by: Debbie Graham

MARTIN, Tenn. - On the first weekend in April, walking horse enthusiasts travel to Martin, Tenn., to attend two spring horse show season openers. They are held in the West Tennessee Agricultural Pavilion’s indoor arena located on the campus of The University of Tennessee at Martin.

The Purchase Area Charity Horse Show was held Friday, April 2, 2004, and was followed Saturday April 3 by the Weakley County Walking and Racking Horse Classic.

Beautiful spring weather prevailed during the day Friday, but temperatures dropped to the middle 30s at night. Walking horse trainers, exhibitors and spectators know from experience not to pack away their winter coats until the Martin weekend has come and gone and this year was no exception.

The 16th annual Purchase Area Show was sponsored by the Purchase Area Horseman’s Association. The 2003 show had the honor of being selected as the Mid-South Horse Show Association’s Show of the Year. Proceeds form the event benefit the American Cancer Society. Sam Sorrell judged the walking classes, which drew 215 entries.

The first blue of the evening was awarded in the Two-Year-Old Mare and Gelding class to Paris Hilton and Tim Holley for Mark and Debbie Williams. Jubilee’s Awesome Dream and Sheryl Taylor were winners in the Three-Year-Old Amateur class for Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Sapp. The popular team of Flashy Cash and Rachel Hyneman gave a blue ribbon performance in the Juvenile 11 and Under class for Hy Steppin’ Farms.

Pride’s Robbie Delight and Chantel Brummel claimed top honors in the Plantation Pleasure Lite-Shod Specialty class for Mike Harrington. Who Am I and Jeff Sanderson made their presence known in the Amateur Owned and Trained Specialty class to gain blue ribbon recognition.

Command On Q and Knox Blackburn were in top form to win the Two-Year-Old Stallion title for W.E. Broughton. Teri Olinger was happy to accept the blue in the Amateur Park Pleasure Specialty class.

I’m PT 109 and Shane Vaughn cruised to victory in the Three-Year-Old Open class for Stan Wilcoxen. Another contender from the show string of Stan Wilcoxen, Stage Fright made the victory pass in the Two- Year-Old Amateur division with Wilcoxen in the irons.

1-800-Collect and Joe Clift are starting the 2004 show season in blue ribbon style with three blues to their credit in the Amateur Show Pleasure Specialty class for Saundra Pippin. Their wins so far this season include Starkville, Holly Springs and Martin.

Moon Rider and Bill Hamilton added another Amateur Spotted Saddle Horse title to their list of blue ribbon accomplishments.

On the heels of their recent titles at Starkville and Holly Springs, Spellbound Generator and Michelle Walker claimed their third blue of the season in the Juvenile 12-17 Specialty class for John and Bobbie Maxwell.

Knox Blackburn made his second trip to the winner’s circle in the 15.2 and Under Open class for Paul Bryan aboard Quattro.

Pushover’s Citation and Summer Sullivan were victorious in the Ladies Amateur Specialty class for the Jim Sullivan family.

Winning the Amateur Country Pleasure division were C.K.’S Mystery and Jackie McKnight. Hard 2 Change and Jim Nichols demonstrated their talents in the Four-Year-Old Amateur class for Jim and Debbie Nichols.

Millennium Masquerade and Dee Dee Sale were in the spotlight in the Amateur Open class for the Gilbert Miller family. Black Sails and Tyler Herndon made the familiar ride to the winner’s circle in a new division this season. They won the Amateur Specialty class for Tim Herndon.

In the final class of the evening, the Walking Horse Stake, Jimmy McConnell brought Contaminated to the Purchase Area tricolor for owners Paul and Vicki Garland.

Complete results from the Purchase Area Charity follow and can also be found on our web site at www.walkinghorsereport.com.