by Mark Davis
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. - It’s Monday Morning in Shelbyville and the final morning performance of the 72nd Annual Celebration is just about ready to get under way. This morning’s schedule features 15 classes from the Halter, Trail Pleasure, Lite-Shod, Park Pleasure, Show Pleasure and Equitation divisions, highlighted by the Auxiliary Equitation, Youth Medal Championship.
The judges for the 72nd Annual Celebration include Spencer Benedict of Glasgow, Ky., Jennifer Bingham of Shelbyville, Tenn., Mike Carpenter of Franklin, Tenn., Nathan Clark of Arab, Ala., and Tommy Loid of Bowling Green, Ky.
Promptly at 9 a.m., morning announcer Mark Farrar, Jr. called the first class of the performance, class 98, Western Lite-Shod Walking Horses, with 12 of the 18 on the program to the ring to work for Judge Jennifer Bingham and her panel. Capturing the honors with unanimous decision of the panel was Honor My Cash and trainer Patrick Thomas making the victory pass for Mr. and Mrs. Don Parmer of Elizabethtown, Pa. This made Honor My Cash’s fifth 2010 Celebration win, three with trainer Patrick Thomas and two with owner Deborah Parmer, Catastrophic and Laurie Toone pulled into the second spot for Laurie Toone and Liz Gassaway of Bell Buckle & Shelbyville, Tenn. Marquita By Design and Bruce Hankins were third riding for Kelly Sherman of Boulder, Co.
Class 99 brought the Park Pleasure Walking Horses, Four Years Old to the track with four of the six with reservations making the call to show their very best for Call Judge Mike Carpenter and his cohorts. Riding to the winner’s circle with a unanimous decision of the panel was Hello I’m Johnny Cash and owner/exhibitor Jacob Baum of Shelbyville, Tenn. This made the second 2010 Celebration blue for this team as they captured the blue in the Amateur Western Four and Under class on Wednesday morning. Another Miss Scored and owner exhibitor Angela Tuck of Reidsville, N.C., were reserve. A Coin For Gin and Jeff Green collected the yellow streamers for Kendra Myers and Donna Byard of Van Buren, Mo. and Alvaton, Ky.
Nine of the 16 expected were on deck and ready to go for class 100, Lite-Shod Walking Horses, Three and Four Years Old. Judge Nathan Clark served as Call Judge for the class. Riding to their second win of the 72nd Celebration, Laura Brandon and Music City Jass carried top honors in the division back to Franklin, Tenn. Headed back to East Tennessee with reserve were Nuclear Weapon and Chris Helton riding for Katie West and Danielle Ricker of Morristown and Greeneville, Tenn. Special Ed and Laurie Toone were third for Fred Benjamin of Humboldt, Tenn.
Class 100 featured the Equitation, Riders 18 and Over(Canter) with all six of the expected entries working to the track
to show off the art of riding. Judge Tommy Loid led the panel in this class. After the initial work was complete, each entry was asked to complete an individual workout, standard in Equitation competition. Topping the division for the fourth consecutive year was Alex Bumpus of Murfreesboro, Tenn. Amy Nesius of Chapel Hill, Tenn., was reserve, with Niki Leggett of Murfreesboro, Tenn., taking third.
Owner-Amateur Novice Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Novice Park Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings was up next on the program, class 102 on the schedule. All six of the programmed entries made their way to Calsonic Arena for their chance to ride out of the Novice division this morning as Judge Spencer Benedict called the gaits in the class. Riding out of the novice division this morning with a stellar performance was Corey Green and Gen’s I Love Lucy riding for Nancy Clements of Batavia, Ohio. The Grizzly and Joe Lester were reserve for David Mesimer of Concord, N.C. Rounding out the top three was Arm’s Rhett Butler and Jordan Laughlin up for 4-J Land and Cattle Company of Waynesville, Mo.
Staying in the Novice division, 18 of the 22 on the official Lions Club program for class 103, Owner-Amateur Novice Riders on Novice Lite-Shod Walking Horses, made the gait call to for the chance at their very first Celebration blue as Judge Jennifer Bingham served as Call Judge for the event. Making their first Celebration victory pass was Confederate Jazz and Kyle Elliott riding for Jana Anderson of Shelbyville, Tenn. Armed Scarlett Lady and Betty Laughlin pulled into the second position for 4-J Land and Cattle Company of Waynesville, Mo. Nuclear Weapon and Katie West were third for Katie West and Danielle Ricker of Morristown and Greeneville, Tenn.
Class 104 featured the Owner-Amateur Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses with five of the seven entered beating the time clock to have the honor to work for World Championship acclaim as Judge Mike Carpenter called the gaits in the class. Back in the winner’s circle picking up a second 2010 World Championship was Tijuana Tex with Dr. John Gladney riding for Gladney Farms of Homer, La. Darden Gladney already rode Tijuana Tex to the winner’s circle on Wednesday morning. Gen’s Double Action and owner/exhibitor Rufus Dale of Canton, N.C. was reserve in the class. Samurai Sky and owner/exhibitor Julia Cole of Shelbyville, Tenn., rounded out the top three.
