by Stephanie Morton

SHELBYVILLE, TENN. - The bright sun and warmer temperatures welcomed spectators to the Calsonic Arena Monday morning. This is the final morning session of the 77th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Vendors had their booths stocked and open for business as the crowd walked the perimeter of the show ring. Honorable Judges Bingham, Bonner, Sisk, Landrum and Sorrell preside over this morning’s world champion classes.

Kicking off the morning classes was the Flat Shod Pleasure Driving, 2 or 4 Wheel Vehicle. Four exciting teams answered the gate call for the class. Judge Landrum served as the call judge. Spectators cheered on their favorite driving team in blue ribbon style. Taking home the first world championship title of the morning was the impressive team of Title Bout and Patti Pollack for S&P LLC of Saratoga, Calif. This talented team retired the Mike Civils/Trashadeous Memorial Challenge Trophy. Title Bout won another World championship honor earlier this week in the Riders Cup Park Pleasure Western Four and Under class with trainer Patrick Thomas up. Reserve honors went to I’m Johnny Dollar and Jeff Laughlin for Vickie Penick and Lake Weaver of Walterboro, S.C. and Shelbyville. I’m Johnny Dollar has also taken home another reserve world championship earlier this week with Lake Weaver in the O/A Youth 6-17 Park Pleasure Mares or Geldings class. Rounding out the top three was Score’s Heartbreaker and Kathy Owen for Linda Scrivner of Bell Buckle.



Up next was an exciting class of O/A Youth Riders 12-17 Years on Show Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings. Ten top entries made the gate call into the Calsonic. Judge Sisk served as the call judge. It didn’t take the crowd long to choose their favorite horse and rider combination as cheers filled the air. Taking home the title, honor and bragging rights in this impressive class of juvenile riders was Mississippi Hippie and owner/rider WhitLei Green of Shelbyville. This talented young pair has also claimed top honors at the Cornersville Lions Club show earlier this season. Reserve honors in this impressive class went to Bronco Billy and Jesse Laughlin for Joe Laughlin of Waynesville, Mo. This talented team has also captured championship honors at such venues as the Christmas In July show and the Cornersville Lions Club show earlier this year. Taking the third place award was He’s Hot As Fire and Chris Elliott for Iva Kilburn and Chris Elliott of Salt Lick, Ky and Tuscumbia, Ala.



Six top entries answered the gate call for the Western Lite Shod Walking Horses Riders Cup class. Judge Sorrell served as the call judge in this highly competitive class. Top honors in this class went to MP-1 and Chris Helton for Forest Jones and Katie West of Niota and Pigeon Forge. MP-1 has claimed blues earlier this season at the Smith County show as well as the Chestnut Hill Charity. Reserve honors in this top class went to Double Shot Of Cash and Laurie Toone for Tamara Hader of Bainbridge, Ga. This talented horse has had an impressive week claiming a reserve world championship title in the O/A Lite Shod division as well as the Riders Cup Western Lite Shod class. Double Shot Of Cash has also claimed a world championship title in the O/A Western Lite Shod class earlier this week. Rounding out the top three was Lucky Daze and Patrick Thomas for Lisa Shockey Kessel of Moorefield, W.Va.

Gracing the ring next was the Mare and Foal class. This is always a favorite class for the crowd. Judge Bingham served as the call judge for the class. Taking home the top honors in the Mare and Foal class was the dynamic duo of A Rainy Day Woman and Yeti handled by Karen McGee-Harnden and Christen Lovvorn for Charles Gleghorn of Fayetteville. Yeti is the current Youth 6-17 Weanlings World Champion. Reserve honors went to Jose’s Starlette and Starry Skies MCF handled by Beverly Lamp and Molly Vaughn for Keith and Lorraine Rosbury of Bell Buckle. Taking the third place ribbon was Gimme A Honky Tonk Girl and Honor Roll handled by Amanda Odom and Carla Hurley for Amanda Odom of Rincon, Ga. 

Bringing style and elegance into the Calsonic Arena was the Equitation, Riders 18 Years and Over Canter class. Judge Bonner served as the call judge for this impressive class. Taking home the top honors in this class is Allison Thorson of Huron, OH and Murfreesboro.  Reserve honors went to Meme Anderson of Bishopville, S.C. Taking home the third place ribbon was Carmen Vaughn of Amelia Court House, Va.

Up next was the Park Pleasure Walking Horses, Two and Three-Year-Old Riders Cup division. Judge Landrum served as the call judge for this impressive class. Ten top entries made the gate call all competing to claim the World championship title. Taking top honors in this class was Grassy Creek Gin and Grandy Tuck Jr., for Burl Dale and Angela Tuck of Linville and Reidsville, NC. This talented entry has claimed another world championship title earlier in the week with Angela Tuck in the O/A Two and Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure division. Reserve honors went to Dixie’s Pistol Annie and Jeff Laughlin for Jannie Chapman of Owens Cross Roads, Ala. Dixie’s Pistol Annie has claimed top honors at impressive venues as the Walking For Cancer show and the Money Tree Classic earlier this year. Rounding out the top three was I’m Dixie Blue and Chris Helton for Kara Graham of Niota.



