National Trainers Show

TWHNC backed, concern shown (05/24/12)
National media reports regarding the training practices of trainer Jackie McConnell have played a role in influencing local public perception of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry. This week the Times-Gazette has invited public comment from readers, called upon local business people and solicited information in an online poll. Here's what they have shared...

TWH industry reacts to video (05/17/12)
An ABC Nightline news investigation aired video Wednesday evening showing abuse inflicted by a legendary Tennessee walking horse trainer. Consequences of that video included Pepsi-Cola withdrawing from their select sponsorship of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration...

Giant steps...one at a time (05/13/12)
It's an unfortunate, but true realization. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't been affected by cancer in some way. It's the great equalizer that can bring anyone to their knees. But, it also can show how strong a person is, and how great the community around them can rally when called upon...

Harris horse show funds benefit athletic programs (05/11/12)
The Harris Middle School Athletic Department launched fundraising efforts for school programs last weekend at the Walking with Eagle Pride Horse Show. Coordinated by Allison Smith, Dana Edwards and the HMS faculty, proceeds from the event are earmarked for various needs in the school's athletic department...

The WILD blue yonder (05/10/12)
"Are you ready?" they asked. "Oh, yeah!" I said, quasi-confidently as I tried to keep my voice from crackling while the crew outfitted me with a parachute and strapped me into the seat. "Don't touch this lever, that button or that strap," they said. "Unless the pilot tells you to bail -- then pull this, that and that."...

United in prayer: National Day of Prayer luncheon (05/04/12)
The annual National Day of Prayer luncheon was held Thursday at First Baptist Church, with an interdenominational crowd and speakers. Keynote speaker Mike Cobb, pastor of Fair Haven Baptist Church, said that America, as a nation and as individuals, needs to make contact with God through prayer...

National Day of Prayer is Thursday (04/29/12)
Thursday marks the 61st annual observance of the National Day of Prayer Luncheon, which will be recognized locally at First Baptist Church. Lunch service begins at 11:30 a.m. with the program beginning at noon. Cost is $6 per plate. This year's theme relies on scripture from Psalm 33:12, "Blessed is the Nation Whose God is the Lord."...

Celebrating changes: New boxes in south turn (04/27/12)
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is renovating the upper tier of boxes on the south end of the outdoor arena, in a $500,000 project which CEO Doyle Meadows says will enhance safety and the fan experience. The lower level of boxes, at ringside, are built on concrete slabs and are in good shape, as are the general admission grandstands at the top of the south end. The renovation project focuses on the upper rows of boxes -- I, J, K and L -- on the south end...

Celebration differs with T-G article (04/12/12)
The Celebration Board of Directors and staff take exception to the article in the March 6 edition entitled "Much Soring Alleged" by Brian Mosely. It is a one sided advertorial for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Keith Dane causing serious harm to The Celebration and walking horse industry....

WHTA preparing a new initiative (03/29/12)
From a press release: The Walking Horse Trainers' Association (WHTA) serves the best interest of its members and remains committed to protecting the welfare of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Since the passage of the Horse Protection Act and introduction of the Horse Industry Organization (HIO) program by the USDA, the WHTA has strongly supported inspections at affiliated shows...

Horse show funding request rescinded (02/28/12)
Funding requests for two upcoming horse shows to Shelbyville's council have been rescinded -- due to one moving elsewhere and the other acquiring the needed money.... For the complete story, see the print edition of today's Times-Gazette.

Celebration $1.5K plea reappears (02/22/12)
A proposal to give $1,500 to the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration to help it recruit a quarter horse show will be back on the agenda of Bedford County Board of Commissioners next month. Last week, the commission failed to approve the allocation; it got 8 votes in favor, with one opposed, six abstaining and three absent. The commission's rules require a majority of the full commission -- 10 votes -- to pass a motion, regardless of how many are in attendance...

Futurity steps away (02/07/12)
The Tennessee Walking Horse Futurity will move to Murfreesboro this year. Formerly held on the first day of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in August, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) announced Saturday that its 2012 Futurity will be held in conjunction with the World Versatility Show, set for July 19-22 in Murfreesboro at Middle Tennessee State University's Tennessee Miller Coliseum...

