Following a great Futurity, the morning classes for Thursday started promptly at 9:00 am at the Calsonic Arena. Seventeen stallions and geldings filled the ring for the first class of the day. The Model Pleasure Walking Stallions and Geldings class was called by judge Beard. Jeff Givens presented the winning entry in the class for the second year in a row. This year that entry was the beautiful AK-47, owned by Guylene Ozlanski of Mesa, Arizona and Woodbury, Tennessee. Red ribbon honors were awarded to Generator’s Rockin and Bobby Richards for Joan Brown. Third in the fine class went to Mark Grandy and Jerrold Pedigo.
Judge Ray Gilmer was the call judge for the Amateur Western Trail Pleasure Division A. The team of Lindy Holt and Pride’s Smart Alex placed first in the class of twenty-four entries. This is their second blue in two days! Holt is also the owner of the fine horse from Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Second place was received by One Knight At A Time for Karla Massy of Oxford, Mississippi. Regal Rebel and Darwin James were awarded third for their performance.
Division B of the Amateur Western Trail Pleasure contained a fine group of competitors. The call judge was Ty Irby of Mobile, Alabama. Beating out a tough class of twenty-six entries was the team of Olympic Angel and Marilyn Freedman. Freedman is the owner all the way from Hidden Hills, California. The red ribbon was placed on Solitude’s Sugar Babe. Kathy Potter exhibits the entry for Daniel Potter. Pay At The Pump and Bill Marzinzik took third in the class.
The talented ten entries in the Park Pleasure Four-Year-Old class certainly put on quite a show. The class was required to canter and judge Milligan called the class. After the judges finalized their decision, A Greater Generator and Jennifer Hankins were called from the line up to receive the top award in the class. Leo and Mary Martin are the owners from Eldon, Missouri. Jimmy McConnell took second on Mystery Woman for Mary Medina. Third place honors went to She’s Breathtaking and Doug Barnes for Lawrence and Hutto.
Amateur Western Trail Pleasure competition was up next. It was Whitehead’s turn to call the class. Congratulations were in order for Charles Howard and To DIe For. The talented pair put on quite a show for owner Janis Brown. Reserve was then presented to Regal Rebel. Darwin James is the owner and rider. Instant Banker and Charlene Cook placed in the third position for Central Georgia Equine Services.
An enthusiastic crowd greeted the next class, Division A of the Amateur Owned and Trained Walking Horses. The horses cannot have had any professional training in the last ninety days. Judge Beard called the class of nineteen entries. Taking the blue with much approval from the audience was the team of talented owner and trainer, Brandi Todd and Dirty Little Games. The reserve tie in the class was the entry of The Bold Stroke and David Hendricks. Finishing out the top three was the team of P.J.’s Commander And Chief and Newton Parks of Murfreesboro and Estill Springs Tennessee.
The B Division of the Amateur Owned and Trained proved to be just as entertaining as the first. Judge Gilmer was the call judge in the class. Sixteen top entries answered the gate call. Among those was the multi-titled Network. Network is currently owned and trained by Lisa Baum who directed the gifted stallion to the win. The red ribbon went to Touchtone and Jeff Sanderson and the yellow went to Spirit’s Black Coin and Nicholas Clark.
The five entries of the Park Pleasure Driving class cruised into the ring next. Call judge duties in the class went to judge Irby. After several passes around the ring the judges unanimously selected She’s A Double Major and Larry Derryberry to receive the blue. Double Springs Farm in Murfreesboro owns the entry. Second place honors went to Crown Of Splendor and Harold Roberts of Van Buren, Missouri. The third place selection was Olympic Genius and Ed Abernathy.
WIth thirty entries in the Plantation Pleasure LIte Shod Amateur class it was a bit overwhelming to watch all the talent that was on display. Call judge Don Milligan had no problem seeing Pusher’s Beaming Pride stood out above the rest. Pusher’s Beaming Pride took top honors at Thursday morning’s session last year in the Plantation Pleasure Lite Shod class. Owner Jim Nichols presented the fine horse both this year and last year. Second place went to Starstruck By JFK and Clint Dixon. Taking home third was the team of Silver Sundance Lady and Bob Medina.
A unanimous decision in a class of twenty one entries is something to celebrate. That being the case Movie Extra and Jeff Givens certainly had reason to celebrate efter their unanimous first place tie in the Park Pleasure Three-Year-Old class. Judge Whitehead called the class and Ralph and Elaine Pinner own the winning entry. Reserve honors were placed upon Hez Got Night Moves and Larry Derryberry for the Ted Nelms family of Cornersville, Tennessee. JFK’s Blessed Heart and Tommy Loid took home the yellow ribbon to owners Chip and Bonnie Carrier of Kentucky.
Judge Rollie Beard called the next class. The Western Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses Lite Shod with Amateur Riders was dominated by the always fun to watch, Genius’ Dixie Chick. Dawn Bransfield directed the blue ribbon winner in the canter class for Sheila Mack Kyle of Los Angeles, California. Heat From The Sun and Dr. Judy Moore took the reserve award for Moore Foust Farm. Third was received by Majestic Colors and Emily Lewis for Ted Lewis.