Lewisburg, TN – Walt Chism, Chairman of the Master Breeders’ Award Committee at the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association is pleased to announce this year’s Award recipients: Hoyte Eakes, Nashville, Tennessee; Paige Edwards, Dawson, Georgia; Betty Freeman, Lebanon, Tennessee; Larry Gribble, McMinnville, Tennessee; and Burt Hunter, Lewisburg, Tennessee. The highest and most prestigious recognition given to a breeder of Tennessee Walking Horses, the TWHBEA Master Breeders’ Award recognizes those breeders whose body of work over an extended period of time has had a significant and long-lasting impact on the Tennessee Walking Horse breed. Each of this year’s honorees has impacted the breed register in a positive way. TWHBEA has registered over 500,000 horses over a period of 77 years and only 11 breeders have been recognized for this award.

Hoyte Eakes devoted his life to the betterment of the breed, producing countless National Futurity, world and world grand champions. Paige Edwards, best known as the breeder of 1996 World Grand Champion He’s Puttin’ On The Ritz, has bred numerous world and world grand champion producing sires and dams. The breeder of 1997 World Grand Champion Generators Santana and the great Ironworks, Betty Freeman bred and raised over 300 foals during her career. Larry Gribble established one of the most successful breeding operations in the industry standing such greats as Midnight Mack K., Pride’s Stormy Night and Johnny Midnight. And, finally, Burt Hunter was one of the very founders of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed and the first President of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ Association of America. This year’s Master Breeders’ Award Committee is proud to present to each of these outstanding breeders TWHBEA’s highest honor.