SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – The 76th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration reconvened in the big oval for the second night of outdoor performances. Opening ceremonies began at 6:30p.m. sharp with the presentation of the American flag by Mr. Bud Seaton and Counterfeit Dollar. Counterfeit Dollar is owned by OK Walking Horse Farm, Curtice McCloy and prepared by Hugh Stables. Bobby McGee of Edgemont Baptist Church gave the invocation and Jennifer Hall sang the National Anthem beautifully. With the temperatures still well into the 90s, Mark Farrar called the first class down the hill and into the Celebration oval to work for the judging panel of Rollie Beard, Jennifer Bingham, David Landrum, Paul Robbins and David Sisk.

Riding from the lineup and into the winner’s circle was A Cloudy Sky and Nathan Oliver for Darrell Oliver. Sired by the late The Skywatch, the team won at the National Trainers’ Show and the Spring Fun Show before earning their third World Championship in the Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-11 Years on Walking Geldings; the first times being in 2011 and 2013. Reserve went to a classic horse and no stranger to the winner’s circle at the Celebration, The American General and Sellers Veazey. The duo was three-for-three heading to the Celebration and claimed the top title in the class in 2012. Rounding out the top three, also a classic horse and multi-titled champion, was I’m Packin’ A Pistol and KJ Compton.

Made You Look and Dick Peebles sure caught the eyes of the judging panel to capture the title of Two-Year-Old Walking Geldings, Riders’ Cup World Champions. Made You Look is owned by Edwina Duddy of New South Wales, Australia. Reserve went to Fastball and Derek Monahan for Rom Folger and Tha Pink Panther and Charlie Green were third for Bill and Karen Bean.

Nine entries made the call to compete for the blue in the class for Owner-Amateur Riders 70 Years & Over. Lined With Poison and Lucky Collins made the victory ride. Previous wins for the team this year took place at the Mississippi Charity, Manchester Lions Club and Woodbury Lions Club. In 2012 Lucky Collins directed Lined With Poison to the Elite Ladies on Stallions World Championship. The Jazz Player and Edith Dilday made the trip from West Tennessee to earn the red streamer. The Jazz Player has three wins to his credit in 2014. Rose Command ridden by the Walking Horse Report’s own Linda Scrivner earned the third award in just their second outing as a team.

Simple Lee Dangerous is now a World Champion times two at this year’s event! After winning with Kara Graham earlier in the week, Simple Lee Dangerous and Chris Helton made the victory ride in the Lite-Shod Walking Horses Riders’ Cup class. This duo captured the Lite-Shod Three & Four-Year-Old World Championship in 2013 and Simple Lee Dangerous carried Alex Hopkins to the Novice Youth Riders 6-17 on Novice Lite-Shod Horses World Championship in 2012. La Patrona and Joe Lester rode to the red streamer for Lester & Kesselring. This marked only the second outing for La Patrona this season. Third was High Tread and Howard Hamilton for Deborah Parmer.

The A Division of the Three-Year-Old Walking Stallions was next to hit the ring. Riding to a unanimous World Championship was Jose’s Starstruck and Charlie Green for Donnie and Charlotte Taylor. This team is continuing their undefeated season after having previous wins at the Kick Off Classic, Spring Fun Show and the Christmas In July Horse Show. The reserve title went to 2013 Two-Year-Old Stallions Division C World Champion, The King Of Blues and Tim Smith for the Terry Dotson family, Winding Creek Stables. This team had previous 2014 wins at Cumberland County and Money Tree Classic. The yellow streamer went to O Glory At The Ritz and Gary Edwards for Elaine and Keith McSwain. This was the fourth time for O Glory At The Ritz to hit the ring in 2014.

The B Division brought yet another unanimous tie from the judging panel. Keith Blackburn directed the champion, Jose’s Power Broker to the winner’s circle for Don and Susan Erwin. Jose’s Power Broker won earlier this year at the Carter County Shrine Charity show. Bill Cantrell and Putt For Dough earned the reserve title for Cantrell & Powell. The reigning Two-Year-Old Stallions Reserve World Champion won the National Trainers’ Show in March and had victories at the Gulf Coast Charity and Woodbury Lions Club last season. Third in the class was Tyler Baucom and The Royal Titleist for Bill Bailey. The Royal Titleist came to the Celebration with three 2014 wins to his credit.



The professionals kept the night rolling and brought their Park Performance Walking Horses, Four Years & Under to the ring. A Riders’ Cup class, it was Ain’t He Grande and Clay Sanderson who made the winning ride for Phyllis Heppenstall. This win marks the seventh outing for the newly crowned World Champion in 2014. Reserve went to The British Open and Travis Craft for Jim Woodburn. This team won earlier in the season at Smith County and the Red Carpet Show of the South. Closing out the top three was Drop A Line and Spencer Benedict for Benedict, Teel & Butler. This was the first outing for Drop A Line who is by Jose’ Jose’ and out of the Benedict’s World Champion mare Silver On The Line.

