By Kyle R. Thomas

As you approach the town of Shelbyville from any direction, one of the first things you see is the blue water tower on the grounds of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. It stands tall like a beacon, beckoning us to it, not unlike the magic and mystery of Jay Gatsby’s green light. It draws us all in, exhibitors and competitors, fans and friends, veterans and newcomers.

Why do we come? Why do we make the trek year after year, and dedicate the final remnants of summer to this small town? Because we are called. We are summoned. By the power and beauty of the great Tennessee Walking Horse. We come to be a part of the tradition, and to play our part in the next chapter of its renowned history.

Championship titles are known by many different names. But here we call them World Grand Champions. Here they are graced with floral horseshoes. This is the world championship horse show. The best of the best. It’s supposed to be hard. And that is why we come.

The responsibility for choosing the recipients of these floral horseshoes is a tremendous one. Great care goes into selecting the judging panel for The Celebration each year. Potential judges are graded, recommended and vetted. A very difficult task is being asked of them, one that will challenge them physically as much as it will mentally.

After months of deliberation and consideration, the judging panel for the 88th Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is as follows: Rollie Beard, Derek Bonner, Scotty Brooks, Sam Sorrell and Chad Williams.


Rollie Beard

Rollie Beard, who grew up in Belfast, Tenneesee, but now calls Lewisburg home, will be judging The Celebration for the 10th time. He has spent a lifetime around Tennessee Walking Horses, a fact he is very proud of. “When I was very young-- around five years old-- my grandfather would go to Hazel Green, Alabama, and buy ponies and bring them home for us to break to ride,” he said. “He had one that I named Yellow Bell and he let me show her at the Petersburg Horse Show, where I won.”

While this may be Beard’s 10th time to mark cards in front of the legendary West Grandstand, the excitement remains the same from his first opportunity. “When I judged the Celebration in 1988, I thought this would be the toughest thing I ever had to do,” he said. “It turned out I really enjoyed having that front row seat to watch the horses I loved. It was great!” He also shared that two constants throughout his life have been his love for the horse and the people who feel like family.

Beard most recently judged the Spring Fun Show in May, alongside another veteran Celebration judge, Derek Bonner.

Derek Bonner

Derek Bonner, from Forest City, North Carolina, made his Celebration judging debut in 2013, but he has quickly become a trusted voice in the industry. This year will mark the sixth time he has judged The Celebration, after most recently judging back-to-back in 2023 and 2024. Bonner stated, “After my first Celebration I walked away with a new appreciation and understanding of just how special this event really is. It truly is the World’s Greatest Horse Show!”

Bonner first felt the connection with Tennessee Walking Horses when he was 14 years old. “I knew immediately I had found my passion and set my goal towards becoming a horse trainer,” he said. He then quickly added, “Might not have ever made one but it was sure fun trying.” But his connection to the animals has never wavered. “The one thing that has remained the same for me from the very beginning is my love for the horse. That’s just as strong, if not stronger today than it was from the beginning,” he said.

Most recently, Bonner served as judge of the WHTA Fireworks & Freedom Horse Show during the Fourth of July week.

Scotty Brooks

Scotty Brooks, born and still residing in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is getting the opportunity to serve as judge at The Celebration for a third time, after previously judging in 2024 alongside Bonner. Having gone through the rigors before, Brooks holds a measure of respect for any judge who tackles a show the size of The Celebration “After my first Celebration I gained a lot of respect for the judges before me,” he said. “It is a grind, physically and mentally. And everything happens so fast out there, you have to be able to make split-second decisions.”

Brooks was drawn to horses at a young age. “The first time I felt connected to the horses is when I started showing at age 10,” he said. “I ate, slept and breathed horses. I could not wait for the Walking Horse Report to come in the mail on Saturdays.” The Tennessee Walking Horse industry has continued to serve his life in so many ways. “The love for the horse and always wanting to see a really good horse has always remained the same,” he added. “The other thing is the friendships I’ve made over the years. Some of my closest friends were made years ago, growing up in the industry.”

Brooks judged the Mid-South Horse Show in Parkers Crossroads, Tennessee, in May, and he also judged the Walking For Cancer show in Shelbyville in June.

Sam Sorrell

Sam Sorrell calls Lexington, Kentucky, home, and he is another experienced and respected veteran with a pen in his hand. This will be the ninth time he gets to write down numbers at The Celebration, having made his debut inside Celebration Arena in 2005. One signature memory from his first Celebration is one he hopes to never repeat again. “The only thing I had not expected that first year was Hurricane Katrina completely soaking us for three straight nights!”