Horse show rep asks council to donate $10K (02/02/12)
Shelbyville's city council will decide next week how much funding they will donate to an upcoming horse show. The Foundation for the Advancement and Support of the Tennessee Walking Show Horse (FAST) has made a request for funding help for their Spring Showcase set for March 15-17 at Calsonic Arena...

New shows seek support (01/25/12)
There are a couple of new horse shows coming to Shelbyville, and organizers are looking for support from both the city and county. The Foundation for the Advancement and Support of the Tennessee Walking Show Horse (FAST) will hold a Spring Showcase from March 15-17 at Calsonic Arena...

Eyes of the storm: Radars upgraded (01/17/12)
NASHVILLE -- National Weather Service forecaster Ryan Husted looked at his radar display and saw something he had never seen before -- snow and rain. Where Husted had previously seen only a radar reflection of precipitation, on that recent day he saw that it was raining in Memphis, but snowing a few miles north in Millington...

Equine equipment businesses merge, expand (12/28/11)
Three equine related businesses are joining forces to become the country's largest supplier of tack and apparel for gaited horses. The Winner's Circle Horse Supply, LLC of Shelbyville has announced an agreement to purchase the assets of gaited horse tack retailers World Champion Horse Equipment and National Bridle Shop...

Trainers' Show makes move (12/22/11)
The first big Tennessee Walking Horse show of 2012 won't be held in Shelbyville as in years past. A conference call was held earlier this week by the board of directors of the Walking Horse Trainers' Association (WHTA) to prepare for the upcoming 2012 National Trainers' Show in White Pine, in Jefferson County, which is in east Tennessee...

TWH groups form unity committee (12/15/11)
Four groups representing the Tennessee Walking Horse Industry have selected members of a new "unity committee" that is to focus on the future of the business. Two weeks ago, the boards of directors of four industry groups -- the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA), Walking Horse Owners' Association (WHOA), Walking Horse Trainers' Association (WHTA) and The Celebration -- met and agreed to form the committee to discuss issues related to the future of the breed in the show ring, as well as unification within the performance horse division.. ...

Celebration's Meadows to leave in '12 (12/02/11)
Dr. Doyle Meadows informed the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration board of directors earlier this week that he will step down as CEO at the end of October, 2012, following the 74th annual event. Meadows told the board at its annual planning meeting and sent a letter to the members of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association, the larger body from which board members are chosen...

TWH groups team up to fight change (12/01/11)
A "Unity Committee" will be formed to discuss issues related to the future of the Tennessee Walking Horse in the show ring and also to discuss unification within the performance horse division. However, the group objected to any reduction of pads and action devices for walking horses, also opposing proposed mandatory penalties by the Department of Agriculture (USDA)...

Horse groups close ranks (11/29/11)
The Tennessee Walking Horse industry will meet Wednesday to appoint a committee to look at "the welfare and future" of animals in the show ring. A recently passed appropriations bill includes a large increase in federal funding for enforcement of the Horse Protection Act, used to combat the practice of soring...

T-G provides food for thought (10/09/11)
Tasty treats are a always a promise at the Times-Gazette's annual coffee, and this year was no exception. In honor of National Newspaper Week Oct. 2-8, the newspaper welcomed guests for a coffee break that included a delicious array of homemade treats ranging from savory carmelized onion dip to sopaphilla cheesecake. Those recipes are featured below, along with several others you'll definitely want to add to your collection...

Older barns bite the dust at TWHNC (10/07/11)
Five of the older white horse barns are being torn down this week on the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration grounds. The Celebration has made no official announcement about whether the barns will eventually be replaced, but officials have indicated that fewer stalls are needed on the grounds and that removing the older barns will add parking spaces...

National Newspaper Week: Meet the Carriers, Part 4 (10/07/11)
This week marks National Newspaper Week. Today, we salute newspaper carriers Nicolas Hall, Larry Young, Rebecca Freeman and Richard (Big R) Wilhoite. Name: Nicolas Hall, 20 How long have you been a carrier? Almost 2 months. What's the best part of your job? Short hours...

