by Linda Scrivner

LAUREL, Miss. – The South Jones FFA Foundation 17th annual Walking Horse Show was held on March 10, 2007. The show was held at the Magnolia Center, which is a state of the art indoor equine facility at the Laurel Fairgrounds. The judge for the event was Joe Campbell of Readyville, Tenn.
Thirty-three classes were on the schedule for the evening. The flashy The Stargazer and Jerry Woodlee closed out the show and took home the Championship Stake class win for Steve and Susan Frank of Sallis, Miss. The reserve winner was Ozone Layer and Dale Watts for Beth Tabor of Tipp City, Ohio.
Pioneer Stables of Summit, Miss., led the blue ribbon tally with seven blues. Edgar Abernathy returned home with four blues and Bert and Landon Head earned three. Summercrest Farms, Swingin Gate Stables and Jerry Woodlee Stables won dual blues.
The first of Pioneer Stables blues came in the James Corlew Chevrolet Riders’ Cup Two-Year-Old class with the high-headed Spin My Money for Brett Jones in his debut performance. Kay Easterly claimed their next blue ribbon in the Amateur Three-Year-Old Mare and Gelding class aboard Cody’s Love. This team also won the Louisiana Jubilee Amateur Three-Year-Old class last weekend. Jonathan Watts proudly prepares this team for the show ring.
            The Riders’ Cup Three-Year-Old class was one of the largest and most exciting classes of the show. Josh Watts made a debut blue ribbon performance on another of Brett Jones top young horses, Dark Escape. 
            Olivia Watts had an excellent ride on the snow-white Snow Dollar to win the Amateur Two-Year-Old Mare and Gelding class. Tom Cole owns Snow Dollar, by Generator’s Silver Dollar. Benton Pitts borrowed his granddaughter, Kayla Pitts’s, mount, Casper’s Snow White, and won the Amateur Open Canter class under the Pioneer Stables banner.
            Ann Rea made a debut blue ribbon ride aboard her Go-Ahead Evil and won the Amateur Three-Year-Old Stallions title. Gay Pitts carried on the Pitts family-winning streak with the exciting Jose’s Powder Keg in the competitive Amateur Four-Year-Old class under Dale Watts guidance to win their final blue. Last weekend at the Louisiana Jubilee, Jose’s Powder Keg won both the Four-Year-Old Stallion and the Amateur Four-Year-Old titles.
            Edgar Abernathy Stables of Olive Branch, Miss., came in second in the blue ribbon tally with four blues. See My Magic and Abernathy won their first blue in the Four-Year-Old Walking class.
            Darren Jones won two of the four blues for Abernathy Stables. ChamCo Moonlite and Jones won the Open Spotted class and a few classes later Jones directed Geronimo to the blue in the Gaited Pleasure class in their debut performance. Abernathy’s final blue was won by I’m Bold & Beautiful. Abernathy directed this stunning gray to first place in the competitive Show Pleasure class.
            Bert and Landon Head claimed three Laurel blue ribbons. Bert Head directed Judge Judy to the Amateur Owned and Trained Specialty honors. Landon Head and Rodney Dangerfield made a clean sweep of the park pleasure division. They won both the Amateur Park Pleasure Specialty and the Open Park Pleasure Specialty classes.
            The Walker girls won dual blues for trainer Donnie Jones of Summercrest Farms of Olive Branch, Miss. Michelle Walker and Spellbound Generator continued their winning ways by earning another blue in the Youth Specialty class. Sister Lauren Walker made an excellent show aboard her Jayvee’s Ritz to win the Youth Pony Specialty title.
            Arm’s Dealer and Ben Moss won the first blue for Swingin’ Gate Stables of Trinity, Ala., in the Amateur 15.2 and Under Specialty. They were recently proclaimed High Point Performance Horse of the Year at the MWHA Banquet. Madeline Tew catch-rode The Down Home Blues to win the large Ladies Specialty class, earning their second blue.
            In addition to winning the Championship on The Stargazer, Jerry Woodlee also won the Open Specialty class with My Final Impression with a fine performance.
            Various stables and individuals won the remaining blues. Jim Hardy led Wicked to victory in the Colts Under Halter class. Colonel North and Amanda Walker were selected to wear the blue from the ring in the Country Pleasure class.
            In the Trail Pleasure class, victory was awarded to the team of Linda Sue Williams and her Pride’s Shady Lady. The team of Worth Waiting For and Melvin Harris, under the guidance of trainer Robert Jones, won the Amateur Specialty class.
            Dangerous Sunrise and Mike Etheredge were victorious following an excellent show in the Park Performance class under the Etheredge Stables banner. A Red Necked Woman and Harlan Hatcher claimed the victory ride in the Plantation Pleasure Lite-Shod class. Percy Lewis trains this two-year-old that claimed the blue in an aged division.
            The South Jones FFA Walking Horse Show had excellent competition and great hospitality, which made it a show that people will enjoy for years as an annual event. Show management would love for more people to make plans to attend the show. Complete results follow or may be seen at
www.walkinghorsereport.com.