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Trainers confident of show's success

Tuesday, June 2, 2009
By Mary Reeves

More than two months after it was originally supposed to take place, the Walking Horse Trainers' Association show will be held this weekend at Calsonic Arena. The show, first slated for March 19-21, was postponed as the WHTA and the Walking Horse Owners Association considered what to do about their horse industry organization, the National Horse Show Committee. The duties of the NHSC were turned over to SHOW, the Celebration's HIO, but the trainers felt at that time it would be better to wait until things were more in place for the trainers' show to be held.

The show will begin Wednesday and go through Saturday. Tickets are $8 for Wednesday and Thursday night and $10 for Friday and Saturday, with children 6 and under admitted free.

The new HIO has been in place for months now, and despite inspection issues at recent shows, WHTA president Link Webb is confident about the Trainers' Show.

"It's a little rocky when you're trying to make some changes, but I think things are going in the right direction," he said. "I think Columbia had a really good show and I think things are turning around."

Benny Johnson, chairman for the horse show, agreed.

"The horses are in good shape," he said. "I was down there at the Columbia show and they had a real good show. There were 17, 18 horses per class, 300-something entries," he said.

Some of the major classes, Riders Cup classes, at the Spring Fun Show held last month, had as few as one to three entries.

"We're expecting great things," said Johnson. "I think we'll have a good show -- the trainers are all enthused about the last couple of weeks. We appreciate the support of the city and the community."

In fact, said Johnson, because of requests from local people, the Trainers' Show has even added two pleasure classes. The new ones are Class 58, Country Pleasure 18 and older, on Friday; and Class 69A, Country Pleasure 17 and under, on Saturday.

"We're looking forward to a big show," he said.

There will be several vendors on the mezzanine at Calsonic during the show, as well as concessions. Box seats are still available For more information, call 684-5866.

Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.

1. Model Park Pleasure, Open

2. Open Fine Harness

3. Walking Mares and Geldings, 15'2 and Under (WHTA RIDER CUP)

4. Walking Horse Aux. Equitation Adult, 18 and Over, Canter

5. Show Pleasure, Open, Specialty

6. Plantation Pleasure, Lite Shod, Open, Specialty

7. Amateur Two Year Old, Walking Mares and Geldings

8. Pro-Am Class, Specialty (Amt. First/Prof. Second)

9. Amateur Walking Stallions, Mares, and Geldings

10. Walking Mares and Geldings, 15,2 and Over (Five Years & Over)

11. Amateur Riders on Walking Horses, Riders 50 & Over, Specialty

12. Amateur Pony Class (18 Yrs. and Older) Specialty

13. Amateur Mares, Specialty

14. Park Pleasure, Open, Specialty

15. Amateur Three Year Old Mares and Geldings

16. Western Plantation Pleasure Lite Shod, Specialty

17. Amateur Four Year Old Mares and Gelding, Specialty

18. Walking Stallions, Mares, & Geldings, 15'2 & Over (Five Yrs & Over) Specialty

19. Amateur Men's, Specialty

20. Park Performance 4 Yr. & Under

Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

21. Amateur Weanling

22. Amateur Stallions, Specialty

23. Amateur Plantation, Lite Shod, Specialty

24. Amateur Two Year Old Stallions

25. Open Weanling (either sex)

26. Open Pony Specialty-**Trainers Only

27. Amateur Park Pleasure, Specialty

28. Trail Pleasure Amateur, Specialty (English)

29. Amateur Geldings, Specialty

30. Amateur Show Pleasure, Specialty

31. Amateur Three Year Old Stallions

32. Amateur Plantation Pleasure Lite Shod, Four Years and Under, Open, Specialty

33. Amateur 15'2 and Under Stallions, Specialty

34. Youth Plantation Lite Shod, 17 and Under, Specialty

35. Amateur 15'2 and Under Mares and Geldings, Specialty

36. Park Performance, Open, Specialty

37. Trail Pleasure Amateur, Specialty (Western)

38. Amateur Four Year Old Stallions, Specialty

39. Park Pleasure, Two & Three Year Old, Open, Specialty

40. Four year old and under Show Pleasure, Specialty

41. W.H.T.Auxiliary Class, Specialty (Members Only)

42. Western Park Pleasure, Specialty

Friday, 5:30 p.m.

43. Amateur Yearling

44. Amateur Fine Harness

45. Walking Horse Aux. Equitation Class, 12-14 Yrs. Canter

46. Walking Horse Aux. Equitation Class, 15-17 Yrs. Canter

47. Walking Horse Aux. Equitation Class 11 and Under, Specialty

48. Open Yearling Fillies

49. Two Year Old Mares, and Geldings (WHTA RIDER CUP)

50. Youth Mares and Geldings, 11 and Under, Specialty

51. Amateur Ladies, Specialty

52. Open Yearling Colts

53. Youth Mares and Geldings, 12-14, Specialty

54. Three Year Olds Mares and Geldings (WHTA RIDER CUP)

55. Trail Pleasure Juvenile, Specialty (English/Western)

56. Youth Mares and Geldings, 15-17, Specialty

57. Four Year Old Mares and Geldings (WHTA RIDER CUP)

58. Show Pleasure, Juvenile 17 and Under, Specialty

59. Three Year Old Stallions (WHTA RIDER CUP)

60. Park Performance, Amateur

61. **Amateur Plantation Pleasure, Lite Shod, Specialty, Championship

62. **Amateur Park Pleasure, Specialty Championship

63. **Amateur Show Pleasure, Specialty Championship

Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

64. Stick Horse Class

65. Walking Stallions, 15'2 and Under (WHTA RIDER CUP)

66. **Trail Pleasure Amateur, Specialty Championship (English)

67. Two Year Old Stallions (WHTA RIDER CUP)

68. **Juvenile Specialty Championship

69. **Plantation Pleasure Lite Shod, Open, Specialty Championship

70. Three Year Old Classic (WHTA RIDER CUP)

71. **Trail Pleasure, Amateur, Specialty Championship (Western)

72. Walking Ponies 60" and Under, Riders 17 and Under Specialty

73. Four Year Old Stallions (WHTA RIDER CUP)

74. Young Trainers, 35 Yrs. and Under, Specialty

75. **Amateur Championship

76. **Park Pleasure, Open, Specialty Championship

77. **Amateur Specialty Championship

78. **Francis C. Gentry Ladies, Specialty Championship

79. **Show Pleasure, Specialty Championship

80. ***WHTA Championship Walking Horse Stake (WHTA RIDER CUP)

Comments

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The TWH industry would do well to take the lessons from the past two years and emphasize conformation and natural gait in its classes rather than the exaggerated gaits the horses are forced to take now. I've owned and ridden Tenn. Walking Horses for years for pleasure, but would never participate in shows where built up pads, chains, and unnatural gaits were in use.

-- Posted by TrailRider49 on Tue, Jun 2, 2009, at 12:05 PM

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. I for one am looking forward to the padded show horses at the Trainers Show. I don't watch the flat shod classes.

-- Posted by nailman on Wed, Jun 3, 2009, at 4:15 AM