A loud and enthusiastic crowd agreed with the judges last Saturday night as Grand Central claimed the garland of the 2010 World Grand Champion Missouri Fox Trotter.
Ridden by Thomas J. Williams for Vic and Alice Rowden, of Buffalo, Grand Central had already made a name for himself, winning first place in the qualifying studs and geldings class on Thursday night. And he didn’t let his fans down on Saturday as he went through all the gaits in the climaxing class of the 2010 Show and Celebration.
Also putting on quite the show for the crowd and earning reserve champion in the open 5-Years-and-Older Class was A Fancy Floozy, shown by Mike Rutledge for Ruth and Jessica Moore, of Belton.
Third place in the class went to Geno Middleton, riding Jester’s Main Event M.L., for Michael and Stephanie O’Neal, of Polk City, Fla.
It’s still too early to get an official report on attendance figures for the 2010 show, but it was a general feeling that crowds were up this year from previous years, despite a couple of days of rain in the middle of the week.
By the weekend, skies cleared and Saturday night was simply a gorgeous evening to sit outside and watch Missouri’s official horse in world-class competition at Ava, Missouri.
Every class on Friday and Saturday nights was a world grand champion class in the various categories of exhibition, with the final class on Saturday holding the claim of being the best the breed has to offer.
The Amateur Owned 5-Years-and-Older World Grand Champion is Legend’s Wendy, shown by Patty Donley, of Bolivar, for Gene and Patty Donley.
Reserve champion in the amateur division was King’s Special Sensation, ridden by Linda Kilroy for Larry and Linda Kilroy, of Bucyrus, Kan. Third place went to King Bay Rhythm Star, show by Valerie Duncan for Jim Mann, of Poplar Bluff.
Amateur Owned 4-Year-Old grand champion was Crimson Cowgirl, owned and ridden by Jarrod Freeman, of Springfield. Reserve winner was Allie McBeal, owned and shown by Steve R. Wood of Forsyth.
Open 4-Year-Old winner was Nights Shooting Star, shown by Vance Vahle for Craig Dansie, of Cody, Wyo., and Michele Dansie, of Salt Lake City, Utah. Reserve winner was Fax Anne, shown by Randy Williams for Adam Jokisch, Freeburg, Ill.
Amateur Owned 3-Year-Old champion was Rocker’s Gracie J., shown by Jill Jones for Wayne and Helen Jones, of Waynesville. Reserve champion was Razorman’s Flashpoint, shown by Heather Harrison for Daniel Smith, Gary Texas, and Heather Harrison, Henderson, Texas.
Open 3-Year-Old champion, winning Class No. 173 on Saturday night was Ace’s Ellie May M.L., shown by Geno Middleton for Michael and Stephanie O’Neal, Polk City, Fla. Reserve winner was Downtown Sassy Brown, shown by Steve Dampier for Beth Tripp, Castro Valley, Calif.
Amateur Owned 2-Year-Old champion was Playboy’s Palomino Rose J., owned and shown by Adam Jokisch, Freeburg, Ill. Reserve champion was Miller Time, owned and ridden by Billiejean Thompson, of West Plains.
Open 2-Year-Old champion was Big Whiskey, shown by Donnie Dougherty for Monica Nichols, of Lebanon. Reserve winner was Fancy’s Shadow, shown by Steve Dampier for Nancy Israel and Bevin Ford, of Fayetteville, Ark.
At 5:30 Saturday, prior to the start of the regular show, winners of the versatility and ranch horse competitions were announced.
And at 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon, a crowd gathered in the Hall of Fame room at the association headquarters office for the induction of two members into the MFTHBA Hall of Fame.
This year’s inductees were former association president Darrell Strain, of Alton, and a former board member Jerry Jackson, of Lebanon.
Also recognized during Saturday night’s show was Joe Harley, of Ava, who is hanging up his hat after serving 30 consecutive years as a ring man at both the Spring Futurity Show in June and the Show and Celebration in September.
