Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse

WGC & WC

And Robert Bowden

AAmndaKtaetuhyrASntdaerlslioonns

And Jimmy Baumgardner

Park Performance

Trained by

Money Tree Classic Hannah Myatt, Trainer
Amateur Five & Under Trail Pleasure Krysta Allen, Assistant Trainer

Unanimous Champion Alvaton, KY
InternOatwionnaeldGbraynRdoCbhearmt pBioonwsdhiepn
AmatWeuarrFtrivaece&, UTNnd&erDCehnavmilpleio, nNJ

And Kathy Anderson

Owned by Many times Trained by
Kathy Anderson All Day Pleasure Champion
College Grove, TN Hannah Myatt, Trainer
Krysta Allen, Assistant Trainer

Alvaton, KY

And Kathy
Anderson

Trained by

Oak Grove WHOA Jamboree

Country Pleasure 2 & 3 Year Old Champion

Owned by The International Grand Championship
Kathy Anderson
College Grove, TN Country Pleasure Five & Under Hannah Myatt, Trainer
Amateur Grand Championship Krysta Allen, Assistant Trainer

wiwthitJhoJrodradnan
CaCuaduidllill

Owned by the Tim Brown Family 2 Year Old Mares
Science Hill, KY
CONTENDER

with Tyra Brown

Owned by the Tim Brown Family Novice Ladies
Science Hill, KY
CONTENDER

with Gryffin Sexton

YOUTH 6-11

CONTENDER

with Tyra Brown &
Cole McCormick

Amateur & Youth Park Performance

CONTENDER

Owned by the Tim Brown Family
Science Hill, KY

with Trista Caudill

2 YEAR OLD STALLIONS

CONTENDER

with Tim Brown

Owned by the Tim Brown Family YEARLINGS
Science Hill, KY
CONTENDER

SECOND FREDA DEAN
TO NONE: EARNS HER
MOMENT

By Kristi Payne

While winning is wonderful and Freda Dean’s 2021 Celebration
there’s nowhere I’d rather be than World Championship was decades
riding down that chute, the people in the making.

God has placed in my life via this Her childhood was shaped by early mornings and
community are what really keep me late nights spent doing barn chores and assisting her
father, Valton Rummage, as he spent the 1960’s es-
coming back year after year. tablishing himself as one of the most prominent ex-
hibitors of halter mares and colts in the Tennessee
52 Walking Horse industry.
Over those formative years, the effort she put into
helping her dad breed for, train and show some of
the era’s best mares and colts developed within Freda
a solid and abiding work ethic, as well as dream of
earning her own place in Walking Horse history.
But Freda wanted to ride – not lead – a horse to the
title of World Champion, and Valton’s show string
offered little in the way of rideable stock.
In 1981, fate intervened in the form of Wayne Dean,
a skilled young horse trainer who caught Freda’s eye.
“Or maybe,” Freda laughs, “it was the other way
around!”
Either way, the two became inseparable and they wed
the following year.
Wayne, who had a barn full of top performance hors-
es, was instrumental in developing Freda’s riding skills
and preparing her to show. She was a natural, drawing
upon the solid horsemanship foundation her father
had instilled in her – and the kind of resilience one
can only learn from handling mares and colts.
“I showed for the first time at the Summertown Sad-
dle and Bridle Club in 1982.” says Freda. “It was an
extra memorable experience because I fell off during
warmup, then got right back on the horse, went in
the class and won it!”

Wayne and Freda Dean and Carrie Martin DeJarnatte

That kind of determination, coupled with their combined Challenger passed shortly after Freda’s Reserve World Cham-
talents, quickly established Freda and Wayne as an industry pionship on “Love,” and was buried next to the riding ring
“power couple” and set into development what has become where he spent so much time. Following her RWC, Love was
a legacy of breeding and showing to rival that of any other sold for a premium, but Freda and Wayne later bought back
family operation. and eventually retired her to breeding. When she passed, she
In the mid-1980’s, the Deans owned an exceptional young was buried inside the riding ring at their farm.
colt named Pride’s Challenger, with whom Freda developed a In 2010, the Deans’ journey would take them to Montverde
special connection. Academy in Florida, where Kasey Kesselring hired Wayne as
“Challenger had a big, square walk that was thrilling to ride, head trainer. Soon after, flatshod trainer Carrie Martin was
but he was such a spirited stallion and a real handful for brought on board to direct the Academy’s pleasure horses and
Wayne,” says Freda. “He would barely allow him to mount she and Freda became fast friends – a relationship that would
him for his warmup, but he would stand perfectly still for me also prove significant to Freda’s goal of winning a Celebration
to get on.” World Championship.
At one point, they had a deal pending to sell Challenger for Freda had only shown a pleasure horse once to date but was
what was an astronomical price for the time, but neither Fre- an accomplished rider and eager to adapt the skills she’d de-
da nor Wayne’s father, Jimmy, could go through with it and veloped on performance horses to the elite trail and country
Wayne acquiesced. They backed out of the sale and Freda pleasure mounts Carrie had under her direction.
went on to earn a Ladies Auxiliary Reserve World Champi- Carrie is quick to point out that it’s a difficult transition for
onship with him at the 1986 Celebration. anyone to go from thirty years of riding performance horses
Challenger was bred to one of Freda and Wayne’s best mares to being able to properly sit and cue a pleasure horse, but that
and the resulting filly – I Love a Challenge – carried Freda to Freda was more than willing to put in the time and the work.
another Reserve World Championship in the Two-Year-Old And, apparently, to take well-intentioned “critique” from her
Amateur division in 1994. trusted friend and trainer.

