SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC) is proud to announce the official class schedule for the upcoming 87th Annual Celebration, which will be held August 20–30, 2025, in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
The Celebration has made several updates to the class sheet previously released in tentative form. These changes reflect a continued commitment to honoring tradition while adapting to the evolving landscape of the Walking Horse community.
Key Revisions to the Class Schedule:
Added: TWHBEA Youth Medallion Pleasure (Ages 6–17) on Mares or Geldings, Optional Tack — Friday Morning
Added: TWHBEA Youth Medallion Performance (Ages 6–17) on Mares or Geldings — Saturday Morning
Moved: Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6–17 on Park Performance Walking Mares or Geldings — to Sunday Evening
Added: Owner-Amateur Riders on All Day Pleasure Walking Horses, Five-Year-Old & Under, World Grand Championship®, Optional Tack — Thursday Evening
Moved: Owner-Amateur Novice Gentlemen Riders on Novice Walking Stallions — Friday Evening
Moved: Owner-Amateur Novice Lady Riders on Novice Walking Stallions — Saturday Evening
Entry Deadlines & Procedures
As with the 86th Annual Celebration, the same entry process will be followed for 2025:
Online Entry: Available at entermywalkinghorse.com from July 13–22, 2025, until 5:00 PM CDT
On-Site Pre-Entry: Accepted at Blue Ribbon Circle July 21–22, 2025, from 8:00 AM–5:00 PM CDT
Late Entries: Accepted through July 29, 2025, at 5:00 PM CDT and subject to double entry fees
Important Notice on Maiden Finals:
Because the Maiden Finals will be held after the regular entry deadline (on July 26, 2025), entries from those classes will be accepted at the standard rate (not subject to the late fee) through the late entry deadline of July, 29, 2025.
Looking Ahead: Evaluating Class Participation
The Celebration continues to monitor participation in all divisions. It is vital that the World Championship show honors longstanding traditions while evolving to meet the needs and interests of today’s exhibitors.
In 2024:
63 preliminary classes had 10 or fewer entries (37%)
10 of those had 5 or fewer entries (6%)
Of 44 championship classes, 27 had 10 or fewer entries (61%)
7 of those had 5 or fewer entries (16%)
In response, several classes are under observation for possible combination, reclassification, or removal in the 2026 class sheet. These include a wide range of performance, pleasure, equitation, and age-specific categories. A full list of these classes will be posted on our website. www.twhnc.com
Click here to see the schedule.