The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration® will launch a new online entry system for this year’s 50th Anniversary Fun Show. The Fun Show will be held June 25-27 in Maverick Arena. Due to recommendations issued by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture as well as the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association and Walking Horse Trainers’ Association to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its spread, The Celebration® will implement the online entry system. The system will be available for entry from June 19th – 23rd.  For those not comfortable with the online system, paper entries will be taken at the show just as in years past. 

“We are hopeful that our online system will be utilized by our entrants this year and we are committed to helping everyone through this process should they encounter any issues.  However, we do realize that the online system can be a challenge for some which is why we will continue to offer our traditional system of entry in addition to the new online system,” said Celebration Director of Operations Connie Allen.
The Celebration® intends to utilize the same system for entries at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration® to be held August 26 – September 5, 2020.

Instructions on how to enter online (Reminder you can create an account at any time but entries will be taken from Friday June 19th through Tuesday June 23rd):

If trainers or exhibitors have any questions or problems they should contact Celebration Entry Office Manager Emily Gill 931-684-5915 ext. 133. 

1. Go to www.gaitkeeper.com and click “Log In”. It is located in the top right corner of the homepage.
2. You will then click “Want to register?” and proceed to create an account.
3. After doing so, you will go back to the homepage and click “Log In” and use your log in you created.
4. Once you have done that, you will go to the homepage again, and click “2020 SPRING FUN SHOW”.  It may be located at the bottom under “Upcoming Shows”.
5. Please read the information before clicking “Add Entry”. There will be guidelines listed on how to make your Entry and what you will need to know in order to successfully complete your online entry.
6. We will need all fields completed in order for your Entry to download properly.  If there is a field that you do not know or doesn’t apply to this show, please answer with “0”.  Please provide birth date of Exhibitor.
7. For online entries, back numbers will be assigned by the Entry Office and you will pick those up at the SHOW office.

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration board of directors has selected Smokey Carswell, Chris Bobo and Dickie Scrivner to judge the 50th Annual Spring Fun Show. The Fun show will be outdoors in Maverick Arena May 20-23, 2020 in accordance with state health and safety protocols. The panel is a blend of experience in Carswell and Bobo with a new face to a Celebration event in Scrivner. 

Carswell has judged all three of the Celebration’s horse shows. Carswell judged most recently the Tunica Fall Classic in 2018, the Spring Fun Show in 2008 and the Celebration in 2003. Carswell also judged The Celebration in 1995 and 2000.  Bobo has judged both the Fun Show in 2013 and The Celebration in 2012, 2016 and 2017. Bobo most recently judged the North Carolina Championships in 2019.

Scrivner is the “new kid on the block” when it comes to a Celebration when it comes to the three-judge panel.  However Scrivner has judged many of the industry’s premier events including the Columbia Spring Jubilee in 2019. Scrivner has also judged on multiple occasions at the Mississippi Charity (four times) as well as judging Woodbury over the 4th of July weekend and the Alabama Jubilee.

“We are very pleased to welcome this great panel to our 50th Spring Fun Show. The trio blends a great balance of experience, knowledge and a new face to one of our shows,” said Mike Inman, Celebration CEO.  As has become a recent trend, the Celebration also named two associate judges, Beverly Carter and Joe Herald, who will judge the first two nights with the official judging panel however their cards will not count in the tying of the class. “We continue to be dedicated to expanding the judging pool and allowing as many judges as possible the opportunity to gain the experience on one of the industry’s grandest stage,” concluded Inman.

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has released the final Class Schedule for the 82nd Annual Celebration to be held on its historic show grounds August 26th – September 5th. Click here to view the final class sheet.

The Celebration released a tentative schedule on January 31st and took comments and suggestions through March 3rd. The Celebration received a significant amount of input from owners, exhibitors and trainers and analyzed the impact of each comment. “The Celebration Board is very thankful to have received so many responses to their request for input into this year’s schedule. The scheduling committee reviewed the nearly 30 recommendations received and are pleased that the majority of those recommendations have been implemented,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman.

Each year the Celebration appoints a committee to look at thee class schedule and look for ways to improve it as well as improve the overall experience for our fans. The Celebration looks heavily at participation in specific divisions and classes to see current trends and to put the most horses in the ring for our fans. In addition the current rulebook as well as an emphasis on diversity in our class sheet is considered and The Celebration is doing everything it can to continue to promote participation of our youth.

“We feel this schedule combines both traditions from over 80 years as well as evolving trends in our industry.  Balancing those two elements are essential both to our participants and our spectators,” concluded Inman. 

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 Celebration will make stalls available for those affected by the recent storm and tornado outbreak in Tennessee. Stalls will be at no charge and includes electricity and water. The Celebration will also clean the stalls after horses leave. Areas to work or exercise your horses will be made available at no extra charge however horses cannot be “turned out”. Daily cleaning, bedding, and food will be the responsibility of those using stalls. Current coggins and health papers should accompany each equine. RV spots and parking for trailers are available on site. For more information contact The Celebration office at 931-684-5915.

The SHOW HIO recently hired Tim Hatfield as its lead DQP. The position became available after the resignation of John Paul Riner who had led the program for the last two years. Riner, who had been a Designated Qualified Person (DQP) with SHOW since 2010, resigned from his position in December. “We can’t thank John Paul enough for his service to SHOW and our industry. He was a professional and did an amazing job leading our HIO and its DQPs in consistent enforcement of the HPA,” said SHOW executive committee member Jeffrey Howard.

