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By Ernie Smothers
smothers@mckenziebanner.com |
CCMP presents colors at the annual Tom Boyd
Memorial Walk Celebration at Huntingdon.
For the Carroll County Mounted Patrol (“CCMP”), their
“Fifteen minutes of fame” has arrived.
Featured in both the September 2006 Celebration Issue of
"The Voice," the official publication of the Tennessee
Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association, as
well as the “National News” publication of the National
Walking Horse Association, the Al Chymia Shrine Carroll
County Mounted Patrol has recently been taken by
surprise with national attention. The members of this
local mounted patrol unit refer to themselves as “CCMP”
and are not at all bashful about talking about their
mission, which is the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Fresh from an emotional and well-received drill and
ceremony routine and presentation of colors performed
before an enthusiastic audience two weeks ago, CCMP is
currently basking in a white-hot spotlight. The Unit was
performing at the invitation of the National Walking
Horse Association at its Sixth Annual Championship held
in Murfreesboro.
Unlike many who seek fame only for themselves, CCMP is
united in their goal of redirecting national attention
from themselves and their Tennessee Walking Horses
towards the 22 Shrine-owned and operated hospitals, and
especially the children who receive medical treatment at
these hospitals across the United States.
Even though sudden popularity and national interest have
illuminated the unit, CCMP is taking it all in with a
“well-gaited stride.”
CCMP Origins
Beginning in the early 1990s, friends and horse
enthusiasts Larry Spencer and Jack Atkins spoke often
during trail rides about the prospect of combining their
interest in horses with another commonly shared passion
– Al Chymia Shrine.
According to Larry Spencer, "The origins of the Al
Chymia Shrine Carroll County Mounted Patrol began on
Memorial Day weekend in 1994. I had, as in many years
past, attended the Tom Boyd Memorial Trail Ride, and was
preparing to break camp on the last day of the event.
Jack (a former member of the Memphis Al Chymia Mounted
Patrol) came by my campsite and told me that he wanted
us to meet the week after his Fourth of July vacation
and begin putting together a plan for a Shrine-based
fundraising trail ride." Spencer continued, "Sure
enough, when Jack got back from vacation, he came by and
we began putting our plan into action."
Spencer noted that the first trail ride for the Shriners
Hospitals for Children was held that October. He said,
"After that first ride in 1994, a few more Shriners
would show up each year and help. Finally, after the
1998 ride, we realized that we had enough riders to form
a unit. That fall, Jack and I requested permission to
form the Al Chymia Shrine Carroll County Mounted Patrol.
One week later, on October 26th, we received our
charter."
The Carroll County Mounted Patrol
parades on Beale Street. Their mission is the support of
the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Saddle Up
Spencer stated that he and Atkins had hoped from the
unit's inception that the mounted patrol unit would
become recognizable and synonymous with the cause for
raising funds for the Shriners 22 hospitals that offer
medical treatment to children under the age of 18 years
free of charge to their families.
As word began to spread about the Carroll County Mounted
Patrol, so did requests for appearances. A crowd
favorite at Carroll County Christmas parades, the
patrol's popularity led to their being invited to ride
at the Mule Day Parade held in Columbia as well as the
Auto Zone Liberty Bowl Parade in Memphis.
In addition to regular parade and festival appearances,
the patrol is now being invited to present the colors at
walking horse shows throughout middle and west
Tennessee.
Meet the Members
Currently, the mounted patrol horses consist of ten
solid black Tennessee Walking Horses, ranging in age
from six to 24 years of age. Horse riding members are:
2006 Captain, Pee Wee Floyd from Bruceton; Treasurer and
Historian Darrell Douglas from Huntingdon; Secretary and
drillmaster Bill Lemons of Bruceton; Art Cason of
Martin; Ashley Cook of Hollow Rock; Gene Robbins of
Camden; Keith Eason, Larry Spencer, and Martin Eason,
all from Bruceton; and, Quentin Allgood from Hollow
Rock. Dick Bayless of Bruceton serves as keeper of the
flags and decorates his truck to escort the horses in
parades. Serving on the ground crew for the unit are
Greg Hillard of Hollow Rock, Norman Hillard of
Huntingdon and T. Richard Goodwin of Hollow Rock.
Memphis members of the unit are Jim Norman and Thom
Henning.
Spencer noted that wives of CCMP members also play a
vital role in the organization, handling everything from
aiding in event organization to gathering auction items
to be bid on at the annual Shrine Trail Ride held each
October at Natchez Trace State Park. The 2006 Shrine
Trail Ride is scheduled for the weekend of October
20-22, and expectations are great for the fall colors to
be spectacular at Natchez Trace’s Wrangler Campground.
