By Mark Davis
After a great night of looking at the future of our industry on Wednesday night at the TWHBEA National Futurity, horse show fans and exhibitors return to Calsonic Arena on Thursday morning for the morning session of the 73rd Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. The 12-class schedule featured the Model, Trail Pleasure, Lite- Shod and Park Pleasure divisions.
The judges for the 2011 Celebration include Jennifer Bingham of Shelbyville, Tenn., Jamie Bradshaw of Union Grove, Ala., Jamie Hankins of Paris, Ky., Ronnie Spears of Tullahoma, Tenn., and Jeff Willis of Shelbyville, Tenn.
The show got underway with Class 11, Model Pleasure Walking Stallions. All seven of the expected entries made the gate call to line up and show their very best for the judging panel. Scoring the win with a unanimous decision of the judging panel was Maxximize and Jeff Givens at the lead for Jo Ann Dowell of Powell, Ohio. This marked this team’s ninth win of the 2011 season. Palomino President and Bill Bobo pulled in to accept the reserve honors for Dr. and Mrs. Jack Bailey of Topeka, Kan. Generator’s Troubadour and Allison Smart were third for Keith and Cheryl Waid of Morris, Ala.
Class 12 brought the Park Pleasure Walking Horses, Two and Three-Years-Old to the track with 10 of the 20 with reservations making the call to work for Call Judge Jennifer Bingham and her panel. Cashing in on the win in the class, with the second unanimous decision of the morning, were Sure Cash At The Ritz and Jacob Baum riding for Lisa Baum of Shelbyville, Tenn. This duo preceded this win with three prestigious reserve titles at the Money Tree Classic, the Woodbury Lions Club Horse Show and the PC Splash Classic. Bruce Hankins and Ariana collected the red streamers for Dr. Linda Jones and Hailey Lane of Bainbridge, Ga. She’s Gunsan Roses and Larry Taylor rounded out the top three for Hargett, Etheredge and Morgan of Russellville, Ala., Corinth, Miss., and Christiana, Tenn.
Model Pleasure Walking Geldings, Class 13, were up next on the program with all 13 of the expected entries beating the clock and working their way up from the warm up ring to show off for, and, hopefully, gain the approval of, the judging panel. Jeff Givens was back in the winner’s circle once again with another good looking entry owned by Jo Ann Dowell. This time it was the venerable Trigger Treat topping the class with another unanimous decision of the panel. This made their ninth win of the 2011 season as well. Major Influence and owner/exhibitor Robyn Adcock of Murfreesboro, Tenn., accepted the red streamers. The Texas Lexus and Jamey Thompson were third for Roger and Rebecca Emerick of Hillsborough, Calif.
It was time to get in the western way for class 14, Owner-Amateur Western Trail Pleasure Walking Horses as 11 of the 16 expected made their way to the track to work for Judge Jamie Hankins and his panel. Proving to be a secret no more, it was Victoria’s Got A Secret and Liz Gassaway riding for Sandra Dennis and Liz Gassaway of Marion, Ohio, and Shelbyville, Tenn. The Wicked Master and Sheryl Volkman were reserve for John and Sheryl Volkman of Livermore, Calif. Ty Irby and A Wicked Bond were third for Krysta Allen and Ty Irby of Pleasanton, Calif., and Shelbyville, Tenn.
All 12 of the expected entries for class 15, Owner-Amateur Western Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Three-Years-Old, beat the clock into Calsonic Arena to show their walking ways for the Thursday morning crowd. Judge Ronnie Spears called the gaits in the class. Riding to the top of the class was Good Til The Last Drop and Dawn Payne in the saddle for Dawn and James Payne and Ashley Say of Graham, N.C., and Nashville, Tenn. Pushing For Jazz and Miles Irby accepted the red streamers for Van Barnes of Salem, Ore. Owner/exhibitor Lauren Hamilton and Petal Pushin’ Jazz carried the yellow streamers back to Cedar Grove, Tenn.
Owner-Amateur Riders on Lite-Shod Walking Horses, class 16, was up next on the schedule with seven of the 10 expected making the call to work for Judge Jeff Willis and his colleagues. Taking the divisional blue back to the West Coast with a unanimous decision of the panel was Honor My Cash and Rebecca Emerick riding for Roger and Rebecca Emerick of Hillsborough, Calif. Jose Quervo Gold and owner/exhibitor Joanne Davis Morgan of Unionville, Tenn., pulled in for the reserve honors. Major Orders and Liz Gassaway were third for John Dicken, Liz Gassaway and MacKenzie Morgan of Memphis and Shelbyville, Tenn.