National Newspaper Week: Meet The Carriers, Part 3 (10/06/11)
This week marks National Newspaper Week. Today, we salute newspaper carriers Kitty Wilhoite and Phil Jones. Name: Kitty Wilhoite. How long have you been a carrier? 5 years. What's the best part of your job? Serving my customers. What's most challenging? Traffic and gas...

Celebrating the news: T-G hosts annual Newspaper Week coffee (10/05/11)
The community joined the staff of the Times-Gazette Tuesday morning for its annual Chamber of Commerce Coffee. The gathering was again well attended as locals came together to celebrate the community and its newspaper over good food and camaraderie on a beautiful fall morning...

National Newspaper Week: Meet the Carriers, Part 2 (10/05/11)
This week marks National Newspaper Week. Today, we salute newspaper carriers Maybelline Wilhoite and John Sheehan. Name: John Sheehan How long have you been a carrier? Five months What's the best part of your job? Being independent...

National Newspaper Week: Meet the Carriers, Part 1 (10/04/11)
This week marks National Newspaper Week. Each day this week, the Times-Gazette will spotlight its newspaper carriers. Today, we feature Mildred Floyd and Michael Ware. Name: Mildred Floyd, 52 Where do you live: Wartrace How long have you delivered the news: 1 year...

Celebration attendance shows drop (09/13/11)
Attendance at this year's Celebration continued its downward trend, mirroring other recreational sporting events, with paid attendance at 168,481, down from 176,732 in 2010. "Although paid attendance was down 4.5 percent, a lot of people felt like the actual attendance at the Celebration was up," said Dr. Doyle Meadows, explaining "more people were in the stands," using tickets they purchased in advance...

Fall Classic won't be held (09/09/11)
Sometimes one show tells you all you need to know. The Celebration announced earlier this week that it would not be hosting the Celebration Fall Classic horse show it initiated last year. The show had been slated for Oct. 13-15. "The main reason we did it to start with was to explore the possibility of moving the Celebration further into the year," said Doyle Meadows, Celebration CEO. ...

Copperfield wins four-year-old championship (09/03/11)
Copperfield and Knox Blackburn won the Four-Year-Old Walking Horse World Grand Championship (Canter) at Friday night's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in front of a lively and appreciative crowd. Receiving huge support and applause as well, Mr. Heisman and Brandye Mills pulled in to accept the reserve title for owners Randall & Sadie Baskin of Franklin. The LA Ritz and Joe Cotton were next for the third place honors for Rock Island, TN owners, Donnie & Charlotte Taylor...

World Grand Champion trainers (09/02/11)
Several of the best known Tennessee walking horse trainers took time away from the National Celebration to celebrate their fans by signing autographs at World Champion Horse Equipment on Madison Street. Russ Thompson of Unionville, left, chats with Vicki Self of Lewisburg while Billy Gray of Shelbyville autographs a collectible Breyer horse display. A steady stream of walking horse fans kept the trio busy signing a variety of memorabilia. (T-G Photo by Kent Flanagan)

Honors claims 3-year-old title (09/02/11)
The traditional final three championship nights began Thursday at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration with 12 winners riding to floral horseshoes. Thursday featured 140 horses in front of 16,407 fans. As always on the last Thursday evening, the final class was the Three-Year-Old World Grand Championship. ...

Aged stallions usually win, but could this be the year of the dark horse? (09/01/11)
Traditionally, Saturday night's World Grand Championship at the Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Championship crowns a horse from the aged stallion division. But that doesn't mean the World Grand Champion has to be an aged stallion. "It's anybody's game," said Dr. Doyle Meadows, Celebration CEO, in an interview with the Times-Gazette prior to the Celebration. "You just never know."...

1939 competitor revisits Celebration (09/01/11)
Several residents of Christian Care Center of Bedford County attended the Celebration on Thursday last week; for one of them, Mildred Bobo, it was a particularly poignant experience. "I hadn't been in years," said Bobo, 86. But, make no mistake about it, she's loved the Celebration ever since it started in 1939; she was a blue ribbon winner at that very first show, a fearless 14-year-old farm girl riding a two-year-old horse named Lady B. ...

Celebration prelims wind down (09/01/11)
Wednesday was the final night of preliminary classes at the 73rd annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Spectators will be treated to World Grand Championship classes and victory rides adorned with floral horseshoes tonight through Saturday...

