The Celebration

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...

Music, maestro, please! (05/16/12)
The Nashville Symphony made its annual visit to Shelbyville on Tuesday night, accompanied by the Shelbyville Central High School Wind Symphony. "Symphony At The Celebration" was the orchestra's first public performance since its well-reviewed return to Carnegie Hall on Saturday night...

Car club revved up over shows (05/11/12)
The Antique Automobile Club of America Grand National show -- and the Southeastern Special Fall Meet, which will be held the same weekend -- are a little more than a month away. Officials of the Celebration City Region Car Club Inc., which will host the event, say that the numbers are looking good...

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....

No time to play: Celebration Station gets new materials (03/23/12)
Fun times at one of the playgrounds in Shelbyville's parks will be curtailed next week so that new federal mandates can be implemented. In January, parks and recreation director Sylvia Pinson informed the city council that the playground surface at Celebration Station inside H.V. Griffin Park will be redone to comply with new federal safety standards, while other locations will have their play fixtures removed...

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...

Judgment against Americare overturned (01/20/12)
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has overturned a $5 million judgment against the parent company of a local assisted living facility in a wrongful death suit. In April 2010, a Bedford County jury returned a verdict of more than $5.4 million against Americare Systems Inc, and Shelbyville Residential LLC, which does business as Celebration Way, and two nurses -- Dottie Hunt and Mary Ann Steelman...

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...

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...

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...

Givens dominates model competition (08/25/11)
After a great night of looking at the future of our industry on Wednesday night at the TWHBEA National Futurity, horse show fans & exhibitors return to Calsonic Arena on Thursday morning for the morning session of the 73rd Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. The 12 class schedule featured the Model, Trail Pleasure, Lite Shod & Park Pleasure divisions...

Trade Fair opens (08/25/11)
Dian Brown organizes T-shirts for sale at the Celebration gift shop in Calsonic Arena. The gift shop and several other vendors that are part of the 25th annual Trade Fair opened for business Wednesday. The Trade Fair, which is free to the public, is open each day of the Celebration from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler)

Let 'em walk on! Celebration has begun (08/24/11)
Temperatures in the mid-90s didn't exhaust the enthusiasm of horse show fans moving onto the show grounds Tuesday. The 73rd edition of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration began this morning with classes in Calsonic Arena. The annual Trade Fair opened as well and the National Futurity competition, sponsored by the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association, kicks off at 5:30 p.m. All are free to the public...

Celebration offers three-night box seat combination (08/24/11)
The Celebration begins its 2011 Walking Horse pageantry on today with a Celebration day performance and the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association National Futurity beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Celebration is making a special effort to encourage the community to purchase tickets...

Follow the Celebration online (08/24/11)
If you're looking to follow the 73rd Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and the Tennessee Walking Horse industry online, here are some handy links. You can also find these, in clickable form, at the Celebration page of the Times-Gazette web site, http://www.t-g.com/twhnc...

Futurity sponsor gives back (08/23/11)
The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association National Futurity competition is offering free admission this year. The futurity will be held Wednesday and serves as a kickoff to the 73rd annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration...

Banners hung (08/16/11)
Crews from Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System installed banners welcoming Celebration visitors on North Main Street this morning. The banners were a topic of discussion earlier this summer; Shelbyville City Council granted permission for them to be placed, but declined to contribute anything toward creating them, and debated about the wording.

Sign of support (08/12/11)
The Celebration has asked Shelbyville businesses to welcome visitors on their marquee signs. The Capri Theater on Depot Street complied with the request. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Ambassadors to greet Celebration visitors (08/11/11)
Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce ambassadors, who already represent the chamber at events such as ribbon-cuttings and coffees, will serve as greeters this year at the Celebration, welcoming visitors at the three most-used entrances to the outdoor arena and handing out the brochure for the "Jack Trail" including sites in Bedford County...

Champion ribbons (08/07/11)
With ribbons like this going up all over Shelbyville, you know that Celebration time is drawing near. The display of the ribbons, which say "Our visitors are number 1" and "We are the Celebration," is part of an effort from the Celebration Association, which is busy distributing the ribbons to the business and retail community around town. Banners welcoming visitors to the city and the Celebration will also soon be erected as well. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Celebration entry numbers decrease (08/05/11)
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration officials announced Thursday afternoon the preliminary entry numbers for this year's world grand championship horse show. This year, 2,874 entries will compete in the show, down 340 from last year's show, said Dr. Doyle Meadows, chief executive officer of The Celebration...

Related subjects

Home