In the halter division, class 105 brought the Weanling Colts, of 2010 Foal up to the ring to show off their walking ways and good looks as Judge Nathan Clark led the panel in the class of 12. Walking away with the win was Robert Nelms and El Nino’s Cash, 2010 champions at the International Grand Championship and the Belfast Lions Club Horse Show, for Precious Memories Farm/Daniel Miller of Bell Buckle, Tenn. I’m Gene Autry and Sylvester Skierkowski were reserve for Bobby Joe Jones of Manchester, Tenn. Loveline and Carlyle Johnson were third for Bruce and Nancy Lovato of Lehi, Utah.
The performance horses were up next on the morning schedule for class 106, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 12-17 on Show Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings. Fourteen of the 21 on the books made the gate call to work as Judge Tommy Loid served as Call Judge in the class. Topping the division was I’m An Evil Rebel and Kayla Baucom riding for Lucille Matthis of Morganton, N.C. Santana’s Renaissance Man and owner/exhibitor Allison Thorson of Huron, Ohio pulled in for the red streamers. My Blackeyed Susan and Aimee Lambert picked up the golden ribbons for Popp, Ansett and Lambert of Shelbyville, Tenn.
Back in the Trail Pleasure division, class 107A featured the Owner-Amateur Novice English Trail Pleasure, Novice Riders with 17 of the 21 working up from the warm up ring to show for Judge Spencer Benedict and his panel. Riding away with the win were Lightning Jazz and Ty Irby riding for Sally Paulson and Miles and Ty Irby of Salem, Ore. and Murfreesboro, Tenn. Teenie Bikini and Kasey Kesselring rode into the second spot for Kasey Kesselring, Kathy Zeis and Liz Gassaway of Montverde, Fla., Douglasville, Ga. and Shelbyville, Tenn. Copper’s Morning Glory and Bonnie Carrier were third for Chip Carrier of Franklin, Ky.
Class 107B, Owner-Amateur Novice English Trail Pleasure, Novice Riders brought 17 more teams to Calsonic Arena to work for their chance to ride out of the Novice division as Judge Jennifer Bingham called the gaits for the section. Riding to back-to-back blues, winning both splits, was Ty Irby, this time riding It’s Lady Gaga for Sally Paulson, Racheal Allen, Miles and Ty Irby of Salem, Ore., Pleasonton, Calif., and Murfreesboro, Tenn. Back in the reserve position again was Kasey Kesselring with Contemporary Jazz riding for Kasey Kesselring and Kathy Zeis of Montverde, Fla. and Douglasville, Ga. A Wicked Bond and Krista Allen were third for Greg Allen of Pleasonton, Calif.
It was time to get in a western frame of mind for class 108, Western Park Pleasure Walking Horses (Canter). Six of the 14 with reservations made the gate call to work for Judge Mike Carpenter and his cohorts. Capturing the win was a familiar team, Hermano Gold and Jamey Thompson riding for Roger and Rebecca Emerick of Hillsborough, Calif. Big N’ Rich N’ and Bruce Hankins were reserve for Steve and Jan Harris of Lewisburg, Tenn. Go Boy’s Dark Spirit and Jennifer Pendleton were third for Jennifer Pendleton and Kerry Huckaby of Shelbyville and Columbia, Tenn.
It was time to gear up for Championship competition for class 109, Auxiliary Equitation, Youth Medal Championship (Canter). Six entries made the call to work for the ultimate honors in the division. Judge Nathan Clark served as Call Judge for the event. After the initial rail work was complete, it was time for each entry to complete their pattern work. At they time each time made their entry in the Championship, they were asked to submit their customized pattern that they would perform. When the work was complete, it was Paige Bennett, champion of the Senior Equitation division on Saturday Morning, riding to collect the medal, roses and tri-color ribbon to take back to Alvaton, Ky. In addition to their championship ride in Calsonic Arena this morning, they will get to come back to the big oval this evening to exhibit for the Monday evening crowd on hand. Reserve championship honors went to the Youth 12-14 Equitation Champion, Allison Thorson of Huron, Ohio. Kathryn Crick of Lewisburg, Tenn was third.
Class 110, Lite-Shod Walking Horses, Two Years Old, brought 10 of the 15 programmed entries to the rail to work for Judge Tommy Loid and his cohorts. Picking up the win was the duo of Russian Roulett and Allison Smart riding for Jim and Judy Leek of Cedar Creek, Texas. Friday By Midnight and Jeff Laughlin were reserve for Rising Star Ranch, LLC of Shelbyville,Tenn. Red Sunchip and owner/exhibitor Laurie Toone of Bell Buckle, Tenn., was third.
The final class of the morning performances of the 72nd Celebration was Weanling Fillies, of 2010 Foal, class 111 on the schedule. Eighteen of the 20 expected took to the rail in Calsonic Arena to show their very best for Judge Spencer Benedict and his panel. Walking to the winner’s circle wwere Silver Dollar Debutante and Chris Richards showing for Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Brantley of Wartrace, Tenn. What’s Next? and Robert Nelms moved into the second position for Carole Hargett of Shelbyville, Tenn. Jose’s Ginny Belle and Nathan Mills were third for Hoyte Eakes of Nashville, Tenn.
And with that at 1:35 p.m., the morning performances of the 72nd Annual Celebration were history. Of course, the evening performances will continue each night at 7 p.m. in the historic outdoor arena leading up to the crowning of the 2010 Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion in the final class on Saturday Night.
Make sure you stop back by Calsonic Arena later in the week because starting on Wednesday, the Celebration Trade Fair expands to the floor of Calsonic Arena and features anything and everything that a horse lover would ever want. It’s certainly not to be missed.