Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show

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, Dutch Harness Horse, and Standardbred breeds. 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.

World's Championship Horse Show
A class of American Saddlebreds and riders at the World's Championship Horse Show.
Sanctioning bodyAmerican Saddlebred Horse Association
Second sanctioning bodyUnited States Equestrian Federation
LocationFreedom Hall @ Kentucky State Fairgrounds/Expo Center
HeldAnnually
Inaugurated1902
Largest honorWorld's Grand Championship
DivisionsFive-gaited, three-gaited, fine harness, road horse, road pony, harness pony

Competition

American Saddlebred horses, Hackney ponies and horses, and Standardbred horses compete in the World's Championship. In each division, there are always several classes specifically for amateurs, ladies, amateur ladies, and junior exhibitors. There are also specific age classes for younger horses, namely two- three- and four-year-olds, and for Saddlebred ponies and horses.[1]

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, since 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. Standardbreds are shown in only one division, road horses.

Multiple World's Championship titles are awarded, but there is only one World's Grand Championship in each division.[2] The most prestigious World's Grand Championship is for five-gaited Saddlebreds, meaning horses that perform the standard gaits of walk, trot, and canter plus two four-beat gaits, the slow gait and the rack.[3][4] Saddlebreds in the Three-Gaited World's Grand Championship compete at the walk, trot and canter, but are still judged on their breed type and animation.[5]

History

The World's Championship Horse Show has been held every year since it was founded in 1902 with only two exceptions. The first missed year was 1904, when no fair was held, and 1945, when the fair was cancelled due to World War II.[6] The World's Grand Championships were first held in a modern sense in 1914. It is one of the three horse shows that compose the Saddlebred "Triple Crown," in addition to the Lexington Junior League Horse Show 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, which carries prize money of $100,000.[7]

Wing Commander, six-time winner of the Five-Gaited World's Grand Championship

In 1953, the stallion Wing Commander, trained by Earl Teater became the first Saddlebred to ever win six World's Grand Championship titles, all in the five-gaited division.[8] 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 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 was also notable, for another amateur woman, Mary Gaylord McClean, won the reserve title to MacFarlane. Some other horses that have made recent 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 and HS Daydream's Heads Up, 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.

In 2006, the Kentucky State Fair offered a western pleasure division for Saddlebreds and the hunt seat pleasure division was introduced in 2019. It also has begun offering futurity and junior park pleasure classes and a junior exhibitor park division.

Winners

This is a partial list of World's Grand Championship winners at the World's Championship Horse Show.