Back in the western way, it was time for class 17A, Owner-Amateur Novice Western Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Novice Riders. Fourteen of the 16 expected came for work for their chance to ride out of the Novice division and pick up their first ever Celebration blue today. Judge Jennifer Bingham served as Call Judge in the section. Riding out of the Novice division and taking the win back California way, A Wicked Bond and Krysta Allen captured the win for Krysta Allen and Ty Irby of Pleasanton, Calif., and Shelbyville, Tenn. Remaining a novice for another day and pulling in for reserve were I’m Manhatten and Tamara Hader riding for Tamara Hader and MacKenzie Morgan of Bainbridge, Ga., an Shelbyville, Tenn. Oh Buddy and owner/exhibitor Jackie Osborne of Bowling Green, Ky., was third in the class.
Class 17B, Owner-Amateur Novice Western Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Novice Riders, featured 13 more good teams showing hard to walk their way out of the Novice division for good today. Judge Jamie Bradshaw called the gaits in the event. Headed back to the Pacific Northwest with their first ever Celebration blue was Pushing For Jazz and owner/exhibitor Van Barnes of Sandy, Ore. Contemporary Jazz and Kasey Kesselring remain novices for another class as they took the red streamers back to Montverde, Fla., for Christmas Creek Farm. Dark Picture Show and owner/exhibitor Lloyd Cassidy of Mt. Sterling, Ky., rounded out the top three in the class.
The Lite-Shod horses took center stage for class 18, Owner-Amateur Riders on Lite-Shod Walking Horses, Four Years and Under. Thirteen of the 17 on the official Lions Club program made their way to the rail to work for the judge’s approval in the class as Judge Jamie Hankins led the panel in the class. Garnering the approval of the judges and the crowd was A Mountain Jazz and Betty Laughlin riding for Joe Laughlin of Waynesville, Mo. Music City Jass and Laura Brandon picked up their second reserve of the 2011 Celebration for Laura M. Brandon of Franklin, Tenn. Kasey Kesselring and Vindicated were third for Montverde Academy of Montverde, Fla.
Back in the Novice division, class 19 brought the Owner-Amateur Novice Riders on Novice Park Pleasure Walking Stallions or Geldings into Calsonic Arena with seven of the 12 on the books making the call as Judge Ronnie Spears served as Call Judge in the class. Riding out of the Novice Division were King Dollar and Lisa Kessel riding for Dr. Linda Garrard and Lisa Kessel of Shelbyville, Tenn. Expedited and Sue Irby were in the second spot for Ty Irby of Shelbyville, Tenn. Headed back Carolina way, Royal Jazz Expression and owner/exhibitor Angela Tuck of Reidsville, N.C., were third.
Six of the 11 with reservations for class 20, Lite-Shod Walking Horses (Canter) made their way to the ring to show off all three gaits that make the Tennessee Walking Horse famous. Judge Jeff Willis served as Call Judge for the class. After picking up reserve honors with owner Laura Brandon just two classes ago, trainer Jeff Laughlin stepped in the irons and took Music City Jass to the winner’s circle in the division for Laura M. Brandon of Franklin, Tenn. Red Sunday’s Best and owner/exhibitor Laurie Toone of Shelbyville, Tenn., were reserve, while Slammin Rammer and Bobby Richards were third, riding for Dave and Joy Buck of Conroe, Texas.
The final class of the morning session, class 21, featured the Owner-Amateur English Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Three- Years-Old. Ten of the 12 expected worked to the rail to show their walking ways as Judge Jennifer Bingham called the gaits. Picking up the second blue of the day, after topping the Novice Trail Pleasure division earlier with owner Van Barnes, it was Pushing For Jazz and Miles Irby riding to the winner’s circle in the class for Van Barnes of Sandy, Ore. Good Til The Last Drop and Dawn Payne pulled in for reserve for Dawn and James Payne and Ashley Say of Graham N.C., and Nashville, Tenn. Petal Pushin’ Jazz and owner/exhibitor Lauren Hamilton of Cedar Grove, Tenn., were third.
It’s been another great morning of horse show action in Calsonic Arena, and that action will continue Friday, Saturday and Monday mornings and, of course, starting tonight (Thursday), the action gets underway in the big oval. Don’t miss a moment of all the excitement that makes up the 73rd Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.