Horse Protocol
A major requirement for the CCMP Walking Horses involves
their ability to cope with large crowds, fire engines
and other motorized vehicles, plus any new noise or
object they are exposed to during competition or
ceremonial activities. Much to their surprise last
Christmas, the mounted patrol horses had to adjust to
fireworks being shot into the night air at the Trezevant
Christmas Parade. CCMP members simply allowed their
horses to turn and look at the fireworks display to
satisfy their horse-sense curiosity, and the horses then
went about their duties of marching in the parade.
To better prepare these horses for the stresses and
uncertainties inherent with performing at large public
functions, CCMP riders and horses attended the 2004
Nashville Metro-Police Department Mounted Patrol Clinic.
While there, instruction and training were given to aid
the horses and riders in dealing with large obstacles
coming toward them, as well as people on foot
surrounding the horses.
Members of the unit attest that when these ten horses
are groomed and transported to a parade or horse show,
they immediately change demeanor and focus intently on
what is being asked of them. When performing a drill and
ceremony routine which is usually set to patriotic
music, unit members have stated that sometimes the
horses remember the complicated routine better than the
riders do. One member, who asked to remain anonymous,
tells about the time he was trying to steer his Horse to
the right in a complex musical routine, and his horse
refused and went to the left, which was the correct
direction. This member reluctantly recalls that his
horse saved him some embarrassment at that particular
performance. Another common occurrence is for the horses
to walk in time with the beat of the music.
In addition to public parade and festival appearances,
several of the unit’s horses also compete in light-shod
and trail pleasure division events, and have ribbons to
their credit.
The Big Picture
Shrine Dom is known as the "World's Greatest
Philanthropy". Each year, through their hospital
assessments and hundreds of fund-raising events,
Shriners invest countless hours of personal time and
money to promote and perpetuate the ongoing services of
Shrine-funded hospitals, reinforcing their mantra, "No
man stands as tall as when he stoops to help a child."
Since 1922 when the first Shriners Hospital was
established in North America, 18 hospitals are dedicated
to providing specialized medical and rehabilitative
services to children with congenital deformities,
problems resulting from orthopedic injuries, and
diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In 1980,
Shriners Hospitals opened the first of three Spinal Cord
Injury Rehabilitation Units for children. These units
are among the few in the United States specifically
designed to treat children and teenagers with spinal
cord injuries. The burns hospitals in Galveston, Boston,
Cincinnati and Sacramento have been leaders in burn
research since opening in the mid-1960. The vast
experience and knowledge at these hospitals has had
far-reaching affects on burn treatment techniques
worldwide.
First utilized to treat children afflicted with polio,
today's Shriners Hospitals for Children provide a broad
spectrum of medical treatment for children. In a
September 2006 announcement by the Shriners, there will
be no age restrictions on patients with Juvenile
Rheumatoid Arthritis (“JRA”).
The 2006 total budget for the Shriners Hospitals is $649
million, of which $616 million is targeted for operating
expenses, including $33 million for research. Buildings
and equipment expenditures are budgeted at $33 million.
During the 84-year history of the Shriners Hospitals,
approximately $7.6 billion has been spent to operate
Shriners Hospitals, and over $1.73 billion has been
spent on construction and renovation. Without the caring
donations of the public and private corporate sponsors,
many of the essential services made available at no cost
to the children would cease.
Bringing it Home
As of 2005, the twelve members of CCMP have raised over
$100,000 for the Shriners hospitals.
Spencer said, “Compared to the cost of operating all the
hospitals, our contribution may not seem like a huge
sum, but we are continually committed to doing
everything in our power to help the children. They are
our motivation."
During a recent interview published by “The Voice,"
2004-05 CCMP Captain Darrell Douglas said, “I had never
dealt with Tennessee Walking Horses until my desire to
become a Shriner and then a member of the CCMP. I am now
proud to say that the Shriners and their horses are
ambassadors for the children. When we are requested to
make an appearance, we will not lose sight of our
responsibility to these children."
CCMP has just learned that 32 children have been
recently accepted for medical treatment at the Shriners
Hospital in its district.
Onward
As the CCMP prepares for yet another hectic schedule of
Christmas parade performances, on-lookers can, in
addition to taking pride in their stellar
accomplishments and national recognition, perhaps donate
to this Unit’s heartfelt cause. After all, the Carroll
County Mounted Patrol “rides for the children.” |
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