Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show
Encyclopedia
The World's Championship Horse Show, held at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds
in Louisville, Kentucky
, in Freedom Hall
, is a large horse show
that includes the American saddlebred
, Hackney pony
, and Standardbred. It is usually held annually in late August, coinciding with the dates of the Kentucky State Fair
and in the middle of the show season for the three breeds. Any horse or rider who wins there earns the title of world's champion (abbreviation: WC), and a second place finish is identified with a reserve world's championship (abbreviation: RWC) title. In addition to the WC and RWC titles, a horse can also earn the world's grand championship (WGC) or world's championship of champions (WCC) title. The winner of a championship class which requires a qualifier is given one of these titles.
The Saddlebred divisions of the show's classes contain about six to thirty classes each, and the number may depend on the number of entries that will be showing, for larger classes are usually split into two separate sections. Saddlebreds compete in the divisions found in most of their shows, including the three performance divisions, five gaited, three gaited, and fine harness
, as well as park and pleasure
divisions. Saddle seat
equitation
classes are also offered for junior riders.
The hackney ponies compete in four divisions, road
, hackney (cobtail), harness
, and pleasure driving
ponies. Standardbreds hold only one division, for road horses
.
. It is one of the three horse shows that compose the Saddlebred "Triple Crown," in addition to the Lexington Junior League in Lexington, Kentucky
, and the American Royal
in Kansas City, Missouri
. The schedule always ends on a Saturday night with the five gaited world's grand championship.
In 1953, Wing Commander
became the first Saddlebred to ever win six world's grand championship titles, all in the five gaited division. After him, a mare named My-My matched his feat from 1963 to 1968, but she died before she could win a seventh title. More recently, a fine harness
horse named Callaway's Copyright won his sixth world's grand championship in 2006 and retired shortly thereafter. In 1988, Michele MacFarlane became the first woman and first amateur to win the five gaited world's grand championship on Sky Watch. Since then, she has had two more wins of the same title, on two different horses in 1996 and 2007. The latter year definitely made Saddlebred history, for another amateur woman, Mary Gaylord McClean, won the reserve title to MacFarlane. Some other horses that have made history with their performances are An Heir About Her, who became the first three-year-old Saddlebred to win a world's grand championship in 2002, and A Sweet Treat, who won world's grand championships in both the three gaited and fine harness divisions, which is particularly unusual and proves a horse's versatility.
For the first time ever, in 2006, the Kentucky State Fair offered a western pleasure
division for Saddlebreds. It still does not offer hunt seat
, park pleasure, or a junior exhibitor park, pleasure equitation, or adult equitation division, all of which are being desired for inclusion in the show by some exhibitors.
Kentucky Exposition Center
The Kentucky Exposition Center , formerly Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center , is a large multi-use facility in Louisville, Kentucky, United States...
in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, in Freedom Hall
Freedom Hall
Freedom Hall is a multipurpose arena in Louisville, Kentucky, on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center, which is owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky...
, is a large horse show
Horse show
A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
that includes the American saddlebred
American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...
, Hackney pony
Hackney pony
The Hackney pony is a breed of pony closely related to the Hackney horse. Originally bred to pull carriages, they are used today primarily as show ponies. The breed does not have its own stud book, but shares one with the Hackney Horse in all countries that have an official Hackney Stud Book...
, and Standardbred. It is usually held annually in late August, coinciding with the dates of the Kentucky State Fair
Kentucky State Fair
The Kentucky State Fair is the official state fair of Kentucky which takes place at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. More than 600,000 fairgoers fill the of indoor and outdoor exhibits, eat a smorgasbord of food and ride hair-raising, adrenaline-pumping coasters during the 11-day event...
and in the middle of the show season for the three breeds. Any horse or rider who wins there earns the title of world's champion (abbreviation: WC), and a second place finish is identified with a reserve world's championship (abbreviation: RWC) title. In addition to the WC and RWC titles, a horse can also earn the world's grand championship (WGC) or world's championship of champions (WCC) title. The winner of a championship class which requires a qualifier is given one of these titles.
Divisions
In each division, there are always several classes specifically for amateurs, ladies, amateur ladies, and junior exhibitors. There are also specific classes for younger horses, namely two- three- and four-year-olds, and for Saddlebred ponies and/or horses. They compete to win many ribbons and trophys throughout the season.The Saddlebred divisions of the show's classes contain about six to thirty classes each, and the number may depend on the number of entries that will be showing, for larger classes are usually split into two separate sections. Saddlebreds compete in the divisions found in most of their shows, including the three performance divisions, five gaited, three gaited, and fine harness
Fine harness
Fine harness is a type of driving competition seen at horse shows, that feature light, refined horses with high action. Popular breeds in this event include the American Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian, Dutch Harness Horse, and Hackney ....
, as well as park and pleasure
English Pleasure
English pleasure is generic term for a number of different English riding classes seen at horse shows in the United States, where the horse is ridden in either hunt seat or saddle seat tack....
divisions. Saddle seat
Saddle seat
Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa...
equitation
Equitation
Equitation is the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship.More specifically, equitation may refer to a rider's position while mounted, and encompass a rider's ability to ride correctly and with effective aids. In horse show competition, the rider, rather than the horse is evaluated...
classes are also offered for junior riders.
