Skip to content

A Lady Who Absolutely Loved Horses - C. Jean Nalley



by Bob Funkhouser

Throughout the history of the American Saddlebred show horse there have been remarkable women that are icons of the business for long periods of time. Each has given a piece of herself to the breed and has gone to great lengths to enjoy and promote their passion. Clearly, the recently deceased C. Jean Nalley belongs in that group of distinguished matriarchs.

A lifelong resident of Louisville, Ky., who also enjoyed a home in Marco Island, Fla., Jean was born Oct. 22, 1925 to Louis and Hazel Millet. She would marry Joseph Richard Nalley and in 1957 they purchased Krauth Electric Company, an industrial electric equipment distributor and service provider. With the passing of her husband in 1988, Jean took over leadership of the business and remained heavily involved until the time of her June 18 death.

A horse lover her entire life, Jean admired them from a distance for many years while starting a family and running a large business. After the passing of her husband, good friend Don Harris called her and said, "Jean, it’s time to look at getting you a horse again."

That’s all it took and soon she owned Sabina and My Gemini Dream. She called her son, Chris, who was practicing law in Washington D.C. and told him of her purchases and wanted him to come home and evaluate them. A trip home and walking back into barns where fine American Saddlebreds resided was all it took to bring Chris back home to the family business and an equine partnership with his mother that would produce a most impressive list of world’s and reserve world’s champions.

"Her eye for a top horse was uncanny," said Chris. "As a team we were most proud that nearly all of the horses that won world titles were purchased as un-shown prospects."

Redd Crabtree, Bill Wise, Don Harris, Nelson Green and John Biggins are among the trainers whom Jean placed horses with as she and Chris built top of the line show strings. One year at River Ridge Don Harris won all three open championships with Nalley entries: Aurene (Five-Gaited), Nightly Affair (Three-Gaited) and Our Canary Diamond (Fine Harness). Among the other champions that went to the winner’s circle for the Nalley ownership were Streetwise, S.S. Lies & Alibis, Worthy’s Temptress, Pluto, Callaway’s Rockaway and 98 Degrees.

Defying all odds, Jean decided to take her passion from owning and watching her champions to actually showing. At the age of 74, she entered the show ring for the first time, winning a 22-horse Country Pleasure class with Cecile at the May Classic. They went on to win a reserve world’s championship. There would also be victory passes with the exquisite Merchant Prince daughter, Nightly Affair.

Also among her stars was It’s All About Me, the Junior Five-Gaited sensation of 2004 who won River Ridge, Rock Creek, Lexington and Louisville. Additionally, in August of 2005, under the direction of Todd Miles and DeLovely Farm, Jean and Chris proudly stood with Five O’Clock, their newly crowned Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion, who won the title as a five-year-old. In recent years the offspring of many of their former show mares have been making headlines for the Nalleys.

It has been her patience and belief in the young horses she purchased over the years that allowed them to become champions. It has been that same philosophy that she and Chris have used with the homebred youngsters as they now begin to make their marks. In just a short amount of time, World’s Champion Of Champions Voulez Vous, Reserve World’s Champion Twice Nightly, Zippers & Snaps, Temptress Too, Temptress In Town, Nuts And Bolts, Don’t Tempt Me and Nightly Love have all come from the small but blue-blooded band of Nalley broodmares.

As son Chris so eloquently said in his mother’s eulogy, Jean made a difference throughout her life. She lived every day to the fullest and always had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. It is both that smile and the twinkle in her eye that this writer will remember most about this gracious lady. There was never a moment when passing her at a show that she didn’t stop and share a kind word. It was always positive, always proud of her horses and family.

Chris summed his mother up best in his eulogy. "She led a life of positive consequence. She brought the best out in her husband of 44 years, and made him a better person. She imbued her children with a strong base of values and made all of us better people. She has inspired her grandchildren to pursue excellence and to be kind and gentle. Her great-grandchildren will hear stories of "Mama Jean" and in the warmth and tone of the storytellers’ voices, they will know she was a good person who was loved, who made a difference in the lives she touched."

More Stories

  • From the Desk of Edward R. “Hoppy” Bennett

    Dear Members of The American Saddlebred Community, 

    As predicted, we have received pushback from various members of the Saddlebred industry, namely the American Saddlebred Horse & Breeders Association (ASHBA).  When we made our decision to replace the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) with Equine Sports Council (ESC), we were aware of and discussed this pushback and moved forward with the changes, knowingly.

    Read More
  • River Ridge Is USEF Lite Rated

    Barbara Dunham, manager of the River Ridge Charity Horse Show, announced that the show has been granted USEF Lite status for its April 24-27 event at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Columbus, Ohio. Read More
  • ASHBA Special Release

    In response to recent developments surrounding the World's Championship Horse Show (WCHS), the American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association (ASHBA) is pleased to announce the launch of a dedicated webpage to serve as a news hub for its members. This webpage will provide timely updates and information as the situation evolves. Read More
  • Morgan Grand National Update On New Coliseum

    The Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show is one step closer to the beginning of a new era as progress on the new state-of-the-art coliseum in Oklahoma City continues on schedule. Read More
  • Update On Citrus Cup Regional - New Venue and Dates For 2024

    Join in for fun in the sun at Citrus Cup at its new location, the fabulous World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, on April 24-27, 2024. Fay Lowry will be judging all main ring classes. The new revised class schedule includes classes for Morgans, Saddlebreds, Hackney, Harness Pony, Open breed, carriage, ranch riding, and dressage divisions. Read More
  • ASHBA Special Release

    Many of you received an email today from David Beck, President and CEO of Kentucky Venues, that indicates a decision has already been made by the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB) to change the governance of the World's Championship Horse Show from the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).  Read More
  • ASHBA Special Release

    The American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association (ASHBA) is extending the National and National Amateur Futurity weanling nomination deadline until May 1, 2024... Read More
  • ASHBA Special Release

    The American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association (ASHBA) has given the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB) notice to terminate its 1995 agreement with the KSFB to provide support to the World’s Championship Horse Show (WCHS). The termination notice was hand delivered to the KSFB on Friday, March 15. Read More
  • FoalsNFocus – Week 1

    Here we are again, springtime. With the warmer temperatures and the greening of the landscape comes one of the most exhilarating times of the year for horsemen and women, foaling season! Hopes and dreams literally come to life. Read More
  • Latest Issue 3 18 24

    Read More