TWHNC ends with no champion

For the first time ever, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration ended without crowning a World Grand Champion.

Seven of the 10 horses scheduled to participate in Saturday evening's final class were turned away by inspectors, and the remaining trainers declined to participate, effectively canceling the class.

The track was being smoothed in preparation for the final class when announcer Chip Walters came on to announce that decision. "The [trainers] that were left decided that they weren't coming tonight."

The crowd roared in support of the trainers.

In a year when the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection process was the focus of controversy, the final two nights of the 68th Annual Celebration were marred by several key classes in which few horses participated, presumably because of issues related to the inspection process.

Walters thanked the crowd for its support during a week of crises. "You were patient, you were faithful, you've been that way all week," he said.

"We haven't seen some of the horse we've wanted to see. In the World Grand Championship class, we won't see some of the horses we wanted to see either." Walters announced that a number of horses had been turned down by inspectors.

With that final announcement, organist Larry Bright launched into his traditional closing number, "Just The Way You Are," and the show was over.

While center ring was quieted for the night, Champions Arena had its own championship showing 45 minutes after the show was called off. Several of the stake class contenders scheduled to exhibit circled the Arena track, gathering a large crowd cheering them on.

Several other classes during the evening, and at least one class Friday night, had low participation as compared to the number of entries listed in the night's program supplement.

It was a beautiful night for a show, with cool, comfortable temperatures and clear skies. A crowd of 26,103 witnessed the final night of the show, with paid attendance exactly 400 more, at 26,503.

The final night of the show began with a patriotic tribute, which has become a Celebration tradition in recent years. Flag horse Counterfeit Dollar and rider Bud Seaton made their normal show-opening appearance but were then excused so that a more formal presentation of the colors could be made by an honor guard from the U.S. Army's Fort Campbell. In addition, a large U.S. flag was unfurled on the Celebration infield by local Boy Scouts.

Charles McDonald of the Celebration presented a framed tri-colored ribbon to a representative of Fort Campbell.

Lori O'Brien of Duluth, Ga., sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" as patriotic images were displayed on the arena's video screens. Finally, a UA60 Blackhawk helicopter from the Tennessee National Guard made a flyover.

During the show, 2005 World Grand Champion Main Power and rider Joe Cotten were honored.

Joel Weaver was honored as 2006 Trainer of the Year.

Competition opened with the Owner-Amateur Riders on Mares or Geldings World Grand Championship. Only five entries competed, half the number listed in the program supplement. JFK's Irish Dream, Sue Harrington up for Joe Harrington of La Quienta, Calif., won the class.

It wasn't the only class of the evening marked by noticeably-low participation.

Only two entries competed in the Walking Mares or Geldings World Grand Championship (Canter), half of the four listed in the program supplement. Watch For Glory, Herbert Derickson up for Erica and Maria Derickson of Wartrace, won the class.

Keith McSwain rode The Golden Sovereign to the Owner-Amateur Riders World Grand Championship (Canter) for the Dan McSwain family of Alpharetta, Ga. Only four horses competed out of the seven listed in the supplement.

Other classes had more entries for the judges to choose from.

The Western Plantation Pleasure Horses, Lite Shod, World Grand Championship was won by Marquita By Design. Craig Swagerty rode the entry for Karrie Paul of Edwall, Wash.

Alicia McDaniel rode Muddy Buddy to a blue ribbon in the Owner-Amateur Riders on Three-Year-Old Horses World Grand Championship. The horse is owned by the David Perry family of Gaffney, S.C.

Santana's El Niņo, Link Webb up, won the 15.2 and Under World Grand Championship (Canter) for Michael and Ann Jones of Lafayette, Ga.

The Weanling World Grand Championship was won by Whoopin It In Command, handled by Nathan Mills for Nathan and April Mills of Nashville.

Joe Cotten rode The Coach to the Two-Year-Old World Grand Championship for Holland & Kilgore of Decatur and Tuscaloosa, Ala. Lots of Luck, ridden by Chris Zahnd, fell during the class but was coaxed back onto his feet and joined the other entries in the lineup.

