BELFAST, Tenn. - On the first Friday night in August, the quiet little town of Belfast, nestled in the hills of Tennessee become a busy metropolis as everyone comes to see the best of the best show at Belfast.

The Forty-Second Annual Belfast Lions Club Horse Show, was a great one with 314 entries, compared to 280 last year, showing before Don Milligan of Unionville, Tennessee. Show managers, Steve, Ray, and Nancy Beech were well pleased with the tremendous turnout of exhibitors and spectators as well as the outstanding quality of the horses showing. Belfast has the name of being “the walkway to the Celebration” and many of the horses seen here will wear the roses at the 2002 Celebration.

Master of Ceremonies Bobby Sands and Connie Dunlap kept the show moving and entertained the crowd as the evening went by. Jack Greene kept busy with his camera and Farrier Louie Staton was on hand to replace any thrown shoes.

In the championship stake six talented entries answered the gate call. After a thrilling class, Judge Milligan selected Ex-Dividend and Allan Callaway to carry out the garland and to make the victory pass for George and Beverly Greenup. At the Lynchburg show, this talented team became stake contenders with their win there. This is Ex-Dividend’s first year in aged competition. Allan Callaway was thrilled and stated this was his first Belfast Stake win.

Reserve in this class was awarded to Pushover’s Infiniti and Jimmy McConnell for Bob Medina while third was awarded to Generator’s Showboat and Brock Tillman for Stacey Beard Henderson. Generator’s Showboat was last year’s Belfast champion. Pushover’s Infiniti’s previous Stake wins include Somerville, Tennessee and Jackson, Tennessee. He also won the Germantown Charity Horse Show’s 60 Years and Over blue. Brock Tillman earlier this season directed Generator’s Showboat to the Mississippi State Charity’s Stallion win.

The blue ribbon tally was led by four stables winning two blues apiece. They were Black Hawk Stables, Blue Ribbon Stables, and Allan Callaway Stables. There were 28 different stables or individuals returning home with Belfast blues.

Black Hawk Farms’ first blue came in the Four-Year-Old Amateur Stallions class with Sabrina Young aboard I’m Platinum for Sweet Revenge Stables. This new team came together at the Mississippi State Charity to win the Amateur Four-Year-Old Championship; since then they have won blues in this division at Gallatin and the Money Tree Class. Trainer Justin Jenne’ also took the reins at the Mississippi State Charity to win the Novice Walking Horse Specialty blues.

Also showing under Black Hawk’s banner, Jack Littrell directed Littrell and Robins entry, Cut Above All, to the blue in the Open Amateur class. Cut Above All has three previous 2002 blues with Justin Jenne’ in the saddle. They won the World Cup Mare and Gelding, the Children’s Classic Stake and the Minor Hill Stake blues.

Twelve top horses made the team of Jose Quervo Gold and Bob Lawrence work hard for the blue in the Lite Shod Specialty and as they made the victory pass, it was obvious that this was also the crowd’s choice. Lawrence & Hutto own this talented horse which has a lengthy list of blue ribbons this season including the National Trainers’ Show Amateur Lite Shod Four-Years & Under Specialty and the Amateur Lite Shod Specialty Stake, the Gulf Coast Charity Amateur Lite Shod Specialty, 4 Years and Under, the Walking To Make A Difference Amateur Lite Shod Two & Three-Year-Olds, the Money Tree Classic Amateur Lite Shod Specialty, the Columbia Spring Jubilee Amateur Lite Shod Specialty and the Bethesda Amateur Lite Shod with Lawrence in the saddle. Doug Barnes directed this lite shod talent to the blue in the Lite Shod at the Second Annual Bedford County FFA Show.

Blue Ribbon Stables’ second blue was won by Jeff Byrom and Mr. Crayola, topping the Open Park Pleasure Specialty for Judy Smith. They were also the Park Pleasure champions at the Chrisitana Booster Horse Show.

In addition to the stake class, Allan Callaway Stables had a winner in the Three-Year-Old Amateur Mares and Geldings class. When this class entered the ring, the audience crowded to the rail watching 14 top contestants. Lucky Collins was in the irons, making the victory pass for Don Collins aboard current World Champion Liz Claiborne to win the first blue for Callaway Stables. Liz Claiborne and Lucky Collins have two previous wins in this class at the Columbia Spring Jubilee and the Bethesda Show.

Rodney Dick seems to get along quite well with the “girls” and at Belfast was no exception. He first won the MASCUP Two-Year-Old Mares and Geldings of 17 talented entries with Susan B. Anthony for the G.R. Trumble Family. He previously has won the Owingsville, Kentucky Two-Year-Old Fillies with this outstanding Silver Dollar mare.

He next entered the ring on the spectacular Poncho Impact, winning the MASCUP Three-Year-Old Mares and Geldings title. Billy Fields owns this entry. Kaitlin Byrom won the Columbia Spring Jubilee Juvenile 12-17 blue on this bay mare earlier this season.

Jordan Dempsey and Shaker’s Little Midnight, led by Charles Gleghorn, won the blue in the ten entry Lead Line division under the guidance of Brookhaven Stables.

