Celebration CEO Ron Thomas announced that the judging panel for the 66th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has been selected. The group includes Rollie Beard of Lewisburg, TN, Bob Cherry of Centerville, TN, Joe Fleming of Shelbyville, TN, Tommy Loid of Bowling Green, KY, and Huck Moss of Trenton, SC.

“This is a highly-qualified panel,” said Celebration Board Chairman Pat Marsh. “We feel very honored that each has agreed to serve as a judge during our show.”

While the group can easily be considered an experienced panel, two of the judges will be making their first appearance in center ring. Joe Fleming and Tommy Loid, while neither are strangers to the Celebration, will be judging for the first time.

Beard and Moss have been part of The Celebration judging panel three times each. Beard, a personable trainer, judged the show in 1988, 1994, and in 2002. Moss also has three Celebration appearances. His first came in 1991, followed by assignments in 1993 and 1997.

Bob Cherry was a Celebration judge in 1976. Universally-respected, Cherry had to give up his judge’s license while serving a decade as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association. Eager to get back into judging, Cherry apprenticed again last season and has judged several top shows this year.

Tommy Loid and Joe Fleming will be handling their first judging assignments at The Celebration. While he may be in his first year with The Celebration, Tommy Loid is a veteran judge with many of the very best shows in the industry as part of his resume. Joe Fleming obviously knows what it takes to be a Celebration champion, this two-time World Grand Champion rider will be making his initial appearance on the panel. Fleming captured the 1975 World Grand Championship aboard Ebony’s True Grit and the 1984 title on Ebony’s Bold Courier.

“This a terrific mix of veterans and newer judges,” said Celebration CEO Ron Thomas. “We always like to bring new judges into the mix and let them work with those who have been under the microscope before.”

The Celebration Judges Committee selects the panel. Boards of Directors of six different groups are written for their opinion. Their responses are studied carefully by the TWHNC Judges Committee. Many factors are looked at, including past experience, their ability with performance and pleasure horses, geographic issues, etc

“We want the input of the groups within the industry to help us make the most informed decision possible,” relayed Thomas. “We need the input of the other organizations to put the best possible panel together that a world championship horse show deserves. With that in mind, I’m very comfortable with the group that was selected. They all have a grasp on the enormity of the show and how each and every class should be handled.”

The 66th Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration runs August 25-September 4 at the historic Celebration Grounds in Shelbyville. For more information on this year’s show, call (931) 684-5915 or go the Celebration’s official website at www.twhnc.com. Release Date: July 8, 2004 Contact: Chip Walters (931) 684-5915 ext. 114 (cwalters@twhnc.com)