By Linda Scrivner
LEWISBURG, Tenn. – The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association held its annual awards banquet on Friday, Dec. 6 at the TWHBEA Headquarters in Lewisburg, Tennessee. The evening was kicked off with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 followed by dinner and awards presentations at 6:30. Following a welcome, the invocation and a delicious meal, the evening’s presentations began. Distinguished guests were recognized and appreciation was expressed to sponsors.
TWHBEA recognized the 2019 Tennessee Walking Horse Youth Association officers: President Svanah Martin. Vice-President Morgan Norris, Secretary Hardison Greene and Parliamentarian Matthew Mullins. Ella Kline was recognized for her long-time support to TWHBEA. The 2019 TWHBEA National Futurity Horizon Awards honorees showed at the National Futurity each year they were eligible. They accumulated the best record at the show among all horses of their age group that showed those years. The National Futurity Graduate Award winner was Rocky Top Lineman. This award went to the breeders of the horse, Howard and Beth Henderson.
The Versatility awards and the Distance Awards were next, followed by the Go! Gelding Super- Performance Gelding award which went to Ready To Play and Robert Deutsch and the Go! Gelding Super Flat-Shod Gelding went to He’s Crossin’ The Line and Sarah Thomas. The Motivated Mare Super Performance Mare went to Zeta and Robert Deutsch while the Motivated Mare Super Flat-Shod Mare was Allen’s Danni Delight and Jennifer Batts.
The International High Point Awards program included awards given to the first place horse in three categories: performance, pleasure and halter. Each had a winner from the open, amateur and youth divisions. This was followed by the European International high point awards given to four divisions: Open, Amateur, Youth and Halter. Their prize was a L&M Frame, certificate and a perpetual trophy to be tagged each year at the Breeders’ Association.
The Outstanding Sire of the Year went to Allen All Around and Leland Ritter, Sr. This award is based on a combination of actual points and percentage points as well. The TWHYA Outstanding Youth Member of the Year was Georgia Hazelwood. Several years ago an award was named in honor of the late Lizzie Umberger. The recipient of the Lizzie Umberger Sportsmanship Award was voted on by TWHYA members and was Corbin Parker.
The Ambassador awards honor those whose respective levels of dedication make them role models as they work for the betterment of our breed. Margo Urad was awarded the 2019 Youth Ambassador for her contributions to the youth in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.
The 2019 Pleasure Horse Ambassador was Jessica Hlebak. This year’s Performance Horse Ambassador went in memoriam of Kathy Zeis. The TWHBEA Jeff Givens Friendship Award went to Stefan Maupin and the Member of the Year award recipient was Dr. Bradley Woodruff for their many contributions to TWHBEA and the industry.
The TWHBEA Master Breeder Award, the highest and most prestigious recognition given to a breeder, recognizes those breeders whose work over an extended period of time has had a significant and long-lasting impact on the breed. One award went to Charles Gleghorn. Two others went to deceased breeders, Emery “Rocky” Jones and Auburn Gray.
The evening ended with a recognition of outgoing TWHBEA President David Williams.
