The Nominating Committee of the Walking Horse Owners’ Association has nominated the following people for the 2026 Board of Directors.

Nominations for WHOA Board of Directors – 3 year term

DeeDee Miller Bacon-Tennessee
Kim Bennett-Kentucky
Jodi DeDecker Bubar-Illinois
Ken Estes-Tennessee
Dickie Gardner-Tennessee
Darden Gladney-Louisiana
Keegan Meadows-Tennessee
Sis Osborne-Tennessee

Nominee for 2026 WHOA President – 1 year term

Rhonda Martocci-Tennessee

Any candidate for the WHOA Board of Directors must have been in good standing for the prior two years. Anyone wishing his or her name declared as a candidate will need to notify the Walking Horse Owners’ Association office no later than December 1, 2025. According to the By-laws, Article III, Section 1, stating “anyone desiring to be a candidate shall give notice by registered mail or email to the Association of his or her intent to run for a directorship.”

Walking Horse Owners’ Association

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 4007
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Email joinwhoa@aol.com

According to the By-laws, Article IV, Section 2, stating, “The President shall be elected by total popular vote by the majority of the members for voting. Any candidate for President must have been a member in good standing and must have served on the Board of Directors for the past two years immediately prior to the election. In order to be a candidate for President, other than being nominated by the Nominating Committee, a person must be nominated by a member in good standing of this association. Said nomination, together with a written statement by the nominee agreeing to said nomination, must be reported to the association no later than December 1, 2025.

These nominations must reach our office no later than December 1, 2025. We are looking forward to a great 2026 and we appreciate the continued support of each and every member.

On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the Lord called Jack Pirkle home after a battle with cancer. A Funeral Service was held on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Trinity United Methodist Church. Reverend Chris Hester officiated the service. The family received friends at the funeral home on Friday, October 31, 2025, and on Saturday, November 1, 2025 until the time of service. Interment immediately followed in the church cemetery.

Born in Duluth, Georgia Jack was raised in Dacula, Georgia before ultimately finding a home in north Hall. Jack attended Central Gwinnett High School before attending Young Harris College and later Lagrange College. After receiving his master’s and specialist degree at the University of Georgia, Jack ultimately earned a doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern.

Jack was known among much of Hall County having served as the principal of East Hall High School and later West Hall High School. It was not an uncommon event for Jack to be greeted by past students upon whom Jack had left an impression.

Jack is preceded in death by his father and mother John Hoyt Pirkle, Dorothy Frances Allen Pirkle and his brother John Donald Pirkle.

Jack is survived by his wife of 56 years Patricia “Patti” Swindel Pirkle, his children Ashley Durham (Larry), Allison Pirkle Ellis (Mark), Stephen Shawn Pirkle, his grandchildren Colby Wade Ellis, Grace Elizabeth Pirkle, Dillion Jack Pirkle, William Clyde Durham, and his sister Joan Pirkle Seaton, and various nieces and nephews.

Jack was involved in two church choirs in his adult life-Ivy Creek Baptist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church-congregations Jack considered an extension of his family. Jack was an avid equestrian, having been involved in Tennessee Walking Horses his entire life, earning several National and International titles and a Reserve World Championship at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. He proudly owned the 2020 Five and Under Trail Pleasure World Grand Champion, “Self Made Money” who was under the direction of Jessica Mast.

Upon retiring from his career in education, Jack spoiled his grandchildren and enjoyed sitting on his porch. W. R. Strickland & Sons, Clermont, GA assisted the family.

The Scoop congratulates Thomas Derickson and Destiny Barnett on their recent engagement. Thomas proposed to Destiny on October 26, 2025, at the pavilion at the top of Pleasant Valley Farm in Shelbyville, TN. The couple will exchange vows in June of next year.

Alex Blackburn and Jake Langston were united in marriage on September 20, 2025 before a large number of guests. The vows were exchanged at the home of the groom’s parents, John and Melissa Langston in Columbia, Tennessee. The bride is the daughter of Knox and Stacy Blackburn. The couple will reside in Columbia.

John William Mayher, Jr. 84, of Midland, Georgia, passed away Saturday, September 13, 2025 surrounded by his family. Funeral services were Thursday, September 18 at St. Paul Church, Columbus, Georgia with Rev. Dr. Shane Green and Rev. Norman Dunlap officiating. The family received friends on Wednesday, September 17 in The Mill Room of Striffler Hamby. A private interment followed immediately after the service.
John, son of the late Dr. John William Mayher and Dorothy Illges Mayher, was born February 17, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois during his father’s medical internship at Cooke County Hospital. The family moved back to his mother’s hometown of Columbus, where he attended St. Elmo Elementary School and Clubview School. He attended Riverside Military Academy and graduated from Columbus High School in 1959. After graduation, he attended Georgia Southwestern and Columbus College.
An avid sportsman, John loved everything about the outdoors. He purchased property in Midland, where he raised his family and created Grey Rock Farms. There, he bred and trained Tennessee Walking Horses. He competed in horse shows all over the south, including the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tennessee. On the farm, he also raised cattle. When the herd outgrew Grey Rock Farms, he partnered with Harold Goodman and the two raised cattle throughout northern Muscogee County and Harris County.
John was also a licensed private pilot. He and his friend Pearce Massey owned a Cessna 172 and they enjoyed flying in the Chattahoochee Valley area and to air shows throughout the Southeast.
Quail hunting was always a passion of Mr. Mayher. In 1988, he established Greenfield Hunting Preserve and Sporting Clays in Pittsview, AL, where some of the finest quail hunting in the South was enjoyed by customers, friends, and family.
One of the original founding members of the “Lake Harding Hoodlums,” John spent most of his life enjoying “The River” with his family and his childhood friend, the late Charlie Boy Hudson.
Mr. Mayher was a member of the Big Eddy Club, and was a former board member of the National Civil War Naval Museum. He was also a supporter of the National Infantry Museum.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Betty Jean Mayher Ward and Margaret Mayher Badcock, and an infant daughter Jennifer Shannon Mayher. He is survived by his wife, Ginny Lee Mayher; his sister, Dorothy Mayher Shepard; children and bonus-children, Natalye Mayher, Joy Mayher Bohn (Todd), John Mayher III (Linda), Lisa Brady Solomon (Scott), Cheryl Brady Norton (Greg), Rem Brady (Bardie); grandchildren, Brent Benefield, Will Solomon (Jaclyn), Carly Nordhues (Eric), McKenney Spence (Matt), Rem Brady (Amy), Lawson Brady, Shannon Hamric (Andrew), Benjamin Sloan, Tommy Mayher, and Wynn Mayher; his children’s mothers, Peggy Sweet Shappard and Joyce Cone Mayher; 10 great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Columbus Hospice.

TWHNC Press Release September 25, 2005

The Celebration has selected Ryne Parker, Sam Sorrell and Chad Williams to judge the Celebration Fall Classic. The Fall Classic will be held in Cooper Steel Arena on October 30th through November 1st.
Sam Sorrell is a veteran to Celebration events having judged the Celebration eight times with the most recent coming in 2022. Sorrell has only judged three shows since that Celebration in 2022. His last judging assignment prior to this Fall Classic was the Walking For Cancer show in 2024.
Williams will mark the cards for the second time at a Celebration event. Williams also judged the Fall Classic in 2023. Williams also judged The Columbia Spring Jubilee in 2023.
Parker will be making his debut at a Celebration sponsored event. He most recently judged the 2024 Racking Horse World Celebration but has also judged Walking For Angels twice as well as the Alabama Jubilee in 2022.
For more information on the 2025 Celebration Fall Classic visit www.TWHNC.com or call 931-685-5915.

This past weekend SWEET WALKING MATILDA and Ally Jo Jacobs found themselves strutting their stuff in a completely different kind of arena. The recently crowned Owner Amateur Youth 6-17 Trail Pleasure World Grand Championship duo, delivered the game ball to kick off the Middle Tennessee State University Homecoming football game in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Monday, September 22nd TWHBEA and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture hosted an information workshop to educate eligible equine business owners about the addition of equine to the TAEP program. The workshop was held at the TWHBEA headquarters in Lewisburg, TN and via Zoom. Participants were walked through the TAEP website information and were able to ask questions.
Equine businesses across Tennessee will soon be able to apply for support through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s premier cost-share initiative, the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP). The application period for TAEP is October 1–7, 2025. For more details or to apply: www.tn.gov/taep
Also, during the application period TWHBEA is offering a “helpline” for members to call with questions or for help completing their applications. HELPLINE: 931-359-0581

Mike and Casey Tracy are delighted to announce the arrival of their beautiful baby girl, Mary Michael Tracy, born on August 12, 2025. She weighed 8.7 pounds and measured 21 inches long.
Mary Michael has already made her first trip to the 2025 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, where she proudly cheered on her big brother, Wyatt, and her dad, Mike, from the stands. The Tracy family is overjoyed with their newest blessing and looks forward to many memories ahead.

Carol C. Canerday was born November 2, 1931, and passed away August 30, 2025, at the age of 93. She was born in Morgan City, Louisiana to her parents, Julius B. and Alice C. Chauvin.
She is survived by her four sons, James K. “Jamie” White and wife Christa, Billy F. “Bill” White and wife Charlotte, Robert A. “Bobby” White, and Michael T. “Mike” White and wife Cynthia; 8 grandchildren; 2 step grandchildren; and 7 great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husbands, James K. White and Hessely D. Canerday.

Carol graduated from Morgan City High School with honors, then attended Southwest Louisiana Institute and received her Masters Degree at McNeese State University in education and guidance counseling. Her teaching career spanned two decades with english, social studies, and librarian positions at Vinton, Singer, and DeQuincy High Schools. She spent the remaining 9 years serving as the first guidance counselor at DeQuincy Elementary.
Her passion was always centered around her Tennessee Walking Horses in her early 20’s and into her 30’s. Her thrill of working and showing her four mares brought numerous awards and trophies, culminating with winning a national grand championship with the Heart of Dixie in Shelbyville, Tennessee aboard “Silver Shiraz” in 1997.
Carol was a member of First Presbyterian Church of DeRidder for 66 years, serving many roles as a teacher and mentor. She was a director for Big Brothers/Big Sisters in DeQuincy and opened their offices in DeRidder and later Fort Polk. She also served on the Railroad Museum Board in DeQuincy for several years, volunteered at C.A.S.H., and was active in many local, state, and national charities. Carol always served others through education and spiritual knowledge. Dependable, energetic, and compassionate were her cornerstones throughout her life and she will be greatly missed by all.
Family received friends the morning of Saturday, September 6, 2025, until the time of her memorial service on that same day. Services were held at Riley Smith & Sons Funeral Home, 1810 W. 4th Street, DeQuincy, Louisiana.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Soul Soup ran by Grace Church in DeRidder, Louisiana.