For the second night in a row, the Pleasure Ponies filled the ring full. Topping 17 entries to win the blue were Clay Dunivan aboard Pusher’s Pride for Liz Mills and trainer Dickie Gardner.

Nathan Mills won the next blue in the Open Weanling class. He first appeared leading the gorgeous Black Gold Commander, to be selected the champion for Hoyte Eakes. This team won both the Weanling Stallions class at Lynchburg and the Weanling at Lewisburg.

In a class of seventeen, Paul Hankins directed JFK’s Lite Side to the Four-Year-Old Amateur Mares and Geldings blue for Paul and Luann Hankins and trainer Keith Davis. This striking white mount stood out and the crowd showed their approval.

Another new team won the Youth 11 and Under at Belfast. Brooke Way and Generator’s Red Image made the victory pass for John Weaver under Chad Way Stables’ tutelage.

Dr. Judy Moore won the Country Pleasure of 12 entries with her Lady Dumas In Command for Moore and Foust Farm.

Dee Dee Sale directed Millenium Masquerade to the head of the Three-Year-Old Amateur Stallions in an excellent performance. Millenium Masquerade is owned by Gilbert Miller and Family and is trained by Knox Blackburn Stables.

Chris Richards captured the Yearling Fillies class of 12 entries with Mary Tyler Moore for Steve Smith. They also won the Yearling Fillies title at Hohenwald, Tennessee.

Helen Farrer directed Hello Generator to the head of the TWHBEA Youth Medallion class for owners, the Ralph Farrer Family, under the guidance of Puckett Stables. This team won the Walking Ponies at Lewisburg last week.

Storm Struck Again and Robert Nelms topped the Yearling Colts. This team made the crowd sit up and take notice from start to finish for Bob and Becky Nelms. They recently won the same division at the Cornersville Show.

Joyce Marie Green continues her winning with Spring’s Starmaker in the WHT Auxiliary at Belfast. This makes five blues for trainer/owner Jeff Green, four in the Auxiliary division and one in the Trainers Wives and Children Specialty class.

Seventeen outstanding entries answered the gate call for the Amateur Show Pleasure Specialty. A new team announced their winning presence as Insomnia and Keith Johnson made the victory pass for owner Suzy Johnson. They are prepared for the show ring by Mickey McCormick Stables.

Major Event was the next to exit the ring with a blue streaming behind him. Jackie McConnell directed this colt to the top of a class of 11 MASCUP Two-Year-Old Stallions. John Alford proudly owns this outstanding youngster that won also at the Cotton Classic this season.

Generator’s Man Of Magic and Bill Johnson netted a Belfast blue in the Amateur Specialty for William B. and Sandra Johnson. Under Dick Peebles Stables’ banner, the now head for the big oval in Shelbyville.

The Two-Year-Old Amateur Mares and Geldings was topped by Texas Salsa and Nancy Groover. They hail from David Landrum Stables and Texas Salsa is owned by Wink and Nancy Groover. This was their fifth blue of the season including four blues in this division as well as the Mississippi State Charity Two-Year-Old Amateur Championship.

Delight’s Man Of Pride and Brittney Wilson garnered the blue in the Youth Riders 12-17 class of 12 entries. They are prepared by Groover Stables and Melissa Wilson owns this gelding.

Barracuda snapped up the competition in the stake on Thursday Night at Fayetteville, then returned with Mary Medina in the saddle to win the Ladies Amateur Specialty title at Belfast. Barracuda is owned by Mary Medina and trained by Formac Stables. His season’s list of wins was included in the Fayetteville story but it just keeps getting longer as this 2001 World Champion heads for Shelbyville once more.

Skywalk and Seth Stanfill won another Walking Ponies title under the guidance of Stanfill Stables for owner/grandfather Billy Stanfill. This was the third year for this talented team to win this class at Belfast. Quite a record, which also includes blues at the Children’s Classic, Germantown, Tony Rice and Dickson.

As of Belfast, there is a new contender in the Western Park Pleasure Specialty. In their debut performance in this division, the team of The Silver Bandit and Kim Leonard wore the blue from the ring for Scott and Kim Leonard and Herbert Derickson Stables. The Silver Bandid has previous blues from the National Trainers’ Show and the Spring Fun Show but with English equipment.

One of the most talked about classes of the show was the Four-Year-Old Open. After an absence from the showring for 11 months following back surgery, Sammy Day made his debut one to be remembered. Gen’s Johnny Walker Red thrilled the crowd as he performed throughout the show and as he made his victory pass. He is owned by John Legate.

Mr. M.D. and Kelly Garrett proudly topped the 15.2 and Under Amateur Specialty class of 11 entries. Steve Aymett prepares Mr. M. D. for the showring and he is owned by Floyd Sherman.

Another 11 horse class came next with The Bold Stroke and David Hendricks winning the Amateur Owned and Trained Specialty.

Judge Milligan had his hands full as 13 top Three-Year-Old Stallions came into the ring. King Of The Jungle and Bobby Fann made the victory pass for the Nestor Stewart Family.

Another 13 horse class came next and after a thrilling ride, Sue Brassy directed I’m Billy The Kid down victory lane in the Two-Year-Old Amateur Stallions class. This great colt is owned by Brassy and McClure and trained at Kovalick Stables.