Next to the ring was the Youth Riders 6-14 Years on Walking Ponies. Multi-Titled Walking Pony World and World Grand Champion Prime Poison carried a new young rider, Addie Harris to her first World Championship. Just their second time in the show ring as a team, the duo began their vie for Celebration acclaim at the Marshall County Horseman’s Association Horse Show in July. The 2012 World Champions in this class, ACC and Jaclyn Compton rode their way to the reserve title this year. Their only other outing in 2014 was a win at the Tazewell County Classic last month. Third went to Prime Country and Landon Callicutt. Prime Country was a World Grand Champion in 2013 with Tyler Baucom and has won three blues and two reserves prior to the Celebration this year.



Capturing his fourth career World Championship by unanimous choice of the judging panel in the Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Horses, Classic Horses 15 Years & Older, was The Golden Sovereign with Gayle Holcomb aboard. The Golden Sovereign is owned by Evergreen Farm and Gayle Holcomb and at the age of 16 has three previous wins this season. Heart Attack’s Fast Beat and Danielle Ricker rode to the red award. This duo has been a team since 2007 and has shown three times in 2014. The yellow ribbon went to Olympic’s Godfather and Stephanie Carter Wright. This team was the 2009 Owner-Amateur Novice Lady Riders on Novice Mares or Geldings World Champion, the 2010 Amateur Lady Riders on Geldings World Champion and have been a team since Olympic’s Godfather’s three-year-old season.



Wowing all five judges in the Elite Owner-Amateur Gentleman Riders on Walking Mares or Geldings was Unreal and Dr. Jim Baum. Lisa Baum owns the champion. After the Baum’s purchase of Unreal earlier this year, Dr. Jim Baum directed him to wins at the Columbia Spring Jubilee and Marshall County Horseman’s Association show. The 2012 and 2013 winners in the class, Trouble On The Line and Tom Morgan carried the reserve award back to Georgia. Rounding out the top three was C’est La Vie and LaRue McWaters. They have taken to the ring six times this season.

The professionals were back on the track next, this time aboard the Four-Year-Old Walking Mares or Geldings, Canter, Riders’ Cup. Wicked Walking Witch and Casey Wright topped the competition to win the World Championship and retire both the Steve Hill and the Neon Bright Memorial Challenge trophies for owner Diana Cruse. The young mare was the 2013 Three-Year-Old Mares Division B World Champion and won at the Red Carpet Show of the South in July. Walking away with the reserve award was Brookie and Jimmy McConnell for the Tommy Grider family, who also bred and raised this mare. Brookie won earlier this season at the National Trainers’ Show. Making their seventh trip to the show ring this season and carrying the yellow ribbon back to Kingston, Tenn., was He’s Guns N Roses and Tim Smith for the Terry Dotson family, Winding Creek Stables.

Owner-Amateur Riders on Park Pleasure Walking Horses were up next. Making the familiar ride down victory lane was Lined Up At The Ritz and Jim Nichols for the Rowan & Nichols partnership. Lined Up At The Ritz had amassed nine blue ribbons this year and can now add his sixth World Championship to the trophy case. Mikki Eldridge and B.B. King’s Jazz earned the reserve title in the class. This was the second outing for the roan talent that carried Jackson Stephens to World Championship honors Wednesday morning in the 6-11 Park Pleasure class. Following wins at the Woodbury Lions Club and the Sam Gibbons Memorial show, Plea Bargain and Joanne Morgan carried out the third place award.



Continuing with another unanimous choice of the judges, Jose’ Miss Dolly and Lorie Riddley made their way to the winner’s circle. With wins this season at the South Carolina Ladies Auxiliary, North Carolina Ladies Auxiliary, Columbia Spring Jubilee and Woodbury Lions Club shows, this team can add this World Championship to their resume with their victory at last year’s Celebration. Reserve in the class went to A Private Benjamin and Dee Broom Yoder. Champions in this class last year, A Private Benjamin and Dee Broom Yoder have claimed five blues so far this season. Third went to the pair of I Am June Cash and April Jeffers who won at the South Central Ruritan and East Tennessee Classic horse shows prior to the Celebration.



Defending their 2013 title of Show Pleasure Mares or Geldings World Champion was Russ Thompson and Turnbow for Roger Emerick. This makes the third World Championship for Turnbow in his career. His win this year was his first outing of the season. Hello Hello and Jonathan Watts made their way from the lineup to pick up the honor of Reserve World Champion for owner Deborah Williams. Hello Hello won this spring at the Mississippi Charity show. Closing out the top three was She Has Status and John Allan Callaway for Joyce Meadows.



With the victory pass of Turnbow and Russ Thompson complete, the Friday night session is in the books. Saturday is Youth Day at the Celebration. The grounds will be buzzing with the Youth Judging Contest and a schedule of classes devoted to young riders that will begin in Calsonic Arena at 9a.m. The Annual Celebration Barbeque will also be held tomorrow, and the first World Grand Championship floral horseshoe will be passed out Saturday evening in the Yearling World Grand Championship. We will also get our first look at the Aged Stallions in their quest towards capturing the top honor of Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion. There will be no classes on Sunday morning, but not to worry, there will still be plenty to do at the Celebration Golf Tournament and the Celebration Dog Show.