The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has selected Jennifer Bingham, Chris Bobo, Scotty Brooks, David Landrum and Bill Reel to judge the 79th annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. The Celebration will be held Aug. 23 through Sept. 2, 2017.

Both Scotty Brooks, from Bowling Green, Kentucky and Reel, from Harrisonburg, Virginia will both be making their first appearances at The Celebration. Brooks has judged the Celebration’s Fun Show three times, most recently in 2017. Reel has judged the North Carolina Championships in 2012 and 2014 as well as The Celebration’s Tunica show in 2015. Reel also judged the FAST Spring Showcase in 2017.

Bingham will be the most experienced of the panel making her seventh appearance in center ring. Bingham, from Crittenden, Kentucky, previously judged The Celebration in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015.  Respected in both the flat shod and performance divisions, Bingham has also judged The International in 2008 and most recently judged Columbia Spring Jubilee in 2017.

Bobo, from Shelbyville, Tennessee, will be making his third appearance, having also judged The Celebration in 2012 and 2016. Bobo also judged The International in 2008 and has judged the Fun Show in 2013 and 2014 and Tunica in 2013. In 2017, Bobo judged the Christmas In July show over the 4th of July weekend and will be judging in Pulaski in a couple weeks.

Landrum, from Franklin, Tennessee will also be making his fourth appearance at The Celebration. Landrum judged The Celebration in 1980, 2014 and 2015 and most recently judged the North Carolina Championships in the fall of 2016. Landrum is highly respected by his peers in the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association and rounds out the panel of five judges for the 79th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

“A tremendous amount of effort goes into selecting the judging panel for our World Championship show. We consider several factors including their experience, not just at our shows but at other major shows, where they are located, and their experience in halter, pleasure and performance divisions. We also want to mix new faces with some of our more experienced judges to continue to develop a deeper judging pool for all shows to pick from in future years,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman.