by Stephanie Rose
TUNICA, Miss. - Many exhibitors closed their 2009 season at the fifth annual Delta Fall Classic. It was a battle of many of the industry’s best at the three-day event on Nov. 12-14. Judges for the event were Holly Liddell Sanders, Newton Parks and Nathan Clark.
The show was once again held at the Paul Battle Jr. Arena. Multiple world grand champions and world champions came out to compete for the first time since the Celebration. Those defending their titles included He’s 3 Under Par, Folsom Prison Blues, She’s Pretty Jazzy, Catastrophic, Bold Vengeance, Dressed For Cash, Star, Rocky Mountain Sky and Bustline.
The USDA was in attendance during the Friday and Saturday night performances. Exhibitors were positive about the number of entries and the quality sustained during the show. In total, there were 587 entries during the three nights. The atmosphere of the show was indescribable. Exhibitors and spectators alike enjoyed the competition and activities included in Tunica.
Show managers and staff, including James Benton Pendleton, Jordan Howell, Janet Howell and Bo Teague, made the show a first class event that will be remembered for years to come. Pendleton said, “Thanks to all the trainers, owners and exhibitors for your compliance at our show. It was very easy to support you all. We look forward to having you all next year at the sixth annual. Details about the new Delta Club will be coming soon. Watch for information at www.deltafallclassic.com.”
SHOW has enforced a new fee structure for the 2010 season, and offered the new fee structure to the remaining shows of 2009 as a trial. Pendleton said the new structure saved them close to $4,500. That will be extra money to give to their charity, Hearts Desire, a handicapped-riding program in Senatobia, Miss.
The most prestigious classes of the weekend were the last two, the Chase Hawks Memorial Youth 17 & Under class and the Marcus Alexander Memorial Walking Horse Grand Championship. Both classes called the entries in one by one while Larry Bright played the “Flat Walk Boogie”. These classes are named after two people whose lives revolved around walking horses and the industry they knew and loved. Tributes such as this are one of the reasons the Delta Fall Classic is a success.
Busting Special and Taylor Walters won the roses in the youth division and He’s A Weekend Warrior and Knox Blackburn made the victory pass in the stake, completing a perfect season of five wins in 2009.
Complete results can be viewed by clicking here.