Pusher's Beaming Pride, Jim Nichols up, won the Owner-Amateur Riders on Plantation Pleasure Horses, Lite Shod, World Grand Championship. The horse is owned by Debbie and Jim Nichols of New Market, who retired the Foxtrot Farm Challenge Trophy.

Howard Hamilton rode A Neon Knight to the Park Pleasure Walking Horse World Grand Championship. Owners Randall and Gloria Dixon of Dacula, Ga., retired both the Pusher's All Lit Up Memorial Challenge Trophy and the Sheila Mack Kyle Memorial / Generator's Elegance Challenge Trophy.

Shock Jock, owned and exhibited by Becky Coleman of Money, Miss., won the Owner-Amateur Riders on Four-Year-Old Horses World Grand Championship.

* * * Friday night

The Four-Year-Old World Grand Championship, often called the "Junior World Grand Championship," was won Friday night by Star, Jackie McConnell up for Opal Moody of Batesville, Ark. There was a field of only four horses for the class, out of seven listed in the program supplement which had been prepared for Friday.

Friday night's show was packed with pageantry and special appearances. A "ladies' night" observance included recognition of the three women who have won the World Grand Championship: Betty Sain, riding Shaker's Shocker in 1966; Judy Martin, riding Shades Of Carbon in 1976; and Vicki Self, riding Flashy Pride in 1991.

Also honored were 12 surviving exhibitors from the original Celebration in 1939. The Celebration staff could track down only 14 such exhibitors, two of whom were unable to attend.

VIP presenters included U.S. Senate candidate and former Chattanooga mayor Bob Corker and Miss Tennessee USA Lauren Grissom.

Perhaps the emotional highlight of the evening was the retirement ceremony for 1996 World Grand Champion He's Puttin' On The Ritz, who was exhibited for the last time by popular trainer Bily Gray. A video tribute introduced the horse, which Gray put through his paces to the vocal and enthusiastic support of the crowd. The traditional blanket ceremony was then held, with the saddle removed from the horse and a blanket bearing the name "Ritz" placed over him. He was then led around the ring under the spotlight, again to enthusiastic applause.

Paid attendance Friday night was 23,960, with actual attendance 22,903.

The evening began with driver Lynn Womack winning both divisions of the split Owner-Amateur Lady Drivers, Fine Harness, class. She won the "A" division with Major Miss Understood, owned by Partners By Choice of Murfreesboro, and the "B" division with I'm Medusa, owned by Womack Stables of Murfreesboro.

The Owner-Amateur Riders on Park Pleasure Walking Horses World Grand Championship was won by Santana's Coin, John McNeely up for Lindsey Landrum and John McNeely of Blowing Rock, N.C., and Franklin.

Julie Grider won the Owner-Amateur Riders World Grand Championship with The Sky Command for the Tommy Grider family of Columbia, Ky.

Owner-exhibitor Candra Shular of Kodak won the Walking Horse Trainers' Auxiliary Members class riding The Prime Suspect.

Double Java, Scott Benham up for Mike and Kathy Chiappari of Santa Rosa, Calif., won the Plantation Pleasure Horses, Lite Shod, World Grand Championship.

Push N For Pleasure, Patti Pollack up for Pollack's Silver Spur Ranch of Saratoga, Calif., and Shelbyville, won the Owner-Amateur Western Trail Pleasure World Grand Championship.

George Ann Pratt rode My First Dollar to the Owner-Amateur Novice Riders on Novice Horses World Grand Championship for Don Pratt of Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

Watch And Bedazzled, Mary Morrison up for Andrew Morrison of Hattiesburg, Miss., won the Owner-Amateur Youth Riders, 12-17, on Mares or Geldings World Grand Championship.

Patrick Thomas rode Armed And Trigger Happy to the Western Park Pleasure Horses World Grand Championship (Canter) for Debbie and Jim Nichols of New Market.

Roll The Gold, Spud Warr in the irons, won the Owner-Amateur Riders on Two-Year-Old Horses World Grand Championship. The horse is owned by the Spud Warr family of Phenix City, Ala.