By Melissa R. Stevens

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. - Excited exhibitors and spectators filled Calsonic Arena for the third day of morning classes for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

The morning got off to a rough start for Jeanette Hodne of Shelbyville, Tenn. Hodne fell from her horse, Poison's Fire Starter, shortly after the first running walk was called in the Lite-Shod Novice Plantation Pleasure Walking Mares and Geldings class for amateur novice riders ages 17 years and under. She asked and received permission to be excused, but thankfully she was not injured. Jamie Hankins was the call judge for the 15-entry class. Eighteen entries were listed on the program. New Mellinum Generator and Meredith Lovato were called for the blue for owner Nancy Lovato of West Jordan, Utah. Miss Magic Money ridden by Heather Fitzgerald was reserve for Sanni Mathews and Diane Gueck of Hidden Hills, Calif., and Sherwood, Ore. This nice entry was also reserve yesterday in the Lite-Shod Plantation Pleasure Horse class riders 18 and over. Fiddlin At Sunrise and Hannah McKenney wore out the yellow ribbon for Kevin Smith of Yorktown, Ind. Fiddlin At Sunrise was reserve in the Lite-Shod Western Plantation Pleasure Horse Canter class with Mike Anasis up Wednesday morning earned the third place award.

Eleven of the entries listed in the program made the gate call for the Park Pleasure Walking Horse Canter class for amateur riders. Paul Watlington was the call judge. The first place tie was given to Gen's Gold Coin Lady and Nathan Clark for Clark Farms of Arab, Ala. Second in the class was Lit Up's Double Time with Joe Dixon up for Randall and Gloria Dixon and Red Eagle Farms of Dacula, Ga. It's Up In Arms and owner/exhibitor Darden Gladney of Homer, La.

In Section A of the Amateur Owned and Trained Western Trail Pleasure class for entries with no professional training within the last 90 days, 18 of the 29 entries listed in the program chose to show. Laura Brandon was the call judge. Doc's Taking Charge and Bob Bilbo made the victory pass for Bob and Sherry Bilbo of Seymour, Tenn. Copy's Dark Stranger and Lisa Weaver were reserve for Fred and Lisa Weaver of Doyline, La. Gen's Final Masterpiece and owner/exhibitor Christie Scrivner finished third in the class.

Section B of the Amateur Owned and Trained Western Trail Pleasure class for entries with no professional training within the last 90 days featured 26 of 29 entries from the program. Mike Carpenter was selected as the call judge for the class. The first place award was given to Lacy Cash and Kathy Owen for Double Springs Farm in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Mr. Reach and Darren Gray took the reserve spot for Darren and Rachel Gray of Clermont, Fla. Generator's Mr. Blaze and Charlene Cook were third was for Central Georgia Equine Services, Inc.

The crowd really came alive as 22 Show Pleasure Walking Mares and Geldings with riders 17 and under took to the ring. Gene Carswell was the call judge for the class. Guaranteed Delight and Ashley Adcock for the Bob Adcock family of Lititz, Pa., were called to accept the blue ribbon. Pusharama and Ashley Pollack were reserve for Pollack's Silver Spur Ranch of Saratoga, Calif., and Shelbyville, Tenn. Delight's Man Of Pride and Brittany Wilson finished with the third place tie for Melissa Wilson of Shelbyville, Tenn.

Next up was the Plantation Pleasure Lite-Shod Walking Mares and Geldings Canter class for riders 17 and under. Jamie Hankins was the call judge. Double Java and Mac Benham were rewarded for their efforts with the blue ribbon and the victory pass. Benham and Double Java had a unanimous win in the Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses, Four Years and Under Lite-Shod class for amateur riders yesterday morning. Starstruck By JFK and Jenna Hamilton were reserve for Randall and Gloria Dixon of Red Eagle Farms in Dacula, Ga. Starstruck By JFK was ridden to the third place tie by Clint Dixon Thursday morning in the Plantation Pleasure Walking Horse Lite-Shod class for amateur riders. The third place tie in the Plantation Pleasure Lite-Shod Walking Mares and Geldings class for riders 17 and under went to Trashadeous and owner/rider Jimmy Civils of Frisco, Texas. This entry is multi-talented having won the blue in the Lite-Shod Plantation Pleasure Driving class for two or four wheeled vehicles Wednesday morning as well as the third place tie in the Lite-Shod Plantation Pleasure Walking Horse Canter class for riders 18 and over.

