by Sarah Smith
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – The first of three championship nights at the 78th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration began at 7 p.m. with a welcome from Announcer Mark Farrar. Official Flag Horse, Ranger T. Walker led the opening ceremonies in Celebration tradition. Judges are Chris Bobo, Nathan Clark, Ray Gilmer, Sam Sorrell and Leigh Stuart.
The first ride under the spotlight was the team of Labeled A Parolee and Katie Dishman for Lindy Holt. The team was the unanimous choice of the judges in the Owner-Amateur Novice Riders on Novice Trail Pleasure Walking Horses World Grand Championship. The team earned top honors in their qualifier earlier in the week. Lindy Holt also earned a reserve world title aboard Labeled A Parolee on Tuesday night. Labeled A Parolee was victorious 13 times prior to the Celebration. Reserve went to Pushin’ Some Black Jazz and Donna Byard for Shelli Mehaffey. Monday night, the team made their way to the winners’ circle. Third went to Magellan and Alex Johnson.
Next to the ring was the class for Owner-Amateur Riders on Country Pleasure Walking Horses, Four Years & Under World Grand Championship. Diamond At The Ritz and Kimberly Coult-Walden made their way under the spotlight to claim all the honors. In addition to winning their world championship qualifying class on Wednesday morning, the team was undefeated all year with wins at Marshall, Texas, Gulf Coast Trainers’ Show, Spring Fun Show and the Money Tree Classic. The reserve world championship went to Please Don’t Tell and Anna Kaminski. Their 2016 resume includes wins at the National Trainers’ Show, FAST Spring Showcase, Columbia Spring Jubilee and The International. Rounding out the top three was Sweet As Strawberry Wine and Kailin Kesselring. The team topped the competition at the TWHBEA National Futurity last Wednesday night.
Earning a unanimous vote from the judging panel and earning the title as Elite Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Horses World Grand Championship was Unreal and Dr. Jim Baum for Lisa Baum. This continues an undefeated season for the pair that also earned world championship acclaim earlier in the show. Reserve honors went to Knock Em Ted and Jannie Chapman. The team was second in their qualifying class on Monday evening and has been to the winner’s circle three times this season. 2016 World Champions, I’m Biscayne Bay and Ben Brogdon rounded out the top three.
For the third year in a row Patrick Thomas directed Rise To Fame to the Western Park Pleasure World Grand Championship for Steve and Pat Wilson. The duo was undefeated before coming to the Celebration and winning the ultimate honor in a unanimous vote from the judges. Reserve went to The Red Falcon and Jamey Thompson for Joyce Hofstee. The Red Falcon has earned two world titles at this year’s Celebration with both Joyce Hofstee and Thompson at the reins. Third in the class went to the team of Overpass and Patti Pollack for S & P, LLC.
A favorite class of the entire show, the Owner-Amateur Riders 6-11 Years on Walking Mares or Geldings World Grand Championship was next to the ring to impress the judges. Blue Ray and Alexis Nichols made their way from the lineup and down victory to claim all the awards and the honor of being world grand champions. The duo was victorious in their qualifying class and were also world champions in 2015. Inception and Maxine Beasley earned the title of reserve world grand champions. Third went to Olympic Bronze and Jack Kail for Howell & Kail. Olympic Bronze, at the age of 17 carried Kail to the winner’s circle earlier in the week.
The inaugural Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Show Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings brought eight top entries down the chute. Riding under the spotlight was Blues For Santana and Colton Trimble for Crunk & Trimble. The team earned world championship acclaim in 2015 and were victorious at the Marshall County Horseman’s Association Horse Show in July. Reserve went to Bronco Billy and Jesse Laughlin. Rounding out the top three was He’s Guns-N-Roses and Thomas Derickson.
Earlier in the week Mackenzie Morgan directed Fuego to a unanimous world championship. On Thursday night, it was Allison Thorson in the saddle and she and Fuego made their way to the Owner-Amateur Riders on English Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, World Grand Championship unanimously. Picking up the red streamer was Jose’s Firecracker and Wayne Westbrooks. The third award went to Luv In The Air and Dr. Jack Kwok.
