performance and was the blue ribbon winner at Pine Bluff, Arkansas
just before the beginning of the 1978 Celebration. |
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The Aged Stallion
Class at the Celebration was split into two divisions and MARK was the
blue ribbon winner of the "B" division. MARK and Joe knew they
had their work cut out for them when they entered the ring in the
Grand Championship class as there were several good horses in
competition. Joe knew when the horses lined up that last time
that MARK OF CARBON had performed flawlessly and if MARK was not
declared Grand Champion Walking Horse of the World it would not be
MARK'S fault. When the judges' cards were tabulated, it was
evident that there had been no flaws and MARK OF CARBON, ridden by Joe
Webb, was declared winner of the World Grand Champion Walking Horse
title, making him the only horse to be a champion in the 15.2 and
under division and later return to win the coveted title of World
Grand Champion. |
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It was announced
immediately after his great win that MARK OF CARBON would be
retired from show ring competition and spend the rest of his days
improving the breed as a breeding stallion to selected mares.
Who knew what the future would hold in store for Joe Webb?
Three times he had been the rider of the World Grand Champion
Walking Horse. First, Rodgers' Perfection, then Carbon Copy
and now MARK OF CARBON. Just maybe, one of these years,
the son of MARK OF CARBON. There is one thing for sure, the
affinity of Verd Walker and Joe Webb contributed greatly to the
tremendous success of truly a great horse, MARK OF CARBON. |
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MARK OF CARBON was
the third stallion to win the Grand Championship under the training
and riding of Joe Webb of Searcy, Ark. RODGERS'-
PERFECTION and CARBON, grandsire and sire, respectively, of the 1978
Grand Champion, were the other two. |
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this pedigree, click
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If you have a story or photos of Mark Of Carbon that you would like
added to this page,
please forward them to
Walkers West.
<==1977 1979==>
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