The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has selected its judging panel for the 48th Annual Spring Fun Show to be held in Calsonic Arena May 24-26. The judging panel of Jamie Hankins, David Sisk and Johnny Puckett is a blend of experience with a new face to Celebration judging.

Hankins has previously judged The Celebration six times with the most recent appearance in 2011. Hankins also judged the world championship in 1994, 1996, 2001, 2003 and 2008. Sisk has also judged The Celebration in 2014 and 2015 as well as judging the Tunica Fall Classic in 2013. Puckett will be making his first appearance at a Celebration managed horse show. Puckett judged the Gulf Coast Charity in 2011 and last year judged the Christmas In July show on the 4th of July weekend in Shelbyville.

"The Celebration board feels this slate is extremely strong with a blend of Celebration experience and a new face to our shows. We are all very excited and confident about this panel and look forward to an excellent show," said Celebration CEO Mike Inman.

The Celebration board has worked hard at trying to select not only those judges with past experience but also helping new judges to get the experience needed to become options for judging the major shows in the industry including The Celebration. At this year's Fun Show, The Celebration has also selected two "Associate Judges" to be included. Ross Campbell and Grant Holt will both judge the Thursday and Friday night performances, however their cards will not count in the final ties for those classes.

"The board takes input very seriously and this new addition is a result of that input. A common question is why don’t we see more new judges? It is not prudent or fair to our exhibitors to use an entire slate of first time judges at one of our shows but this concept allows us to have more people gain the necessary experience to be a Celebration judge in an accelerated  fashion.  We are very excited to see how this new program will be received," concluded Inman.