It’s 9 am in Shelbyville and it’s time once again for the action to get underway in Calsonic Arena for the Friday Morning performance of the 75th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.
The morning performance included 13 classes featuring the halter, Country Pleasure, Trail Pleasure, Lite Shod, Park Pleasure, Park Performance and Show Pleasure divisions, adding a little variety to the morning. There was also a heavy emphasis on Youth classes with six coming from the Youth division.

The judges for the Diamond Anniversary Celebration include Rollie Beard of Lewisburg, Tenn., Derek Bonner of Mooresboro, N.C., Jamie Bradshaw of Union Grove, Ala., Allen Foreman of Thomson, Ga., and Leigh Stuart of Alvaton, Ky.

First up on the morning schedule was class 33, Owner-Amateur Weanlings.  Eight of the nine with reservations took to the track to show off their winning moves in the class. Walking to the winner’s circle and capturing the first blue of the morning was To Honor And Serve and Ashley Shelton at the lead for Carol Hargett and Ashley Shelton of Shelbyville, Tenn. It’s Gametime and owner/exhibitor John Dorris of Milton, Tenn., accepted the red streamers. Hold On And Watch Out and Jennifer Broadhurst were third for Ronald Morton and Jennifer Broadhurst of Hampshire and Shelbyville, Tenn. 



Class 34 featured the Owner-Amateur Novice Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Novice Trail Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Optional Tack with 12 of the 14 on the official Lions Club program taking the rail to work for their chance to ride out of the Novice division this morning and garner that very first coveted Celebration blue. Judge Allen Forman served as call judge in the class.  When the work was complete, it was Miss WhitLei Green securing her very first Celebration blue this morning with I’m King B riding for Wayne and Joe Hanson and WhitLei Green of Peebles, Ohio and Shelbyville, Tenn. This win was preceded with 2013 wins at the FAST Summer Showcase & Spring Hill, Tenn., and is a move up from their 3rd place performance in this class in 2012. Remaining a novice for another day, She’s Indescribable and Ally Dennis were reserve for The Dennis Family of Marion, Ohio. Dark Picture Show and Jada Cassidy were third for Lloyd Cassidy of Mt. Sterling, Ky.



Back in the halter division, class 35 brought the Youth Weanlings, Handlers 6-17 to the track with all nine of the programmed entries taking the rail to work for Leigh Stuart and her panel.  Walking away with a unanimous win was Good Baby Majors and Hayley McGee at the lead for Hidden Acres Farm of Nashville, Tenn. Don Diego’s Quarterback and Jaron Dotson was reserve for Dotson Brothers and Karl Thompson of Thompson Station and Shelbyville, Tenn. It’s Gametime and Rachel Dorris were third for John Dorris of Milton, Tenn.

Adding a little extra variety to the morning show, the Performance horses took the rail for class 36, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-11 Years on Show Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings.  All six of the anticipated teams made the call to work for their chance in the winner’s circle as Rollie Beard called the gaits in the class.  Getting in the zone and making an outstanding performance was the team of In A Danger Zone and Svanah Martin up for the Kelly Martin Family of Pembroke, Ky. This was the duo’s fourth win of the 2013 season. Jose Grande and owner/exhibitor Makenzie Young of Mt. Sterling, Ky., made the good show to head out with the red streamers.  Versache’s Dollar and Alexa Compton collected the yellow streamers for Rick Compton of North Tazewell, Va.



The halter entries were back for class 37, Youth Yearling Fillies or Geldings, Handlers 6 - 17 Years.  All four of the programmed entries took the rail to work for call judge Derek Bonner and his panel.  Walking down victory lane with a unanimous decision of the panel was The Camp Town Lady and Molly Vaughn at the lead for Roger Richards of Hendersonville, Tenn. This made The Camp Town Lady’s 10th blue ribbon of the 2013 season and this was the third consecutive year that handler Molly Vaughn topped this division. She’s Sweet Vengeance and Jaron Dotson was reserve for Dotson Brothers of Thompson Station, Tenn. Rowdy Sunshine and Rachel Dorris were third for W.W. Harlin, Jr. of College Grove, Tenn.

Class 38 brought the Amateur Owned and Trained Western Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, No Professional Training within 90 Days to Calsonic Arena with 11 of the 13 with reservations making the call to work as Jamie Bradshaw called the gaits.  Exploding on the scene this morning and capturing the blue, their ninth of the 2013 season, were the team of Jose’s Firecracker and owner/exhibitor Wayne Westbrook of Shelbyville, Tenn. El Tecate and owner/exhibitor Allison Thorson of Huron, Ohio and Murfreesboro, Tenn., pulled in for the reserve honors. She’s Designed To Push and Sarah Eerkes rounded out the top three in the class for Kyle Elliott and Sarah Eerkes of Enumclaw and Olympia, Wa.