Earning their second consecutive world grand championship title in the first ever Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Country Pleasure Walking Horses was GiGi’s Majestic and Elysse Bradford with the approval of all five judges. The duo takes their roses and earlier world championship back to Dallas, Texas. Bustline and Claire Vaughn, also 2016 world champions, earned the honor of reserve world grand champions. Third in the talented class went to another current world champion, Peligro Dinero and Maggie Lloyd for Lloyd & Langley.
Another unanimous tie went to the Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Walking Ponies World Grand Champion. This was a back-to-back win for Rammer Jammer and Lily Catherine Holland. The team won a unanimous world championship in their qualifying class and with this win, retired three challenge trophies. The team topped the competition at the Columbia Spring Jubilee and Red Carpet Show of the South earlier in the season. Reserve honors went to Prime Poison and Addie Harris. This team also won their qualifying class and was the 2014 world grand champions in the division. Third went to the new team of Ricky Ricardo and Will Cole.
The Owner-Amateur Riders on Show Pleasure Walking Horses World Grand Championship was next to take on the Celebration Oval. He’s Starbucks and Suzanne Moore enjoyed their ride under the spotlight. The team earned wins at the National Trainers’ Show, Mississippi Charity, Columbia Spring Jubilee, Woodbury Lions Club and Gallatin Memorial before heading to the Celebration. He’s Starbucks was victorious in the open division with John Allan Callaway earlier in the week. Second went to the world championship team of I’m Moonlighting and Stephanie Elliott. Rounding out the top three was the multi-titled team of Godfather By Ultra Copy and Courtney Luttrell.
Riding under the spotlight in the Owner-Amateur Riders on 15.2 & Under Walking Horses was Lined Walkin and Lilly Waites for the Andrew Waites family. The 2015 world grand champions in the Adult Pony class, had wins at the National Trainers’ Show, Spring Fun Show and Belfast-TWHBEA horse shows before heading to the Celebration. Reserve went to the 2015 world grand champions in the division and the 2016 world champions in the Owner-Amateur Riders on 15.2 & Under Walking Stallions, Abby Fox and Pro V1. Command On Parole and Sheryl Crawford were third in the talent packed class.
The unanimous choice of the judging panel in the Owner-Amateur Riders on English Country Pleasure Walking Horses was Designer Champagne and Kimberly Coult-Walden. Her second win of the night, Coult-Walden and Designer Champagne we crowned world grand champions in 2015 and were also victorious in their qualifying class earlier in the show. Reserve in the class went to Out There And Lovin It and Caroline Sinden. The yellow streamer went to Wicked Image and Jennifer Bingham.
The Park Performance Walking Horses World Grand Championship went to the team of We’re Jammin’ The Blues and John Allan Callaway for George-Ann Pratt. The team was victorious in the preliminary class and also earned wins at the National Trainers’ Show and Columbia Spring Jubilee early in the season. Reserve honors went to the Four & Under Park Performance World Champions, The Night Crawler and Travis Craft for the Terry Dotson family. Third in the class went to two-time 2015 Reserve World Champion Drop A Line with RM Kellett riding for Benedict, Teel & Butler.
Two-time 2016 Word Champion La Patrona and Joe Lester were crowned the Lite-Shod Walking Horses Optional Tack, Riders’ Cup World Grand Championship with a unanimous tie from the judges panel for proud owner Dale Steinmetz. This was the eighth win for the talent in 2016. Also a two-time 2016 world champion, Lil Wayne was directed by Jeff Laughlin to the reserve honors for Jeff Gillespie. Third in the class was multi-titled Simple Lee Dangerous and Chris Helton for Kara Graham.
The final trip under the spotlight went to the Three-Year-Old Walking Horses World Grand Champion, A Pink Floyd and Bill Callaway for Kathy Zeis. This win was a unanimous victory for the team and was a highlight to their preliminary win earlier in the show. Reserve honors went to the TWHBEA National Futurity Champion and 2015 World Grand Champion Shanghai MCF and John Allan Callaway for Keith and Lorraine Rosbury. Rounding out the top three was The Memphis Blues and Charlie Green.
Championship competition will continue at 7 p.m. on Friday night.