“Most girls are only lucky enough to have one horse of a life- “I’d say she really had her breakthrough moment the night
time,” says Freda. “I was blessed with two.” she won in Fayetteville on WGC Etta James in 2020,” says

53

Carrie. “Mostly because I yelled at her so much! I knew she partnered on a promising Gen’s Black Gin colt that they’d
was on the verge of taking her riding to the next level and I sold to a customer but bought back together a few months
wanted that to happen for her that night, in that moment.” later. They named him Hannibal because he liked to destroy
It did, and Freda took the momentum from that night into things, but he had a heart of gold and Carrie says what she
the 2020 Celebration, where she rode A Rain Delay to not witnessed upon Hannibal and Freda’s first meeting was noth-
one, but two Reserve World Championships in Owner ing short of instant love.
Amateur English Trail Pleasure and Elite Owner Amateur “He’s a real sweetheart,” says Freda. “Like most Black Gins,
Trail Pleasure. She’d also won a Reserve World Champion- he can be a bit sullen if you don’t ask him for what you want
ship aboard A Gun Show in the Novice English Trail Plea- in the ‘right’ way, but he has this huge desire to please and
sure division in 2018, and while she was appreciative of her Carrie told me that he was going to be the horse to retire me
growing number of Reserve World Championships, the old from the novice division.”
always-a-bridesmaid adage kept running through her mind The pair showed twice leading up to the 2021 Celebration
and Freda was more than ready to “catch the bouquet.” and came into it with a win at Cornersville under their belt.
“I was thrilled to see my husband and my father reach mile- But Freda almost withdrew from the class. Her daughter had
stones in their careers by winning World Championships, called with some troubling results from a mammogram she’d
and especially dad’s World Grand Championship under the just received and was being sent for followup testing, and
lights,” says Freda. “But I also wanted that for myself.” Freda was prepared to scratch her entry and leave to be with
As the 2021 show season drew near, Carrie and Freda had her. But just before the class, in what Carrie calls a Godsend,

54

an update arrived that Freda’s daughter had been given the Paul, Monica and Lake Lamb, Freda, Landon Lamb, Wayne Dean
all-clear. So, for Freda, the day was already a win, no matter and Carson Carter.
what happened in the ring.
Still, Hannibal and Freda had a destiny to fulfill, and fulfill 55
it, they did.
“He was just perfect the day of the show,” recalls Freda.
“I knew when they called the class to line up that we had
performed well enough to win, and, really, that was good
enough for me.”
In that moment, Freda remembers stopping near the gate,
where Carrie and Wayne stood together, and mouthing “I
love you” to them both. And there wasn’t a dry eye among
the trio when Freda was called to claim her first ever World
Championship.
“Both Wayne and Carrie met me at the blue ribbon presen-
tation, which was really the most special part of it all,” says
Freda. “They’d each worked so hard for me to be able to
show and see me finally become a World Champion rider,
which is something that still sounds a bit surreal to me!”
Carrie recalls Freda being in shock immediately following
the class, as pictures were taken and congratulations were
issued.
“But when we got outside and the reality set in,” says Car-
rie, “she screamed as loud as she could and scared everyone
within earshot half to death!”
It was the triumphant shout of a woman who’d spent the
better part of her life supporting and witnessing the fulfill-
ment of dreams of everyone she loved, finally having her
moment.
At the time of publishing, Freda isn’t sure yet whether she
will ride at this year’s Celebration. Hannibal went on to earn
a Reserve World Grand Championship last year and was
sold the moment he exited the ring. And although she does
still have a few contenders up her sleeve, she may take the
opportunity this time around to simply be among friends
and enjoy the Celebration experience from the other side
of the rail.
“While winning is wonderful and there’s nowhere I’d rather
be than riding down that chute, the people God has placed
in my life via this community are what really keep me com-
ing back year after year,” says Freda. “The Celebration and
the Tennessee Walking Horse industry truly are ALL about
the relationships you make because of them.”