Hatfield has been a DQP with SHOW since its inception in 2009 and actually received his license with the National Horse Show Commission just prior to the activation of the SHOW HIO. Hatfield was a trusted member of Riner’s team over the last several years and has worked all of the major industry shows affiliated with SHOW. Hatfield is from Johnson City, Tenn., where he lives with his wife of 31 years, Bobbie. Hatfield has two sons and is retired from the refractory industry where he had a career that spanned over 30 years.

“I am excited about this opportunity. I loved the way John Paul ran SHOW and I intend to keep things running in the same manner. I look forward to working with the industry and trainers to continue to improve compliance with the HPA and have our horse shows thrive,” said Hatfield

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is sad to announce it will not host the Celebration Great Mule and Donkey Show in 2020. Although the show has been a mid-summer staple for 28 years, participation both in and out of the ring has significantly declined in recent years. The show has typically been held the week after the 4th of July.

Specifically, in the last two years revenues have fallen far short of a breakeven point for The Celebration, which makes the cancellation of the event a necessary action of The Celebration. The Celebration Board of Directors reached out to the participating associations to see if they knew of ways to increase sponsorship to help The Celebration with its financial shortfall or if those associations wanted to continue the show and rent the facilities from the Celebration.

Neither of those efforts were successful as the associations noted a reduction in most of their other events which have posed similar challenges. “The Celebration is truly thankful for the great relationships built with those within the respective Mule and Donkey associations throughout the years and we wish everyone involved the very best,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman.  

As a result of the cancellation of the event, the week of July 6-11, 2020 is open and available for rent by another event.

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration board approved the 2020 tentative Celebration class schedule at its meeting on Tuesday evening, January 28th. “The boards’ goal is to get the schedule out early to aid trainers and owners in their planning for the upcoming season.” 

The Celebration will review comments and suggestions after the 30-day comment period which ends March 3rd. Shortly after that deadline is when the final schedule will be released. As in the past few years the schedule committee reviews the results from the previous Celebration along with results dating back two and three years. The focus is on participation earmarked by how many horses enter the ring in each class, the length of each session, and trends within the industry that effect interest in particular classes and divisions.  

This analysis along with recommendations are then presented to the full Celebration board for discussion and final determination. A summary of the changes proposed for 2020 include: 
1. Classes 21E and 22E  (in 2019) are combined to form 1 class in 2020
2. Class 102 (in 2019) AOT Lite Shod WH, NPT in 90 days has been removed
3.  Class 92 (in 2019) O/A Riders on Western Train Pleasure WH will move to Monday morning and will be class 100 in 2020
4.  Class 93 (in 2019) Elite O/A Gentleman Riders on walking M & G will move to Monday evening and become class 108 in 2020
5.  Class 151 (in 2019) O/A riders on Show Pleasure WGC will move from Friday evening to Thursday evening class 137 in 2020

If you would like to make a comment or suggestion please call the Celebration office at 931-684-5915 or go to www.twhnc.com and send your comment to us via email.

2020 TENTATIVE CELEBRATION® CLASS SCHEDULE for comment through March 3

The Tunica Fall Classic, scheduled for Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2019 at the Paul Battle Jr. Arena, has released its final class schedule.

Judges have also been announced, the always-anticipated exhibitor’s party is lined up for Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Celebration CEO Mike Inman believes anyone who attends this fall staple will hit the jack pot in terms of having a fun time.

Inman explained the thought process behind some of the schedule changes, which are listed at the bottom of this news release. Regarding the Novice flat shod class on Friday, that decision was made to allow both country and trail pleasure to compete together. Novice is defined as a rider who has never won a blue ribbon at the Tunica Fall Classic.

The  grooms and farriers class on Saturday evening is another change. 

“This is a great way to pay tribute to these hard working people that are so critical to every show throughout the year,” he said. “It’s a great way to say thanks and cheer them on.”

Perhaps the icing on the cake, there has been another interesting change that’s sure to draw lots of attention. The Walking Horse Championship and Any Adkins Memorial Youth Riders Championship have been reversed in order on the last night.  

“This year the youth riders will close out the show in what is always an exciting and roof raising class,” Inman said. “It’s a fitting way to celebrate Andy Adkins and the youth of our industry.”

More information about Tunica, such as entry deadlines, hotel information forms, and more can be found at twhnc.com. 

The following class changes are as follows:  

• Novice Flat Shod class on Friday
• Grooms Class on Saturday
• SPECIAL NOTE: The Walking Horse Championship and Andy Adkins Memorial Youth Riders Championship have been reversed in order on the last night. This year the youth riders will close out the show.

The Celebration is pleased to announce the host hotel for this years’ Tunica Fall Classic October 31st through November 2nd  will be the Gold Strike Casino and Resort. This MGM property is the premier destination facility in Tunica. The special horse show rates will again be $49 on weekdays and $95 Friday and Saturday plus fees. To secure these rates call 888-245-7829 and ask for Tunica Fall Classic or promotion code #90093. If you have any problem contact the Celebration office at 931-684-5915 for assistance. 

There will be a special exhibitor party on Wednesday evening at the resort that everyone is invited to. We look forward to seeing you at the Tunica Fall Classic!