The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration continues to make plans to hold the Spring Fun Show on its traditional Memorial Day weekend date.  This year that date would be May 21-23.  Given the uncertain status of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on events, the Celebration continues to also look at contingency plans.

If local, state and national health experts and officials prohibit the show from happening in May the Celebration will host the Spring Fun Show June 24-27, 2020.  “We continue to hope and plan to host our show on its traditional date, which given the circumstances might allow it to open what assures to be a great summer of shows leading up to the Celebration,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman.

In addition to looking at a possible alternative date, the Celebration board continues to look at other measures it can take to assure the public that they are safe and that the Celebration takes the health and well-being of exhibitors, fans and employees seriously.  “The board has opted to hold the show in Maverick Arena instead of Calsonic Arena this year to take advantage of the open-air environment and additional space to host the show,” continued Inman.

 “We hope this decision along with the potential we might add a fourth night of competition to this year’s show will provide some excitement and something to look forward to for our fans and exhibitors during this difficult time in our country.  There will be additional announcements regarding the makeup of the 2020 schedule that will be forthcoming,” concluded Inman.

For more information regarding The Celebration please visit our web site at www.twhnc.com

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has selected Rollie Beard, Brent Grider and Kenny Smith to adjudicate the 49th annual Spring Fun Show, scheduled for May 23-25 at the Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Each night’s performances begin at 6 p.m.

“This group has the desired blend of experience and freshness that The Celebration likes to incorporate into any judging panel,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman. “They are more than capable of handing the judging duties of what is certain to be a collection of the best horses in the industry.”

Beard is one of the most experienced judges in the industry and has previously judged The Celebration eight times, most recent in 2014. In addition to The Celebration, Beard has judged most all major shows in the industry including Mississippi Charity, Gulf Coast Charity, the International, Tunica, the Red Carpet show in Pulaski, Columbia Spring Jubilee and Belfast.

Grider has also judged at The Celebration, marking the cards in 2012. Grider also has a wealth of experience at other major shows including the Kentucky Celebration, Alabama Jubilee, Columbia Spring Jubilee, Gulf Coast Charity, Lewisburg and the National Trainers’ Show, which Grider did for the second time this year.

A new face to the Celebration series of shows is Kenny Smith. Smith has previously judged the 2017 and 2018 Alabama Jubilee and also judged the National Trainers’ Show in 2018.  Smith has been a long-time horse owner and exhibitor as well as shown in the Amateur Owned & Trained divisions.

In 2018, The Celebration began “associate judges” for the Spring Fun Show in an effort to help continue to grow the judging pool and as a way to evaluate additional judges in the heat of battle during the Fun Show.  Last year, Ross Campbell and Grant Holt were the associate judges and Campbell went on to judge The Celebration later that same year.

“We are happy to build on the tremendous success of the associate judge system that began last year,” Inman said. “This initiative dramatically accelerates the process of expanding the pool of judges with Celebration experience. Three of the five judges at this year’s Fun Show will be making their Celebration-event debut in either the official or associate judge capacity.”

This year, Jason Hughes and Becky Barnes will fill out the associate judge roles and mark their cards on Thursday and Friday night of the Spring Fun Show.  Hughes has previously judged the Alabama Jubilee three times as well as Woodbury, National Trainers’ Show and North Carolina Championships.  Barnes has judged the 2018 WHTA Thanksgiving Classic, Marshall, Texas and other shows in the Kentucky circuit.

The Celebration will also conduct a trial run of electronic judging equipment at this year’s Fun Show. The Celebration hopes to speed the process of tying the classes and announcement of the results so as to reduce the time of the show and significantly decrease the amount of dead time at the show.  

“The use of electronic judging is eagerly anticipated and we are truly excited to evaluate its impact, both within center ring and for the spectator experience,” Inman said. 

If the program is successful, the hope is to have the program used at this year’s Celebration.