[1] He was bred by Bud Messick at the urging of Johnson Hill, who contracted to buy the colt for $200.
The breeding created a stir in the area because Roan Allen and Birdie Messick were both sired by Black Allan.
That mating is considered by some to be the first deliberate act of inbreeding within the Tennessee Walking Horse breed.
The first burial was right after his death, and the grave was located at Steve Hill's stables, but in 1975 the horse's body was exhumed and taken to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where he was buried on the campus.
It is estimated that of the nearly 70 horses who have won the World Grand Championship, only three do not trace in a direct line back to Wilson's Allen.