by Stephanie Morton
Shelbyville, TENN. On Thursday morning sunny skies welcomed crowds to the Calsonic Arena to support their favorite equine pair in the morning session of the 77th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Old show tunes like “It Had To Be You” filled the air as horses entered the ring to compete for top honors. Honorable Jennifer Bingham, Derek Bonner, David Landrum, David Sisk and Sam Sorrel presided over this morning’s performances.
Kicking off the mornings festivities was the Model Pleasure Walking Stallions. Six very beautiful stallions answered the gate call. To take home the first championship title of the morning was Ritz Entourage and Beverly Lamp for Keith and Lorraine Rosbury of Bell Buckle. Ritz Entourage is the reigning 2014 World Champion Model Pleasure Stallion. He has also enjoyed an undefeated season in 2015. Reserve honors went to Braddock and Justus Carter for Dr. Linda Jones of Bainbridge, Ga. Braddock is the reigning International Model Champion. The third award went to Blue Blooded Bandit and Keegan Meadows for Susannah Borg of Quitman, Ga.
Next to enter the ring was the O/A Riders on Three-Year-Old Western Trail Pleasure horses. Ten talented entries answered the gate call. Claiming another World championship title was Etta James By TJB and Kathy Zeis for Steve Zeis of Wartrace. On Wednesday morning Etta claimed her first World championship title of 2015 in the O/A English Trail Pleasure Three-Year-Old division. Reserve honors went to Talkin’ Dirty To Me and Rachel Teague for Bo and Rachel Teague of Shelbyville. Talkin’ Dirty has claimed top honors at The Gulf Coast Charity Celebration, Cornersville Lions Club show and Wartrace show. Third award went to American Hustle and Kathy Anderson for Kathy and John Anderson of Shelbyville.
Ten talented entries answered the gate call for the Model Pleasure Walking Geldings class. Taking home top honors in this competitive class was Loose In The Outfield and Robert Nelms for Rushing Creek Walkers of Dickson. Loose In The Outfield has claimed the top award at the International Pleasure & Colt Show earlier this year. Reserve honors went to The Texas Lexus and Jamey Thompson for Rebecca Emerick of Hillsborough, Calif. Texas Lexus is the reigning 2014 World Champion Model Pleasure Walking Gelding. Third award went to Dark’s Best and Valton Rummage for Mariella Fugger of Perry, Ga and Munich, Germany.
Up next were the O/A Riders on Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Canter class. Six entries answered the gate call. Taking home top honors in this highly competitive class was Australian Gold and Allison Thorson for Allison Thorson of Huron, Oh. Australian Gold is the reigning 2014 World champion O/A English/Western Trail Pleasure canter horse. Reserve honors went to GiGi’s Lunch Money and Claire Hankins for Vaughn and Hankins of Valley City, Oh., and Paris, Ky. This talented team has won numerous blues this year at BPWHA show, Estill County Fair horse show and Bourbon County Fair horse show. Third award went to Wicked William and Lisa Weaver for Fred and Lisa Weaver of Doyline, La.
Seven entries answered the gate call for the O/A Riders on Lite Shod Walking horses. Taking top honors and a unanimous tie in a nice class of top competitors was Simple Lee Dangerous and Kara Graham for Kara Graham of Niota. Simple Lee won 3 World Championships and 2 World Grand championships in 2014 in both amateur and youth Lite Shod divisions. Reserve honors went to Double Shot Of Cash and Tamara Hader for Tamara Hader of Bainbridge, Ga. Double Shot has taken top honors at WHAA Summer Classic show and Belfast horse show earlier this season. Third award went to Lil Wayne and Carlon Cotton for Jeff Gillespie of Tazewell, Va.
The crowd graciously welcomed the O/A Riders on Classic Park Pleasure walking horses. Six entries answered the gate call. Taking home a unanimous World championship title was Moonshine At Midnight and Kyndra Myers for Sherry Roberts of Van Buren, MO. Moonshine has enjoyed an undefeated 2015 show season, claiming top honors at such venues as the Mississippi Charity horse show and the Spring Fun show. Reserve honors went to I’m Mr. Blues and Kimberly Coult for Kimberly Coult and Forrest Shadow Walkers of Magnolia, TX and Shelbyville. Third award went to High Headed lady and Margo Urad for Ronnie Blakely of Montgomery, TX.
Seven entries answered the gate call for the O/A Riders on Lite Shod Walking horses, Four Years and Under. Numerous reigning world champions went head to head to claim the title in this division. Taking home the top honors was the reigning World Champion Roscoe Jenkins for Susan Coleman of Unionville. Roscoe Jenkins claimed world championship honors also on Wednesday morning in the Three and Four Year Old Riders’ Cup class. Reserve honors went to I’m Majestic and Karen Baum for Karen and Jean Baum of Huddleston, Va. I’m Majestic claimed reserve honors Wednesday morning in the Three and Four Year Old Riders’ Cup class. Third award went to Little Toy Gunn and Kasey Kesselring for Kasey Kesselring of Montverde, Fla.
Seven top entries answered the call for the O/A Novice Riders on Novice Park Pleasure walking horses. Disturbia and Amy McCurdy claimed top honors in this class for Dr. Thom and Mary Ann Morgan of Cedartown, Ga. Disturbia took top honors at the Putnam County Fair horse show earlier this season. Reserve honors went to Extra Motion and Margo Urad for Margo Urad of Kaufman, TX. Extra Motion has enjoyed top honors at the Cajun Classic horse show earlier this year along with reserve honors at the Woodbury Lions Club horse show. Third award went to Grassy Creek Gin and Angela Tuck for Burl Dale and Angela Tuck of Linville and Reidsville, NC.
Finishing out the Thursday morning session was 13 top O/A Novice Riders on Novice Country Pleasure Walking horses. In this class neither horse nor rider has claimed a blue ribbon at the Celebration. Winning their first blue ribbon at the TWHNC is the newly crowned World Champion team of Peligro Dinero and Kyle Bush for Phyllis Langley and Kyle Bush of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Baxter, Tenn. Peligro Dinero has enjoyed top honors at the TWHBEA Versatility show earlier this season. Reserve honors went to She’s Pushin’ In Line and Harold Roberts for Harold Roberts of Van Buren, Miss. She’s Pushin’ In Line has enjoyed top honors at the International Pleasure and Colt show earlier this year. Third award went to I’m Orion and Tamra Steinbrecher for Wallace and Tami Steinbrecher of Jesup, Ga.