(Editor’s Note: The following speech was made by announcer Mark Farrar Friday, Aug. 31, 2018,
during the retirement of the back number of last year’s World Grand Champions Gen’s Black Maverick
and Bill Callaway.)

We have an honored tradition at The Celebration. It’s time to pay tribute to an individual who is a living part of Celebration history.

Tonight, we again mark history, as we have for all previous world grand champions. We official retire this rider back number from further Celebration competition.

The number 900 will always belong to the 2017 World Grand Champion team of Bill Callaway and Gen’s Black Maverick.

At the 79th anniversary of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, Bill Callaway and Gen’s Black Maverick rode into the ring on the last Saturday night to a roar of applause and cheering, and they exited the ring in the same fashion as they claimed the title of 2017 Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion.

The black stallion caught the eye of owners Keith and Lorraine Rosbury in his three-year-old season. The Rosburys moved Maverick to Callaway Stables in May of 2014. With Bill in the saddle Maverick was victorious in 14 show ring appearances including three Aged Stallion World Championships, and the ultimate title of World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse in 2017. Only on two occasions, both in the big stakes, Maverick did not come out of the ring with the championships.

He was Reserve World Grand Champion in 2014 and third in the World Grand Championship in 2015. Finally, the nine-year-old stallion, with the help of his tenacious owners and a dedicated trainer, was crowned the 2017 World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse with Bill Callaway riding for two excited owners.

Since that thrilling night, Maverick has been busy as a true ambassador of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed through his breeding and friendly interactions with fans from all over the world.

Tonight we honor Bill Callaway and Maverick as we proudly retire their winning rider back number 900 … never again to be worn in Celebration competition.