Six entries answered the gate call for the O/A Novice Riders on Novice Lite Shod Walking Horses. Judge Sisk was the call judge. Taking home top honors in this class was the dynamic duo of La Patrona and Kyle Bush for Kyle Bush of Baxter. La Patrona entered the ring as a Celebration Novice and left a World Champion! This talented team has claimed top award at the Cumberland County show earlier this season. Reserve honors went to I’m Majestic and Karen Baum for Jean and Karen Baum of Huddleston, Va. This makes the third reserve world championship title this team has claimed this week. They claimed top honors at Belfast earlier this season. Taking the third place award was Flash Of Fortune and owner/owner Jacob Duke of Bon Aqua.

Ten top entries answered the gate call for the Weanling Colts, of 2015 Foal. Judge Sorrell served as the call judge for this impressive class. Taking home another world championship title this week is Yeti and Karen McGee-Harnden for Charles Gleghorn of Fayetteville. This talented team also retired the Brantley Farm Challenge Trophy. Reserve honors went to Divergent and Lynn Womack for David Bullock of Mt. Vernon, Ky. This talented weanling colt is the 2015 National Futurity Weanling Colt champion. Taking the third place ribbon was It’s All About Jose and Robert Nelms for Nelms and Rushing of College Grove and Dickson.



Up next in the Monday morning session was the O/A Novice Riders on Novice English Trail Pleasure Walking Horses. Larry Bright welcomed the class to the ring to the tune of, “It Had To Be You.” Ten top entries answered the gate call. Judge Bingham served as the call judge.  Taking home the blue ribbon, title and honor is Kool Fortune and Shawntae Burton for Shawntae Burton and Harper Grider of Columbia, Ky. No longer a novice team this exciting pair has also claimed a reserve world championship title in the O/A Novice Riders on Novice Western Trail Pleasure Horses earlier in the week. Reserve in the class was He’s Puttin’ On Roses and Donna Byard for Kenneth Stirn of Scottsville, Ky. This dynamic duo claimed top honors at the Spring Fun Show earlier this season. Rounding out the top three was Puttin’ On The Jazz and Julie Carlson for Julie Carlson of O’Fallon, Ill.

Six talented pairs entered the ring all striving to claim the title of World Champion Riders’ Cup Western Park Pleasure Walking Horses. Judge Bonner served as the call judge in this impressive class. Taking home unanimous top honors is Rise To Fame and Patrick Thomas for Steve and Pat Wilson of Stoneville, N.C. This talented team has claimed top honors at impressive venues such as the National Trainers Show, Gulf Coast Charity Celebration and Spring Fun Show.  Reserve honors in this highly competitive class went to Dark Spirit’s Mack Daddy and Leigh Stuart for Lisa Baum of Shelbyville. This dynamic duo claimed a reserve world champion title earlier in the week in the Riders’ Cup Western Park Pleasure class. Taking the third place ribbon was Rooster Cogburn Is Armed and Jeff Laughlin for Kimberly Coult of Magnolia, TX and Shelbyville.

Four elegant and graceful riders entered the ring for the Auxiliary Equitation, Youth Medal Championship Canter class. Judge Landrum served as the call judge. Completing a flawless pattern, performance and claiming the world championship title was Kaitlyn Rippy of Shelbyville. Rippy retired the Alice Eve Klein Equitation Challenge Trophy with her win this morning. Kaitlyn also won another world championship title in equitation earlier this week and will also be on exhibition this evening. Reserve honors went to Claire Hankins. Taking home the third award was Jayden Jackson of Shelbyville.

Up next is the highly competitive class of Riders’ Cup Lite Shod Walking Horses, Two-Year-Olds. Six talented young horses answered the gate call for the class. Judge Sisk served as the call judge. Top honors in the class went to Jazzanova and Jeff Laughlin for Kimberly Coult of Magnolia, TX and Shelbyville. This talented pair has claimed top award earlier this season at the Arab Park and Recreation show. Reserve honors went to Titleist Easter and Patrick Thomas for Richard Donner of Dyersburg. Rounding out the top three was Armed Jazz and Bobby Hugh for Doss Farms of Cullman, Ala.

Winding up the morning sessions of the 77th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration was the impressive class of Weanling Fillies, of 2015 Foal. This impressive class was comprised of world champion and reserve world champion contenders. Judge Sorrell    served as the call judge. Taking top honors in this highly impressive class went to the world champion pair of I Am Lolita and Sylvester Skierkowski for Bobby and Freda Jones of Manchester. This weanling filly has claimed top honors at the 2015 National Futurity in the National Futurity Weanling fillies. Reserve honors went to Call Me Caitlyn and Karen McGee-Harnden for Nathan and April Mills of Donelson. Earlier this season, Call Me Caitlyn took top award at the Wartrace show. Taking home the third award was Pearl Handle Pistol and Marty Warren for Denise Smith of Brentwood.