2019 TWHBEA HONORS
TWHBEA National Futurity Graduate Award (goes to breeder of the horse not owner)
Rocky Top Lineman and Howard and Beth Henderson
Versatility Awards:
Elite Superior - Linda Starnes on Belle of Rocky Hill and Victory Trip
Adult Supreme - Nicole Hirsekorn on Canadian On Parole
Youth Superior
Brooke Johnson on Painted Encore,
Rachel Cowles on El’s A Poppin’
Rachel Cowles on Victory Trip
Sophia Lowie on I’m Pretty Rockin’
Distance Award : I'm Noble on Gen’s Magic By Moonlight
GO! Gelding Super Performance Gelding: Ready To Play & Robert Deutsch
GO! Gelding Super Flat Shod Gelding: He’s Crossin The Line & Sarah Thomas
TWHBEA Geldings Opportunities Program Winners 2019
Performance
Senior Geldings
1. Ready To Play & Robert Deutsch
2. Jail Bird On Parole & Linda Gagnon
3. He’s Cool Blue & Thomas Kakassy
4. Black Gin’s Shadow Dancin & Taylor Strickler
5. Sunny Foolish Dollar & CCJK Enterprises
Pleasure
Senior Geldings
1. He’s Crossin The Line & Sarah Thomas
2. I’m MGM Grand & Rhonda Ingle
3. El’s A Poppin’ & Rachel Cowles
4. Keystroke’s Red Man & Ronda Ingle
5. Cowboy On Parole & CCJK Enterprises
6. El Tresor & Ethlyn Montgomery
7. He’s So Fine Pal Of Mine & Aly Mayhall
8. It’s Chavez & Christina Lantiss
Motivated Mare Super Performance Mare: Zeta & Robert Deutsch
Motivated Mare Super Flat Shod Mare: Allen’s Danni Delight & Jennifer Batts
TWHBEA Motivated Mare Program Winners 2019
Performance
Senior Mares
1. Zeta & Robert Deutsch
2. Lined Royal Cash & CCJK Enterprises
Junior Mares
1. Allen’s Danni Delight & Jennifer Batts
2. She’s Major Money & Sarah Thomas
3. Shakin Up The Night Life & Stephanie Richardson
International High Point Awards
Performance
TWHBEA International High Point Open Performance Horse Champion: Really Coach? & Dennis H. Russell
TWHBEA International High Point Amateur Performance Horse Champion: Zeta & Robert Deutsch
TWHBEA International High Point Youth Performance Horse Champion: Anthony Davis & Terry Lowman
Pleasure
TWHBEA International High Point Open Pleasure Horse Champion: Spot The Dots & Troy and Kimberlee McEwan
TWHBEA International High Point Amateur Pleasure Horse Champion: Holy Jose! & Sara Ostrum
TWHBEA International High Point Youth Pleasure Horse Champion: The Black Out L.D. & Jack Heffington & Jayden Jackson
Halter
TWHBEA International High Point Open Halter Horse Champion: Backroads & Amanda Wright
TWHBEA International High Point Amateur Halter Horse Champion: La Tee Dah & Chris & Georgia Hazelwood
TWHBEA International High Point Youth Halter Horse Champion: La Tee Dah & Chris & Georgia Hazelwood
European International High Point Awards
TWHBEA European International High Point Open Champion: Oups’ I’m Red & Diana & Caroline Gerdes & Katrin Marg
TWHBEA European International High Point Amateur Champion: Duskys Marvelous Gogogirl & Julia Morchel
TWHBEA European International High Point Youth Champion: DKF’s Gogo For Blue & Michalina Wnuk
TWHBEA European International High Point Halter Champion: Royal’s Out Of The Blue & Felicitas Band
Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame Mares Inductees
Delight’s Joanna
Lady Fame
My Magic Dream
Black Magic Woman
Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame Stallions & Geldings Inductees
Jose’ Jose’
He’s Puttin’ On The Ritz
Lined With Cash
GLL’s Carbon Copy
Gen’s Fire & Ice
Sire and Dam of the Year Awards
TWHBEA Total Point Dam of the Year: Shakin’ & Est. of Howard Buckner
TWHBEA Percentage Points Dam of the Year: I’m The Lady Boss & Vicki Ritter (Butch Ritter, Jr.)
TWHBEA Ascending Sire of the Year: I Am Jose’ & Billy Max & Deborah Woods
TWHBEA Total Point Sire of the Year: Jose’ Jose’ & David Williams
TWHBEA Total Percentage Point Sire of the Year : Allen All Around & Leland Ritter, Sr.
TWHBEA Overall Sire of the Year (Combo-Percentage & Points): Allen All Around & Leland Ritter, Sr.
TWHYA Outstanding Youth Member of the Year: Georgia Hazelwood
Lizzie Umberger Sportsmanship Award: Corbin Parker
Youth Medallion Awards
Pleasure: Rylee Gregory
Performance: Morgan Norris
Ambassadors:
Youth Ambassador: Margo Urad
Pleasure Horse Ambassador: Jessica Hlebak
Performance Horse Ambassador: Kathy Zeis (in memoriam)
TWHBEA Jeff Givens Friendship Award: Stefan Maupin
TWHBEA Member of the Year: Dr. Bradley Woodruff
Master Breeders:
Living- Charles Gleghorn
Deceased- Emery “Rocky” Jones, Auburn Gray