First day of showing opens with repeat champions
By Britney Brown

For 11 days, Shelbyville hosts the culmination of a year of hard work: late nights, early mornings, sweat, blood, laughter and tears. The judging panel for this year’s classes include Chris Bobo, Ross Campbell, Robert Cortner, Brent Grider and David Sisk. The festivities began at 9AM, featuring 13 classes, which ranged from model, to trail pleasure, to lite-shod and equitation.

After the opening announcements, Class 1 entered the ring, Model Pleasure Mares. Six of the seven entries made the gate call for the good class. Taking first place honors and the first world championship of the 87th Celebration was the team of My Miranda Lambert and Laurie Toone for Ally Jo Jacobs, for the third year in a row. This follows wins at the WHTA Trainers’ Show, Spring Fun Show, Let Freedom Ring and Woodbury Lions Club shows. The Tiger Lily stepped out of the country pleasure youth division into the model class and took reserve with Beverly Carter for Jennifer Stanley. Robert Nelms and Catherine Zeta-Jones were awarded the yellow streamer.  

Class 2, Owner-Amateur English Trail Pleasure, was a competitive class with four talented entries. Ultimately, Mr. Booty and owner/rider Sherry Kessler dominated and took home the blue. Sired by The Dixie Lineman, Mr. Booty had earlier season wins at the Spring Fun Show and Cornersville Lions Club show. Blacklist, many time Trail Pleasure World Grand Champion, and owner Jane Pirolo took second place, while I’m Balenciaga took third, ridden by Cindy Long.  

Owner-Amateur English Lite-Shod was next on the program where three entries made the gate call for Class 3. Roscoe Jenkins, the world champion in the division consecutively since 2020, made the victory pass with owner and rider Susan Coleman of Unionville. Reserve honors went to Senorita Carmelita, 2023 Novice Lite-Shod World Champion, with Elese Lewis for Salt Lick Farm and Elese Lewis. The yellow streamer in the good class went to I’m Majestic and Dr. Karen Baum. 

Class 4E was the beloved Auxiliary Equitation Medal Class, Riders 12-14 Years. Ruth Collins of Maysville, Kentucky, was the only entry in the class, and she gave an elegant show. Collins has already had a successful show career with first place ribbons through the years at many top industry shows. The was the third equitation world championship with two others coming in 2024 and 2020.

Up next on the agenda, Class 5, Owner-Amateur English Country Pleasure had 12 entries in the program, and nine make the gate call. The class turned up the heat on the competition, but in the end, the blue ribbon was awarded to Jose’s Twist Of Gin, ridden and owned by Patti Pollack. This follows a highly successful season so far with 10 previous wins at The Phoenix, WHOA Spring Extravaganza, Walking For The Angels, Woodbury Lions Club and The International. King Mojo, a 2025 champion at the FAST Spring Showcase, Spring Extravaganza and Spring Fun Show took reserve in the class. He was ridden by owner Kathy Anderson. The Maiden, a 2021 world champion, took third place with owner and rider Dale Steinmetz.

Soon, Class 6, Elite Owner-Amateur Park Pleasure, was on the rail. The class featured a talented group of veteran champions. However, only one could make the victory lap. For the second year in a row, the top honor went to Dixie’s Legacy for Billie DeArmond and Sister Milligan. Last year it was DeArmond in the irons for the win, and this year Milligan took to the reins for the world championship. Sired by The Dixie Lineman, Dixie’s Legacy won at Christmas In July earlier in the show season. Reserve in the class were One Special Poison and Lisa Shockey. Dose’ and Lisa Baum received third place honors.

Owner-Amateur Four-Year-Old Trail Pleasure, Class 7, was an exciting class with five entries stepping and smiling their way around the ring. After the cards were tallied, it was reigning World Grand Champions Cha Cha Ching SF and Jordan Howell who wore the blue ribbon for the victory pass w for owner Janet Howell of Murfreesboro. Dead Beat Daddy, who won this year at Walking For The Angels, Let Freedom Ring and the Woodbury Lions Club, took the reserve honors with owner Susan Hills aboard, for Dennis and Susan Hills. Daddy’s Cash sired both the first and second place horses in the good class. Third place went to On The Money DSG, sired by I Am Jose’, and owner Darren Gray. 