RWC

And Knox Blackburn

Owned by Red Carpet
Janice Fostek Open Specialty
Roanoke, VA
CHAMPION

Money Tree Classic And Robert Bowden
Amateur 15.2 & Under
Amateur Stallions
CHAMPION

Unanimous

Owned by
Janice Fostek
Roanoke, VA

And Jimmy Baumgardner

Park Performance

And Janice Fostek

Owned by Robert Bowden
Wartrace, TN & Denville, NJ

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I Am March
Madness

And Casey Wright

Owned by TWHBEA Summer Sizzler
Billy and Debbie Woods
Lexington, TN Three-Year-Old Stallions
Photo by Barr Studios CHAMPION

2022 Three-Year-Old
World Grand Champion Contender

Look Who
I Am

And Casey Wright

Owned by Marshall County Horseman’s
Billy and Debbie Woods
Lexington, TN Two-Year-Old Stallions
Photo by Barr Studios CHAMPION

2022 Two-Year-Old
World Grand Champion Contender

I Am The
Gentleman

And Michael Wright

Owned by Red Carpet
Billy and Debbie Woods
Lexington, TN Three-Year-Old Stallions
CHAMPION

2022 Three-Year-Old
World Grand Champion Contender

Celebration
SUPER SALE 2022

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& Knox Blackburn

Owned by Money Tree Classic
Bruce and Robin MacDonald Three-Year-Old Stallion
Shelbyville, TN
CHAMPION

Unanimously!

2022 Three-Year-Old

WORLD GRAND CHAMPION
CONTENDER

Horse show buddies. Amanda Manis with family and friends

Woodbury Lions Club Horse Show

The 84th Annual Woodbury Lions Club Horse
Show as held, Saturday, July 2, 2022 at the Woodbury
Fairgrounds. Judge Ross Campbell marked the cards
for the 226 entries.

The Woodbury Walking Horse Grand Champion-
ship title was claimed by Holyfields My Papa with Tyler
Baucom in the irons for owners Bob and Judy Hill.
Reserve went to Gin’s Shadow and Jimmy McConnell
for owner Mike Floyd. Rounding out the top three were
A Big Honor and Ryan Blackburn for Dwight Hopper.

Congratulations to all the winners and to the
Woodbury Lions Club on a great show.

Kaitlyn Peeler is joined by family and friends.

Beth, Maxine and BiBi Beasley Scott Beaty is joined by friends following his win.

64

Bob Lawrence following his fine harness win. Tyler Baucom and Robert Deutsch

Robert and Amanda Nelms The Tim Brown family

Kaitlyn Duchel is joined by family and friends. Jaron Dotson

International

GRAND CHAMPION

Unanimously!
2022 Weanling

WORLD GRAND
CHAMPION CONTENDER

And Jaron Dotson

Owned by Trained by
Joe Link and Dotson Brothers Dotson Brothers
Mt. Juliet and Thompson’s Station, TN Thompson’s Station, TN

Woodbury And Jaron Dotson

WEANLING
CHAMPION

TWHBEA Summer Sizzler
AMATEUR WEANLING

CHAMPION

2022 Weanling
WORLD CHAMPION

CONTENDER

And Isaac Witherspoon

Owned by INTERNATIONAL GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP Trained by
Joe Link Youth Yearling Weanling Dotson Brothers
Mt. Juliet, TN CHAMPION Thompson’s Station, TN
UNANIMOUSLY

UNDEFEATED IN YOUTH YEARLING COMPETITION!

The Stars Are Aligned for a Great Celebration

WC, WGC

RWC

2XWC, RWGC

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.
MAY ALL YOUR STARS
SHINE BRIGHT.

AmateTurhCisorueingtnryinPg leasure

World Grand Champion
team is looking to keep their title
and ride under the spotlight again at
this year’s Celebration. Your continued

support is appreciated!

Owned by
Holt and Manis
Naples, FL and Shelbyville, TN
Shod by: 252 Horseshoeing

And Amanda Manis

WGC & WC

AnAdndTyTlyelreBr aBuacuocmom

“I give God the glory for each step he takes.”

