An umbrella in the storm falling on the Walking Horse industry was raised today as the Walking Horse Trainers Association (WHTA) Board of Directors released a letter unanimously recognizing the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration as the only event to officially crown the industry's World Grand Champion.

The decision was made at a meeting held Monday in the Shelbyville headquarters of the Association.

"This tradition and honor has been ongoing for 68 years," the letter reads, "and the Trainers' Association is proud to recognize such a grand event.

"The WHTA fully supports the Celebration and looks forward to crowning the next generation of World Champions culminating in the crowning of the next World Grand Champion on Sept. 1, 2007."

The endorsement by the WHTA falls on the heels of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association's (TWHBEA) creation of a two-day event to name an official World Grand Champion this year after the final class at The Celebration was canceled on the last night of the August show. The Tennessee Walking Horse Invitational proposed by the TWHBEA will be held Nov. 24-25 in Murfreesboro.

Jamie Hankins, TWHBEA vice president, training division, expressed his concern during a meeting held in Lewisburg on Wednesday. The meeting was just one of many held during the week at the breed registry.

"If you don't have the players, you don't have a game," said Hankins, in a report of the horse show committee meeting released by the Walking Horse Report website. "By that, I mean the trainers, (National Horse Show) Commission (NHSC) and The Celebration. Crowning a World Grand Champion is a moment in time and that moment has passed."

According to sources at the meeting, the discussions throughout the day questioned whether this show was a one-time event or if it was to be an ongoing show.

"No decision has been made," said TWHBEA president Jerrold Pedigo, "to crown a World Grand Champion each year. This decision (to crown a World Grand Champion by the TWHBEA this year) may not be received by everyone favorably, but we have to do what we can to promote the breed."

Sid Baucom, director from Utah, said he was concerned about the way the plans were put together.

"We should have asked the trainers if they would participate," he said. "We should have asked the NHSC whether we could use their judges. We need to be careful or we could end up with a third class horse as our World Grand Champion and none of us want that."

Committee member Rhonda Martocci of Franklin stressed that it was never the goal of the TWHBEA take the place of The Celebration or the naming of the World Grand Champion.

"It was never our intention to take over crowning of the World Grand Champion from The Celebration," she said. "I feel we have a responsibility to crown a World Grand Champion each year. We have a responsibility to move the breed forward."

Hankins and Martocci were appointed by the TWHBEA to meet with The Celebration in regard to the proposed show.

Throughout this week, the executive and various committees of the TWHBEA have met in Lewisburg to examine personnel issues as well as the upcoming horse show. Earlier this week sources informed the Times-Gazette that Executive Director Charles Hulsey had been terminated for various infractions by the executive committee. This information was substantiated by Walking Horse Report website articles but was refuted by a TWHBEA spokesperson by phone.

A later release on late Tuesday reported Hulsey had resigned from his position.

On Wednesday, the Association announced that Kristi M. Lane, director of Industry Development for the breed registry, would be taking the position once held by Hulsey for an interim period.

"Mr. Hulsey made valuable contributions to the Association," Pedigo said in a press release. "We look forward to Kristi moving forward with many of the great initiatives started during his service to the industry."