Trade fair underway at Calsonic Arena

There are many traditions involved with the Celebration, from the formal wear of the awards presenters to the Optimist Club donuts. When thousands of visitors come to Shelbyville every year, they come for the whole package, not just to see the horses.

Part of the package is the trade show, where they can see -- and hopefully purchase -- anything from a $10 Christmas tree ornament to a gooseneck trailer that costs, well, considerably more than $10. The visitors can expect to see some old favorites this year, such as Galerie Saville out of Murfreesboro. Don and Dorain Rounsaville have been bringing their beautiful glass awards, vases, bowls and ornaments to the Celebration's trade fair for 19 years now, although they've been coming to the Celebration as visitors themselves since 1961.

"I kind of miss going to the shows," said Dorain, laughing. "We never get to see the last class anymore."

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Old, new friends

A native of Newfoundland, Dorain lived in Bedford County for many years. Through her time here and the awards she has helped her husband create for various horse shows over the years, she has made many friends in the industry. The trade fair is just another way to catch up with them, she said.

One year, the couple donated a trophy for a horse and carriage class, but needed a pattern to etch a horse and carriage onto the glass trophy itself. They visited the Walking Horse Report where they found a good candidate, a photo of a horse and carriage, and it helped them get the job done.

"The woman who won the trophy, it turns out -- it was her picture we had used for the pattern," said Dorain.

Economic hit

The last couple of years have been rough economically for them, as for almost everyone else in the country, and they scaled back from their usual week-long presence at the Celebration to only the last weekend, but this year, they will be open from Saturday to Saturday.

But even though rising prices may have limited some dealers, or caused others to raise their own prices, the Rounsavills have held firm.

"We haven't changed our prices in 19 years," said Don. "We still have the $10 Christmas tree ornament. The price of glass has gone up -- but we haven't."

Things seem to be looking up economically for some vendors, and several new ones who have decided to test the Celebration waters this year. Calsonic marketing manager Jimmy Burton is excited by the number of vendors scheduled, as well as the variety.

"Sometimes I'd go to other shows, like the quarter horse nationals, and look at their trade fair," he said "You pick up some that way."

Finding vendors

Getting vendors is a combination of recruitment -- and luck.

"Some have been here before as participants," said Jimmy. "There's one lady with a booth this year, she comes all the way from California, she got to talking to me about it in the spring. I told her it sounded great."

The lady is Patti Pollack of the Silver Spurs Ranch, and the company is called "Bling!" -- but it's not what you're thinking. It's not flashy, colorful outfits meant to catch the eyes and bedazzle ...

Okay, it's exactly what you're thinking -- but with a difference. What Bling! offers is dazzling finery for the horses, not just the riders. Those in the Western classes, where glitter is good, can be seen admiring the sparkling brow bands and picking out the perfect scarf to wear to match it.

"It's all unique," said Aimee Lambert, who was working the booth during the Futurity. "Everything is one of a kind."

It's the Hat Lady

Just a few booths down, for those who are riding in classes that require more formal wear, there's formal wear. Specifically -- hats. Derbys, Hombergs, silk top hats, men's traditional felt hats, straw hats ... You name it, and if Kay Cornelius doesn't have it, she can probably get it for you.

"I'm the Hat Lady!" she said. She and her husband Ingram, live in Killen, Ala., and even though his brother, Rod Cornelius, shows, they've never brought their business to the trade show at the Celebration until now. They make the decorative bands and other accessories for the high quality hats themselves, and market them to show people wherever they can find them.

"We usually have a place at the Opryland Hotel," said Kay. "We go to some other horse shows."

The May flood that devastated the hotel hasn't kept her away from her old haunt, though. She plans to be back and set up in time for the November grand re-opening.

For now, though, she's enjoying the trade fair, meeting new people.

"We'll be back," she said. "I've enjoyed it."

New additions

There are even some long-time locals who have joined the trade fair for the first time this year. The new Covenant Bookstore has a booth set up, offering a sampling of the wide variety of items they offer in the Main Street store, from on-site laser etching to books and games.

"A lot of people think because we're a Christian bookstore, all we have is books, but there's so much more," said Andrea Lovvorn. "We feel like there are some visitors who drive right by and don't stop."

Of course, she added, there are also many visitors who are regular visitors to the store. Only now, they just have to stop by the trade fair on the concourse.

The trade fair is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, and after classes conclude in the Calsonic Arena, more vendors will move onto the floor of the arena by Wednesday morning, offering everything from fences and fly spray to therapeutic massages. There is no admission fee.