by Stephanie Morton

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – It’s a busy Saturday morning across the Celebration show grounds today. Horses fill the warm-up arena of the Calsonic Arena and the smell of Bar-B-Que fills the air for the Annual Celebration Bar-B-Que. The Celebration Bar-B-Que is held after the Saturday morning session across from the Calsonic Arena. Crowds flock to the stands to support their favorite teams of this morning’s performances at the 77th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Fourteen classes made up this morning’s class line-up including Halter, Country Pleasure, Trail Pleasure and the ever elegant Equitation classes. The honorable judges; Bingham, Bonner, Sisk, Sorrell and Landrum preside over this morning’s classes. It was 9 a.m. when the gates opened to begin this morning’s exciting performances.

Competing for this morning’s first blue ribbon and world championship title were the O/A Yearlings, of 2014 Foal. Judge Bingham served as the call judge for this impressive class of yearlings. Ten entries answered the call. Taking home all the bragging rights in this top class of young horses along with the unanimous tie was Hey Good Looking and Kelly Richards for Bobby and Freda Jones and Roger Richards of Manchester and Bell Buckle. They have also won top honors earlier this week in the YWHBEA National Futurity Yearling Fillies. Reserve honors went to Tom Selleck and Jim Baum for the Dr. Jim Baum family of Shelbyville. This dynamic duo also claimed reserve honors earlier this week at the TWHBEA National Futurity. Rounding out the top three was The Waco Kid and Roger Richards, Jr. for Roger D. Richards of Bell Buckle.

Up next was the Auxiliary Equitation, Medal Class, Youth Division. Riders 6-11Years. Judge Sisk served as the call judge for this class. Miss Addie Harris of Shelbyville had the ring all to herself as she exhibited how Equitation riders truly showed their horses. She flawlessly executed her equitation pattern in world championship style. Harris claimed world championship honors in the O/A Youth 6-11 Geldings class last night.



Next we invited the O/A Youth Riders 12-17 Years on Western Country Pleasure Walking Horses. This class was one of the larger of the morning with fourteen top entries making the gate. Judge Landrum served as the call judge for this highly competitive class. Taking home the honor and title was Bustline and Claire Hankins for Vaughn and Hankins of Valley City, OH and Paris, Ky. Bustline is the 2014 O/A Youth 6-17 Western Country Pleasure World Champion and O/A Country Pleasure Reserve World Grand Champion. Reserve honors went to GiGi’s Majestic and Elysse Bradford for William Bradford of Dallas, TX. This talented team has claimed top honors at the International Pleasure and Colt show earlier this season. Rounding out the top three was Out There And Lovin’ It and Carolina Sinden for Carolina Sinden and Harper Grider of Valdese, N.C. and Columbia, Ky.

Nine top competitors entered the ring in hopes of becoming the next world champion in the Yearling Fillies or Geldings, of 2014 Foal. Judge Bingham served as the call judge in this impressive class. This unanimous winning pair of Hey Good Looking and Kelly Richards is no stranger to the winners circle this morning. This pair claimed another world championship title earlier this morning in the O/A Yearlings of 2014 foal. This impressive colt is owned by Bobby and Freda Jones and Roger Richards of Manchester and Bell Buckle. Reserve honors went to She’s City Lights and Chris Richards for the Dr. Jim Baum Family of Shelbyville. This impressive young filly won reserve honors earlier this week at the TWHBEA National Futurity in the Yearling Fillies division. Rounding out the top three was Tan Line and Lynn Womack for Lynn Womack and Marguerite Sims of Murfreesboro and Shelbyville.

Taking to the ring next was a highly competitive class of eleven top O/A Youth Riders 6-11 Years on Western Country Pleasure Walking Horses. Judge Sorrell served as the call judge in this class. Making the unanimous championship ride to the winners circle was the team of Out There And Lovin’ It and Harper Grider for Carolina Sinden and Harper Grider of Valdese, N.C. and Columbia, Ky. This talented horse has claimed top honors at the International Pleasure and Colt Grand Championship earlier this year. Reserve honors went to Uptown Funk and owner/rider Davany Bullock of Mt. Vernon, Ky. Uptown Funk has enjoyed top honors at such venues as the Bourbon County Fair and Mid-Summer Classic show earlier this season. Rounding out the top three was Look It Up and Laci Matthew for Levi and Ashley Mathews and Rachel Teague of Clarksville and Shelbyville.

Ten talented Yearling Colts, of 2014 Foal entered the ring for the next class. Judge Bingham served as the call judge for this competitive class. The crowd quickly picked their favorites and cheered them on in blue ribbon style. Taking home top honors in this class was the dynamic duo of Carolina Chrome and Marty Warren for John Callicutt and Steve Smith of Seagrove, N.C. and Brentwood. This world champion colt has also won top honors earlier this week at the TWHBEA National Futurity in the Yearling Colts division. Reserve honors went to Antonio Antonio and Beverly Lamp for Keith and Lorraine Rosbury of Bell Buckle. This talented team has claimed top honors at such impressive venues as the Liberty Lions Club show and the Money Tree Classic earlier this season. Rounding out the top three was Tom Selleck and Dr. Jim Baum for the Dr. Jim Baum Family of Shelbyville.



Five highly competitive teams make their way into the Calsonic vying for the title of World Champion O/A Youth Riders 12-17 Years on Western Trail Pleasure Walking Horses. Judge Bonner served as call judge for this impressive class of young riders. Making the unanimous victory lap in this class was Honey Badger and owner/rider Lily Catherine Holland of Decatur, Ala. This impressive team has enjoyed an undefeated season in 2015. They have also claimed World Championship and World Grand Championship honors in 2014. Reserve honors went to I’m King Bee and WhitLei Green for Wayne and Jo Hanson and WhitLei Green of Shelbyville. This talented team has claimed top honors at such impressive shows as the Spring Fun Show and Christmas In July. Taking third award was Dark Picture Show and Alexas Compton for Rick Compton of Tazewell, Va.

