Show to feature high-stepping horses

If you like walking horses, then tonight is the night to come out and see some of the nation’s premiere examples of these beautiful animals at the 44th Annual Warren County Horseman’s Association Walking Horse Show beginning at 6 p.m. at the Warren Co. Saddle Club Arena.

The show will be a Walking Horse Trainers Association Riders Cup event, and is affiliated with the National Horse Show Commission, which certifies judges and riders.

Ringmaster for the event will be Jim Welch, Chip Walters will act as Master of Ceremonies, and providing music for the show will be organist Brian Perry. Show judge will be Gene (Smokey) Carswell.

Admission is $5, with children under 12 free and one rider per horse free.

Welch says the show will be an event for all ages for both participants and attendees.

‘We have 30 classes, all divisions, all ages of horses and all ages in the different categories of riders,’ Welch said yesterday. ‘We’ve had riders as young as 4- or 5-years-old, up to 90-years-of-age. That’s one of the trademarks of the walking horse. They’re so easy to get along with that any age rider can exhibit these horses.’

Welch said the Fourth of July week is a big one for walking horse shows in the region.

‘We’re one of four horse shows the week of the Fourth of July,’ Welch said.

The week also featured shows in Murfreesboro, Shelbyville and Woodbury.

‘This is kind of a holiday circuit, you might say, which brings a lot of riders, especially amateur riders, into the Middle Tennessee area,’ Welch said, ‘that don’t normally come unless there’s a major show or series of events.’

Welch says the Warren County show usually brings in a large group of spectators and horses from around the nation.

‘We should have, based on prior years, maybe 1,200 to 1,500 people,’ Welch said. ‘We’ll have from 275 to 300 horses. We’ll have people representing states from North Carolina to California.’

The show is also pleased to feature several WHTA Riders Cup classes.

‘We have seven classes that qualify for the Riders Cup,’ Welch said, noting these classes uses a point system similar to NASCAR. ‘Riders and trainers, and these are professional trainers, show in the Riders Cup classes and they are competing for points based on their wins in these classes during the year.’

Riders Cup classes at the Warren County show include:

‘ Class 3: Two Year Old Mares and Geldings

‘ Class 11: Two Year Old Stallions

‘ Class 21: Four Year Old Mares and Geldings

‘ Class 23: Three Year Old Stallions

‘ Class 27: Four Year Old Stallions

‘ Class 28: Three Year Old Mares and Geldings

‘ Class 30: Walking Horse Stake

Entry fees and prizes for the first five places are as follows:

‘ WHTA Riders Cup classes ‘ Entry fee $35 with prizes of $125, $100, $80, $60 and $35.

‘ WHTA Riders Cup Class 30: Walking Horse Stake ‘ Entry fee $50 with prizes of $250, $150, $100, $50 and $50.

‘ All other classes ‘ Entry fee $25 with prizes of $65, $45, $35, $30 and $25.

‘The walking horse show is a great event for the county,’ Welch said. ‘It’s an event that coincides with the Fourth of July, the Great American Race this year, and is just a great family oriented event, and we’d like to invite everyone in Warren County to come out and be with us.’

For more information, contact Barbara Welch at 668-3964, or Debra Moore at 686-8431. People on federal disqualification cannot transport horses to this show and can participate only as a spectator.