SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – The 69^th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration^® will feature small “workouts” to determine World Grand Champions^® in the professional division, according to show officials. The 2007 judging panel will be looking to put 3-5 entries back on the rail for additional work in the thirteen championship classes featuring the professional trainers. The Celebration^® crowns a total of 34 World Grand Champions^® including the breed’s ultimate champion, the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse^®.

“Championships are not easy to win in any sport,” said Celebration CEO Ron Thomas. “The same should be said for Celebration World Grand Champions^®. The fans overwhelmingly want small workouts in our championship classes to get a longer look at the very best our breed has to offer. We want to give the fans the excitement they so richly deserve for supporting the breed and our event for so many years.”

Thomas says this will include some of the breeders’ division championships (weanlings and yearlings) with the judges pulling out a handful of the best entries to inspect more closely.

“It’s an electric feeling in that big oval when the greatest horses and riders go head-to-head with everything on the line,” Thomas added. “Those are great Celebration moments and we want the fans to have every opportunity to experience them. We’re fortunate to have many wonderful amateur riders at our show, but nothing gets the crowd going like watching the talented trainers in our industry battle each other with the most exciting show horses on earth. They get into it like they’re watching Tiger Woods come from four shots back on the back nine of Augusta National on Sunday afternoon.”