About Great Oaks Morgans: Now and Then

Ashley DeboydGreat Oaks Morgans came into being in 1967 when Charlene and TJ purchased a 10 year old mare and a 2 year old stallion to inhabit their newly purchased 10 acre farm on Roscoe Rd. in Newnan , GA. Cavamy and Jona were their names. In 1968 they were joined by Ashley DeBoyd and Larosa’s Easter. G.O. Ashman and G.O. Adrian were their first two foals. The Georgia Morgan Horse Club followed as well as a show circuit and high point system. Ashley DeBoydAshley was named Georgia Champion in1970-71& 72 . In 1972 he also was the AHSA High Score Morgan with John S. Diehl as his trainer. 1970 & 71 saw the GA club and the VA-Carolina Morgan Clubs co- sponsor two All-Morgan Shows held in Hickory, NC. 1972 saw the two groups each sponsor an All-Morgan show with one in Raleigh, NC and the GA. Show at Stone Mountain Park The family also moved the Great Oaks Farm to Mt. Carmel Rd. in West Coweta County where it is still located.

Neighknob Heather was obtained in 1972 and had an excellent early show career. As she matured she went on to numerous victories in harness with TJ driving and under saddle with Neighknob HeatherBarbara Goda doing the riding, followed by daughter Heidi. Heather was a many times National Champion in both Harness and Saddle and was a two time high point Champion at the Jubilee Regional Show in Springfield,, IL. In 1980 with daughter Heidi in the saddle she was Reserve World Champion at the National Championship show. She produced six outstanding foals and passed away several years after retiring in 1993.

1984 was an extra special year because Fairmead Damien was discovered at the Dixie Cup horse sale. Damien was one of the first foals born in Coweta County and was 16 at the time of the purchase. Charlene did not approve of the prospective bidder so she joined in Fairmead Damienand brought the senior citizen to Great Oaks. In 1986 the Dixie Cup, as the Regional Championship, had to offer a Carriage Driving Division. Damien drew the honors and entered a new career at 18. Shown by TJ, and on occasion by Charlene, the 14.2 gelding did some of his most important winning in the carriage arena as well as a CDE competitor. At the age of 20 he was named the Intermediate winner Single Horse at the Gladstone Equestrian show in his first five section marathon. He also won several Morgan world championships as well as winning at Walnut Hill and many other national carriage shows.

The Dixie Cup sale in 1984 also had another Damien change hands as Charlene helped the bidding along and ended up with two year old Saralin's Damien. Son Chris showed both Damiens and 'Young Damien' won high score honors for the GA Morgan Horse Club. Damien later proved successful as a combined training competitor.

TJ moved to Pair Driving in 1989 with Great Oaks Phantasy and a boarder, Superb Chance. In 1991, the desire Ebbs, Austriafor “more” horsepower saw the purchase of Who’s Zoomin Who and Jonice Starmike. After a few years as a Pair driver TJ returned to driving a single, WZW or better known as GUS. They started in the Advanced Single Division and won the AHSA National Singles Championship in 1997 at Fair Hill International. In 1998 the two were named members of the first US singles Team to represent the US at the first FEI World Championship in EBBS, Austria in June of that year. This resulted in a silver for the USA team, and a 7th place overall for Tom.

In 2000, Tom was awarded a place in the American Morgan Horse Association's Hall of Fame, as well as the 1998 Morgan International Competition Award.