Jenson's Diplomat Tina Measures 20 Hands

At Springbrook Inn Bed and Breakfast there was a roll of thunder on the morning of Saturday, July 28, 2007. That was the morning that Tina was being presented to the public in the small, quiet town of Niota, Tennessee. The day was planned to bring out the community, media, well wishers, and generally anyone who wanted to see the contender for the title of the World’s Tallest Living Horse. The crowd of 600 to 1000 people moved in and out of the 25 acre farm throughout the day. There were many things to do including: blacksmith demonstrations, musical entertainment, equine health workshops, pony rides, and the measuring of Tina. At 2:30 p.m., the arena was cleared for the gentle giant to be brought in for her official measurement. The officials on site to witness the measurement were:

Mayor:                    Martha Walden

City Commissioner: Ron Wilcox

Veterinarian:           William L. Moss, DVM

Veterinarian:            Hugh McCampbell, DVM

Ferrier:                   Jeremy Davis

And the other 300-600 well wishers that were anxiously standing and watching the measurement. Then the words came through… “She is at 20 hands tall unshod….” and that is as tall as the horse tape can measure. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Tina took her victory walk around the arena, posing for pictures as she had been doing this her entire life. Her owners were ecstatic. Jim Williams came out with a 25 pound bag of carrots for Tina as her reward for winning. Her other owner, Marge Williams

was smiling and giving Tina a big hug. Her handler and trainer, Jessica Barnette, was overwhelmed at how well Tina did with the crowd and different sights and sounds. There was another special guest in the crowd — Mr. Clark Jenson, Tina’s original breeder and the owner of her sire. He was very happy that Tina had broken the record. When he was asked if he knew she would be this big, he remarked, “that both her parents were over 19 hands tall, but you can never tell how large or strong a horse will grow.” He stated that “a loving and caring family is one of the major factors to her size and temperament.” As you can imagine everyone on the farm was on cloud nine by the end of the day. Tina was taken inside to get her custom-made shoes put on so she could complete the measurement the next day. On Sunday, July 29, 2007, Veterinarian Hugh McCampbell, measured her with her new shoes and she measured 20.1 hands with the longer horse tape. Tina is unofficially the Worlds Tallest Living Horse until the Guinness Book of World Records reviews all the video, photographs, witness documentation, and other paperwork that is required. According to the paperwork, the official word should be coming in six to eight weeks. Tina is only 3 years old and is expected to continue growing for the next 2-3 years. According to her handler, Tina is a very gentle giant that does not realize how big she is. “She will follow you around like a small puppy. “ When asked what they intend to do with Tina, everyone answered they are just going to love her and keep her happy.

Breed:
    Shire

Age:
    3 Years Old (2-3 More Years to grow)

Height (Shoulder):
    Unshod 80 Inches
    Shod 81 Inches

Weight:
    1600 Pounds

Daily Hay:
    40-60 Pounds

Daily Grain:
    16-20 Cups

Water:
    15-20 Gallons

The Springbrook Inn will be open to the public the first Saturday of every month for viewing Tina. Tina can be seen from Noon until 2:00 p.m.

There is a suggested donation of $5.00 per car that will go toward Tina’s carrot fund. Please do not bring food to feed her, as we have to watch her diet closely. Thank you for your understanding.

Any interview requests, photo opportunities, or story requests should go to Tina’s owners, Jim and Marge Williams at 423-568-3092

• Springbrook Inn for Room Information
  Jim or Marge Williams
  (423) 568-3092 innkeeper@springbrook-inn.com 
• Springbrook Riding Academy
  Marge Williams
  (423) 568-3092
• www.Springbrook-Inn.com
  307 North Burn Road
  Niota, TN 37826