Growing up in Hillsboro, Kentucky, Sorrell’s first visit to a Tennessee Walking Horse farm was at the invitation of a friend. “When I was eight, I got to take a ride on a friend’s aged mare, Sun's Fly Girl, and immediately knew that was the ride for me,” he said. “The next year my dad bought my first Tennessee Walking Horse, a two-year-old filly named Major's Merry Helen.” Sorrell rode primarily in regional shows over the next few years, setting himself up for his first signature win. “When I was 14, I won the two-year-old filly class at the Owingsville Lions Club Horse Show, in a class of 18,” he continued. “At that time there were no two, three or four-year-old amateur classes, so to show a young horse you showed with the trainers in open classes. This win hooked me for life!”

At this point, after so many years in the industry, the prevailing feeling for Sorrell is gratitude. “From a very early age I realized how truly blessed and fortunate I was to be a small part of this great horse and its people,” he said.

“Today I am so thankful and feel even more so.”

Chad Williams

Chad Williams, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is the lone newcomer to this year’s Celebration judging panel. When he received the call, he admits to being overwhelmed. “It was truly an honor,” he said. “It has been something I've wanted to do for a very long time. It's one of the highest honors in my opinion to be given this opportunity, and I am truly grateful.”

Williams considers himself one of those who was “born into” the Tennessee Walking Horse Industry, but he vividly remembers the moment he felt indelibly connected to these great animals. “My brother took me to my first Celebration in 1986, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it in some fashion,” he said. “I was fascinated by it!”

His love of the horse has remained the same in the years since, and he has graced the show ring as both an exhibitor and judge for over 20 years. And now, he gets the chance to write down the number of the Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion, 40 years after his first visit to Celebration Arena.

Q: What advice would you give an exhibitor on putting their best foot forward for the judges at The Celebration?

Williams: “To be seen. Be patient and find a good spot so we can actually be able to watch your horse.”

Brooks: “Show your horse to best of your ability. If we can't see you, it makes it hard to make a good assessment of your horse. Always try to position yourself so that you can be seen.”

Bonner: “I would remind them of the importance of positioning their horse to where they can be seen as much as possible. Don’t waste an opportunity to ride in front of the judges.”

Beard: “Follow the rules and have fun showing your horse.”

Sorrell: “Ride smart, the way that best suits your horse, not how another exhibitor rides theirs. Make sure you don't get covered up by other exhibitors. The judges can only tie what they see. If you go down one side or both with a group of horses riding between you and the judges, it will have a bad effect on your placement. And finally, have a blast riding in that big oval!”



Q: What advice would you give to Chad Williams, who is judging at The Celebration for the first time this year?

Beard: “Do not be nervous. Just step out there and judge the classes based on what they do that night. You are a good judge; if you weren't, the Celebration would have never hired you. Make sure to button your coat when you stand up!”

Bonner: “I would say to Chad, enjoy this moment, give your best effort in every class, and tie your kind of horse. The man I know him to be, he will.”

Brooks: “My advice to Chad would be that it doesn't matter if it's your first time or your seventh time judging, you are going to make mistakes. Don’t dwell on it and move on. Enjoy your time judging the Celebration. Judging is like showing at the Celebration. There's a lot of memories you'll take away that you'll never forget.”

Sorrell: “Having judged with Chad, I know that he is very knowledgeable and maintains a very calm demeanor, which serves him well. My only advice would be to continue to tie what you see and judge the show as if you are the only judge out there. One exception: when you are the call judge, you need to consider the other four judges, to make sure they get to see each horse perform each gait.”

Q: What’s the single greatest walking horse performance you’ve ever seen at The Celebration, either as a judge or as a fan?

Bonner: “It’s hard for me to narrow it down to one single performance. I have several that stand out in my memory. Definitely Honors as a three-year-old. Justified Honors both times I had the opportunity to judge when he won. And selfishly Muddy Buddy when he won the 15.2 & Under Amateur World Grand Championship.”

Brooks: “I actually have two. When The Black Night Shade won the World Grand Championship in 2004, and the night Honors finally won it in 2016.”

Sorrell: “I have attended every Celebration since 1966. I am so fortunate to have seen so many outstanding performances that, for me, I would have to give you a list that would take up two or three more pages.”

Williams: “One memory that really sticks out is He's Puttin’ On The Ritz and Billy Gray.”

Beard: “There have been so many great performances I cannot pick just one.”

Q: Finally, can you sum up what it means to be a judge at The Celebration?

Brooks: “One word of what it means to judge the Celebration is honor!”

Bonner: “Judging the Celebration is absolutely one of the greatest honors that has ever been bestowed on me, and I never take this opportunity lightly or for granted.”

Beard: “Integrity.”

Williams: “An honor.”

Sorrell: “One word to describe being a judge at the Celebration… EXCITING!”

The 88th edition of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is upon us. The blue water tower is beckoning us. To witness. To wonder. To remember, for years to come.

The greatest trophy in sports awaits the next Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion. The judges are excited and ready to see the very best this breed has to offer.

Are you ready to join them?