A CHAMPIONship Show at the Neshoba County Classic
by Linda Scrivner
PHILADELPHIA, Miss. – The Neshoba County Classic Show was held Saturday, June 2, 2007, at the air-conditioned state of the art Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia, Miss. Jennifer Bingham-Davis from Shelbyville, Tenn., judged the 31-class event that featured eight WHTA Riders’ Cup classes.
This show went the extra mile to be hospitable to their exhibitors with cold drinks at the barns and a hospitality room with food and drinks Saturday afternoon.
Joel Weaver made the trek from Shelbyville, Tenn., to capture seven of the eight Riders’ Cup classes and to win the blue ribbon tally with nine blues, making him the current leader in the points standing.
Swingin’ Gate Stables of Trinity, Ala., returned home with six blues while Dale Watts and Pioneer Stables earned three Neshoba County Classic blues. Fred Dillon Stables and Jerry Woodlee Stables at Bluff Springs Farms earned dual blues each.
The final class of the evening was the Young Motors WHTA Riders’ Cup Championship class. World Grand Champion Generator’s Champion and Joel Weaver made the final lap of the show to be called the champions for Brett and Lisa Jones. Earlier this season the team claimed both the Stallion class and the Championship Stake at the Mississippi Charity Horse Show. Gunstock and Fred Dillon finished a strong reserve for Billy and Janice Daughdrill.
Weaver’s first blue was won by popular hometown favorite Margaret Thomas aboard Irish Mardi Gras in the Amateur Two-Year-Old class. Robert and Margaret Thomas proudly own this talented youngster who previously won blues this season at the Mississippi Charity and Walking In The Park Shows. Thomas also claimed the 15.2 and Under Amateur Specialty with their Look Of Masquerading, just as he did in 2006.
Weaver won his first Riders’ Cup class of the show with Thief N Da Skies for Joe Scott and Steven Glenn in the Hartland Farm Four-Year-Old class. Next into the ring was Weaver making the winning ride aboard Champ’s First Round in the James Corlew Chevrolet WHTA Riders’ Cup Two-Year-Old Mare and Gelding class. This was the fourth blue of the season for this excellent colt owned by Brett and Lisa Jones.
Brett and Lisa Jones celebrated their anniversary as well as their horses winning four blues, including the Grand Championship at Philadelphia. Weaver exited the ring, remounted and then returned in the very next class aboard the Jones’ Lebron James to win the James Corlew WHTA Riders’ Cup Two-Year-Old class. This colt is two for two after winning the Shelbyville Central High Band in Shelbyville, Tenn. Their world champion mare, Summer Passion, won the Warr Development WHTA Riders’ Cup 15.2 and Under Mare and Gelding class for the second year in a row with Weaver directing.
Weaver made the Warr Development WHTA Riders’ Cup 15.2 and Under Stallion gate call next aboard The Dance Hall Doctor. The Andrew Waites family recently purchased this head-shaking black stallion. Diamonds And Dollars and Weaver made the walk to capture the blue in the Waterfall Farms WHTA Riders’ Cup Three-Year-Old Stallion class for Rising Star Ranch.
In 2006, Lily Waites made her debut show aboard The Willhamina and received the blue in the Youth 11 and Under class at the Neshoba County Classic. This year the team returned to win the Youth 12-17 Specialty title for the Andrew Waites family and to win the first of Swingin’ Gate Stables’ six blues. Capturing her second blue of the show, Waites directed The Hotline to the blue in the Youth Show Pleasure Specialty class. This team also won the blue at the Mississippi Charity Show in the same class this year.
Private Benjamin and Bradley Moran walked out with the blue in the Youth 11 and Under competition for Mitch Moran. Daniel Warner and Mama Kay made the ride to the winner’s circle in the Men’s Amateur Specialty class under Swingin’ Gate’s banner for Kenneth Warner. Line Um Up and Scott Tew made the trip to Philadelphia, Miss., to take the blue in the Amateur Specialty for Kimbel and Madeline Tew. The 2007 Nettleton Champions Designed By Fine Art and Jerry Fields claimed the final Swingin’ Gate Stables blue in the Park Performance Specialty class for an excited Audrey Quarles.
The outstanding team of Jose’s Powder Keg and Gay Pitts won the first of Pioneer Stables’ blues in the Amateur Four-Year-Old Specialty class. This was the fourth blue for this blue stallion this season. He earned dual blues at the Louisiana Jubilee and a blue at South Jones as well for Gay and Benton Pitts.
The Pitts’ white mare, Casper’s Snow White, earned her fifth blue of the season in the Amateur Canter class with Benton Pitts in the irons. Casper’s Snow White also carried Kayla Pitts to Youth 11 and Under blues at Jonesville Charity and the Mississippi Charity Shows.
Another Pioneers Stables champion was Unwired Sparks with owner/rider Heather Roberts. Unwired Sparks is undefeated so far this season when they proudly claimed the Neshoba County Amateur Ladies Specialty title as well.
The first of Fred Dillon Stables’s two blues was won by Daniel Warner aboard Threatin’ Dollar in the Three-Year-Old Amateur Mare and Gelding class for Robert and Gwen Virgil. Miss Placed and Fred Dillon stole the show to earn the blue in the Waterfall Farms WHTA Riders’ Cup Three-Year-Old Mare and Gelding competition for Hidden H Farms.
The Stargazer won Jerry Woodlee Stables first blue in the Open Specialty class for Steve and Susan Frank. They also won the 2007 Louisiana Jubilee Open Specialty class and the South Jones Walking Horse Stake at Laurel, Miss. The team of Woman Of Magic and Jeri Sue Arrighi are three for three this season, winning the Amateur Show Pleasure Specialty class at Philadelphia. They also won the same class at the Neshoba County Classic last year.
Wicked and Jim Hardy walked out with the blue in the Colts Under Halter competition for Steve and Susan Frank and Bluff Springs Farm. They also earned 2007 blues at the Louisiana Jubilee and South Jones Shows.
Unwrap The Magic and Donna Weaver captured the blue in the Three-Year-Old Amateur Mare and Gelding class for John and Donna Weaver. Percy Lewis prepared this team for the show ring.
Taking the blue in the Amateur Owned and Trained Specialty class were I’m Ella Fitzgerald and James Sills for Sills and Sills. They also enjoyed victory at the Louisiana Jubilee earlier this season.
A Redneck Woman and Harlan Hatcher rode to the blue in the Trail Pleasure Specialty competition for Ann and Harlan Hatcher. They won a previous blue this season at the South Jones Show.
It was Southern Spring and Sam Brown III winning the Country Pleasure title for Sam Brown Jr. Rodney Dangerfield and Landon Head won their fifth blue of the season in the Park Pleasure Specialty class for Wardell Head.
This completes the coverage of the Neshoba County Classic Show.For a complete list of show results click here.
Generator's Champion and Joel Weaver were named Walking Stake Champions.
Jose Powder Keg and Gay Pitts won the Amateur Four-Year-Old Mares and Geldings. They are joined by trainer Dale Watts and Benton Pitts.
Lily Waites gets show ready with help from dad, Andrew Waites. Lily claimed two blues that night.
Irish Mardi Gras and Margaret Thomas won the Amateur Two-Year-Old Stallion class. They are greeted by trainer Joel Weaver.
Andrea and Emily Zahnd had a great show.
Fred Dillon met Daniel Warner and Threatin Dollar after the Three-Year-Old Mare and Gelding class.
Andrea Zahnd, Audrey Quarles and Emily Zahnd were proud of Park Performance Specialty Champions Designed By Fine Art and Jerry Fields.