Duke’s Cast Iron Willy
From the November 1991 Journal ©MFTHBA
Duke’s Cast Iron Willy
by Larry & Denise Hamilton
Needless to say, we were all thrilled when Willy won the Amateur Stallions and Geldings World Championship. He then went on to become the Reserve Amateur World Grand Champion. We, Larry and Denise Hamilton, own Willy in partnership with Dennis and Janice Handel, and we are ALL very proud of him. He is calm, intelligent, willing, a pleasure to handle; and he LOVES “strutting his stuff” in the show ring! For ·the last two years, we have sent Willy to Middleton Stables for final tune-up before the Celebration. We would like to thank Brian Osglesby for the fine job he has done with·Willy and the Middletons for all their help and support.
We got started with Fox Trotters during the 70’s when we were campaigning field trail dogs. We needed horses which would carry US from dawn until dark over rough terrain without crippling both us and the horses! While trying almost every breed known to man we bought two Walking Horses. One was double registered as a Missouri Fox Trotter and preferred the fox trot. What a find! Not only was he easy riding, but he was sure footed as well! We kept only two horses for field trial purposes until we moved to Shafter and quit field trailing.
In 1985, we decided to form a partnership with the Handels and set out to build a stable. A friend who had a ranch in Missouri got us started in our first Fox Trotters. We used them mainly for pleasure and trail riding. A few years ago, Denise and Janice started showing in California. Eventually ·all of us got the bug and we’ve been showing ever since. We’re always on the lookout for a good performance horse, and someday in the near future all four of us would like to show at the Celebration.
We bought Willy from Bob Bird in 1988. Willy had been the Reserve World Cham pion in the 2 Year Old Stallions and Geldings class in the 1987 Celebration with Pat AuBuchon riding. When we went to Bird Meadows to see him, we fell in love with his natural ability and his gentle disposition. That evening Denise won the Saint Louis Regional Ladies/Youth Championship (in borrowed clothes) and Pat AuBuchon won the Saint Louis Regional 3 Gait Championship. Since then, with Larry showing him, Willy has won the 1989 Out Of State class, been the 1989 and 1990Reserve World Champion-Amateur Stallions and Geldings, and he was the 1990 Reserve World Champion-Amateur.
Duke’s Cast Iron Willy, winner of Amateur Stallions and Geldings 5 years and older and Reserve World Grand Champion Amateur 4 years and older; owned and shown by Larry Hamilton, Shafter, California
From the November 1991 Journal ©MFTHBA