Winners at the World's Championship Horse Show
Year Five-Gaited Three-Gaited Fine Harness Road Horse Road Pony Hackney Pony Harness Pony
1902 Preston Gayety Miss Peabody Glennbrook Class not held Class not held Class not held
1903 Rex Peavine Gayety Kentucky's Belle Mac Roberts Class not held Class not held Class not held
1905 Bourbon King Gamelbar The American Girl Rex Arbuckle Class not held Class not held Class not held
1906 Indian Boy Poetry of Motion Nominee Kentucky Peak Class not held Class not held Class not held
1907 Star McDonald Jane S. Top Ashland Maid Class not held Class not held Class not held
1908 Red McDonald Poetry of Motion Kate Hamilton Mattie Bond Class not held Class not held Class not held
1909 Edna May (BHF) Princess Sonia Golden Glow Lady Pura Class not held Class not held Class not held
1910 Bourbon Prince Gladys L. Nazimova Kenneth Mack Class not held Class not held Class not held
1911 Nickel Plate Diana Of The Lea Nazimova Othaway Belle Class not held Class not held Class not held
1912 Rexola (Shown as Hazel Dawn) Mildred C. Jaqueline Kenneth Mack Class not held Class not held Class not held
1913 Rexola (Shown as Hazel Dawn) Kentucky's Selection Kentucky's best Rishata Class not held Class not held Class not held
1914 Jack Barrymore Clara Belle (not registered) Sun Flower Trey Briggs Class not held Class not held Class not held
1915 Astral King Mary Yandell Fox Dixie Highway (not registered) Cheetah Class not held Class not held Class not held
1916 Richlieu King Pretty Baby (not registered) Lady Beautiful Cheetah Class not held Class not held Class not held
1917 Easter King Happy Sybil (Shown as Shadow Lawn) Lady Beautiful Martha Wilson Class not held Class not held Class not held
1918 Cascade Found at Last (not registered) Maydan Joffee Class not held Class not held Class not held
1919 Liberty Girl The Answer Lady Beautiful Joffee Class not held Class not held Class not held
1920 Mass of Gold (not registered) Twilight Hour Lady Beautiful Black Fox Class not held Class not held Class not held
1921 Mass of Gold (not registered) In Demand Lady Beautiful Florence Adams Class not held Class not held Class not held
1922 Easter Star Sporty McGee (not registered) Phoebe Dare (Shown as Elizabeth Greis) Todd McGryer Class not held Class not held Class not held
1923 Mass of Gold (not registered) Smilin' Thru Violet Heming May Aubrey Class not held Class not held Class not held
1924 Edna May's King San Marcos Emily McCready Black Fox Class not held Class not held Class not held
1925 Vendetta (BHF) Bohemian Actress Peavine's Dream Black Fox Class not held Class not held Class not held
1926 Edna May's King Jonquil La Grita (not registered) Jane Bossett Class not held Class not held Class not held
1927 Dark Rex Jonquil Suttie Leigh Saint Misrol Class not held Sir Eric Edgeware Marvel
1928 CH Chief of Longview Jonquil Lulworth Victor My Souvenir Class not held Fascination Ovation
1929 CH Chief of Longview Jonquil Charming Gypsy My Souvenir Class not held Orlando Edgeware Marvel
1930 Beau Wolf CH Roxie Highland California Star (Shown as Supreme) Brunswick Class not held The Lark Rio Saxon
1931 CH Sweetheart on Parade Tee Caddy CH Chief of Longview Brunswick Class not held Dinarth Sunbeam Fate Morgana
1932 CH Sweetheart on Parade Mountain Echo CH Chief of Longview Signal Flash Class not held Explosion Rio Saxon
1933 CH Belle Le Rose (BHF) CH Roxie Highland Fiery Crags Fredrick Class not held Fascination Rio Saxon
1934 CH Belle Le Rose (BHF) Co-Winners:CH Roxie Highland (Three-Gaited Over 15.2 Hands) & CH Etta Kett (Three-Gaited 15.2 Hands & Under) Allen Adair Ax Moka Class not held La La Success Rio Saxon
