Webb, champion El Nino begin fall tour

Rae Ellen Webb, wife of trainer Link Webb, shows off newly crowned World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse Santana's El Nino to fourth and fifth grade students at Thomas Intermediate School. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"I don't think many of you realize just how much the horses impact our community," Dee McCullough, principal, told the fourth and fifth grade students as they looked in awe at the black stallion. "This is Santana's El Nino; and he recently won the Super Bowl of all horse shows."

On Monday, the fourth and fifth grade students at Thomas, many of whom have attended the Celebration on school field trips, heard from Celebration Public Relations Director Chip Walters and Rae Ellen Webb, trainer Link Webb's wife, about the world renowned horse show and about the newly crowned world grand champion.

"How many of you wanted Santana's El Nino to win this year?" asked Walters. "He didn't win his first class at The Celebration, but he came back and won the world grand championship ... he was sort of the dark horse in the competition."

The students had a chance to ask questions such as "Does he have a special diet?" "How tall is he?" and "How much is he worth?" which received no answer, but a good laugh from the large crowd in attendance.

Allison Smith, the mother of Thomas student Keely Smith, arranged for El Nino to make the special stop at Thomas Monday.

Smith babysits Rae Ellen and Link's son, Lane, and asked the Webbs if they would be available to add the extra stop to their extensive fall tour, which was kicked off in front of a large and appreciative crowd Saturday at the International Grand Champion horse show in Murfreesboro, according to Celebration officials.

Link Webb and Santana's El Nino will be back in Murfreesboro today, at Middle Tennessee State University, for an exhibition at Floyd Stadium prior to the Blue Raiders' nationally televised game against Florida Atlantic, according to a press release issued by Walters.

"With the game on ESPN2, MTSU is urging all fans to wear black for their "Blackout Night" promotion … a perfect color for El Nino," Walters said in the release.

"To be able to secure the World Grand Champion is a tremendous addition to an already historic evening," said MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro, in the release. "It is entirely appropriate since we feature a Tennessee Walking Horse prior to every home game and Middle Tennessee is the traditional home for the walking horse industry. I invite all of our fans to come early to see this incredible athlete perform."

Following his exhibition at MTSU tonight, El Nino and Webb will visit the North Carolina Championship horse show Oct. 4.

According to the release, Oct. 25 marks the arrival of Santana's El Nino in Lynchburg for the 20th Annual Jack Daniel's International Invitational Barbecue Championship, the competition that many call the most prestigious in the world.

After a short break, it's back up Interstate 40 to Knoxville for the annual exhibition during the University of Tennessee's homecoming game on Nov. 8. The Vols will be hosting the Wyoming Cowboys at Neyland Stadium with Webb and El Nino taking their turn around Shields-Watkins Field during pre-game ceremonies, continued Walters, in the release.

Later in November, the world grand championship team will be in Perry, Ga., for the Southern Championships.

"I think it's great that the Jones and Webb families are making the commitment to take on such an extensive schedule," said Celebration CEO Doyle Meadows, in the release. "He was the people's choice in our final class this year and I have no doubt that the thousands of fans that see him this fall will be just as thrilled."