Midnight Sun: The Legendary Tennessee Walking Horse (1940–1965)

Midnight Sun, born in 1940, became one of the most influential Tennessee Walking Horses in history. Known for his World Grand Champion titles in 1945 and 1946, Midnight Sun not only dominated the show ring but also left an indelible mark on the breed as a sire, grandsire, and great-grandsire of countless champions.

Early Life and Pedigree

Midnight Sun was bred by Samuel M. Ramsey of Viola, Tennessee. His pedigree blended the best of Tennessee Walking Horse and Standardbred bloodlines:

Sire: Wilson’s Allen, a chestnut stallion by Roan Allen F-38, who was sired by the foundation stallion Allan F-1.
Dam: Ramsey’s Rena, a bay mare with approximately 90% Standardbred blood. She brought trotting bloodlines into the mix, including influence from the imported German Coach stallion Galston, known for his size, color, and stride.

Despite his impressive lineage, Midnight Sun was initially overlooked. As a weanling, he was described as plain, thin, and gangly, with little promise. However, his destiny changed when Alex and Wirt Harlin of Harlinsdale Farm purchased him in 1944 after witnessing his remarkable under-saddle performance.

Rise to Stardom

Originally registered as “Joe Lewis Wilson”, the stallion was renamed Midnight Sun by admirer Bill Ashley, who said, “The noonday sun is the brightest and strongest thing we know, and this is the blackest and strongest horse.”

Midnight Sun’s show career began in 1944, though his large frame and stride had not yet fully matured. At the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, he placed second in the stallion championship and sixth in the Grand Championship Stake. By 1945, however, Midnight Sun had come into his own, and his dominance was undeniable.

World Grand Championships

1945

In 1945, Midnight Sun swept the competition at major shows, including:

Murfreesboro
Franklin
Columbia
Lexington Junior League Show
Shelbyville PTA Show (June)
The Celebration

At the Celebration, he won:

Stallions Four Years and Over
Stallion Championship
Ladies-Amateur Class (ridden by Mrs. Henry Davis)
Grand Championship

1946

In 1946, Midnight Sun competed in only three shows, including:

Shelbyville PTA Show
The Celebration
Tennessee State Fair (Nashville)

At the Celebration, he faced fierce competition from Merry Go Boy, a rising star who would later become a two-time World Grand Champion (1947 and 1948). Midnight Sun prevailed, winning the Stallion Championship and Grand Championship for the second consecutive year. His rivalry with Merry Go Boy became legendary.

Legacy as a Sire

Midnight Sun’s impact on the Tennessee Walking Horse breed extended far beyond his show career. He became the breed’s most influential sire, producing approximately 100 foals annually for 20 years. His offspring dominated the show ring, and his descendants continue to shape the breed today.

Midnight Sun sired seven World Grand Champions, including:
- Merry Go Boy (1947, 1948)
- Sun’s Delight D. (1963)
He grandsired five World Grand Champions.
Nearly every World Grand Champion since 1949 has descended from Midnight Sun in a straight male line.

Personality and Fame

Midnight Sun was not only a champion but also a gentle and charismatic horse. Visitors to Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee, often stopped by to meet him, and he was known for his kind temperament. Children were allowed to pet him in his stall, and many were given the thrill of riding him.

Final Years and Death

In 1956, Midnight Sun was sold to Eleanor and Geraldine Livingstone of Dixie Plantation in Quitman, Georgia, for $50,000, a record-breaking sum at the time. However, he remained at Harlinsdale Farm under the same management. In 1962, he made his final public appearance at the Celebration, parading alongside seven other former World Grand Champions, including his old rival Merry Go Boy.

On November 7, 1965, Midnight Sun passed away from colic at the age of 25. He was buried at Harlinsdale Farm, where a memorial tombstone marks his resting place.

Memorial and Statue

In 1972, Geraldine Livingstone commissioned a bronze statue of Midnight Sun, sculpted by Lee Burnam. The statue stands 7 feet tall on a rose-colored granite base and is located at Dixie Plantation. It remains the only statue of a famous Tennessee Walking Horse in existence.

Midnight Sun’s Enduring Legacy

Midnight Sun transformed the Tennessee Walking Horse breed from a regional curiosity into a national sensation. As the first stallion to win back-to-back World Grand Championships, he set a new standard for excellence. His contributions as a sire ensured that his influence would endure for generations, making him a cornerstone of the breed’s history.

Rest in peace, Midnight Sun, the “blackest and strongest horse” who became a legend.