Marshall County Horseman’s

Owned by Four-Year-Old
Allyson Armstrong
CHAMPION

Hickory, NC Ad Aspdosnpsoonresodrbedy Jbimy JiAmrmAsrtmrosntrgonSugbSaurbua, Irnuc, .In• cP. h• oPthoobtyo BbayrBr aSrtruSdtiuosdios

3xWC

WWithitThyTleyrleBraBuacuocmom
AnAdnAdlAlylslyosnoAnrAmrsmtrsotrnogng

Owned by Christmas In July
Allyson Armstrong Pro/Am
Hickory, NC
CHAMPION

Ad sponsored by Jim Armstrong Subaru, Inc.

WC & 3xRWC

Charlie’s Perfect
Angel

with Tara Rhoades
Elite Amateur Ladies and

Ladies Amateur
World Champion

Contenders

with Tyler Baucom
Young Trainers and
Open Mare and Gelding
World Champion

Contenders

Owned by
Tara Rhoades

Photos by Shane Shiflet

2XRWC

AND KERRY DEARMOND

Marshall County Horseman’s
Amateur Four-Year-Old
Mares & Geldings
Owned by Baucom Stables Champions are groomed with
Kerry & Billie DeArmond CHAMPION
Greer, SC

And Tyler Baucom

Owned by Red Carpet
Dr. Barbara Moersch Two-Year-Old Stallions
Jacksonville, AL
CHAMPION

Baucom Stables champions are groomed with Tenda

And Tyler Baucom

TWHBEA Summer Sizzler
Two-Year-Old Mares and Geldings

CHAMPION

Owned by Baucom Stables champions are groomed with Tenda
Dr. Barbara Moersch
Jacksonville, AL

And Kaitlyn Peeler

Owned by Youth Show Pleasure
The Manis Family WORLD CHAMPION CONTENDERS
Laurinburg, NC

AND REMEMBER

AND DAN WADDELL

Owned by Red Carpet Trained by
George and Kim Lewis Doug Wolaver
Newville, AL Dan Waddell
GRAND CHAMPION Shelbyville, TN
706-816-4821
2022 World Grand

CHAMPION

Contender

With Dan Waddell

Open Three-Year-Old

World Champion
Contenders

With Chavigny Beasley

Amateur Three-Year-Old

World Champion
Contenders

Owned by
Chavigny Beasley

With
Chavigny Beasley

Owned by Amateur Two-Year-Old Stallion
Chavigny Beasley
World Champion
Contenders

Owned by Stooksberry & Duvall,
Shelbyville, TN & Atwater, OH
Owner Amateur Four Year Old

Country Pleasure

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Owner Amateur Four & Five Year Old
Country Pleasure

WORLD GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP
CONTENDERS

WC

Owned by Stooksberry & Sells,
Shelbyville & Pikeville, TN

Owner Amateur Five Year Old Trail Pleasure

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Owner Amateur Four &
Five Year Old Trail Pleasure

WORLD GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP
CONTENDERS

FROM BACKYARD GAMES TO TRI-COLOR FAME:

ANDY STOOKSBERRY’S
TIME TO SHINE By Kristi Payne

There are some people for whom the Celebration is interwoven with almost every
core memory they possess and who have never lived a life in which they weren’t
in Shelbyville on the Saturday before Labor Day to witness the crowning of a new
World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse.
Andy Stooksberry is one of them.

His father, the late W.J. Stooksberry, had shown
Walking Horses as a young man, and Andy has
been attending the Celebration since he was a
newborn. He says that some of the earliest child-
hood experiences he can recall are of sitting with
his family in the West Grandstands, feeling as
though he were on top of the world as he watched
countless champions make spotlight rides around
the Big Oval.
And winning a floral horseshoe of his own was
never just a dream for him – it was a goal.
“I’m not sure at what exact point the desire to win
a World Grand Championship took hold for me,”
says Andy. “I was exposed to it at such a young
age that I can’t really remember a time when it
WASN’T something I wanted to accomplish.”
Little Andy didn’t have a Walking Horse of his
own yet. What he did have, by age four, was a
grey pony mare named Ladybug, who taught him
to ride, packed him around in barrel racing and
Western Pleasure at horse shows and served as the
perfect partner for a variety of horse-related ad-
ventures.
“Ladybug was the best pony,” says Andy. “She
would do absolutely anything I asked of her.”
And that’s no exaggeration. Andy vividly remem-
bers a period of childhood where he became ob-
sessed with the Black Stallion book series and,
having read every volume, he decided it was time

Andy on Ladybug. Andy with Choice Cut’s Bandit and Chad Thompson.

