The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration announced class splits Friday afternoon for its 80th annual event, which kicks off later this month. Twelve classes have been divided, with the two-year-old stallion division once again having three splits.
“Not only do we have large classes that required splits, but we also had quite a few right on the cusp,” said Mike Inman, Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration CEO. “This speaks strongly to what will be quite a lot of classes with top talent all the way through the number of ribbons available.”
As always, the Stallion splits for the aged five and over stallions is one of the most anticipated announcements on the splits issued today. In the A division of the preliminary round of competition which is class 79A, the following entries will compete: Ice Cold Gold and Allen Abee for owner Tom Shipman, The American Ride and Jesse Barnes for Ginger Hartlein, José’s Ambush and Layne Leverette for Jeff Faulker, I’m Lombardi and Gary Edwards for Henry and Peggy Metcalf, I’m Mayhem and Rodney Dick for JoAnn Dowell, Gen A Mighty and Jimmy McConnell for Mike Floyd, A Bruce Pearl and John Allan Callaway for Lisa Baum, and José’s Thunderstruck and Larry George for Beverly Sherman.
Eight entries are also set to compete in the B division of the aged stallions in the qualifying round. They are: Putt For Dough and Bill Cantrell for Cantrell and Powell, José’s Power Broker and Keith Blackburn, He’s Unleashed and Chad Williams for Evergreen Walking Horse Farm, Really Coach? And Tyler Baucom for Kerry DeArmond and Denny Russell, Bourbon Street I. and Larry Edwards for Duke Ingram, Master’s Razzle & Jazz and Herbert Derickson for The Alan Riddley Family, Bravo! And Cha Way for Diana Cruse, and José’s Cold Chills and John Allan Callaway for LaRue McWaters.
Several other classes will be split, including the following:
21 – Owner-Amateur Riders on Two-Year-Old Walking Stallions
25- Owner-Amatuer Novice Lady Rider on Novice Walking Mares or Geldings
45 – *Three-Year-Old Walking Stallions
48- Owner-Amateur Novice Lady Riders on Novice Walking Stallions
70 – *Three-Year-Old Walking Mares
73 – *Two-Year-Old Walking Mares
79 – *Walking Stallions, 5 Years & Over (Canter)
90 – Owner-Amateur Riders on Four-Year-Old Walking Mares or Geldings
105 – *Two-Year-Old Walking Stallions (A,B,C)
113 – Owner-Amateur Riders on Two-Year-Old Walking Mares or Geldings
118- Owner-Amateur Riders on Three-Year-Old Walking Stallions
122 – Owner-Amateur Riders on Three-Year-Old Walking Mares or Geldings
Look for more information and updates regarding the Celebration, which kicks off Aug. 23, in the days to come at walkinghorsereport.com.