Owner-Amateur Riders on Western Lite Shod Walking Horses, class 39, was up next on the schedule with four of the eight on the official Lions Club program taking the rail to work for Allen Foreman and his panel. Making the winning pass was Vindicated and Jennifer Bingham up for Jason Myatt, Jennifer Bingham and WhitLei Green of Bowling Green, Ky. and Shelbyville, Tenn.  Tijuana Jazz and owner/exhibitor Jimmy Laughlin garnered the reserve honors to take back to Waynesville, Mo. Simple Lee Dangerous and Kara Graham were third for The Graham Family of Niota, Tenn.

Class 40 brought the Owner-Amateur Riders on Park Pleasure Walking Horses, Two and Three Years Old up to Calsonic Arena with seven of the 13 expected hitting the track to work for their winner’s circle moment as Leigh Stuart led the panel in the class. Topping the class was She’s Venus and Pam Ingraham riding for Ingram Management of Shelbyville, Tenn. This made’s this young horse’s second World Championship of the 2013 Celebration as trainer Jeff Laughlin won the Open Two and Three-Year -Old Park Pleasure class on Thursday morning. Rooster Cogburn and Elizabeth Tew were reserve for Eve & Guy Zimmerman and Elizabeth Tew of Ladysmith, BC Canada and Ellisville, Miss.  Dangerous Splash and owner/exhibitor Jay Laughlin of Waynesville, Mo., rounded out the top of the class.



The Country Pleasure horses were up next on the program in class 41, Owner-Amateur Riders on Western Country Pleasure Walking Horses with 16 of the 20 with reservations working the rail as Rollie Beard called the gaits.  When the work was complete it was Designer Champagne and Maggie Moore popping the cork on another victory celebration as they topped the class for Maggie Moore and Jim Leek of Murfreesboro, Tenn. This duo already captured top honors in the English Country Pleasure class on Wednesday morning. Busting out to the reserve honors was Bustline and Courtney Luttrell riding for Alex Luttrell and Mackenzie Morgan of Bowling Green, Ky. and Shelbyville, Tenn. I’m Manhatten and owner/exhibitor Tamara Hader carried the golden streamers back to Bainbridge, Ga.

Class 42 featured the Owner-Amateur Riders on Four-Year-Old Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Optional Tack with nine of the 10 expected making the call to work as Derek Bonner served as call judge. Walking the winning line in the class and capturing the title with a unanimous decision of the panel was Line Item Veto and Rachel Jernigan-Teague up for Bo Teague and Rachel Jernigan-Teague of Shelbyville, Tenn. This was their fifth blue of the 2013 season, coming off a great 2012 Celebration where they were 2xWC and WGC.  Eye On The Title and owner/exhibitor Jennifer Bingham of Shelbyville, Tenn., secured the red streamers.  Owner/exhibitor Allison Thorson and Fuego were third taking the honors back to Huron, Ohio and Murfreesboro, Tenn.


Owner-Amateur Riders 50 and Over on Lite Shod Walking Horses, class 43, was up next with six of the 10 programmed entries taking the track to work for judge Jamie Bradshaw and his panel. Making the victory pass with the approval of all five judges was A Mountain Jazz and Jim Nichols up for Jim and Debbie Nichols of New Market, Tenn. Morning announcer Mark Farrar, Jr., noted that not only was the first place unanimous, but second and third were as well.  Pulling into that second position was Absolut Skyy and Jana Anderson riding for Jordan Howell and Drs. Al and Jana Anderson of Murfreesboro and Shelbyville, Tenn. Dangerous Willy and owner/exhibitor Carole Hill of Murfreesboro, Tenn., collected the third award.

Back in the Trail Pleasure division, class 44 highlighted the Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-17 Years on Trail Pleasure Walking Horses, Two and Three Years Old, Optional Tack.  Ten of the 11 with reservations made the call to work as Allen Foreman called the gaits.  Leonardo Dicaprio and owner/exhibitor Lilly Catherine Holland of Decatur, Ala., made the good ride to top the division. My Black Cadillac and Mackenzie Morgan were reserve for Allison Thorson and Mackenzie Morgan of Huron, Ohio and Shelbyville, Tenn.  Luv In  The Air and Jesse Odell were third for Dr. Jack Kwok and Jesse Odell of Delaware, Ohio and Fayetteville, Tenn.
Rounding out the morning performance was class 45, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-17 on Park Performance

Walking Horses with all seven of the expected entries making the gate call to work as Leigh Stuart called the gaits.  When all the work was complete, it was the team of Avenger’s Lady Threat and Lane Webb riding to the winner’s circle with the approval of the crowd riding for John Cabe and Lane Webb of Cornersville and Lewisburg, Tenn.  Dos Equis and Allison Thorson were reserve for ThorSport, Inc., of Sandusky, Ohio.  Diamond Rio and Ashley Latham rounded out the top three for Kent and Mamie Lawrence of Decatur, Ala.
After Lane Webb & Avenger’s Lady Threat made their victory pass, the Friday Morning session of the 75th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration was complete and in the record books.  The morning performances will continue on Saturday and Monday morning before Calsonic Arena becomes full time host for the Celebration Trade Fair. Come see history being made at the Diamond Anniversary Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.