SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration hosted its annual meeting on January 28th where Todd Bobo and Lisa Turner were elected to serve on the board of directors by the Celebration Association members.  Turner, whose father Bailey Little is a past director, becomes the first female to serve on the board of directors of The Celebration, marking a historic night in The Celebration’s rich history.

Bobo is also a legacy on the board as his father, John T. Bobo, retired from the Celebration board at the end of 2018. Bobo and Turner join chairman Rick Insell, David Crowell, Scott Johnson, Jeffrey Howard and Jody Lambert in serving on the Celebration’s board of directors.

Turner joins the board after a long professional and personal career in the Shelbyville and Bedford County community. She is a 1979 graduate of Shelbyville Central High School and received her accounting degree in 1983 from the University of Tennessee. Turner has been married to husband, Roy Turner for 35 years and has two sons Ryan and Drew. Ryan and his wife Nikki have two sons, Gray and Benjamin and Drew and his wife Blair have a daughter, Charleigh.

After working for local accounting firm, Winnett Associations, Turner served as the City Treasurer for Shelbyville from 1988-1993 and has since been self employed at Lisa L. Turner, CPA.  She is a lifetime member of First Presbyterian Church and has served as a Deacon, Elder and Trustee.  Turner has been on the Celebration Association since 2008 and has attended the Celebration her entire life.

“I agreed to serve on the Celebration board because it has always been an important part of my life.  My parents started taking me and my sister when we were just four and two years old and we fell in love with the beautiful horses and all the people who came to see them.  In my time as City Treasurer years ago, I saw firsthand what the Celebration means to our community and what a treasure it is for our small town.  I want to do whatever I can to help preserve the tradition so that my grandchildren can have the same wonderful experiences that I had growing up going to the show,” said Turner.  

She concluded, “Being the first female to serve on the board is an honor.  I think each board member brings with them different points of view that make the board much stronger.  I hope to bring a different perspective that does just that.”

Bobo also has a long history in Shelbyville and being a part of the community and The Celebration. He is a 1993 graduate of Shelbyville Central High School and a 1997 graduate of the University of Tennessee. Bobo received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 2000.

After graduating from law school, Bobo returned to Shelbyville to join his family’s law firm, Bobo, Hunt & White where he continues to work today. Bobo and his wife of 16 years, Cynthia have three boys, William (13), Stephen (11) and Brooks (5). Bobo has served on many of Bedford County’s non-profits board of directors however much of his free time is now spent with his wife and three sons.

“I am thrilled to be joining a great board that is part of such an important organization within our community.  I have been able to witness some of that importance from my father’s time as a director. I look forward to serving and helping to continue and grow such an important tradition in our community,” said Bobo.