September 4, 2023 - TWHNC Crowns Justified Honors for Third Year in a Row
by:  Shelbyville Now Staff

The 2023 edition of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in now in the books and the crowd has left Bedford County.
This year was historic as the World Grand Championship was awarded to Justified Honors for the third year in a row.   Justified Honors is owned by Lisa Baum of Shelbyville and trained by Callaway Stables also of Shelbyville.  Trainer John Allan Callaway was in the irons for the third year in a row.

          Justified Honors in his victory pass in 2021 - photo from Sugar Creek 

The crowning of Justified Honors as a three-time World Grand Champion puts the Horse and Rider in the history books as one of three to win three consecutive titles.  The other two winning combinations that hold the record of three in a row are Talk of theTown in  1951-53 with Trainer Steve Hill and I Am Jose with Trainer Casey Wright in 2013-15.   

The unanimous decision on the judges card also places Callaway in the record books by making him the only trainer to win four World Grand Championship rides in a row.  In 2020 he also directed Master's Razzle and Jazz to the World Grand Championship. 

Other awards in this year's Championship class were reserve world grand championship honors goinng to Jose’ Revival and Casey Wright for Debbie Woods,  Dixie Road, with Link Webb aboard, won the third place ribbon for Joe Barnes,  fourth to Glory JC and Jeff Laughlin for Janie Chapman,  fifth to Mr. True Blue and R.M. Kellett for the Jacob's family,  sixth to Mach 1 and Jimmy McConnell for the Molly Walters family and seventh to Honor and Remember and Dan Waddell for Kim Lewis.

Now that the TWHNC has concluded,  all attention is focused on the new regulations that the USDA has proposed that would affect the walking horse show industry.   Updates will follow as details are available.