Celebration releases class schedule following comment period

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration released its tentative class schedule for its 2019 edition, which is scheduled to take place Aug. 21-31 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. A few changes to the schedule were made following a comment period where trainers, owners and exhibitors could express their input to the committee overseeing the schedule.

Some of the highlights being implemented to this year’s class schedule as a result of that comment period include revisions or additions regarding the flat shod division, the junior horse division and the pony division.
“The committee implemented several of the comments received and feel this schedule is better as a result of that stakeholder input,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman.

In the flat shod division, an Amateur Three and Under Country Pleasure World Grand Championship as well as a Trail Pleasure World Grand Championship have been added. 

“As these divisions have grown the committee felt the numbers are now there to support world grand championship classes,” Inman said. “We look forward to seeing how this opportunity unfolds in 2019.”

The new schedule also reflects the official change to the junior horse division, with the exception of Rider’s Cup classes in the padded/performance divisions, where the age for a junior contender remains four and under. Otherwise, junior horses are now considered to be ages five and under. 

Exhibitors should also note the Celebration’s plans regarding the Amateur Pony World Grand Championship. Regarding the ponies, preliminary classes will be held for amateur pony stallions and amateur pony mares and geldings, respectively. Following the preliminaries, if 10 or more horses are entered for the Amateur Pony World Grand Championship, that world grand championship will take place — it will be class number 142. 

In the case where fewer than 10 ponies are entered for the world grand championship, class 142 will not take place. Rather, ponies will instead show in class 146, which is the Amateur 15.2 and Under World Grand Championship. This is the same set of guidelines the Celebration followed regarding this division last year. 

“Last year, the entries in the Amateur Pony World Grand Championship fell just short of the number needed to be a stand- alone championship,” Inman said. “With the number of entries just shy of the 10-horse threshold in 2018, the committee thought it would be good to offer the same opportunity this year in hopes of increased participation.”

Click here for the tentative schedule