By Mark Davis
A late night on Thursday night didn’t keep the Celebration staff and fans from being ready to get the show underway right at 9 a.m.
The first class on the Friday morning schedule was the Novice Plantation Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Lite Shod, Amateur Novice Riders 17 and Under. Eleven of the 14 entered made the gate call as Joe Fleming served as call judge. Riding out of the novice division was the team of In The Heat Of The Night and Grandy Tuck, Jr. riding for Angela Tuck of Eden, N.C. Riding to the red streamer was the Classic Horse, Sparkling Generator and Joe Cunningham for Sherry Givens and KC Hensley of Westel and Shelbyville, Tenn. Regal’s Lady Of Royalty and owner/exhibitor Samantha Green of Shelbyville accepted third.
Park Pleasure Walking Horse, Amateur Riders (Canter) came next on the agenda with 14 of the 25 scheduled making the call to work for World Championship acclaim as Tommy Loid called the gaits. This was another division very deep on talent with multiple current and past Celebration winners competing for that single blue. When the work was nearly complete, Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio and Carleen Redman suffered a fall after which they asked to be excused from competition. After appearing to be injured, Mrs. Redman was able to walk from the ring. Hopefully, she will be able to return to competition later in the week. When the class resumed, it was another Russ Thompson Stables team, Dragonfire and Jim Heiting riding to the winner’s circle for Riverside’s Summit Ranch/Jim & Cindi Heiting of Riverside, Calif. Reserve in the tough division went to reigning International Grand Champion A Greater Generator and Mary Martin for Leo & Mary Martin of Eldon, Mo. Centennial Surprise and Jenny Earhart rode to the yellow streamer for Nelson, Mercier & Stuckey of Memphis and Shelbyville, Tenn.
The western way of life was back in style next as the Amateur owned and Trained Western Trail Pleasure, No Professional Training within 90 Days. When 40 of the 48 programmed entries checked into the inspection area, the decision was made to split the division. Huck Moss served as call judge for both divisions.
In the A division, the Celebration blue went back to Washington as Perfect Cents and owner/exhibitor Michelle Hodne of Auburn, Wa. rode to the winner’s circle. The Pacific Northwest came through again as Keep The Magic and Hannah Pulvers captured the reserve honors for Dr. Jana Anderson of Jefferson, Ore. The yellow ribbon stayed a little closer to home as Ruby Who and Connie Waldo took home third for R.D. & Connie Waldo of Shelbyville, Tenn.
In the B division, it was Lacy Cash and Kathy Owen making the elegant show to hit paydirt in the division for Double Springs Farm of Murfreesboro, Tenn. Jenny Earhart of Orange, Calif. moved up a place from the previous class and captured reserve in the division with her Royal’s Prince Charlie. Connie Waldo of Shelbyville, Tenn. captured third in this division as well, this time with Hotline.
Some performance horse action was next on the schedule to provide a little variety for the Friday morning crowd as the Show Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Riders 17 Years and Under took center stage. Twenty-six of the 35 entered made the gate call to work for Wayne Abee and his colleagues. Making the victory pass in the division was the duo of Pushover In Dixie and Gavin Kasser riding for Carol Ann Gavin of Wartrace, Tenn. Grandy Tuck, Jr. had a great Friday picking up a strong reserve in this division with Pride Of Charger after picking up a win earlier in the day. Pride of Charger is owned by Angela Tuck of Eden, NC. Guaranteed Delight , a Classic Horse, and Ashley Adcock rode to third for the Bob Adcock family of Lititz, Pa.
Eight of the 10 entries in the program for class 37, Plantation Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Lite Shod, Riders 17 Years and Under. Bob Cherry served as call judge for the event. When the work was complete, the “Trash Man” came through again as Trashadeous and owner/exhibitor Jimmy Civils of Petersburg, Tenn. captured their second 2004 Celebration blue. The team captured their first blue in the Lite Shod Driving event on Wednesday morning. Reserve in the division went to Silver’s Spinal Tap and Jared Carrier riding for the Chip Carrier family of Franklin, Ky. Gen’s All Night and Amber Waggoner rode to third for Bobby Barclay of South Fulton, Tenn.
The little cowboys and cowgirls hit the track in class 38, Youth Western Trail Pleasure, Riders 17 and Under with 32 of the 36 schedule entries making the call to work as Judge Fleming called the gaits. The panel determined that additional work would be necessary to select the World Champion in the division and asked 13 of the original 32 to remain for further competition. When the work was complete, the panel determined that the honors would be headed back to the Lonestar state with Bad News Fantastic Cash and Brandon Urad riding for Larry Denny of Quitman, Texas. Jared Carrier was back in the reserve position once again in this division with A Style File for the Chip Carrier family of Franklin, Ky. Third went to Doc’s Taking Charge and Bethany Martocci for Rhonda Martocci of Franklin, Tenn.