Up next was the impressive class of Amateur Owned and Trained English Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, No Professional Training within 90 Days. Ten top teams answered the gate call. Judge Landrum served as the call judge. Each amateur pair is responsible for training their equine partner themselves without the assistance of a professional. It was a unanimous decision with all 5 judges that Suiza and owner/rider Allison Thorson of Huron, OH would be the winners of the class. This talented team has claimed world championship honors earlier this week in the Trail Pleasure Western Amateur Owned and Trained class. Reserve honors went to Juan Carlos and Lisa Weaver for Fred and Lisa Weaver of Doyline, La. Juan Carlos has also claimed reserve world champion status earlier this week in the Trail Pleasure Western Amateur Owned and Trained division. Rounding out the top three was Jose’s Firecracker and Wayne Westbrook for Wayne Westbrook of Shelbyville.

Bringing grace and elegance into the show ring was Jayden Jackson of Shelbyville and Claire Hankins of Paris, Ky.  in the Auxiliary Equitation, Medal Class, Youth Division, Riders 12-14 Years Canter division.  Judge Sisk was the call judge for this class. These two young ladies have enjoyed a successful show ring career and season thus far in 2015. Claiming unanimous top honors in this lovely class was Claire Hankins of Paris, Ky. Reserve honors went to Jayden Jackson of Shelbyville.

Next to enter the ring was the O/A Youth Riders 6-11 Years, on Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Optional Tack. Six top entries answered the gate call for this class. Judge Sorrell served as the call judge. JJ’S Red Bull and Brady Bachart for The Brady Bachart Family of Wildwood, Mo., claimed top honors in this talented class. This team has claimed a reserve world championship honors earlier this week in the O/A Novice Youth 6-17 on Novice English or Western Trail Pleasure Mares or Geldings.  Reserve honors went to A Red Ruby and Raine Sims for Beth Sims of Bell Buckle. This talented pair won top honors in the 2014 O/A Youth 6-11 English or Western Trail Pleasure division. Rounding out the top three was Kool Fortune and Harper Grider for Shawntae Burton and Harper Grider of Columbia, Ky.



Finishing out the morning equitation classes was the Auxiliary Equitation, Medal Class, Senior Division, Riders 15-17 Years Canter. Two very talented riders entered the ring to compete for Championship honors. Miss Kallie Attig of Shelbyville and Kaitlyn Rippy of Shelbyville brought grace and elegance to the show ring this morning. Both equitation teams executed their patterns with ease and perfection while spectators enjoyed their presentations. World championship honors went to Kaitlyn Rippy of Shelbyville. She has taken top honors in this division for the second year in a row. Reserve honors went to Kallie Attig also of Shelbyville.

Up next for this morning’s classes was the O/A Youth Riders 6-17 Years on English Country Pleasure Walking Horses. Fourteen entries answered the gate call for the class. Judge Bonner served as the call judge. Taking home the prestigious unanimous award in this class of top contenders was the team of Gigi’s Majestic and Elysse Bradford for William Bradford of Dallas, TX. This talented team has claimed the reserve world championship honors earlier this morning in the O/A Youth 12-17 Western Country Pleasure class.  The reserve title went to Dos Equis and MacKenzie Morgan for MacKenzie Morgan and Allison Thorson of Athens, Ala. and Murfreesboro. Rounding out the top three was Out There And Lovin’ It and Carolina Sinden for Carolina Sinden and Harper Grider of Valdese, N.C. and Columbia, Ky.

Eight top competitors answered the gate call in the O/A Youth Riders 12-17 Years on English Trail Pleasure Walking Horses class. Judge Landrum served as the call judge. Taking home the title and the top honors is the winning team of Fuego and MacKenzie Morgan for MacKenzie Morgan and Allison Thorson of Athens, Ala. and Murfreesboro. Fuego also claimed another world championship title earlier in the week in the O/A English Trail Pleasure division with Allison Thorson. I’m King Bee and WhitLei Green take reserve honors for Way and Jo Hanson and WhitLei Green of Shelbyville. I’m King Bee claimed a reserve world championship title earlier this morning in the O/A Youth 12-17 Western Trail Pleasure class. Rounding out the top three was Dark Picture Show and Alexas Compton for Rick Compton of Tazewell, Va.

The last class of this morning’s performance was the O/A Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Lite Shod Walking Mares or Geldings. Eight top entries made the gate call in the class this morning. Judge Sisk served as the call judge in this class. Walking away with top honors in the class was Simple Lee Dangerous and Tori Baxter for Kara Graham of Niota. Simple Lee Dangerous has claimed another World championship title earlier this week with trainer Chris Helton in the Riders Cup Lite Shod class. Reserve honors went to Lil’ Wayne and Emily Cotten for Jeff Gillespie of Tazewell, Va. Lil’ Wayne walked away with a reserve world championship title earlier this week in the Riders Cup Lite Shod class with trainer Jeff Laughlin. Rounding out the top three is Tijuana Jazz and Jamie Laughlin for Jimmy Laughlin of Waynesville, Mo.



Another morning session has gone in the history books! The morning sessions will resume for one final time on Monday Morning in Calsonic Arena at 9 a.m., but there will still be action tomorrow in Calsonic Arena as the Walking Horse Trainers' Auxiliary Dog Show gets underway at Noon.  This is a time honored tradition that no one should miss!