Watch It Now wins WGC

The wind was whipping the flags of states and nations over the Celebration grounds Saturday night -- and the horses were whipping the crowd into a frenzy just below. After 11 days of classes, triumph and heartbreak often riding side by side, it was time to declare the World Grand Champion of the 71st annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

There was a long hush as darkness fell on the arena and the spotlight swept the field of 11 horses, glistening off of sweaty hides and glittering bits. That hush ended in a roar as the announcer called out the number of the new World Grand Champion: Watch it Now!

And everyone was watching -- and jumping to their feet and shouting as trainer Jimmy McConnell took the slick black stallion around the ring under the spotlight. it would be the third win in five years for McConnell, who rode A Black Nightshade in 2004 and Master of Jazz to the WGC in 2007.

Watch it Now is owned by Waterfall Farms. He is a son of The Skywatch out of A Pushy Witch. A 5-year-old, he's won three championship classes this year. Last year, he took two fourths at the Celebration, including one in the 4-Year-Old World Grand Championship class. He was reserve champion in the A Section of the Aged Stallions 15.2 and over class at this year's Celebration.

Watch It Now is not, however, the 71st champion. Because of miscommunication and mass eliminations in 2006, there was no champion that year. Because of an increase in the numbers of horses turned back from showing by the USDA, some feared 2009 would be a repeat of that fiasco.

Out of the 33 stallions registered to show in the Aged Stallions 15.2 and over class -- considered the primary qualifier for the the world grand championship -- only 12 showed. Nine were turned back; the remainder simply declined to compete in the class.

That wasn't the case this year. Of the 11 horses presented to show, all 11 passed inspection.

Reserve honors went to Victoria's Secret. Coach took third place and Cadillac's Bum finished fourth.

It was a show filled with surprises and the crowd got its money's worth. Although hometown favorite Rowdy Rev did not get to show due to an injury, there were enough surprise entries to keep everyone guessing. While the World Grand Championship class is open to mares, geldings and stallions under 15.2 and under 5 years of age, it's the stallions 15.2 and over and 5 and over who usually fill it out. Not so this year.

Of 12 horses showing in the Aged Stallions 15.2 and over class, only nine entered the WGC, including Rowdy. Many trainers saw this as a chance to spotlight their own horses.

Victoria's Secret was determined to make it a ladies night, wanting to be the first mare to win since White Star in 1954.

The owners of Private Charter and King of the Jungle felt it was going to be a big night for their smaller stallions.

One surprising entry was Master of Jazz, the 2007 World Grand Champion. He did not enter any qualifying classes, but as a previous WGC, he was allowed entry on a provisional rule, something the owners attempted last year but were denied.

Justin Harris and Lined Walkin were on a roll with their win in the 4-year-old championship the night before -- they were ready to take on the old men.

Harris added another honor to his championship ride when he was named Trainer of the Year by his peers Saturday night.

Announcer Bobby Sands gave a brief biography of the young trainer, who works out of Joe Fleming Stables, telling the crowd that Justin got his first walking horse when he was 8 years old and was already being paid to train them at 14.

"He came to Shelbyville with $100 in his pocket," said Sands. "He did it all, He cleaned stalls, he broke colts."

A native of Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Harris is married and has two children.