for Ladybug to help prepare him for his inevitable career as a knew that it was the end of Quarter Horses for me!”
racehorse jockey. Andy started spending all his free time hanging out at Walk-
”I’d pull my black cowboy boots over ‘breeches’ that were ing Horse show barns, soaking up knowledge and riding any-
actually baseball pants, then put on a black satin Members thing they’d let him throw a leg over. Always a talented rid-
Only jacket as my silks with a purple
hardhat for a helmet and welding glass- er, it wasn’t long until he was invited to
es as goggles,” laughs Andy. “I’d take up make his first-ever showring appearance
the stirrups up on my western saddle as on a performance Walking Horse at the
high as they would go and race Ladybug 1994 Red Carpet Show of the South in
around and around the perimeter of the Pulaski.
family hayfield – even in the dead of And, in what is no surprise to anyone
summer! In hindsight, it’s a miracle that who knows Andy, he made quite the
neither of us died.” scene.
It wasn’t long, however, before those “Entering the ring, I ran into the gate
makeshift racing habits were replaced and gouged my leg to the bone,” recalls
by floral horseshoes that Andy fashioned Andy. “But I was determined to finish
from scraps of his mother’s old Christ- the class, and I did, although I passed
mas garland and faux flowers. He’d lay out as soon as I dismounted. The para-
them over Ladybug’s back and they’d medics were called and I ended up at the
practice World Grand Championship hospital, where I received tons of stitches
victory rides across the same hayfield around which they used that left me with a big scar to this day!”
to sprint. That experience didn’t hamper his enthusiasm in the slightest,
And despite having gone on to spend several years showing though, and he kept showing as often as he could, earning his
Western Pleasure Quarter Horses with his brother, Michael, first victory in 1996 at the Crossroads of Dixie horse show in
who remains heavily involved with them to this day, it only Lawrenceburg aboard a keen chestnut stallion named Choice
took one ride aboard a performance Tennessee Walking Cut’s Bandit.
Horse to spark within Andy a determination to make that “There was a World Champion in the class that night who
early childhood roleplay a reality. seemed unbeatable, so I didn’t believe we had a shot,” says
“When I was 15, my dad took me to his longtime friend Andy. “And they worked us for so long that on the reverse, I
Wayne Tharp’s barn, where I got to ride a padded horse for remember thinking the class was never going to end!”
the first time,” says Andy. “I was immediately hooked and But when it did, Andy and “Bandit” emerged victorious, and

82

Andy says that was the moment he knew showing Walking
Horses was something he was going to do for the rest of
his life.

He went on to buy Bandit with the money he received from
family and friends for his high school graduation, against
the advice of those who said the 59” pony was too small for
a 6’4” tall Andy.

His decision turned out to be a great one, as the pair earned
many notable victories, including a win in a huge class in
Gallatin at the height of that show’s popularity.

Andy and Choice Cut’s Bandit. And in 1997, emboldened by their success together, Andy
finally made his first trip to the Celebration as an exhibitor
rather than a spectator. His class was on the first Saturday
night of the show and there was a record-breaking crowd in
attendance because He’s Puttin’ on the Ritz had entered the
Aged Stallions preliminary after having won the Big Stake
the previous year.

“I remember making a pass in the warmup and noticing ev-
eryone had stopped what they were doing and were staring,”
says Andy. “I thought, ‘Man, my horse must be really good!’
But then Ritz came blowing up from behind me and when I
realized he was what they were looking at, all I could do was
stop and stare, myself.”

Andy and Bandit didn’t win that night, but the experience
only solidified his resolve to earn roses of his own one day.

He owned several more performance horses over the next
few years, but eventually transitioned to pleasure horses,
where he acknowledges he’s seen the most success.

In 2011, a bright sabino mare named Freakshow carried
Andy to a Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitors
Association World Grand Championship in the Amateur
Riders on Three-Year-Old Trail Pleasure Horses division,
under the direction of trainer Tim Craft. He went on to
enjoy additional SSHBEA World Championship victories
with “Fifi,” as well as numerous wins at some of the indus-
try’s most prestigious Walking Horse shows, as an amateur
owned and trained entry.

The Vaquero making a victory pass. In 2017, he bought The Vaquero – a huge bay gelding who
had as much personality as he had talent – and, under the
That win was represented a life- direction of Joe Lester Stables, Andy and “Danner” won
time of effort finally paying off, every significant show on the Walking Horse circuit for the
and it was a bit overwhelming. next two years, including an International Grand Cham-
All the emotions hit at once and pionship in 2019. Danner also carried Andy to a 2018
I was kind of a hot mess when I National Spotted Saddle Horse Association World Grand
Championship in the solid-colored horses division but fell
came out of the class. just shy of the TWHNC victory Andy was hungry for.
Then, in May of 2020, Andy met a gangly, black two-year-
old Jose Jose colt at Joe’s barn and saw something truly spe-
cial in him.

