Mississippi Horseman Still Winning: Four Score and 10 – The Tennessee Tribune

By Gail H. Marshall Brown, Ph.D.
Contributing Author

From driving an 18-wheeler to offer for his household for 30 years to driving a sulky in harness racing (in retirement) for many years, Mississippi native Johnnie Lee Maynor remains to be successful.
Maynor lately celebrated what his household termed, “90 years younger.” Additionally described as a household icon and legend, he celebrated this “vital” milestone with shock visits from his youngsters, grandchildren, nice grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. He even acquired digital visits from South Africa.

Not solely did Maynor flip 90, however he and his spouse Doris, a retired healthcare supplier, additionally
have been nonetheless blissful from the blessing of celebrating 72 years of marriage in April.

His pal Howard Gentry of 30 years, informed T he Mississippi Hyperlink that he believes Maynor’s
longevity may be attributed to “good residing.” Gentry, a neighborhood Nashville politician and former
athletic director at Tennessee State College, said: “Each since I’ve identified him, he has
lived on a farm – nation residing away from the town. He was at all times a wholesome particular person. He educated his horses, he educated his canines, he hunted and took care of his land, and so, he lived a very good clear life. I’m positive that has aided to his longevity. Additionally, he has an incredible spouse. After all, that may at all times make the distinction.”

Gentry mentioned each he and Maynor share a love for looking and horses. “Nevertheless, I solely
rode for pleasure,” he mentioned.

Many view the Maynors as a singular African-American couple.

After lengthy profitable skilled careers, they took up a pastime that parlayed into profitable sporting enjoyment: proudly owning horses and turning into concerned in harness horse racing.

One in every of his horses, HJ’s Missy, a $2500 reward from one in every of his daughters, throughout the summer time of 2000, would go on to turn out to be “North America’s winningest juvenile in 2001,” based on Hoof B eats journal, February 2002. HJ’s Missy “took 15 of 18 begins, with all however a kind of wins coming with [the-then] 69-year-old Maynor within the sulky.”

HJ’s Missy was named after their pricey pals, Harley and Jan Emerson, who helped the
Maynors get established in Illinois to compete in excessive stakes racing. The Emersons have been
longtime horse breeders. The Maynors would spend their summer time visiting them.

It was a kind of visits that Johnnie Maynor noticed and have become keen on the horse that he would later describe as “the perfect horse I ever had.” The filly was extremely
wanted by different house owners however Maynor would by no means promote her as a result of she was a present from their daughter.

Previous to the Illinois circuit, based on Hoof B eats, Maynor’s “world of harness racing had
been restricted to the honest racing in Philadelphia, Miss. and Fayetteville, Tenn.”

Gentry identified that though quite a few African Individuals are within the harness
racing trade, they’re principally jockeys and trainers. Nevertheless, Maynor was coach and proprietor.

“That was the distinction,” Gentry mentioned. “Once I would go to races…, I didn’t see lots of people that regarded like me. The one factor that was my complexion have been the horses (he chuckled).”

Different top-named horses the Maynors owned have been “Dues Is Wild,” “Quick Observe” and “Minor Boy.”

Throughout a current interview he said, “Though individuals thought “HJ’s Missy” was my quickest
horse, it was really Dues Is Wild. Within the mid to late 90’s, he competed all through america breaking information additionally,” Maynor mentioned.

Right this moment at age 90, the birthday boy, like his horses, remains to be a excessive spirited particular person who loves to bop and shared a few of his strikes. In reality, throughout his birthday celebration, escorted by his spouse, he danced into the get together to the tune of Stevie Surprise’s tune, “Blissful Birthday.”

He enjoys telling his historical past as a horseman and singing within the male refrain at his church.
Sturdy advocates of incomes the perfect schooling potential, the Maynors are the proud mother and father of a big household of extremely profitable skilled grownup youngsters and grandchildren.

Rising up, his youngsters thought their father’s involvement with horses was “only a pastime” however as a result of what he did was really a sport, they are saying they now notice their father was “actually knowledgeable athlete.”

He realized on his personal and from having mentors who didn’t seem like him as a result of there have been none from his surrounding who had gone forth within the space harness horsemanship at that stage.

This text was first printed within the Mississippi Hyperlink