By K.C. Hensley

CHESTNUT HILL, Tenn. - The annual Chestnut Hill Horse Show was a great success with more than 330 entries in attendance. This show offers something for everyone, whether preference be walking, racking, pleasure or performance. The two-day event also had two officials to split up the the challenging task of judging nice horses. Gary Oliver marked the cards on Friday night while Brent Grider took over for Saturday's venue.

The five-entry Walking Horse Stake was a heated class and when the card was turned in, Grider had Sweeping Up The Cash and Tim Wheelon, of Knox Blackburn Stables, in the number one position. This team looked fresh after their recent win at the Walking To Make a Difference show in Shelbyville, Tenn., and their reserve finish at the Germantown Charity show. The winning entry is owned by Brock, Duncan and Wheelon of Clinton and Maryville, Tenn.

Reserve in this talented class went to Paul Livingston with Cold Hard Truth. Their efforts this season have netted them great success earning four victories and currently the reserve position on the High Point Report.

Wheelon Stables of Maryville, Tenn., took a commanding jump as leader in the blue ribbon tally early on in the show and finished with a total of eight. Larry Wheelon and Rodney Koger captured the first blue under the Wheelon Stables banner in the Pro/Am Specialty class for Johnson and Koger of Jamestown and Maryville, Tenn. Sweepover and Rodney Koger were a strong force in the Open Specialty class.

In the very next class the well-known team of Pusher's Loose Cash and Brandon Derrick made their way to the winner's circle in the Youth Walking Pony class. In five outings this season, this impressive pair has not finished lower than reserve. Derrick returned to claim his second victory of the night, this time in the Four-Year-Old Amateur Specialty class, with Sweeping In Style for Rodney Koger of Jamestown and Maryville, Tenn. Derrick's third and final time to the winner's circle came in the form of a championship class. Pusher's Risky Business and Derrick received the floral horse shoe much to the crowd's approval in the Juvenile Championship for Gale Griffin of Alcoa, Tenn.

The Walking Horse Report's own Bobby Jo Koger captured her first show ring blue when she debuted aboard Cash Me In Too TCH in the Amateur Show Pleasure Specialty class. Landon Reeves enjoyed the thrills of victory aboard this same entry on Saturday night under the Wheelon Stables banner. Fantazmic Cash and Vickie Hughes-Grindstaff also earned another notch on their belt in the ETWHA Ladies Auxiliary class.

Three hard working stables battled it out and tied for the reserve position in the blue ribbon tally. Woody Stables of Kodak, Tenn., Paul Livingston Stables of Church Hill, Tenn., and Wayne Conley Stables of Newport, Tenn., earned three blues apiece.

Woody Stables picked up two blues Friday night and one Saturday. Flashing Neon and Lisa McKay of Knoxville, Tenn., captured their third victory of the season in the Three-Year-Old Amateur division. Another McKay-owned entry also netted top honors. McKay's friend, Wendy Owenby, made her debut to the show ring in blue ribbon style aboard Puttin On The Glitz in the Amateur Novice Specialty class. The final blue for Woody Stables was a newcomer. The recently selected Suspicious Mind with Brad Spivey in the irons received the judge's nod in the Amateur Specialty class.

The Paul Livingston Stables team was proud of their three champions as well. Coin Collector's Drifter with MaryBeth Blessing up took control in the Juvenile Specialty class. In the 15.2 & Under Specialty class, Jazz Jamboree and and Paul Livingston danced to a blue ribbon tune for Rose Mary Slate of Glade Spring, Va. Just two classes later, Livingston claimed a victory for Gary and Shea Sproles of Kingsport, Tenn., aboard Ultra Armed Sensation in the Two-Year-Old class.

Wayne Conley Stables demanded the attention of the judge and crowd alike when it came time for the pleasure classes. This outstanding team received the judge's nod three times with three different horses. First, Rusty Carlton made a winning ride aboard the Nathan Clark-entry, Star's Masquerade, in the Open Park Performance class. Keisha Ashe earned the next two titles for Conley Stables. Ultra's Executive was Ashe's blue ribbon mount in the Juvenile Pleasure class and Generator's Flashpoint gave her the winning ride in the Plantation Specialty class.

The magic number was three once again for the third position on the tally. Thunder Valley Stables of Athens, Tenn., Wild Rose Stables of Surgoinsville, Tenn., and Hal and Mary Ann Hensley of Athens, Tenn., all earned two wins each. Chris Pickel of Thunder Valley Stables rode I'm Not Guilty to the top honors in the Three-Year-Old class for Leo and Charlotte Schimed of Sweetwater, Tenn. Brian Jeffers was next to claim the blue under the Thunder Valley banner in the Amateur 15.2 and Under class aboard Rare Find.

Wild Rose Stables' own Billy Patrick made his way to the winner's circle twice aboard Allison's Dream Lilly. The pair first won the Open Country Pleasure class and returned to win the Pleasure Championship.

The Hensleys also enjoyed dual blues at the Chestnut Hill Horse Show. Hunter Hensley claimed the first class of the show, the Youth 11 and Under Specialty class, with Silver's Scamper. Frontier Eagle and Hal Hensley soared to the top of the competition in the ETWHA Amateur Specialty class, much to the crowd's approval.

Following the above mentioned blues, there were only six blues left to be disbursed among single entries. Shaker's Marker with Jody Lindsey up for Shelby and Cammie Lindsey of Sevierville, Tenn., garnered top honors in the Ladies Pleasure Specialty class. Delightfully Annie and Debra Coleman of Rockford, Tenn., enjoyed their blue from the Lite Shod Specialty class. Who Am I and Cindy Bryant claimed the largest class of the night, the Walking Trail Pleasure class, which filled up with 14 entries. Kathy Huffman of Clyde, N.C., owns the winning entry. She Pushover Command and Ella Kline claimed their fourth title in the Yearling division. Dangerous Command and Gabe Garren conquered the Four-Year-Old Specialty competition for the Tom Garren family of Madisonville, Tenn.

Complete results to follow and may be viewed at www.walkinghorsereport.com. As always we appreciate your views and opinions.To comment on the coverage of the Chestnut Hill Horse Show email K.C. Hensley at hensley@horseworld.net.