83

Sabotage and I’m Guns N Roses

Championship – and won, unani-
mously.

“That win was the culmination of 24
years of entering the Celebration and
never placing higher than third,” says
Andy. “I was confident to be riding
one of the best horses I’d ever owned,
but you just never know how it’s go-
ing to go. So that win was represented
a lifetime of effort finally paying off,
and it was a bit overwhelming. All the
“He was obviously super talented, but he was so gigantic and emotions hit at once and I was kind of a hot mess when I
awkward, I knew it was going to take him a while to get it came out of the class.”
together,” says Andy. “I just kept my eye on him as he devel-
oped for a few months, then Phyllis Langley and I decided to He wasn’t the only one. It was a touching moment for every-
purchase him together in September.” one who’s grown to know and love Andy over his decades of
industry participation and his fanbase was in full support as
Over the winter of 2020, the colt they named Sabotage, aka championship night approached.
“Lionel,” grew stronger and more confident with every ride,
but it was months yet until Andy fully realized he might be When Andy rode down the chute for his championship class,
“the one.” he had to his name World Grand Championships in SSH-
BEA and NSSHA, along with a World Championship at the
“Once he got it together, he REALLY got it together,” says 2020 Racking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association
Andy. “The moment it really clicked for everyone that he was Celebration. He’d also just won a second TWHNC World
a legitimate contender was when we won the Christmas in Championship a few nights earlier on I’m Guns N Roses.
July show. Until then, I don’t think anyone really thought we
had a chance at winning the Celebration.” “After the World Championship on Lionel, I got my first win
in The Big Oval on ‘Ruger’ in the Novice Amateur Western
Just six weeks later, Andy and Lionel entered the TWHNC Trail Pleasure class,” says Andy. “I was completely shocked
Owner-Amateur Three-Year-Old Country Pleasure World that I had gone from 24 winless years of showing at the Cele-
84

bration to suddenly winning two World ing the video of my spotlight ride and of it to the pursuit of those Celebration
Championships on two different horses victory pass every single day.” victories, to championing the Tennessee
in a period of four days.” With the pressure of earning the World Walking Horse breed and to support-
But this was the moment he’d been Grand Championship title he’d always ing all the friends he’s made along the
building toward since the days of parad- coveted now lifted, Andy says he’s found way. He’s worked for TWHBEA, shown
ing Ladybug around the hayfield. And showing in 2022 a lot more fun, but in almost every division offered in the
even he was surprised at how calm he he hasn’t taken his foot off the gas. He show circuit and even made his home
felt as they took to the rail to compete would love to earn two World Grand just across the street from the Big Oval,
for championship honors. Championships this year and knows he where he can see the lights and hear the
“Lionel had a flawless ride, and in the has the right horses for the task. announcer from his back porch. And ev-
lineup, when the lights were out and the Despite having surgery in February of ery year, he says it feels like Christmas
spotlight was scanning over us as the an- this year and taking a few months off, when they start testing the lights in the
nouncer built up to calling the winning Sabotage went right back to his winning Celebration arena in mid-August.
entry, I remember thinking that if it was ways this season, defending last year’s “To me, a year has never been measured
ever going to happen for me, this would Christmas in July title unanimously and from January 1 to December 31; it’s al-
be the night,” says Andy. “Still, the rush backing it up with a win at the TWH- ways been based on the beginning and
of excitement I got when Mark Farrar BEA Summer Sizzler horse show. end of The Celebration,” he says. ”I
skipped announcing my number and “This year is a step up in age division for honestly can’t imagine my life without
just called ‘Sabotage & Andy Stooksber- Lionel, but he doesn’t seem to notice,” this breed and the people in the industry
ry’ to the unanimous win will never be says Andy. “There are two, maybe three, with whom I have developed lifelong re-
equaled.” horses I could see winning the World lationships. I can’t even begin to tell you
During his spotlight ride to the tricolor Grand Championship in our division how many people I’ve met who now like
ribbon and floral horseshoe, Andy re- and he’s definitely one of them.” family to me because of it.”
calls thinking that he’d always wondered As for I’m Guns N Roses, Andy would The good news for Andy is that the
if the light was blinding, and it was nice be the first to tell you that despite his “new year” begins now, and all of those
to finally know that the answer was no. World Championship win last year, he friends are eager to see him back under
Andy’s face, however, was beaming, es- was not the easiest horse the spotlight once more.
pecially when he heard his trainer, Joe to show. That’s changed
Lester, in his earpiece telling him he now, and Ruger has ©Shane Shiflet
couldn’t see his face yet, but that Andy won the 2022 WHOA
had better be smiling or crying when he Spring Jubilee, the Cor-
met Joe and Bailey Momb in the win- nersville Lions Club
ners circle. show and the TWH-
Andy was doing both, and Bailey was BEA Summer Sizzler,
also in tears by the time he pulled up to along with a reserve at
receive his awards. After the class, Andy the Spring Fun Show.
was met by a throng of friends who were “Ruger has really come
just as exuberant to have been able to around and become a
witness such a big moment for the per- solid citizen,” he says.
son who’s been everyone else’s biggest ”He’s become one of the
cheerleader for so many years. most fun horses to ride
But it was in the quiet moments later and I absolutely love to
that the magnitude of the moment real- show him, now.”
ly impacted him. It would be difficult to
“I had a really hard time going to sleep name anyone who’s de-
that night even though I was exhaust- served to graduate out
ed,” says Andy. “There are just so many of the Celebration’s nov-
emotions when something that you’ve ice category more than
dreamed of and wanted since you were Andy. He has built his
a little kid finally happens. I think two life around the indus-
weeks went by before I stopped watch- try and devoted most

