SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – The World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse is honored each year by having a street at the Historic Celebration Grounds named in his honor. The sign bearing the name “Master of Jazz Way” went up this week.
All of the streets on The Grounds are named for individuals or horses of historic significance in the history of the world championship horse show.
The roadway bearing the World Grand Champion name is the short street between Celebration Plaza and Champions Arena. The street leads into the warm-up and inspection area and was unnamed prior to 2004.
“This is a small, but visible way to honor our World Grand Champion and the ambassador of the breed,” said Celebration CEO Ron Thomas. “As time goes along and other champions are crowned, this will develop into something people will look forward to…much like the name of the new champion going up on the Gallery of World Grand Champions in the mall under the west grandstands.”
“We feel very privileged to have Master of Jazz to be honored in this manner,” said trainer Jimmy McConnell of Union City, Tenn. “It certainly is something our entire team will long remember.”
McConnell feels having your horse’s name on a street at The Celebration will be something anyone connected with future champions will cherish.
“It’s something they will really get a kick out of. I know we and the ownership group are enjoying everything that has been part of Master of Jazz winning the title.”
Lee Wall of Jackson, Miss. and Mike McGartland of Ft. Worth, Texas own the eight-year-old black roan stallion.
The 70th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is scheduled for August 20-30 at the Historic Celebration Grounds in Shelbyville, TN. Whether or not Master of Jazz will keep his name on the street after Labor Day of 2008 is unknown. What is known is that the only way it will stay there is if he comes back and becomes the first back-to-back winner since Go Boy’s Shadow in 1955 and ’56.