by Ann Bullard

MARSHALL, Texas – The East Texas Walking/Racking Horse Association presented its 25th annual Charity Horse Show June 19 and 20, at the City Of Marshall Covered Arena. The event again benefited the Mar-Tex Evening Lions Club Charities.

Marshall hosts two shows annually. The winter event often has exhibitors shivering; the June heat had many riders shedding their coats on Saturday afternoon. Show Manager George Cole invited Dale Watts of Summit, Miss., to mark the cards in every class.

Entries at this East Texas show were light, with a number of one-horse classes. However, fans of Tennessee Walking, spotted and racking horses enjoyed seeing a number of the area’s better combinations.

The Walking Horse Championship featured two young riders: Nick Plafcan aboard Jennifer Lassiter’s Vim And Vigor and Jessica Davis with Kenneth Lonadier’s A Major Commodity. The crowd cheered for each of them, reserving the loudest for Plafcan as he exited the ring with tricolor in hand. Stan Urad trained the champion while Roger Ivans directed the Major Commodity team.

Stan Urad of Tenn-Tex Farms brought the largest number of professionally-trained horses and earned 16 blue ribbons. Ivans was close behind, with his riders earning nine blue and tricolor silks.

Complete results may be viewed by clicking here.