85



AND RONALD MORTON

TWHBEA Summer Sizzler Trained by
Weanling Fillies Valton Rummage Stables

Owned by Mariella Fugger CHAMPION Trainers, Ronald Morton and Valton Rummage
Perry, GA and Munich, Germany Columbia, TN • 931-981-2210

STHEaJOiesF NQeuoi named for a 102-year-old gentlewoman
who’d been under his care.
JUSTIFIED HONORS Dr. Watkins began breeding horses in the late
1980’s when he gifted his father, Robert C.
By Kristi Payne Watkins Sr., with a Racking Horse mare in
foal to Marmaduke. It was the gift that kept
When Justified Honors on giving, and the pair gave back by way of
made his spotlight ride producing a number of top Racking show
as the Tennessee Walking horses from their program, the most notable
Horse Grand Champi- of which was the highly-lauded 1999 WGC
on of the World last Sep- Papa’s Choice.
tember, it was easy to see He credits Brian for his transition from Rack-
he possessed that certain ing to Walking Horses, having purchased
“something” that sets an Justified Honors’ granddam, Dumas’ Prime
elite caliber of horse apart Time, from Brian while she was in foal to
from all others on sight. Lined With Cash with what would become
But it was long before that, WGC Boure.
in a field in Moulton, Al- Working together on all breeding decisions
abama, where a newborn since that initial purchase, Dr. Watkins and
Justified Honors first Brian bred Dumas Prime Time back to Lined
showed signs of his great- with Cash to produce Maypine’s Babydoll, a
ness to come. full sister to Boure and eventual dam of Jus-
“From the moment he en- tified Honors.
tered the world, he had that special look about him,” says Brian Anderton, “Since we raised Honors, we may be just little
who foaled and boarded the colt for breeder Dr. Robert C. Watkins Jr. of biased about his potential as a sire,” says Bri-
Chicago Heights, Ill. an. “But the cross of Honors on Lined With
Over the last several years, Dr. Watkins has been quietly developing one of Cash mares – especially ones with long necks
the strongest and most successful performance Tennessee Walking Horse and big motors like Babydoll – is a proven
breeding programs currently producing. To date, in addition to 2021 one for us, as evidenced by WC TUA. So we
WGC Justified Honors (formerly Maypine’s Chauncey,) he has raised a
number of top Tennessee Walking show horses, including noted contender Robert Watkins, Sr. with Chris Zahnd.
Maypine’s Barack and RWC Kinfolk (formerly Maypine’s #3,) as well as
Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association WC Little Big
Town (formerly Maypine’s Christina.)
The Maypine moniker harkens to Dr. Watkins’ farm and kennel opera-
tion in Illinois, and, when asked how he comes up with the rest of his
foals’ unique names, he says he often likes to pay homage to some favorite
patients from the span of his career, such as Glamorous Lucretia, a mare

88

Stallions World Championship, unanimously, and Reserve
World Grand Champion Three-Year-Old 2020. In 2021, he
won a Four-Year-Old Stallions World Championship, then-
dominated the Big Stake as a junior horse, earning the title
of 2021 World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse
with all five judges’ votes.
Brian called Dr. Watkins while Chauncey was making his vic-
tory pass to the cheers and applause of a crowd on its feet in
appreciation of the colt he’d produced. And Dr. Watkins was
flooded with a mixture of emotions.

