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(TWHNC Photo)
The combination of Watch It Now and Jimmy McConnell walked away with the Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Championship on Saturday night at the 71st annual event, his third in five years. The bold stallion vanquished the field following two workouts, much to the pleasure of those in the stands. The Shelbyville-based trainer won big for Waterfall Farm of Atlanta, Ga. and Bedford County.
Out of the 15 horses entered in the class, four were scratched by there owners due to injuries or multiple entries, but all of those presented to the inspectors passed and 11 entered the ring -- including stalions under 15.2, a mare and a gelding.
It was no secret that the mare, Victoria's Secret, and her rider Gary Edwards caught the judges' attention as she pulled in for reserve honors for Chester and Lynda Stokes of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Third place went to The Coach and John Allan Callaway in this extremely deep class.
Other world champions claimed their multi-colored ribbons Saturday night. In the first class, Charlene Gibson and I'm Packing a Pistol captured the blue this year from a field of eight after taking reserve last year in the Owner-Amateur on Walking Ponies World Grand Championship. Gibson is from Sykesville, MD. Tony Montana and Lisa Baum of Shelbyville pulled in for reserve honors and Olympic Power and Stephanie Gordon of Murfreesboro took third place.
In the next class of 14 entries, Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Mares and Geldings World Grand Championship, cheers greeted George Ann Pratt and My First Dollar when she had the winning ride again this year for Don Pratt of Shawnee Mission, KS. Dalia Smith and Pushin' That Jazz received the reserve honors for Molly and Annabelle Smith of Manchester, KY. Bo's Shania Rose and Brenda Carlon for Dr. Harv Carlon of Lowell, Mich and Flat Creek. received the reserve honors.
Next up in a class of four strong teams, Catastrophic and Laurie Toone for Carrier and Toone of Franklyn, Ky. ,and Bell Buckle made the winning ride in the Western Plantation Pleasure Lite Shod World Grand Championship. Russell Keyser of Wemding, Germany and Our Ole Red received reserve honors. Not Dangerous Enough and Evan Morgan for Laurie Toone of Bell Buckle came in to capture third place.
Lee McGartland of Ft. Worth, Texas, guided He's Slim Shady into the spotlight in the Owner-Amateur Riders on Three-Year-Old Walking Horses World Grand Championship while The Dixie Lineman and Gail Walling of Tullahoma received the reserve honors. Play Something Country and Jeff Smith of Greer, S.C., came in third.
In the Owner-Amateur Youth English or Western Trail Pleasure, Riders 6-17 Years, World Grand Championship, Suiza and Allison Thorson of Huron, Ohio, worked to capture the blue ribbon in this deep class of youth riders. Hallelujah In the Sky with Logan Hankins from Paris, Ky. captured the red streamers. She's Pretty Jazzy and Kaitlyn Rippy from Alvaton, Ky. came in third.
Next up in class 165, the Walking Weanling World Grand Championship, Miss Cheyenne lead by Bobby Richards for Larry Messimer from Concord, N.C. captured the championship. Out of the Park and Carlyle Johnson received the reserve honors for the Dr. Alan Bachert Family of Wartrace. before an appreciative crowd. I Can't Imagine and Robert Nelms for R.L. Neil of Murfreesboro came in third.
The riders were back to work in The Two-Year-Old World Grand Championship. The winning ride was made by Bingo Time with Tim Gray in the irons for Sandy Shumate of Atlanta and Shelbyville. I'm Copperfield with Knox Blackburn aboard were second to the center for R. Bud Moore of Catherine, Ala. They Call Me Samson with Mickey McCormick for Bill and Karen Bean of Tomball, Texas, took third place.
Elegance of Design and Nancy Lovato were in the spotlight tonight in the Plantation Pleasure, Lite Shod, Owner-Amateur Riders World Grand Championship for Kasidy Petty of Riverton, UT. Honor My Cash with Debbie Palmer of Elizabethton, Penn., captured the second place position. Gen's Million Dollar Baby and Jimmy Laughlin for 4-J Land & Cattle Co of Waynesville, Mo., came in third.
Nine Yard Blitz and Laura Cochran of Chatsworth, Ga., blitzed the Owner-Amateur Riders on Four-Year-Old Walking Horses World Grand Championship. Arm's Deal for Real M with Debbie Eichler for Rising Star Ranch of Shelbyville rode in for reserve honors. Ozone's Full Throttle and Lynda Brogdon of Tallahassee, Fla. claimed third place.
In the Park Pleasure Walking Horse World Grand Championship, Sam Whiskey with Jamey Thompson for Stonegate Farms of Orange, Calif., drank up the honors =-. Santana's Coin with David Landrum for McNeely and Landrum of Blowing Rock, NC and Franklin received the second place ribbon. Generator's Masquerading with Webby Burch for the Carl Lewis Estate of Bossier City, LA took third place.
The Owner-Amateur Riders on Walking Horses World Grand Championship (Canter) tri-color ribbon winner was Roll the Gold and Spud Warr of Phenix City, Ala. Iron Works Tin Man and Grant Jones of Greenville, Ky. captured the reserve honors. Erica Derickson of Wartrace and Watch For Glory came in third.
Paid attendance for Saturday's championship was 21,576 to see 127 entries. The Celebration posted a paid attendance of 195,299 for the ten-night event.
For complete class results of the entire 2009 Celebration, log on to www.twhnc.com.
Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Championship
1. WATCH IT NOW, Jimmy McConnell for Waterfall Farms
2. A VICTORIA SECRET, Gary Edwards for Chester/Lynda Stokes
3. THE COACH, John Allan Callaway for Barnes/Holland/Kilgore
4. CADILLACS BUM, Edgar Abernathy for Pam Betts
5. PUTTIN CASH ON THE LINE, Ray Gilmer for Tommy Jowers Family
6. PRIVATE CHARTER, Knox Blackburn for Eva Eddleman
7. THE GOLDEN SOVEREIGN, David Landrum for Evergreen Walking Horse Farm
8. KING OF THE JUNGLE, Charlie Green for Nestor Stewart Family
9. PUSHERS ASTRO, Joe Cotten for M/M Wendell Blankenship
10. FLASH OF SILVER, Stephen Daniel for Willis Bowman