MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The 42nd Annual Murfreesboro Exchange Club Horse Show was held Saturday, June 22, 2202 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Judge Sherrie Dietz Ward of Harrodsburg, Kentucky judged the 25 class event. Announcer Bobby Sands kept the show going while Connie Dunlap entertained the audience with her organ. Jack Greene caught the champions on film.
In 2002, the show was held following Thursday and Friday night shows in Shelbyville. Entries were down slightly from 2001, perhaps because of the heat and the three shows in close proximity. There were 160 entries that answered the gate call.
The Stake class closed the evening, which had been quite pleasant since the sun went down. Joel Weaver directed Special Alert to make the victory pass. Special Alert, normally shown in pony classes by Catherine Simpson, didn’t know he was small as he marched around the ring. Catherine Simpson and Special Alert won both the Walking Pony classes at Winchester and Summertown earlier this season. His big doing ways and talent made him the selection of Judge Ward.
Bill Bobo was awarded reserve in the championship aboard Pusher Fatal Attraction, owned by Bob and LouAnn Sigman. The yellow streamer was carried from the ring by the team of A Piece Of The Doc and Chris Rorick for Brittany Barrett.
The blue ribbon tally was led by Dick Peebles Stables will three blue ribbon rides for the evening. Several stables earned dual blues: Scott Beaty Stables, Ramsey Bullington Stables, Ronnie Campbell, Grant Holt, and Joel Weaver of Rising Star Ranch.
Justin Harris won the first blue for Dick Peebles Stables. In the Three-Year-Old Mares and Geldings, he directed Silver Dollar Dutchess to the blue ribbon ride. They were also the winners at the Lexington Lions Club Horse Show in Lexington, Alabama. Carol Smith came next and topped the 13 entry Novice Amateur Specialty Class to win her first middle Tennessee blue. Smith was riding her Gen’s All Color to win this coveted blue.
Dick Peebles earned their third blue in the very competitive Two-Year-Old Stallions and Geldings division with Watch My Dust.
Scott Beaty prepares the team that won the Two-Year-Old Amateur title. Amanda Chaffin made a super ride on Sunfire’s Steel Spirit and returned home to Rockfield, Kentucky with a Murfreesboro blue. Amanda Chaffin and Sunfire's Steel Spirit had already won the Kentucky Ladies Auxiliary Spring Jubilee's Two-Year-Old Amateur. Beaty Stables second blue was won by a striking gray, Design By Silver, and Heidi McWilliams in the Park Pleasure Amateur Specialty class. This team recently won the Pikeville Spring Horse Show Park Pleasure Specialty.
Ramsey Bullington directed two different horses to Murfreesboro blues. He first won the Open Fine Harness with current World Champion Genius Gold Spirit. Bob Keenan recently won the Amateur Fine Harness at the Columbia Spring Jubilee. A few classes later, he entered the Four-Year-Old with a stocking legged roan and held everyone’s attention throughout the show and the victory pass. Another Pushbutton is always a crowd pleaser. This team also won the Gallatin Lions Club Four-Year-Old championship.
Ronnie Campbell’s first blue was won by the team of Pride Of Bums and Frank Colombo. Colombo has traveled to this show from Carbondale, Illinois for three consecutive years to win this same class. They also recently won the 15.2 and Under Amateur Specialty at Summertown, Tenn. Ronnie Campbell then won the Show Pleasure Specialty aboard Pushin Backatcha. This team also had previous 2002 wins at the Upper Cumberland Walking Horse Show, Manchester and Summertown Shows.
Grant Holt brought two very nice flat shod horses to Murfreesboro and returned home with dual blues. The first was won by Extra Sonata in the 10 entry Lite Shod Specialty. They also won the Lite Shod at the Children's Classic this season. Next he won the Park Pleasure Specialty with Honors Dance Man.
In addition to the Stake class, Rising Star Ranch’s second blue was won by I’m In Like Flynn. Kelly Weaver was in the irons to win the Three-Year-Old Amateur title. Last weekend In Like Flynn and Joel Weaver won the Highland Stables Show’s Three-Year-Old Stallion blue.
Numerous stables earned a single Murfreesboro blue. The Famous Olympian and Chris Hazelwood won the Weanling in their debut performance.
Sam Martin traveled from South Carolina where Rae Martin Stables is located to win the Two-Year-Old Mares and Geldings blue with Skywatch’s Dark-N-Stormy. Rae Martin recently directed Skywatch's Dark-N-Stormy to the blue in the Florence Charity Horse Show Two-Year-Old Mares and Geldings title in Florence, SC.