Officials of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration have announced that Linda Walker will join the Celebration’s announcing team.
Walker will join Celebration announcer Chip Walters. She will work with him during the Spring Fun Show May 23-25. During the 64th annual Celebration that will take place August 21-31, Walker will announce all morning shows and will join Walters in Center Ring for the evening performances.
“I welcome Linda to our team in Center Ring, and I look forward to working with her. Her reputation and professionalism should fit right in. I know that the Celebration and Fun Show fans will enjoy her as well,” said Celebration announcer Chip Walters.
Celebration CEO and Show Manager Ron Thomas heard Walker announcing at the Kentucky Horse Park, and thought she possessed an impressive voice and was knowledgeable about many breeds of horses. He made her an offer to join the Celebration family, and the rest is history.
Celebration Board Chairman Virgil Johnson said, “We are thrilled to have found an announcer of the caliber of Linda Walker. Her credentials are impeccable.”
Walker is entertainment coordinator at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. She started at the park in 1979 as a member of the Breeds Barn staff where she enjoyed learning to ride and drive several breeds of horses. With the number of visitors to the park on the rise, she found that she enjoyed talking with them and explaining all that she knew about the horses. She soon found herself on the microphone announcing the Parade of Breeds’ special presentations. It was then that her own personal style of announcing began to develop.
Walker said, “Not long after I started announcing for the park, friends in the horse world began requesting me to announce at various small shows in our areas. it wasn’t long until I was announcing larger shows including championship shows.
“I am looking forward to the Celebration with a feeling of great joy. I feel honored to have been asked to be a member of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration announcing team.”
The Celebration is in its 64th year and is Tennessee’s longest running event. It brings in more than $25 million to Shelbyville and the surrounding area during its 11-day run.