1935 Night Flower (BHF) Co-Winners:Fiery Crags (Three-Gaited Over 15.2 Hands) & CH Miss America (BHF) (Three-Gaited 15.2 Hands & Under) Allen Adair Calumet Armistice Class not held King Of The Plain Captivation
1936 Chief of Spindle Top American Model Allen Adair Calumet Armistice Class not held Harviestoun Vina Rio Saxon
1937 Astral White Sox CH Moreland Maid (BHF) Bourbon Genius Class not held Superlative Captivation
1938 Midnight Star (not registered) Golden Avalanche (not registered) CH Meadow Vanity (BHF) (shown as Vanity) Class not held Class not held Superlative Polly Ensign
1939 Lady Jane of Crebilly (Shown as Lady Jane) Golden Avalanche (not registered) CH Meadow Vanity (BHF) Class not held Class not held Class Not Held Class Not Held
1940 A Sensation CH America Beautiful (BHF) Noble Kalarama Class not held Class not held Class Not Held Class Not Held
1941 A Sensation CH America Beautiful (BHF) CH Meadow Vanity (BHF) Easter Belle Class not held Highland Cora Class Not Held
1942 No Fair Held Because of World War II No Fair Held Because of World War II No Fair Held Because of World War II No Fair Held Because of World War II No Fair Held Because of World War II No Fair Held Because of World War II No Fair Held Because of World War II
1943 CH Oak Hill Chief CH America Beautiful (BHF) CH Meadow Vanity (BHF) Savage Sailor Class not held Class Not Held Class Not Held
1944 Easter Serenade CH America Beautiful (BHF) CH Meadow Vanity (BHF) Kitty Nique Class not held Highland Cora Class Not Held
1945 CH Oak Hill Chief CH Edith Fable Captain Bird Class not held Highland Cora Wensleydale Pilot
1946 CH Oak Hill Chief CH Edith Fable Startling Kalarama Savage Sailor Class not held Hawthorne Baskerville Wensleydale Pilot
1947 Daneshall's Easter Parade (BHF) Nellie Pidgeon (BHF) CH Denmark's Mokanna Sir Laurel Grey Class not held Cadet Commander Class Not Held
1948 CH Wing Commander CH My Smoke Dreams Captain Dandy (Shown as Man Of The Hour) Paul D. Class not held Cadet Commander G.I. Joe
1949 CH Wing Commander CH Magnolia's Ann Rutledge CH Kate Shriver (BHF) Paul D. Class not held Cadet Commander G.I. Joe
1950 CH Wing Commander CH Blue Meadow Princess CH Kate Shriver (BHF) Paul D. Class not held Ariel Song Kings Commando
1951 CH Wing Commander CH Blue Meadow Princess Parading Lady (not registered) Harveritle Class not held Glenholme Acrobat Kings Commando
1952 CH Wing Commander CH Blue Meadow Princess Parading Lady (not registered) Blythe Spirit Class not held King's Review Kings Commando
1953 CH Wing Commander[9] CH Blue Meadow Princess CH Denmark's Mokanna (Shown as Regal Aire) Blythe Spirit Class not held King's Review Holiday Spirit
1954 CH Lady Carrigan CH Blue Meadow Princess Parading Lady (not registered) Blythe Spirit Class not held King's Review Holiday Spirit
1955 CH Lady Carrigan CH Emerald Future (BHF) CH Bit O'Chatter (Shown as High Button Shoes) Blythe Spirit Class not held King's Review Holiday Spirit
1956 CH Dream Waltz CH Valley View Supreme CH The Lemon Drop Kid Venture Up Class not held King's Review Holiday Spirit
1957 CH Lady Carrigan CH Carol Carson (shown as Sunshine Carol) CH The Lemon Drop Kid Bombsight Class not held Cora's Mite My Inspiration
1958 CH Lady Carrigan CH Technistar CH The Lemon Drop Kid Bombsight Class not held King's Mystic Lady My Inspiration
1959 CH Plainview's Julia (BHF) CH Delightful Society CH The Lemon Drop Kid Bombsight Class not held King's Nanette Red Letter
1960 CH Plainview's Julia (BHF) CH Delightful Society CH Colonel Boyle Bombsight Class not held Little Gypsy Red Letter
1961 CH Denmark's Daydream CH Belle Of The Dell CH Colonel Boyle Bombsight Class not held Croftland Dainty Doris My Inspiration
