The Gray: The Kim Walnes Story – Documentary Filming

June 27, 2023, Pulaski County is proud to welcome filmmakers John Welsh, Caleb Doranz and Shanyn Fiske who will be creating a documentary on the story of Kim Walnes and her horse, The Gray Goose.

 

Kim Walnes, a former Pulaski County resident, is an avid horse enthusiast who has quite an exceptional story. In the 1970’s, Walnes purchased The Gray, a beautiful long-backed gray gelding from Ireland and had him imported to Pulaski.

 

Gray was an underdog, he was easily frightened which made him dangerous at times; however, Walnes knew exactly how to work and communicate with him. In 1982, The Gray and Walnes won the United States National Championships at Rolex, Kentucky’s Three-Day Event; one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world.

 

Only three months after the pair’s win in Kentucky, they took home both individual and team bronze medals at the World Three-Day Championships in Luhmühlen, Germany.

 

After traveling the world and representing the nation from 1980 to 1986 as a part of the US Equestrian Team and as alternates in the 1984 Olympics, Walnes decided to try something different. Today, she has focused her work toward the utilization of animal communication to provide healing for victims of various traumas.

 

The spirit of Walnes and The Gray and their tremendous relationship is exactly what the crew will be capturing through their documentary, “The Gray: The Kim Walnes Story,” which is already in progress. The filmmakers hope to highlight Walnes’ career, her story and how she’s using her life experiences to heal others with the help of animals.

 

This is an outstanding opportunity to showcase an incredible individual and our beautiful county. In a recent interview, Walnes said, “From the moment I first saw the area in 1965 as a junior in high school from northern Virginia, I knew in my bones that Dublin was meant to be my home, and I found a way to make it happen. Pulaski County has always meant home to me in every sense of the word. The land there has always welcomed me there, as have the people. Although I’ve traveled the world, I have never felt a sense of belonging or community as I have when living there.”