By Sarah Gee
©Voice, October 2006

Star - World Grand Champion Four-Year-Old.

There is no greater thrill in our industry than taking a spotlight ride at the Celebration. No matter what’s going on outside the show ring, when a horse and rider team hits that storied arena their focus is complete as they move as one and put their all into riding for the roses. 30 World Grand Champions were crowned at this year’s Celebration and each and every one of them will take their place in the history of the Tennessee Walking Horse.

While the final three nights of the Celebration are commonly referred to as “Championship Nights,” the first World Grand Championship is actually awarded the first weekend of the show. Numerous contenders that had won blue ribbons throughout the season hotly contested this year’s Yearling World Grand Championship. In the end, the judges’ pick was Bubba’s Sip Of Gin owned by Dr. Roger Richards and led by Robert Nelms.


Gen On The Run – World Grand Champion Three-Year-Old.

The excitement was palpable Thursday night as everyone looked forward to the final three performances of the 2006 Celebration. First up on the championship docket was the Owner-Amateur Youth Ponies World Grand Championship. Rudy Rudiger, with Alexandria Holland up, made the spotlight ride for the children of Neal and Sherry Holland. Next, the ever-successful Pusher’s Beaming Pride defeated a top field of lite shod competitors to become the 2006 Lite Shod (Canter) World Grand Champion. Howard Hamilton was in the irons for owners Jim and Debbie Nichols. It was the third year in a row for John FK’s Pusher and Robin MacDonald as they strolled to another Elite Owner-Amateur World Grand Championship. Bruce and Robin MacDonald own John FK’s Pusher.
Grandparents Larry and Pam Russell had be to proud to see Benjamin Bowen direct their Sanman to the Owner-Amateur Youth 11 & Under World Grand Championship. For the second time in three years, The Lady Of The Ritz walked her way to the Owner-Amateur English Trial Pleasure World Grand Championship. Marty Irby was aboard the talented mare for owners Waterfall Farms and Marty Irby. Suzanne Littell picked up yet another Owner-Amateur Show Pleasure World Grand Championship, this time with Zulu instead of Coin Maker. Zulu is owned by Moore and Littell.
Drop The Hammer did indeed drop the hammer on the competition as he and Bobby Richards brought home the Western Lite Shod (Canter) World Grand Championship for Stacey Richards. Highway Robbery and owner/exhibitor Betty Corlew topped a fine field to speed away with the Owner-Amateur 15.2 & Under World Grand Championship. The tri-color for the final class of the evening, the Three-Year-Old World Grand Championship, was claimed by 2005 Two-Year-Old World Grand Champion Gen On The Run with Justin Harris up for owners Michael and Ty Hart.

Youth Pony World Grand Champion Rudy Rudiger.

The first championship awarded on Friday night went to Santana’s Coin in the Owner-Amateur Park Pleasure final. John McNeely made the victory pass for McNeely and Landrum. Always hotly contested, the Owner-Amateur Specialty World Grand Championship was claimed by The Sky Command with Julie Grider riding for the Tommy Grider family. For an amazing fourth year in a row Double Java and Scott Benham proved they were the strongest team in the Lite Shod World Grand Championship.
Double Java is owned by the Mike Chiappari family. The Pollack’s Silver Spur Ranch property Push N For Pleasure and Patti Pollack were a true pleasure to watch as they strolled under the spotlight as Owner-Amateur Western Trail Pleasure World Grand Champions. Leaving the novice division in the dust, My First Dollar and George Ann Pratt walked their way to the Owner-Amateur Novice World Grand Championship for owners Don and George Ann Pratt. After qualifying in a youth novice class, Mary Morrison directed Watch N Bedazzled to a dazzling performance that earned the Owner-Amateur Youth 12-17 World Grand Championship.
Watch N Bedazzled is the property of Andrew Morrison. Wowing the crowd for the second straight year, Armed & Trigger Happy hit the bulls-eye and brought home another Western Park Pleasure (Canter) World Grand Championship. Patrick Thomas did the honors for owners Jim and Debbie Nichols. Roll The Gold and owner/exhibitor Spud Warr took the gold as they rolled to the Owner-Amateur Two-Year-Old title. Finally, to close out Friday’s performance, 2005 Three-Year-Old World Champion and Reserve World Grand Champion Star truly lived up to his name as he and Jackie McConnell rode under the spotlight as Four-Year-Old World Grand Champions. Owner Opal Moody could not have been happier.

JFK’s Irish Dream started out Saturday evening’s festivities in style as she and Sue Harrington made the victory pass as Owner-Amateur Mares/Geldings World Grand Champions for owner Joe Harrington. The Western Lite Shod World Grand Championship was next on the agenda and Marquita By Design and Craig Swaggerty were ready as they brought home the floral horseshoe for owner Karrie Paul. Topping a strong class of young contenders, Muddy Buddy and Alicia McDaniel made a great show to take the Owner-Amateur Three-Year-Old World Grand Championship for the David Perry family. National Futurity Champion Whoopin It On Command and Nathan Mills took command as they walked to the Weanling World Grand Championship for owners Nathan and April Mills.
Another National Futurity Champion, The Coach, had all the right moves to capture the Two-Year-Old World Grand Championship. The Coach was ridden by Joe Cotten for owners Holland and Kilgore. Pusher’s Beaming Pride returned to the Celebration winner’s circle Saturday evening to claim the Owner-Amateur Lite Shod World Grand Championship with Jim Nichols in the irons. Watch For Glory found glory as she and Herbert Derickson earned the tri-color as Mares/Geldings (Canter) World Grand Champions. Erica and Maria Derickson own Watch For Glory. Howard Hamilton directed A Neon Knight to the spotlight ride in the Park Pleasure World Grand Championship for thrilled owners Randall and Gloria Dixon. It was no shock when 2005 Owner-Amateur Three-Year-Old World Grand Champion Shock Jock muscled his way to the Owner-Amateur Four-Year-Old title. Becky Coleman was up on Shock Jock for owners Michael and Becky Coleman. The final world grand championship of the 2006 Celebration went to The Golden Sovereign with Keith McSwain aboard for the Dan McSwain family. This talented team left Shelbyville with the Owner-Amateur (Canter) World Grand Championship.

Although the 2006 Celebration did not see the crowning of a World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse, it did see the crowning of 30 outstanding world grand champions. Each of these horses is a true credit to our great breed and each deserves our praise and applause.