A record 21 challenge trophies were retired at the 2001 Celebration. This was due in part to a record number of trophies offered and the fact that many can now be retired with two wins by the same owner instead of the traditional three.
The Celebration board of directors approves the class in which a challenge trophy is offered. Trophies donated must have a minimum value of $500 and they remain at the Celebration until they are retired.
The first challenge trophy retired at this year’s
Celebration was in class 63, Yearling Colts. The Sam H. Black Memorial Challenge Trophy was retired by Your Wish My Command and Bobby Richards for Roger Richards. This team also retired the Claude L. Crowley Memorial Challenge Trophy in class 68, the Yearling World Grand Championship.
Gen’s Fire N Ice, with Stephanie Gordon up for the Arthur Gordon family, retired a trophy case full of challenge trophies at the 2001 Celebration. In class 64, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 15-17 on Mares and Geldings Specialty, they retired the N.B. Hardeman
Memorial Challenge Trophy and the Vic Thomson Memorial Challenge Trophy. In class 134, the Youth 12-17 Specialty Championship, they retired the Winston and
Katherine Wiser Memorial Challenge Trophy, the Bill Staton Memorial Challenge Trophy, and the Bob Cocke Memorial Challenge Trophy.
The silver won by Fire N Ice wasn’t all that went back to Orange, Calif., with the Gordons. Susan Gordon and A Specialist retired the Gordon family donated Gen’s Fire N Ice Challenge Trophy in class 129, the
Owner-Amateur Specialty World Grand Championship. (Susan Gordon and the timeless gelding won this championship many times before the reins were turned
over to daughter Stephanie). Gordon and A Specialist also retired the Dewey Arnold Memorial Challenge Trophy.
Walking All Over and Bob Medina retired their second challenge trophy in two years. Medina took the David Bledsoe, Sr., Memorial Challenge Trophy home with him to Skillman, N.J., after winning class 77, Owner
Amateur Riders 60 & Over, Specialty.
Genius Gold Spirit and Bob Keenan retired the Scott Edwards Memorial Challenge Trophy in class 91, Owner-Amateur Gentlemen Drivers, Fine Harness, for the
Robert Keenan family.
Charles Gleghorn kept the Sam Gibbons Memorial Challenge Trophy after he and Karen Gleghorn led Pusher’s Walking On and A Whisper Of Rain to the winner’s circle in class 113, Mare and Foal.
Mister Pushbutton and William Johnson retired the William D. Cowherd Memorial Challenge Trophy in class 115, Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Stallions Five
Years and Over, Over 15.2.
William Johnson also retired three more challenge trophies in class 126, Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Horses 15.2 & Under Specialty World Grand Championship. Riding Generator’s Man Of Magic, he kept
possession of the Steve Hill Challenge Trophy, the Final Keeper Challenge Trophy, and the P.S.I.C. Corp. Challenge Trophy.
Sun’s Top Gold and Craig Swagerty retired the TWHBEA Challenge Trophy and the Steve Merrill and Edgar D. Hodge Memorial Challenge Trophy for Enchanted Gait
Stables. Their win came in class 122, the Plantation Lite Shod World Grand Championship.
Paige Edwards retired the Eb’s Cloud Nine Challenge Trophy and the Darlene Shue Memorial Challenge Trophy when she rode Herb Murrath’s The American General to
the winner’s circle in class 131, Walking Horse Trainer’s Auxiliary Members Specialty.