The Youth Western Trail Pleasure class for riders 17 and under was split into two sections. Section A featured 15 of the 19 entries on the program. Paul Watlington was the call judge. The first place tie was given to To Die For! and Shayna Shaw for Janis Brown of Sherwood, Md. Pride's Smart Alex and Bethany Martocci were reserve in the class for Rhonda and Bethany Martocci of Franklin, Tenn. Third place went to Gem Sweep and Anna Hamilton for owner Pamela Schoenster of Oakland, Calif.

In Section B of the class, 16 of the 18 entries in the program filled the ring to compete for the blue. Laura Brandon was the call judge. Jenna Hamilton rode My Finders Keepers to the blue for Marilyn Staley Friedman of Hidden Hills, Cailf. Solitude's Sugar Babe and owner/exhibitor Daniel Potter of Shelbyville, Tenn., were reserve followed by Major Alibi with Margaret Trudrung up for Debbie Gibbany of Harrison, Ala.

Shouts and cheers of encouragement filled Calsonic Arena as 23 youngsters and their adorable weanlings took to the ring for competition in the TWHBEA Youth Weanling class for handlers 17 and under. Mike Carpenter was the call judge for this huge class. The blue was awarded to World Wide Willie and Jake Washburn for Jake and Luke Washburn of Fayetteville, Tenn. A Poisonous Affair and Bethany Martocci were reserve for Rhonda Martocci of Franklin, Tenn. The third place tie was awarded to So U Wish and Bradley Richards for Sue and Ty Irby of Mobile, Ala.

Nineteen of the 29 entries listed in the program made their way through the gate for the Two-Year-Old Park Pleasure class for amateur riders. Gene Carswell was the call judge. Jazz All Night and Bob Lawrence were called for the victory pass for Lawrence & Hutto of Thomasville, Ga. Girls Rule was ridden to reserve by owner/exhibitor Bob Medina of Skillman, N.J. The third place ribbon was worn from the ring by Twenty Four KT. Cash and Joe Dixon for Randall and Gloria Dixon of Red Eagle Farm in Dacula, Ga.

Bob Lawrence jumped back in the ring for the next class and again rode out with the blue. Lawrence rode Jose Quervo Gold to the win for Lawrence & Hutto in the Lite-Shod Plantation Pleasure Walking Horse class for riders 50 and over. In The Heat Of The Night and owner/exhibitor Burl Dale of Boynton Beach, Fla., took the reserve spot. The third place ribbon went home with Gen's Gold Investment and Jim Fuller for Jim and Mary Fuller of Victoria, Texas.

Once again the crowd cheered for their favorite young rider. Thirteen of 15 entries listed in the program chose to take to the ring in hopes of riding out with a blue. It could go home with only one entry however, and this year crowd favorite Generator's Flash Point and Barrett Jones were at the top of the class. Generator's Flash Point is owned by the Ray Jones family of Greenville, Ky. Gen's Magic Marker, another crowd favorite, was ridden to the reserve tie by Kasie Caldwell for Cindy Sullivan of Shelbyville, Tenn. Gen's Magic Marker is a classic horse. The third place ribbon was awarded to General Bradley with Blake Beam up for Larry Latham of Joppa, Ala.

Eighteen out of the 21 entries in the program made the gate call for the Two-Year-Old Lite-Shod Plantation Pleasure class. Laura Brandon was selected as the call judge for this class. I Believe, Oh I Believe and Russell Keyser tied first in the class for Keyser and Gordan of Bell Buckle, Tenn., and Shelbyville, Tenn. Nickell's Dream Girl with Sherrie Szucs up for Roger Heuring of South Lake, Texas, were reserve. Third place in the class was awarded to Show Me The Way and John Feltner, Jr. for Jan Anderson of Stephenville, Texas.

Mike Carpenter was the call judge for the last class of Friday's day session, the 20-entry TWHBEA Youth Yearling class for handlers 17 and under. Mahhhvelous Poison and Nicholas Hughes won the blue ribbon for Mary Anne Hughes and David and Shirley Smith of Hickory Valley, Tenn., and Somerville, Tenn. The red streamer was awarded to Papa's Showoff and Monica Thompson for Monica Thompson and Sue Brassy of DeVore Heights, Calif. Cotton's Power Pusher and owner/handler Dillon Potter finished third.

Watching the industry's future compete was a fitting end to the day's classes. Excitement is high as exhibitors and spectators alike get ready for the second session of night classes at the 65th annual Celebration.