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Now in its twenty-ninth year, the Celebration is a miracle of community effort. It was conceived by a civic club of Shelbyville whose members were inspired by the many festivals and similar events that were held each year to celebrate various other activities. It is now under the direction of the Celebration, Incorporated, a group of civicminded citizens. Great pride is taken in the success of this venture that has seen steady growth for many years.
The^ show itself has long since become known simply as the Celebration” and indeed every horse enthusiast in the land, regardless of his breed, knows about this fabulous horse show and the Tennessee Walking Horse. With this in mind... let’ s pursue the background of this classic event that is to the light horse world what the Kentucky Derby is to the Thoroughbreds.
What is the big attraction of the Celebration? Why would a city the size of Shelbyville put itself so completely into a single project? Like other horse shows throughout the nation, the Celebration is managed for the express purpose of raising funds for civic and community betterment, but the Celebration is more than that. When a town the size of Shelbyville, with a population of 11,800, suddenly finds itself the host to twenty thousand strangers, nothing but southern hospitality at its very finest could cope with the complexities of lodging, feeding, traffic, and the multitude of other problems that a situation such as this creates. But Shelbyville is proud of the Celebration— after all, the show put Shelbyville in the limelight, and the citizens and merchants have a reputation to uphold. This they do with good will and a genuine eagerness to help the visitors truly enjoy their stay in the city of Champions.
Although the town is flooded with people in the daytime, in the evenings the streets are virtually empty, as
the visitors and many of the residents crowd the grandstands at the Celebration grounds. The grounds consist of approximately sixty acres of rolling land located in Shelbyville proper. There are stable facilities for over thirteen hundred horses and the permanent grandstands can hold 22,500 spectators with 3500 more seats being added this year. Much labor and planning goes into the preparation for the show each year and as one season ends the plans for the next year must start almost immediately, for the Celebration is a major endeavor.
To keep the grounds in good order, a maintenance crew works the year’ round. As the big show approaches, new paint is added to the show ring, the vast speaker system is set up and put in working order, and box seats are numbered and signs painted. The turf in the big ring is turned and packed to assure perfect footing for the
horses. While the grounds are being put in show order, a
large staff of volunteer workers moves into the offices under the big grandstand to begin work on handling the entries, registrations, tickets and programs which are so
necessary. It is easy to imagine that they think, each time they receive an entry,“ Could this be the next World’ s Grand Champion?” Pondering this same question are visitors who stop to view the official“ Board of Champions” which lists the great winners of the past. Another favorite spot for spectators is the large trophy case under the grandstand that holds the thoustands of dollars’ worth of silver awards to be presented during the week of competition.
AUGUST, 1967
As show time approaches, people from all parts of the country and all walks of life converge on the Celebration grounds, bringing their horses and their hopes to the show. In the largest custom-built vans and the smallest one-horse trailers, on they come with their beloved Tennessee Walking Horses. Day by day the tempo increases until finally the early morning mist is broken by the blare of a loudspeaker and one hears the familiar sound of the barn office announcer heralding the proceedings of the day— and once again the time has come— the day that all Tennessee Walking Horse lovers look forward to throughout the year has finally arrived. The Celebration has begun!
As the excitement of the show increases, so do the various activities surrounding the Celebration. In and around Shelbyville are held several annual auction sales that feature many of the finest horses available. There is an excitement here that is paralleled nowhere else in the sports world, as the horses enter the sales arena and the auctioneer starts his chant. The bidding begins, and each interested party bids to his own satisfaction, trusting his judgment against all others in he hopes of owning a really fine Tennessee Walking Horse— a horse he can train, and dream about, and sweat over, and finally bring back to the hallowed ground of Middle Tennessee... to the proving grounds of the breed... to the Celebration!
This annual event is a complex and stimulating activity. It is one of the factors that make the Tennessee Walking Horse a“ different breed of cat” as compared to other light horse breeds. Ours is the only show horse in the land that looks to no higher authority for recognition. Horse show associations, state organizations, regional associations and other entities having to do with the various show horse activities all take a back seat to the Celebration when it comes to recognition of our“ world champions.”
Several attempts have been made to wrest the“ World Championship” status away from this middle Tennessee classic, but every attempt has failed, because in the minds of Walking Horse enthusiasts everywhere, a horse is not a true champion unless he has won the“ Celebration.”
The attraction of the Celebration is somewhat varied. It is many things to many people. To a trainer it represents a pinnacle of his yearly activity. The winning of a top class at the Celebration has literally“ made” many trainers. In some cases it has ruined trainers who were not ready to handle the“ smell of success” and the attention and publicity that goes with winning. To the horse owners it represents“ an expenditure” that only a blue ribbon can account for. To professional farriers it represents a“ Mecca” for business and ten days of constant work. To countless others, the Celebration represents a diversion from their routine activities and they come by the thousands to share in the success of some and the failures of others... they project themselves into the saddle as a big-time champion makes the turn in the running walk... and to dream a little as the crowd picks up a popular favorite and, right or wrong, cheers it on in an effort to“ sway the judges” to their way of thinking. It is a great show! We hope to see you there!
FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH— THE“ VOICE” NOW HAS ALMOST TWICE AS MANY PAID SUBSCRIBERS AS ITS NEAREST COMPETITOR. IF IT IS WALKING HORSES THAT YOU WANT... WE HAVE ' EM!
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