Inspector is capable, USDA says (08/31/11)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture responded to the Times-Gazette's inquiry about the experience level of veterinarians inspecting horses during last Saturday evening's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Industry leaders expressed their frustration with USDA inspectors after the agency turned down six horses before the aged stallion class...

Young Celebration fans love their own special events (08/31/11)
Activities outside the ring have paralleled the excitement inside the show ring for those who've attended the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. At any given time, horse enthusiasts can be seen visiting with each other in front of the barns, locals can be sighted picking up a dozen of the famous doughnuts and youths might be seen swapping stories about the latest world champion...

New traffic plan works well so far (08/31/11)
Reduced departure time after the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration's busier nights is already noticeable, emergency officials say, but changes in traffic patterns are still a work in progress. "It appears to be emptying out fairly quickly," Scott Johnson, director of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, said Tuesday. "The real time to tell will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- the big nights."...

Blues awarded as championships near (08/31/11)
World Grand Championship classes are just two days away and things are well underway at the 73rd annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Enthusiastic fans were greeted with a 13-class schedule full of talented horses Tuesday night. Jimmy McConnell walked off with the blue ribbon on One Fine Line in the Four-Year-Old Walking Mares (Canter) class. Main Sweetie and Phillip Trimble received reserve honors...

Two-year-old stallions triple the fun (08/30/11)
The Two Year Old Stallion class was split three ways again this year at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration on Monday night. It was the first time at this year's show any horse from this class took a step around the big oval under saddle...

Eight stallions denied; inexperienced VMO criticized (08/30/11)
Discrepancies inside the inspection area at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration last Saturday night resulted in eight horses being turned away from a chance to compete for the walking horse World Grand Championship. Inspectors representing SHOW (Sound Horses, Honest Judging, Objective Inspections and Winning Fairly), the Celebration-sanctioned horse industry organization that ensures horses are in compliance with the Horse Protection Act, passed all but two horses of the 15 that showed up for the aged stallion competition classes.. ...

Four-year-olds captivate Sunday night crowd (08/29/11)
The Four-Year-Old Walking Stallions commanded the crowd's attention on this Sunday night in Shelbyville! The weather stayed perfect and it became a pleasantly cooler evening for performances at the 73rd Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration�...

Horse doctor has the cure (08/28/11)
When Dr. John Bennett heads out to work, it's still dark outside. Many days, by the time he gets home it's dark again. In the meantime, he will have traveled hundreds of miles, seen dozens of patients, and swapped jokes and friendly insults with grooms. trainers and owners...

Horse show brings life to Shelbyville (08/28/11)
What a great time of year it is for Shelbyville and Bedford County! With horse show fans filling up our town and school in session, August is always undoubtedly a busy time of year for us at the paper. For me, this August has been particularly busy, yet fun and rewarding too...

Voice of show urges fans to relax (08/27/11)
The familiar voice of Bobby Sands continues to fill the air of the Celebration grounds this year and he has one message for guests of the show: Forget about the troubles of the world, "get in a Celebration state of mind" and just enjoy yourself. He should know. Sands got his start announcing horse shows back in 1972 at an event run by Middle Tennessee State University's Block and Bridle Club, and soon found himself in high demand...

Longtime organist keeps 'em stepping high (08/27/11)
For the past 28 years, Larry Bright has been the man at the organ who fills The Celebration grounds with that familiar sound each season. And he's back again for his 29th appearance, taking his familiar seat in the center ring to liven up the nightly proceedings of the horses going around the ring...

Evening performances kick off at Celebration (08/26/11)
It's finally here! The time horse show fans wait for all year long. It's Celebration time in Tennessee. While the 73rd edition of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has officially been underway since Wednesday morning, for many Celebration diehards the show really doesn't get started until it moves to the historic outdoor arena on Thursday evening...

Celebration traffic to flow differently (08/26/11)
Tennessee Highway Patrol, Shelbyville Police Department, and Celebration security officials have developed a new traffic control plan for the five nights of the Celebration with the highest attendance: tonight and Saturday, and Thursday through Saturday of next week...

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