The youth of the industry continued to take center stage as the TWHBEA Youth Weanling, Handlers 17 Years and Under class hit the ring with 17 of 20 making the gate call to work for call judge Loid and staff. When the work was complete, the leading attraction with the judges and the crowd was 2004 TWHBEA National Futurity Champion, A Jazz Attraction with Luke Washburn handling for the Curt Washburn family of Fayetteville, Tenn. The team took home the win with a unanimous decision of the panel. Reserve in the division went to Miss Nutbush ‘96 and AJ Jamison for Jacoby Farm of Columbia, Tenn. Miss Willie McCovey and Jesse Dotson III lead to third for Jesse Dotson of Thompson Station, Tenn.
Eighteen of 26 made the call for class 40, Park Pleasure Walking Horses, Two Years Old, Amateur Riders. Huck Moss called the gaits for the division. Sandra Reid made and outstanding performance with Tex-R-Us to top the division for Barnes & Reid of Wartrace and Shelbyville, Tenn. Taking the red ribbon in the tough class was The Lady Has Connections and Bridget Rush for Del and Bridget Rush of Oxford, Mi. Numero Uno and Joe Dixon rode to the third tie for Randall & Gloria Dixon’s Red Eagle Farms of Dacula, Ga.
It was the kids turn once again as eight of the nine entries made the gate call for the Plantation Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings , Lite Shod, Riders 11 and Under. Wayne Abee called the gaits for the division. Double Java and Jacqueline Holtshult suffered a minor misfortune when a shoe was cast, but once again farrier Louie Staton came through once again, replacing the shoe and allowing the team to complete the class. And, complete the class they did by capturing the World title in the division for Mike and Kathy Chiappari of Santa Rosa, Calif. Reserve in the division went to In the Heat Of The Night, already a WC from earlier today, with Tyler Baucom in the irons for Angela Tuck of Eden, NC. The Classic Horse, Sparkling Generator took home third with Downing Burk riding for Sherry Givens and KC Hensley of Westel and Shelbyville, Tenn.
Class 41 brought the Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses, Lite Shod, Amateur Riders 50 Years and Over to the ring. Eighteen of the 28 entered made the call as Bob Cherry called the gaits for the division. After taking home the International blue earlier this month, Steel Watch and Joseph Manos proved they were the ones to watch again at the Celebration by riding to the winner’s circle in the division for the Joseph Manos family of Santa Rosa, Calif. Black Rain Drops and Guy Ben Findley took the reserve honors back to Buford, Ga. for Guy Ben and Murlene Findley. A Classic Horse, Courageous and Kathy Anderson accepted third for John and Kathy Anderson of Jacksonville, Fla. and Shelbyville, Tenn.
Well, the young riders were back again, to the delight of the crowd as the Park Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Riders 11 Years and Under hit the track riding hard for Joe Fleming and staff. Danielle Reid was going to let her mom, Sandra Reid out do her, after mom picked up the blue with Tex-R-Us, Danielle did the same with her horse, Chill after making an outstanding performance. Chill already rode to Four-Year-Old Park Pleasure World Championship on Thursday Morning with trainer Doug Barnes aboard. Reserve in the always competitive division went to Santana’s Coin and Lindsey Landrum riding for the Ed Andercheck family of Franklin, Tenn. Mr. Chili Pepper and Ashley Pollack accepted third for Pollack’s Silver Spur Ranch of Saratoga, Calif. and Shelbyville, Tenn.
Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses, Two Years Old, Lite Shod were next on the agenda with 12 of the 27 entered making the call. Tommy Loid called the gaits for the division. After taking home the blue from the TWHBEA National Futurity on Wednesday night, Rev’s Super Speed and Howard Hamilton returned to accept World Championship acclaim for Duane Ripple of Keosagua, Iowa. Outlined With Silver and John Feltner, Jr. took home reserve honors for Jan Anderson of Stephenville, Texas and Shelbyville, Tenn. Third went to Edgar and Russ Keyser for June Hawkins of Lewisburg, Tenn.
The final class on the morning’s schedule was the TWHBEA Youth Yearling, Handlers 17 Years and Under. Eighteen of the 21 entries scheduled made the gate call with Huck Moss serving as call judge. TWHBEA National Futurity Yearling Filly Champion and WHR High Point Yearling Filly I’m Shania Twain walked her way to the winner’s circle once again with handler Monica Thompson at the lead for Dr. Roger Richards of Hendersonville, Tenn. Reserve went to Grandy’s Summer Love and Kayrin Warren for J.T. and Martha Nelms of College Grove, Tenn. Generator’s Maria and Natalie Johnson accepted third for Ed Alderson of Springville, Tenn.
And, with that final victory pass, another morning session is complete and it’s only 1:30 pm. The morning sessions continue through Monday. Remember, as well, the Celebration Trade Fair is open each day and will grow to cover the Calsonic Arena floor after Monday classes are complete. Come by and enjoy the action.