Spotlight on History:

Trouble
and Josh Higgins Stables
Waterloo, Iowa

(Article courtesy of Elsie Darrah)
Reprinted from the Midwestern Horseman April 1946

Josh Higgins Stables, Waterloo, Iowa is the home of the World's Champion Walking Stallion, TROUBLE TWHBEA 370306, sired by LAST CHANCE and out of the walking mare NELLIE ESSAY. This stallion was purchased by Mr. Joe DuMond, the president of Josh Higgins Broadcasting Co. in an effort to bring to Iowa the very best blood in the Tennessee Walking Horse field for those who are entering into the field of breeding this type of horse. The Josh Higgins Stables is also the home of the champion mare, MERRY BELLE. TROUBLE was the winner of the Walking Horse class at the Spring Stallion Show at Oskaloosa.

Carl Ingle, Flat Creek, Tennessee is heading up the walking horse division of the Josh Higgins Stables. Mr. Ingle has spent a lifetime in the breeding and development of Walking Horses, going back to the days when many of the horses now recognized as foundation sires had attained only casual recognition. Visiting with Carl is like sitting in on a round table discussion with the pioneer leaders of the Walking Horse industry. He knows most of them as neighbors and there are few top walking horses that he has not seen in action.

When you walk into the Josh Higgins Stables these days and hear that soft southern accent floating over the box stalls, it would be easy to imagine that the establishment had been moved to middle Tennessee. Carl has become a familiar sight not only in the Stables, but in most every farmer's cornfield where the obstinate performers usually find themselves in the very rigid form of training prescribed.

At the present time, some of the best show potentials in the Middle West are at the Josh Higgins Stables under Carl's direction. Including Dr. E.E. Everson's good mare STROLLING EDNA MAY; Dr. D.H. Kord's POLKA DOT of Cambridge, Iowa, a filly of great promise; Dr. A.A. Lynn's BEAUTIFUL DREAMER of Marshalltown, Iowa, outstanding three year old stallion, Junior Champion of the Oskaloosa Stallion Show; Mr. Stanley Saroke's "Billy" of Cedar Falls, Iowa, a top pleasure gelding; and the newest member, a striking two year old filly owned by Mr. R.A. Rath of the Rath Packing Company, Waterloo, Iowa. These walking horses are all on the course of training, some just beginners and others well on their way.

A visit to the Stables always includes showing the two fillies who were winners in the 1945 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Despite the fact that these youngsters have had about two weeks' work, their show ring characters are most evident.

The most sensational gelding at the Stables is three year old MIDNIGHT MACK who leaves no doubt in your mind when you see him in action that he is headed straight for blue ribbons in major shows.

If you want to see Carl with his best smile and confident air, drop in during the afternoon when he is giving TROUBLE a workout. It is then you will see a great horse and a great trainer at their best.

All of the Walking Horse fans are anxious to have MERRY BELLE come back from Tennessee with S.W. Beech Jr. and meet her friendly competitor, TROUBLE, with Carl Ingle up. It would be a battle royal worth anyone's watching. MARY BELLE with S.W. Beech Jr. up will open her spring season in May in Pulaski, Tennessee