The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC), sometimes known as the Celebration, is the largest horse show for the Tennessee Walking Horse breed, and has been held annually in or near Shelbyville, Tennessee since its inception in 1939. The Celebration was conceived by Henry Davis, a horse trainer who along with several other horsemen, felt the Shelbyville area should have a festival or annual event. Although the Celebration was originally held in Wartrace, Tennessee, it moved to Shelbyville, the seat of Bedford County, a few years later. The Celebration spans 11 days and nights in late August and early September annually, and finishes with the crowning of the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walker on the Saturday night before Labor Day. The TWHNC draws an estimated 2,000 horses and 250,000 spectators to Shelbyville each year.
Strolling Jim (1936–1957) was the first Tennessee Walking Horse to become World Grand Champion of his breed. Since Strolling Jim's death, a restaurant, street, and annual marathon in his hometown of Wartrace, Tennessee have been named after him.
I Am Jose is a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion and three-time World Grand Champion. He is the first stallion and second horse to win the World Grand Championship three times. I Am Jose is black with a star on his forehead.
The Talk of the Town was the first Tennessee Walking Horse to win three World Grand Championships, and one of only two horses ever to do so.
Emerson "Bud" Dunn was a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer from Kentucky who spent most of his career in northern Alabama. He trained horses for over forty years and won his first Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Championship at age 74 with Dark Spirit's Rebel; at the time, he was the oldest rider to win the honor. He was inducted into the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame in 1987 and named trainer of the year in 1980 and 1991. In 1999 at age 81, Dunn surpassed his own record for the oldest winning rider by winning his second World Grand Championship, riding RPM. He died of a heart attack in January 2001.
Ebony Masterpiece was a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won a World Grand Championship in 1962. After his show career he retired to stud, where he sired over 3,500 foals, six of which also became World Grand Champions.
Dark Spirit's Rebel was a Tennessee Walking Horse who won a World Grand Championship in 1992. Nicknamed Rebel, the horse was trained by Alabama resident Bud Dunn. After his show career was over, Rebel sired the 1999 World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse, RPM.
Casey Wright is an American horse trainer based in Reagan, Henderson County, Tennessee. Wright became notable for training, riding, and showing the Racking Horse Gold Plated SD, who won a World Grand Championship in 2003. However, he is best known for training and riding the Tennessee Walking Horse I Am Jose, who won three World Grand Championships in consecutive years, 2013 to 2015. Wright was also named Trainer of the Year in 2013.
Judy Martin is a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer. Martin trained the World Grand Champion Shades of Carbon, and was Tennessee Walking Horse Trainer of the Year in 1976. She also judged horse shows.
Honors is a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won his breed's World Grand Championship in 2016. He had previously won a Four-Year-Old World Championship in 2012. Honors has also been used for breeding.
Charles Emmett Brantley was a Tennessee Walking Horse breeder. He grew up on a farm in Coffee County, Tennessee and competed in the first Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Besides breeding horses, he was a horse trainer for several years, but quit riding due to health issues. He was married to his wife Nellie for 70 years, and was inducted into both the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
The horse industry in Tennessee is the 6th largest in the United States, and over three million acres of Tennessee farmland are used for horse raising or horse-related activities. The most popular breed in the state is the eponymous Tennessee Walking Horse, and it became an official state symbol in 2000.
The Whole Nine Yards was a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won his breed's World Grand Championship in 2003. He was trained by Bill Bobo.
William Earl Bobo is a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer. He won the World Grand Championship at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in 2003 with the stallion The Whole Nine Yards. Bobo also showed the notable horse Rowdy Rev, who competed in the World Grand Championship several times but never won. Bobo has been named Trainer of the Year by the Walking Horse Trainers Association.
Rowdy Rev is a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won the Reserve World Grand Championship in the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Although he repeatedly competed in the World Grand Championship, he never won, despite wins in other large shows.
Game World is a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won the World Grand Championship in the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in 2011.
Pride's Generator (1975-2001) was a Tennessee Walking Horse who won three World Championships before being retired to breeding. Standing at stud first at S. W. Beech Stables and later at Waterfall Farms, he sired over 2,000 foals, of which two became World Grand Champions and over 100 became World Champions.
Main Power is a Tennessee Walking Horse who won the World Grand Championship in the 2005 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. He had previously been the Three-Year-Old World Champion in two categories, Four-Year-Old World Champion and Reserve World Grand Champion.
Out On Parole (1997-2018) was a Tennessee Walking Horse who won the World Grand Championship in the 2002 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.
Pride's Jubilee Encore is a Tennessee Walking Horse who won the World Grand Championship in the 2001 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.
