Chillin’ With The Presley Collection At Graceland The real ones and the Breyer collection By Nancy Brannon The 2010 extreme Memphis heat has made it difficult to keep horses cool this summer, but in the newly renovated stable at Graceland, the air feels surprisingly cool. Alene Alexander, Stable manager, and her staff at Graceland’s Stable “work hard” to keep the “Presley Collection” cool in the Memphis heat. “We have fans on both sides of the aisle, misting fans mounted outside blowing through the windows, and the barn was built with the large exhaust fans in the front,” Alene explained. Plus, the barn has a very tall loft. “The huge loft with the air pocket saves us,” she said. Another successful innovation is the soaker hoses mounted on the metal roof. “We turn them on in the morning and they run about 5 hours to cool the metal roof. They run periodically throughout the day, but are more effective in the early morning. They make a 15 to 20 degree difference in the temperature in the barn,” Alene said. “The barn was built in 1938,” Alene continued. “It’s all wood,” which further helps keep the barn cool. Renovations to the once-cattle barn have just been completed. “We put in a new drain system, added fine limestone gravel to the walkway, and put a fresh coat of paint on the inside,” Alene said. The stable has been packed with visitors all summer. “Children, horse people, and Elvis fans all love to visit the stable. We were extremely busy in August,” Alene said. Tours are at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Labor Day weekend. The Stable is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and during the winter, reopening Memorial Day weekend. The tour includes extensive conversation with the stable staff, the history of the stable, Elvis’ love for horses, Priscilla’s involvement with the horses, and, of course, visitation with the four horses of the “Presley collection.” Candy is a gift from Southern Serenity Farms and is related to the last horse Elvis bought, Ebony’s Double. He is a 19-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse (TWH), black with a blaze. Howard Hamilton trained Ebony’s Double. Alene rode him in his retirement ceremony at the TWH Celebration in 1983, which Priscilla attended. Max of Maine is a 6-year-old Standardbred/Quarter Horse cross. He is one of a family of six horses who were slated for slaughter and rescued in 2007 by Carole-Terese Naser and her organization in Palermo, Maine - Six Horses Saved. He was adopted and arrived at Graceland in 2008. Blue-Eyed Bandit is a 2-year-old Quarter Horse, rescued by Fayette County Animal Rescue from the George Blackburn farm in Fayette County, TN. He was one month old when rescued and eight months old when he came to Graceland. Tucker is a 14-year-old Palomino Quarter Horse who arrived at Graceland last year. He is a gift from Lynn Myers, and Graceland will be his permanent retirement home. Breyer’s “Presley Collection” is the latest hit, which premiered at BreyerFest at the Kentucky Horse Park. Alene said Priscilla was “flattered and honored that Breyer chose to do their horses, and did such a great job.” Priscilla spent three days autographing the horses at BreyerFest, graciously enjoying the opportunity, she added. There are replicas of Rising Sun with Elvis riding, and of the horse only. The Graceland Stable play set includes a replica of the stable and bath house, Lisa’s pony Moriah, Rising Sun wearing a blanket embroidered with Graceland, fencing, a water trough, hay bale and horse brush. There are also replicas of Graceland’s four horses that fit with the play set. The Breyer Plush Horses of Graceland are by far the most popular. Alene said the Graceland Gift Shops had sold out of them already, but they are available at other feed stores and tack shops. The staff at Graceland who keep the Stable running smoothly and coolly are Alene Alexander, Stable manager; Valerie Simmons, Julie Simmons, and Kelly Kirelawich. “We have the coolest, cleanest barn in Tennessee!” Alene boasted.