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Legacy
The Geraldine C. M. Livingston Foundation proudly presents an authentic miniature bronze of Midnight Sun, the greatest sire in walking horse history.
The miniature bronze, a replica of the full size bronze, has been created to raise funds to help restore the "Big House" at Dixie Plantation to its original status and to improve the field trial grounds. This is a noble undertaking to carry on the legacy of the Livingston Family and an offer to walking horse owners and fanciers a miniture bronze of Midnight Sun. The Foundation's charitable purpose intends to be fulfilled in this endeavor. The bronze will be gifted to all parties who make a minimum $5000 donation to the 501(C) 3 Foundation. The bronze will be limited to five hundred, plus fifty artist proofs. Each bronze will be accompanied with a certificate of authenticity, a letter recognizing the gift for tax purposes, literature on the Dixie Plantation, Geraldine Livingston, Midnight Sun and the sculptor Bradley Cooley.
For additional information contact: The Geraldine C. M. Livingston Foundation, 1583 Livingston Road, Greenville, Florida, 32331
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Midnight Sun
Midnight
Sun holds
the distinction as the first stallion to win the
World Grand Championship title in Shelbyville, Tennessee
during the Celebration in 1945 and again in 1946.
Continuing the bloodline of his sire, Wilson's
Allen and dam, Ramsey's Rena, Midnight
Sun's offspring and succeeding generations continue
to dominate the walking horse industry.
The colt
foaled June 8, 1940 gave little indication that this "ugly
duckling" would become a great champion. John A. Hendrixson
purchased the black colt and named him Joe Lewis Wilson.
Charles Brantley bought half interest in the black stallion
during a visit to the Hendrixson Farm. Winston Wiser's
first assessment was that Joe Lewis was too big,
awkward and too black. However, Wiser took the colt and
developed him from the ugly duckling to the beautiful black
swan that attracted the attention of Henry Davis.
Henry Davis's assessment of Midnight
Sun resulted in Wirt and Alex Harlin purchasing the black
stallion in 1944 and giving him a new name, Midnight Sun.
History records the electricity that filled the air during the 1945-46 Celebrations with Fred Walker as Midnight Sun's trainer and rider. The standard for the Celebration Championship was now in place.
The Harlinsdale Farm sold Midnight Sun to Mrs. Eleanor Livingston and her daughter Geraldine in 1957. The Livingstons stipulated that Midnight Sun remain at Harlinsdale Farm until his death. The stallion was buried at Harlinsdale when he died in 1965.
 Geraldine Livingston commissioned a life size statue of Midnight Sun and presented it to her mother on her birthday in 1972. Midnight Sun stood at Dixie Plantation as a magnificent work of art to perpetuate his place in Tennessee Walking Horse history as the greatest sire until July, 2003. He is now on loan to the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association and stands in their Memorial Garden until May 2013, at which time it will return to Dixie Planation..
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