1962 CH Denmark's Daydream CH Belle Of The Delle CH Colonel Boyle Night Flight Class not held Little Gypsy Director
1963 CH My-My CH Miss Helen CH Colonel Boyle Night Flight Class not held Little Gypsy Director
1964 CH My-My CH Local Talent CH Colonel Boyle Night Flight Miss Sensation Mr. Yank's Poinsettia Diamond Victory
1965 CH My-My CH Local Talent CH The Thunderbird Worthy Demon Kentucky King Poinsettia Mr. Sandman
1966 CH My-My CH Forest Song CH Duke of Daylight Night Flight Hustlin' Harriet Kenwil Lady Hollie Mr. Sandman
1967 CH My-My CH Bellisima CH Duke of Daylight Night Flight Miss Sensation Wing Commander Carnation King
1968 CH My-My CH Bellisima CH Tashi Ling Worthy Demon Hustlin' Harriet King's Rocket Diamond Victory
1969 CH Valerie Emerald CH Bellisima CH Tashi Ling Stingray Miss Sensation King's Rocket Carnation's King
1970 CH Yorktown CH Lover's Sensation CH Tashi Ling Worthy Demon Git "N" Go Last Edition Carnation's King
1971 CH Yorktown CH Sea of Secrets CH Tashi Ling Eyre Lad Mr. Terrific Dun-Haven's Inspiration Tijuana Brass
1972 CH Yorktown CH Forest Song CH Supreme Airs (BHF) Sundown Lad Queen of the Road Dun-Haven's Inspiration Apollo's Heir
1973 CH Val-Dale's Surefire CH Oak Hill's Dear One (BHF) CH Glenview Mandala Stingray Just-A-Sensation Apollo's Right "O" Dun-Haven Inspiration
1974 CH Val-Dale's Surefire CH Oak Hill's Dear One (BHF) CH Reata's Virginia Wolf Erye Lad Mr. Terrific Appollo Sand King's Victorious
1975 CH Belle Elegant CH Finisterre's Gift of Love (Shown as Gift of Love; formerly registered as Spring Valley's Gift of Love) CH Ronald Reagan Stingray Holly Hocks Fernwood's Dutch Director Apollo's Heir
1976 CH Will Shriver CH Finisterre's Gift of Love CH Night Prowler Stingray Nakomis Appollo Sand King's Victorious
1977 CH Belle Elegant CH Finisterre's Gift of Love CH Melody's Winged Sensation Stingray Nakomis Appollo Sand Tijuana Brass
1978 CH Cora's Time CH Finisterre's Gift of Love CH Melody's Winged Sensation Miss Dean Key Speed Limit Last Edition Holiday's Image
1979 CH Mountain Highland Encore CH Happy Valley Treasure CH La La Success (BHF) Stingray Speed Limit Appollo Sand Tijuana Brass
1980 CH Imperator The Finest Hour (formerly registered as Danville Dandy and Seymour's Finest Hour) CH La La Success (BHF) So Lovely Reverend Mr. Black Centerfold Tijuana Brass
1981 CH Imperator CH Home Town Hero Sultan's Santana So Lovely Speed Limit Rag-A-Muffin Bi-Mi Supreme Jubilation
1982 CH Sky Watch CH Home Town Hero CH Shadow's Creation Nonstop Sling Shot Poinsettia's Reality Second Sourvenir
1983 CH Sky Watch CH Sultan's Starina CH Night Prowler Nonstop Perfect Impression Tijuana Princess Second Souvenir
1984 CH Sky Watch CH Sultan's Starina CH Vanity's Showcase Nonstop Perfect Impression Poinsettia's Reality Flamethrower
1985 CH Imperator CH Sultan's Starina CH Vanity's Showcase Nonstop Andiamo Poinsettia's Reality Flamethrower
1986 CH Imperator CH Sultan's Starina CH Vanity's Showcase TNT Andiamo Debonaire's Lady Cherry's Dream Boy
1987 CH Our Golden Dutchess CH Sultan's Starina CH Captive Spirit RPM Andiamo La Louisianne Cherry's Dream Boy
1988 CH Sky Watch CH Black Irish CH Buck Rogers RPM Andiamo Poinsettia's Reality Cherry's Dream Boy
1989 CH Man On The Town Gimcrack CH Foxfire's Prophet My Heart Andiamo La Louisianne Cherry's Dream Boy
1990 CH Man On The Town Cameo's Angel Wings CH Simply Mahvalous B.R. My Heart Andiamo Dun-Haven High Time Mark of Success
1991 CH Callaway's New Look CH One For The Road CH Roselawn's Secret Rhythm The Natural Andiamo Dun-Haven High Time Flamethrower
1992 CH Callaway's New Look CH One For The Road CH Roselawn's Secret Rhythm The Natural Speed "N" Spirit Tijuana Starlet Dunhaven Desiree