“To be honest, my first thought was that
I wished I hadn’t sold him,” laughs Dr.
Watkins. “But that feeling was quickly
overridden by a deep sense of pride,
gratification and accomplishment that’s
almost too much to describe.”

definitely encouraged Dr. Watkins to consider the cross, but Dr. Watkins currently has a two-year-old full brother to Jus-
the decision was totally his.” tified Honors in training with Larry and Gary Edwards, as

An offer by Jack Littrell to buy Justified Honors, aka well as a yearling colt out of Chauncey’s dam by I’m May-
“Chauncey,” at first sight within days of foaling validated the hem that he hopes will follow in the successful footsteps of
breeding strategy Dr. Watkins and Brian had taken, but the their big brother. And, given the mare lines and development
commanding colt was impressive enough that they wanted to strategies Dr. Watkins has employed, the odds are great for
see him develop under saddle before any purchase offers were both. But he’s quick to point out that none of his breeding
entertained. decisions are made alone.

The decision proved to be a good one, as the colt only grew “To be frank, all the credit for my breeding program goes to
bigger, stronger and more striking as he matured, and all the Brian Anderton,” says Dr. Watkins. “He is such an expert and
potential they’d seen in him manifested as soon as he was really has great inclination.”

started by Dustin Smith as a coming two-year-old. As it has for so many, the Tennessee Walking Horse industry

But they didn’t rush things. The colt was huge and lanky – a has fostered between Dr. Watkins and Brian more than just a
carbon copy of his sire at the same age – so they knew it was business relationship – it has built the foundation for a stead-
important to develop him slowly to help him maximize his fast friendship.

potential the way Honors had. “Dr. Watkins has always been one of the finest people I have

Chauncey was moved to Larry and Gary Edwards’ training had the pleasure of doing business with,” says Brian. “He has
facility in Dawson, Georgia, with the mindset that the team always had a love for the show horse, but, more importantly,
who trained Honors himself would have the best touch for he has always shown great care and concern my family and
one of his offspring with such similar conformation and me. He’s a friend to all who know him.”

movement. From there, he landed at Layne Leverette’s barn, As for Justified Honors, he is currently standing at stud with
where noted colt investor Jeff Faulkner finally made the gold- legendary breeding manager David Williams at Sugar Creek,
en offer that bought him. After just a few months more un- where demand for his offspring has been high. His stud book
der Layne’s direction, he was noticed by John Alan Callaway, has already been filled and closed for 2022 and his first crop
who was at the barn to look at another colt entirely. John of foals is due to arrive this fall.
Alan was so taken with Chauncey’s talent that he got on the “He has gotten such a great response,” says David. “Many
phone right away with Lisa Baum and the purchase was made former show mares and siblings to great horses have become
that landed the colt right where he needed to be. a part of his first court. This charter crop of foals is coming
From there, Justified Honors, unshown as a two-year old, from a real who’s who list of top producing mares and I can’t
skyrocketed to success by being named the Three-Year-Old wait to see what we get!”

89

& John Allan Callaway

Owned by TWHBEA Summer Sizzler
The Alan Riddley Family Two-Year-Old
Stallions

CHAMPION

And Lorie Riddley

Owned by Amateur Five-Year-Old
The Alan Riddley Family
CONTENDER

And Lilly Riddley

Owned by Amateur Stallions
The Alan Riddley Family
CONTENDER

SSuiTmWzHzBmElAeerr

The TWHBEA Summer Sizzler was held Thurs- burn making the winning performance for owners
day, July 21, 2022 at the Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, Dan and Susan Erwin. Holyfields My Papa and Tyler
Tennessee. John Fikes from Hamilton, Alabama Baucom claimed reserve in this class for owner Bob
served as judge for the 49 classes which had 195 Hill.
entries. The show started with a noon session of 16
classes for halter, equitation and amateur owned and TWHBEA wants to say thank you to all the spon-
trained competition. sors, trainers, owners, exhibitors and specators for
making the Summer Sizzler a great success.
The Riders’ Cup Championship Stake closed out
the event with Jose’s Power Broker and Keith Black- Congratulations to all the winners.

TWHBEA Summer Sizzler Grand Champion Jose’s Power Broker with Keith Blackburn are joined by friends and family following
their win.

93

Valton Rummage joins Ronald Morton and Leighanne Tibbs and Chupacabra are Ann Marie Couch and Amelia
Haselden.
Time For Gin Again. joined by Tim Brown.

Haven Kasselman Youth 11 & Under Equitation class winner is Finley Grace Brooks earned the TWHBEA Youth Medallion
joined by instructor Nicole Tolle. Performance blue on Cash Reaction.

Tracy, Michael and Kelsey Wright. Allan Callaway, Lilly, Alan and Lorie Riddley join Honky Tonk
and John Allan Callaway.