Class 8 was Owner-Amateur Five-Year-Old Trail Pleasure and six entries made the gate call. After the workout, She’s Venomous and owner Kelly Querrey were named world champions. Sired by Daddy’s Cash, She’s Venomous won the Owner-Amateur Three & Under World Grand Championship in 2023, and is back in the winner’s circle today. Enticed, sired by Walk Time Charlie, ridden and owned by Elaine Kapinos took home the red ribbon. They have had wins this year at Christmas In July and the Spring Extravaganza. Party Mode, also sired by Daddy’s Cash, with owner Emily Woodruff, took home the yellow ribbon.

Judge Campbell was the call judge for Class 9, Five & Under Park Pleasure. This class includes Futurity nominated Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure Mares, Geldings & Stallions. Nine of 15 entries answered the gate call and turned up the heat in this second half of the morning session. Taking home the blue ribbon in the class was the talented team of Midnight At Dixie’s and Jamey Thompson for the Russell Clark family from Arrington. Sired by The Dixie Lineman, Midnight At Dixie’s has only ever shown twice at the Celebration, and this was his first Celebration blue. The highest placing park pleasure futurity nominated entry took second place, and it was Fleury, ridden by Ryan Gannon for Scott and Kim Leonard of Franklin, Wisconsin. Patrick Thomas aboard I Am 2 Be Feared rode to the third award.

Seventeen entries answered the gate for Class 10, Owner-Amateur All Day Pleasure. The competition was thick as the entries each vied for a good place on the rail. Ever since this class was added to the Celebration, it has gained popularity with every passing year. This year, Just A Steel Magnolia was the unanimous choice to take home the blue with Rhiannon Barker for Dr. Grey Barker of Murfreesboro. Sired by Lined With Cash, Just A Steel Magnolia is no stranger to the winner’s circle, with wins at the FAST Spring Showcase, Spring Fun Show and Money Tree Classic earlier in the season. The duo won the Owner-Amateur Four & Five-Year-Old All Day Pleasure World Championship and Owner-Amateur All Day Pleasure World Grand Championship in 2024. Reserve went to Miss Belle Starr W. and Dr. Brittany Baum, 2020 and 2021 world champions, for Jacob and Dr. Brittany Baum. Third place honors were awarded to Failure To Appear and Amanda Manis. 

Class 11 featured Owner-Amateur Flat Shod (Canter) contenders. Three entries made the gate call for this class of experienced horses and riders where Judge Grider called the class. It was World Grand Champion Checkpoint Charlie with Alex Luttrell in the irons for Alex Luttrell and Tamara Hader who unanimously took home the blue for the class. Checkpoint Charlie has earned this title for the past six consecutive years and has been a repeated Celebration champion since 2017. Reserve went to 2024 Novice Trail Pleasure World Champion He’s A Knight Rider and owner/rider Dr. Carol Lamberson. The third place in the class rounded out with Annie’s Silver Dream, ridden by Tina Singleton for Ann Johnson.

Next was Class 12, Three-Year-Old Trail Pleasure. This class included Futurity nominated Three-Year-Old Trail Pleasure Mares, Geldings & Stallions. Seven entries competed for first place honors in the good class. Previous winners include greats like Jalapeño, Imagine Dragons and The Tiger Lily. This year, joining those great names were Lined Up To Bat and Crystal Deputy, walking to the winner’s circle for Janson Patterson and Heritage Farms. This was the first Celebration world championship for Deputy. This team culminates a successful show season in 2025 after wins at the WHTA Trainers’ Show, Walking In The Smokies and Let Freedom Ring. Second place honors went to the highest placing futurity nominated entry, Talkin’ Tennessee. Joe Lester rode for Sherri Pollack. Carrying the yellow ribbon home was Krysta Allen aboard Booby Trap, owned by Wayne and Debbie Simons. They were the Two & Three-Year-Old Trail Pleasure winners at the Germantown Charity Horse Show in June.

The final class to the ring to conclude the Wednesday morning session was class 13, Auxiliary Equitation Medal Class, Riders 15-17 Years. Three talented young riders worked the pattern with grace and poise, all making an excellent show. First place in the good class went to John Garrett Burton of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Burton won first place in Youth Equitation in 2022, 2023, and now 2025. Reserve went to Rylee Eilerman, and rounding out the awards were Joann Keyser. 

Big wins and strong performances are now in the books from this first morning session and tonight promises to bring more stiff competition. With determined riders, trainers and owners, there is no telling what night one will bring. As spectators and competitors enter the big oval for the first time in 2025, gear up for an exciting evening.