In its continuing effort to keep its fans and customers fully informed of all aspects of the World’s Greatest Horse Show, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is making available to the public the confirmation letter sent to the individuals selected to judge the Celebration.

As you will see, this letter serves as a contract between the judges and the Celebration and outlines their pay scale, meeting schedule, expectations and code of conduct. This final portion of the letter emphasizes just how dedicated the Celebration is to the S.H.O.W. Campaign and its principles of Sound Horses, Honest Judging, Objective Inspections and Winning Fairly. It should be pointed out that the text of the letter is exactly the same to all five judges.

We hope you enjoy reading the text of the letter and, in turn, come away with a better understanding and feel for the process and importance placed on selecting and confirming the Celebration judging panel. Judges’ Confirmation Letter:

Congratulations for being selected as one of the five judges for our 2003 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Our 65th annual Celebration will begin August 20 and continue through August 30. The evening performances will begin at 7:00 p.m., and the five morning performances will begin at 9:00 a.m. The TWHBEA Futurity will begin at 5:30 p.m. on August 20.

The fee schedule was announces to you during our earlier phone conversation, and is confirmed here for your record and information:

*$20,000 for the entire show including the Futurity

*$0.365/mile for one round trip from your home to Shelbyville

Below are guidelines each judge is requested to follow during the show:

Attire: The dress will be normal business attire for six of the evening performances. We ask that you wear a black tuxedo (both pants and jacket) on the following nights: Futurity night, first Saturday and the last three nights.

Riverbend Country Club: We have made arrangements for you to use the facilities at the Riverbend Country Club, which will include dining, golf, swimming and tennis. The club will bill you at your home address after The Celebration for services you may have used. Please pick up your Riverbend Country Club credentials at our office upon arrival if you desire to use the club.

Blue Ribbon Circle Club: We ask that neither our judges nor spouses utilize the Blue Ribbon Circle Club facility in order to prevent any problems/speculation that might arise with your associating with owners, trainers, exhibitors, etc., during the 11-day period of the Celebration and Futurity.

TWHBEA Futurity: You have been asked to judge the Futurity classes in Wednesday, August 20, 2003. The Futurity begins at 5:30 p.m.

Judges’ Meeting: We will meet with all judges at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2003, in the show office in Calsonic Arena. Each morning meeting thereafter will start at 8:45 a.m., and will also be held in the show office at Calsonic Arena. On Futurity night, August 20, 2003, the meeting will be held in the show office of Calsonic Arena at 5:00 p.m. Each evening performance thereafter the meetings will be held in the Board of Directors Room in the Celebration Administrative Office building at 6:30 p.m. It is most essential that you be prompt in attending each of these important sessions.

Horse Sales: We ask that you not attend the horse sales during the Celebration. Unfortunately, although a judge might attend a sale with the thought of helping an owner purchase a horse, people see this particular judge at a sale visiting other folks and the perception is not good. Many unkind remarks have come to us regarding judges being seen at various sales, and it is our feeling that restricting this activity would eliminate the source of incorrect perception from our spectator, owner and trainer base. It is our intent to do everything possible to encourage everyone to understand that our judging system is above board in every way and that The Celebration is making every effort to ensure its success. We thank you for your understanding in this important area.

Parking: You will be provided VIP Parking in front of the Administrative Office Building during the 10 nights of the Celebration. On Futurity night you will be provided a parking pass for the VIP area next to Calsonic Arena.

Personal Code of Conduct: In addition to subscribing to the rules of the National Horse Show Commission, the United States Department of Agriculture, the equine regulations in the state of Tennessee, which every judge is charged to enforce, you should recognize that you are subject to various pressures from horse show management and other regulatory agencies, and that you should faithfully adhere to a personal code of conduct, higher than normal, that every action you take is subject to careful scrutiny, and that a decision made by you must be subject to a rule of basic fairness that governs all judges, show management, exhibitors, and ultimately, all spectators.

Miscellaneous: As a judge, you agree to, and are expected to enforce the rules of the USDA, of the National Horse Show Commission and the rules of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration relating to the horse show that you have been invited to judge.

Your attention is directed to the rule in the National Horse Show Commission Book regarding contacts with judges prior to shows. The Commission Rule Book states “no judge selected to officiate at a show shall be contacted relative to this show by any person having an interest in any horse expected to be shown at such show. All contacts made in violation thereof shall be reported immediately to the National Horse Show Commission by said judge.”

Although we expect your reputation, as a judge would eliminate any such contacts, I do urge your close attention to this rule, and ask that you report any contact of this nature immediately.

As a judge, your contact and actions will be the subject of great scrutiny by exhibitors, regulatory personnel, show management, as well as by spectators. The Commission Rule Book provides, as a judge, you are expected to conduct yourself “...in a manner that reflects credit upon the National Horse Show Commission, the horse show and the Tennessee Walking Horse.”

As we are sure you realize, neither the National Horse Show Commission rules nor the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration guidelines can cover all situations that might arise from the time the announcement of your designation as judge through the end of the show. You should, in your conduct and actions, seek to avoid even the appearance of impropriety so that the fairness and integrity of the entire horse show will be maintained and be a credit to our industry.

To confirm your acceptance of the schedule of fees and guidelines, will you please sign one copy of this letter, giving your social security number and a phone number where you can be reached during the Celebration. Return the signed copy of this letter in the enclosed postage paid envelope.

We look forward to having you serve as a judge at the 2003 Celebration. If you should have any questions and/or if we can be of help to you in any way, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Very best regards,

Ron Thomas

Horse Show Manager