For these visitors, the Celebration is a time to get together

Otis Ozier, left, and Charlotte and Jim Atchinson enjoy a friendship founded on horsemanship and enjoy renewing it every year at the Celebration. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Order this photo]

While Tennessee walking horses may be what brings thousands and thousands of visitors to the Celebration, they aren't all the event has to offer. For many of the horse lovers, their and friends and their families, it's all about getting together.

"We aren't showing any," said Jim Atchinson, a retired banker, Thursday night. He and his wife Charlotte, a retired teacher, are from Caruthersville, Mo., and were sharing the box owned by Memphis owner Otis Ozier, a stockbroker. "We have four flat-shod Tennessee walking horses. We trail ride a lot."

The couple met Ozier horseback riding, in fact, in the Natchez Trace park.

'We discovered how many friends we had in common and we've been doing this ever since."

Ozier remembers the first time he asked about buying a box at the Celebration.

"I wrote to the little gal in the ticket office and she basically wrote back saying, 'Good luck.' I was on a waiting list for years."

Since then, Ozier's been able to move his box seats closer and closer to the arena, but he likes the one he has now, overlooking the south end, where the horses usually park out until the winners are called. Besides offering a great view of the horses, it offers a great view of the passersby, and opportunities to visit.

Wander through the barns when you aren't watching the classes and you'll see that most of the owners and trainers take that same opportunity. Most of the stables have areas set up as offices/living rooms, complete with chairs, televisions streaming the show live, and food.

Ruth and Tony Duncan of Wartburg camp out at the Celebration every year, and one of the things they look forward to is not having to cook. Other than cereal in the morning, they eat out at local restaurants or nibble on the offerings at the barns.

"I've fixed two sandwiches since we've been here," sad Tony. "But we've done the full restaurant circuit."

"We even went over to that little town, Bell Buckle, and ate there," said Rita.

Back in the Oziers' box, they don't have to travel far to find food. They, too, camp out in their horse trailer, which is equipped with living quarters for humans as well as horses, while Ozier himself rents a hotel room. They have a choice of the many civic organization food booths at the Celebration, or they bring their own. Like many other box owners, they have devised a clever shelf that rests along the front of the booth. It holds their programs, cups, pencils, binoculars, and on Thursday night, a wide variety of fresh vegetables, dips, chips and other snacks.

"Jim made that," said Ozier, referring to both the shelf and the snacks.

Their friendship, forged on the Natchez Trace more than a decade ago, has continued, not only because of their shared love of horses, but of dogs.

"In the winter, we do bird dog field trials," said Atchinson. "Spring and fall, we ride horses. In the summer, it's too hot to do anything."

Between the barns, around the practice rings and under the streetlights, the Celebration at night has a life of its own. Teenagers ride their horses for fun while their parents are riding for ribbons only a few yards away, and people kick back and relax on their porches and wave to the passersby. Of course, there's a little horse trading going on at the Celebration somewhere all the time.

"That's why I'm here," said Terry Hughes of Summerville, as he watches a young woman take his roan gelding Sam around the "Whittlin' Ring." "I'm selling horses."

"We're just looking," said Angie McBryant, the young woman's mother. "There's a lot here for sale and we're looking."