1993 CH Protege CH Memories' Citation CH Be Happy The Natural The Cajun Cat Dun-Haven High Time Brass Lass
1994 CH Onion CH Spring High CH Be Happy Shining Brightly I've Arrived Mark of Excellence Vindicator
1995 CH Onion CH Spring High CH Roselawn's Secret Rhythm The Invader I've Arrived Centerfold Ballet
1996 CH Memories' Citation CH Winter Day CH A Sweet Treat Private Party The Cajun Cat Night Passage Brass Lass
1997 (SA) Zorvoorbij Commander in Chief[10] CH Hollywood Excellence (BHF) CH A Sweet Treat Private Party I've Arrived Ooh La La Ballet
1998 CH Garland's Dream CH Hollywood Excellence (BHF) CH Radiant Success Private Party Desert Prince Heartland Rain Song American Flyer
1999 CH Garland's Dream CH A Sweet Treat CH Radiant Success Brave Heart Desert Prince Heartland Equality Heartland Heiress
2000 CH Wild-Eyed and Wicked CH Hollywood Excellence (BHF) CH Radiant Success When & Where Free Willy Heartland Equality American Flyer
2001 CH Wild-Eyed and Wicked CH Yes It's True CH Callaway's Copyright Power Ranger Lamborghini Fancy Ribbons Bruschetta
2002 CH SS Genuine CH An Heir About Her CH Callaway's Copyright Invincible Summer Heartland Production Fancy Ribbons Heartland Special Special
2003 CH Callaway's Forecaster CH An Heir About Her CH Callaway's Copyright Invincible Summer Desert Prince Heartland Equality Heartland King Of Kings
2004 CH Boucheron CH An Heir About Her CH Callaway's Copyright Power Ranger Desert Prince On The Mark Shake Don't Stir
2005 CH Five O'Clock CH Manila Thrilla CH Callaway's Copyright Big Red CH Calvin Hobbs Nabucco Par Excellence
2006 CH He's The Man CH Manila Thrilla CH Callaway's Copyright Big Red CH Free Willy Nabucco Sweetheart of Success
2007 (SA) CH Casey's Final Countdown CH Grande Gil CH Along Came A Spider Big Red CH Free Willy Lord Ovation Heartland Expectation
2008 CH Breaking News CH Our Charming Lady CH Mother Mary Big Red Beulah Jean On The Mark Heartland Expectation
2009 CH Courageous Lord CH Our Charming Lady CH Castledream Big Red Beulah Jean Heartland High Tech Dun-Haven Phenomenal
2010 CH Courageous Lord CH Grande Gil CH Lace's Last Tango Emerson Beaulah Jean Heartland Fortune Maker Heartland Expectation
2011 CH Courageous Lord CH Real Action CH Wild Carrissima Emerson Regal's Lightning Strike LF Nabucco Giselle
2012 CH Bravo Blue CH Platinum Moon CH Wild Carrissima Emerson CH Calvin Hobbs Nabucco Giselle
2013 CH Callaway's Annabel Allison Sir Silver Knight CH Wild Carrissima Emerson Twin Willow's McDreamy CH Heartland Globe-Trotter Giselle
2014 CH The Daily Lottery CH Macadamia Nutcrakers Nirvana Emerson Twin Willow's McDreamy Heartland Majestic Giselle
2015 Marc of Charm Tango's Token Kiss CH Lady Mandolin Track Star Twin Willow's McDreamy Craycroft Matador Heartland Expectation
2016 Top of the Mark CH Don O'Neil CH Wild Carrissima B52 Twin Willow's McDreamy Craycroft Matador Giselle
2017 Top of the Mark Tango's Token Kiss Here Comes the Boom B52 Twin Willow's McDreamy Heartland High Tech Mississippi Queen[11]
2018 CH The Daily Lottery Tango's Token Kiss Madeira's Code Red Live Action Twin Willow's McDreamy Heartland Jamin' Giselle
2019 CH The Daily Lottery Callaway's Ivanka Madeira's Code Red Live Action Prime Time's Choice LF Craycroft Matador Heartland Bejeweled
2020 I'm Lookin At You HS Daydream's Heads Up Soul Desire Divide N Conquer Twin Willow's McDreamy Heartland High Tech Crystal Creeks Knight Raider
2021 Bourbon Select The Crowd Went Nuts HS Daydream's Heads Up GR CH My Casey Unexpected 2 Heartland Majestic Handsome Harry
2022 Epoque Kiss NKF The Crowd Went Nuts Soul Desire Divide N Conquer Unexpected 2 Heartland Secret Weapon Handsome Harry

See also

References

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