Thirty-five years ago, Dabora, Inc. started simply with the Walking Horse Report, a weekly newspaper covering the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, now just one of several divisions owned and operated by David L. Howard of Shelbyville, Tn.

The company now includes the Walking Horse Report, Saddle Horse Report (also a weekly newspaper), Horse World Magazine, World Champion Horse Equipment, and Media and Retail Internet Divisions. Sister companies, DIII, Inc. and David L. Howard, Inc., operate Howard Promotions, a promotional products company, and two annual books, The Year in Walking Horses and The Year in Review.

Sales In Motion is the latest addition to the Dabora lineup. Sales in Motion is a multi-breed internet sales vehicle that facilitates communication between horse owners and horse buyers. Sales in Motion is a means for horse buyers to locate horses that meet their specific search criteria, so that they can determine horses which are worthy of further investigation.

David Howard, owner of Dabora, Inc., is a journalism graduate of the University of Tennessee. After graduation he began working as a writer for the Voice magazine, a publication dedicated to the walking horse industry. Howard worked for the Voice for five years before starting his own company in 1971.

Howard moved his operations from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Shelbyville and made 923 North Main St. home until the need for larger accommodations moved the company to 1211 East Lane St. where the company remained for 15 years. In 1989, Dabora, Inc. moved to its present location on Madison Street.

Howard started the Walking Horse Report, a weekly publication serving the Tennessee Walking Horse industry in an effort to provide a timely source of news, as well as to serve as a credible source of real information regarding the industry. At that time, he was the only publication that printed judges cards from horse shows showing which judges had tied which horses, and the publication was known for taking controversial stands on the issues that plagued the industry.

Five years after the introduction of the Walking Horse Report, the Saddle Horse Report was started with similar intentions. This publication was also a weekly newspaper serving the American Saddlebred, Hackney pony, and later the Morgan horse industry. Howard then expanded his company into the magazine field with the purchase of Horse World magazine in December of 1979, a monthly slick magazine serving those same industries. In 1983 a new company, David L. Howard, Inc. was formed to publish a series of Who’s Who publications and other related publishing ventures which now includes two annual yearbooks.

In 1985 Dabora, Inc. purchased World Champion Horse Equipment Co., Inc. This company is a national horse equipment supply company and operates a manufacturing and retail operation in Shelbyville. Walking Horse Supply, also a horse equipment company was purchased and merged with World Champion is 1988.

World Champion Horse Equipment serves its customers across the country with its retail and mail order service. By operating a manufacturing division, World Champion can more completely serve its customers needs by offering customization of needed products.

Dabora, Inc. became part of the internet world in 1997 putting both weekly publications and their horse equipment retail operation on line with the following addresses: walkinghorsereport.com, saddlehorsereport.com and ehorseequipment.com. These sites enabled the publications to service their customers even better by bringing people across the world accurate information regarding the Tennessee Walking Horse, American Saddlebred and Morgan Horse breeds as quickly as possible. World Champion Horse Equipment’s internet site, ehorseequipment.com accesses horse lovers across the world with a wide array of products available on line.

DIII, Inc. was formed in the year 2000. Serving both the horse industry and the general business community, this promotional products company offers virtually any promotional item a company may need. By being part of a franchise, the fourth largest in the world, great selection and prices have accounted for its success.

Dabora, Inc. has been a solid member of the Bedford County community as well as a member of the horse communities. The company has continually looked for innovative ways to serve its existing customers and to find new areas where its expertise can open up new markets.

Howard and his wife Mary have worked continually in the business where they are now joined by their three children. Christy Howard Parsons, Jennifer Howard Connelly and Jeffrey Howard have each migrated back to Shelbyville to join the family business. Dabora, Inc. has also been blessed with many long-term employees who have been the foundation of the success for the company. Each of these employees has dedicated themselves to the company’s philosophy for outstanding service in its markets, and the results have been a thriving company which continues to grow and to enjoy its reputation for a business founded on integrity.