by Julia Livingston

TAZEWELL, Tenn. - The 21st annual Tazewell Jaycees Horse Show was held on June 6, 2009, at the Claiborne County Fairgrounds at 6 p.m. The temperature was a comfortable 75 degrees with a few clouds in the sky and a cool breeze blowing. You couldn't ask for better conditions for a horse show.

Trainers pulled in from as far east as Conway, S.C., and as far west as Manchester, Ky. Show Manager Mary Trent, along with a lot of help from others, has worked very hard to make sure everyone felt welcome. The judges for the night were Sam Sorrell for the walking classes and Dean Rouse for the URHOEA racking.

There were 30 walking and racking classes with a total of 269 entrees. This broke the overall record by 56 entrees. The parking lots were full and the stands overflowed onto the grass, with blankets filled with families enjoying the great show.

The last class of the night was the Walking Horse Stake with 10 competitive horses and their talented trainers entering the ring. The judge asked them to complete three gates both ways of the ring and then asked for another running walk. The fans were on their feet cheering for their favorite horse, but when the class was called Derek Monahan and Nightfall At The Ritz were named the champions. The reserve honors went to A Big Time Pusher with Jerry Highsmith aboard for Ray Hughes.

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