Charles Brantley

Charles Emmett Brantley (November 12, 1924 – July 22, 2016) was a Tennessee Walking Horse breeder. He grew up on a farm in Coffee County, Tennessee, and competed in the first Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Besides breeding horses, he was a horse trainer for several years, but quit riding due to health issues. He was married to his wife Nellie for 70 years, and was inducted into both the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

Life Brantley was born on his family's farm in Coffee County, Tennessee, on November 12, 1924. He was the son of French and Mary Wilson Brantley, and grandson of James Brantley. He had two brothers and a sister.

Career Brantley's grandfather James Brantley owned the crossbred stallion Black Allan, also known as Allan F-1. Black Allan was the foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed and the sire of Roan Allen, who was owned by the Brantley family all his life. Brantley owned a half interest in the notable breeding stallion and two-time World Grand Champion Midnight Sun when the horse was a colt; Midnight Sun later was sold to Harlinsdale Farm. Brantley specialized in breeding and showing his horses in hand, but he did train horses under saddle for a time. He was eventually forced to stop riding due to circulation problems, but continued to show horses in-hand until he had a knee replacement in 1982. At this time, trainer Chris Richards took over the job of showing Brantley's horses. and in 2002 the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. The latter achievement made him the first person in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry to be so honored. By 2009, Charles Brantley had attended every Celebration, and had judged the ones his horses did not show in.

Death Charles Brantley died July 22, 2016, at the age of 91. He had been in a nursing home in Manchester, Tennessee.