Jimmy McConnell is in a familiar spot atop the 2010 Riders’ Cup standings heading into the busy summer show season.  McConnell leads the race with 10,880 points in 30 classes.  Right behind McConnell is Charlie Green with 9,940 points.  In the final standings from 2009 Green was second and McConnell was third. 

Rounding out the top five in the current standings are Justin Harris, Tim Smith and Knox Blackburn.  Blackburn has been a fixture in the standings since their inception never finishing worst than sixth overall at the end of the year.  This is the sixth year of the Riders’ Cup program, a joint venture between the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association and Walking Horse Report.

In the sixth through tenth spots are Edgar Abernathy, Bill Cantrell, Justin Jenne, Paul Livingston and John Allan Callaway.  New in 2010, all HIOs are eligible for Riders’ Cup and the top 10 prove the diversity of the program.  McConnell and Abernathy are staples on the Mid South and West Tennessee/Mississippi circuits while Livingston makes most East Tennessee shows.  Cantrell is located in Phenix City, Alabama and attends many of the south Alabama and Georgia horse shows.

The upcoming Fun Show on May 27-29, 2010 in Shelbyville, Tenn. will prove to be an important horse show in the final standings as it is a double-point horse show.  Also, in 2010 The Celebration will be included in the Riders’ Cup and will be a triple point show.

The Celebration has sponsored the Walking Horse Stake division in 2010 but all other nine divisions are still available for sponsorship.  Each sponsorship is $2,500 and can be paid over installments.  Sponsors are announced at all Riders’ Cup horse shows when the class is announced and are also featured in the Walking Horse Report each week with the standings.  Also, What A Horse will announce the Riders’ Cup sponsors on its program each week when highlights of those shows are shown.

The Riders’ Cup standings can be found exclusively in the Walking Horse Report each week and online at the Walking Horse Report’s web site.  Click here to see the current standings.  You can also search by year and see the history of the Riders’ Cup program’s final standings.