MAUDE GRAY deserves special attention.  Like so many of the early Walking Horses she has an interesting history. She combined the blood of BOTH of Allan F-1's top sons, being also a granddaughter of Hunter's Allen F-10.

Foaled 01/01/1922, MAUDE was bred by John Black of Noah, Tennessee.   Auburn Gray bought her when she was very young, but kept her for only two days and sold her to one Jake Syler.  Syler rode the mare for one year and then took her to the jockey yard at Winchester where he asked $25 for her.  As no one claimed the mare at that price, Syler swapped her "for a little black stump-sucking horse and gave him $35 to boot." 

Later Auburn Gray saw the mare again, this time followed by a young colt.  Gray bought the mare for $80.

Gilbert Orr wrote an article on MAUDE for the "NASHVILLE BANNER" in 1940. In it he said:

"History is replete with instances of men and women who were born in obscurity, but who, in the course of their earthly sojourn, reached places of eminence in world affairs. So it is with horses.

If one travels the highway between Lynchburg and Winchester... one will see a sign which reads "Auburn Gray - Walking Horses With A Future" ... there one will find a walking horse with a glorious past and a bright future.

This particular individual is MAUDE GRAY 370077 - dowager of the walking horse breed, if you please!

First among them was LYNNIE GRAY, daughter of the famous broodmare MAUDE GRAY LYNNIE was by NEAL'S ALLEN by BROWN ALLEN by HUNTER'S ALLEN.   The fineness of this great chestnut mare has never been excelled in the Walking Horse breed.   LYNNIE was undefeated as a three year-old, winning both at Nashville and Louisville.   Under the reins of T. Martin Goodrich, LYNNIE was practically unbeatable.   At the Louisville show she was presented the Challenge Trophy by famous band leader, Paul Whiteman, and the event attracted nation-wide publicity.   Five thousand people thundered their approval as the young mare made her victory pass.   In 1938, LYNNIE went down to defeat before DESERT GOLD at Baton Rouge, one of the few times she was out of the blue.

Another great daughter of MAUDE GRAY was NELLIE GRAY.   NELLIE was sired by WILSON'S ALLEN and was trained by Floyd Carothers, the trainer who rode STROLLING JIM.   This young mare never got the chance to display her greatness as an aged mare since she died on route to California to the ranch of L. B. Manning at Santa Barbara.  

According to THE NATIONAL HORSEMAN of November 1940,
"NELLIE GRAY has entered seventeen rings this past summer and has won seventeen blue ribbons.   She has shown in five Walking stakes and has won five first awards. During the first week in October she was entered in seven shows in seven days and won seven blues." These accomplishments are all the more impressive when it is considered that NELLIE was only a two year-old at the time.

The winner of the Aged Gelding class at the first Celebration was a son of Maude Gray called Booger Boo.  This gelding placed third in the Stakes class at this celebration, behind Lilly White, and the legendary Strolling Jim.

Maude Gray, by any measure, must be considered one of the greatest brood mares ever produced by the Walking Horse breed.  From her birth date in 1922, the impact of her blood has been felt for nearly 80 years, and most recently in the triumph of the 1998 World Grand Champion, Masquerading. 

The beat goes on.........