The hackney ponies compete in four divisions, road
Roadster (horse)
Roadster is a type of driving competition for horses and ponies where the horse and exhibitor appear in equipment similar to that used in harness racing. It is derived from the historical use of certain horses hitched to light carts that traveled quickly from one place to another, often racing on...
, hackney (cobtail), harness
Fine harness
Fine harness is a type of driving competition seen at horse shows, that feature light, refined horses with high action. Popular breeds in this event include the American Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian, Dutch Harness Horse, and Hackney ....
, and pleasure driving
Pleasure driving
Pleasure driving is a horse show class seen in the United States that features light breeds of horses and ponies hitched to a two or four-wheeled show cart. They are driven at a walk and two speeds of trot. Many horse breeds compete in Pleasure driving...
ponies. Standardbreds hold only one division, for road horses
Roadster (horse)
Roadster is a type of driving competition for horses and ponies where the horse and exhibitor appear in equipment similar to that used in harness racing. It is derived from the historical use of certain horses hitched to light carts that traveled quickly from one place to another, often racing on...
.
History
The World's Championship has been held every year since it was founded in 1902, except for in 1904, when no fair was held, and in 1945, when the fair was cancelled due to World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It is one of the three horse shows that compose the Saddlebred "Triple Crown," in addition to the Lexington Junior League in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, and the American Royal
American Royal
The American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri is a livestock show, horse show and rodeo held each year in October and November at Kemper Arena. The Future Farmers of America was founded during the Royal and Kansas City's professional baseball team the Kansas City Royals derive their name from the...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. The schedule always ends on a Saturday night with the five gaited world's grand championship.
In 1953, Wing Commander
Wing Commander (horse)
Wing Commander was one of the greatest Saddlebred show horses of the 20th century. In 1948, the chestnut American Saddlebred stallion won his first Five-Gaited World Grand Championship, a title he kept for five years. In total he won 6 Five-Gaited World Grand Championships, the first of only two...
became the first Saddlebred to ever win six world's grand championship titles, all in the five gaited division. After him, a mare named My-My matched his feat from 1963 to 1968, but she died before she could win a seventh title. More recently, a fine harness
Fine harness
Fine harness is a type of driving competition seen at horse shows, that feature light, refined horses with high action. Popular breeds in this event include the American Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian, Dutch Harness Horse, and Hackney ....
horse named Callaway's Copyright won his sixth world's grand championship in 2006 and retired shortly thereafter. In 1988, Michele MacFarlane became the first woman and first amateur to win the five gaited world's grand championship on Sky Watch. Since then, she has had two more wins of the same title, on two different horses in 1996 and 2007. The latter year definitely made Saddlebred history, for another amateur woman, Mary Gaylord McClean, won the reserve title to MacFarlane. Some other horses that have made history with their performances are An Heir About Her, who became the first three-year-old Saddlebred to win a world's grand championship in 2002, and A Sweet Treat, who won world's grand championships in both the three gaited and fine harness divisions, which is particularly unusual and proves a horse's versatility.
For the first time ever, in 2006, the Kentucky State Fair offered a western pleasure
Western Pleasure
Western Pleasure is a western style competition at horse shows that evaluates horses on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition. The horse is to appear to be a "pleasure" to ride and...
division for Saddlebreds. It still does not offer hunt seat
Hunt seat
Hunt seat is terminology used in the United States and Canada to refer to a style of forward seat riding commonly found at American horse shows. Along with Dressage, it is one of the two classic forms of English riding. The Hunt seat is based on the tradition of fox hunting...
, park pleasure, or a junior exhibitor park, pleasure equitation, or adult equitation division, all of which are being desired for inclusion in the show by some exhibitors.
List of recent world's grand champions
The following is a list of the world's grand champions at the Kentucky State Fair of the last five years:| Year | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five Gaited | Courageous Lord | CH Breaking News | CH (SA) CCV Casey's Final Countdown | He's The Man | Five O'Clock | CH Boucheron | CH Callaway's Forecaster |
| Three Gaited | CH Our Charming Lady | CH Our Charming Lady | Grande Gil | Manila Thrilla | Manila Thrilla | CH An Heir About Her | CH An Heir About Her |
| Fine Harness | Castledream | Mother Mary | CH Along Came A Spider | CH Callaway's Copyright | CH Callaway's Copyright | CH Callaway's Copyright | CH Callaway's Copyright |
| Road Horse | Big Red | Big Red | Big Red | Big Red | Big Red | Power Ranger | Invincible Summer |
| Road Pony | Beaulah Jean | Beaulah Jean | Free Willy | Free Willy | Calvin Hobbs | Desert Prince | Desert Prince |
| Hackney Pony | Heartland High Tech | On The Mark | Lord Ovation | Nabucco | Nabucco | On The Mark | Heartland Equality |
| Harness Pony | Dun Haven Phenomenal | Heartland Expectation | Heartland Expectation | Sweetheart of Success | Par Excellence | Shake Don't Stir | Heartland King Of Kings |