The Nominating Committee of the Walking Horse Owners’ Association has nominated the following people for the 2025 Board of Directors to serve for a 3-year term.

Nominees for WHOA Board of Directors:
Martha Child – Tennessee         
Kevin Gilliam – North Carolina         
Jessica Mast –Tennessee             
Maggie Moore – Tennessee
Peggy Moore – Tennessee             
Susan Paul – Tennessee
Woody Woodruff - Tennessee     
Amanda Wright– Tennessee

Nominee for 2025 WHOA President:  Amy Cross Nance- Tennessee

Any candidate for the WHOA Board of Directors must have been in good standing for the prior two years.  Anyone wishing his or her name declared as a candidate will need to notify the Walking Horse Owners’ Association office no later than December 1, 2024.  According to the By-Laws, Article III, Section 1, stating “anyone desiring to be a candidate shall give notice by registered mail, electronic mail, or fax to the Association of his or her intent to run for a directorship.”

This notice must reach our office no later than December 1, 2024

According to the By-Laws, Article IV, Section 2, stating, “The President shall be elected by total popular vote by the majority of the members for voting.  Any candidate for President must have been a member in good standing and must have served on the Board of Directors for the past two years immediately prior to the election.  In order to be a candidate for President, other than being nominated by the Nominating Committee, a person must be nominated by a member in good standing of this association.  Said nomination, together with a written statement by the nominee agreeing to said nomination, must be reported to the association no later than December 1, 2024.

These nominations must reach our office no later than December 1, 2024.

WHOA High Points Correction

Deadline – November 29, 2024

The deadline to report high point corrections is November 29, 2024. Please take a moment to review your records and send any corrections to engel@horseworld.net or text 931-639-2850 by 5:00 PM on November 29, 2024.

Thank you to the Walking Horse Report for managing the WHOA High Points Program!

Following the death of Charlie Howard in 2019 a fund was established through the Walking Horse Owners Association to honor his memory by helping young people through continuing education.

Congratulations to each of the 2024 recipients of a $500 scholarship from the Charles B. Howard Memorial Scholarship Fund:

Bryliegh Gray - Manchester Tn

Mallory Johnson-  Cookeville, TN

Payton Nelms - College Grove, TN

Corbin Parker - Frankenwig, TN

Mary Frances Way - Murfreesboro, TN

Congratulations to our WHOA members Tami Steinbrecher and Scot MacGregor and their Tennessee Walking Horses who were big winners at the 2024 WDAA Western Dressage World Championships in Guthrie Oklahoma! They competed at all levels against gaited and non-gaited horses and achieved great success!  Thanks for doing such a wonderful job of representing our breed!

                                         Click here for more details and photos

We have an exciting schedule of Triple Crown shows for 2025!  Next year, we will have four Triple Crown Shows and you will be able to choose three of the four shows to accumulate Triple Crown points!  Here is the 2025 schedule:

March 18-22  The Pennyroyal Charity & WHOA Triple Crown Show      Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY

April 3-5  The Southern Belle WHOA Triple Crown Show     Tri-State Exhibition Center MacDonald, TN (near Cleveland, TN)

May 8-10 The WHOA Spring Extravaganza Triple Crown Show     Miller Coliseum, Murfreesboro, TN

October 16-18 The WHOA Fall Festival Triple Crown Show     Oak Grove Gaming Equestrian Center, Oak Grove KY

July 15-26 47th International Pleasure & Colt Championship Show   Miller Coliseum, Murfreesboro, TN

Thanks for your support for the WHOA Triple Crown shows in 2024!  We are looking for an even bigger and better 2025!!

Message from Mark Taylor, WHOA Executive Director...

The 2024 International went extremely well. The total number of entries was 1789 which is down very slightly from last year. We were pleased with the great quality of horses and had a substantial increase in the number of entries for Championship Classes. Our Judges did a great job with 46% of the 1st place ties unanimous by the Judging panel. This year's show featured several exciting extras including a great 2024 Maiden Championship, The All Day Pleasure Challenge with 2 Divisions for 2024, the International Speed Horse Grand Championship, and the Dr. Ann Johnson Canter Challenge.

Thank you to all the folks that make it happen including the Sponsors, Exhibitors, Staff, and especially the great volunteers! 

We have exciting news for next year's International! Thanks to the great staff at Tennessee Miller Coliseum we will be able to expand the show schedule for 2025! This will enable us to re-align classes in order to help our exhibitors have a better experience. Tentative dates for next year's International are July 15-26, 2025.  

2024 INTERNATIONAL SPONSORS

Thank you!!

WHOA extends a heartfelt thanks to all current and past sponsors!

Without you, this show and organization would not exist. 

Come Walk With Us!

The Walking Horse Owners Association is proud to announce winners of the 2024 International High Point Awards! 

 Amateur High Point Winners

• 1. Maggie Moore 
• 2. Jennifer Batts 
• 3. LeAnn Werner Osborn 
• 4. Jean Marie Degville 
• 5. Tina Singleton    

Youth 12-17 High Point Winners

• 1. Finley New
• 2. Jalynn Evans
• 3. Lexi Nelms
• 4. Alex Luttrull
• 5. RiLeigh Bre Cole

Youth 11 & Under High Point Winners

• 1. Ella Jane Rook
• 2. Sterling Woodruff
• 3. Hannah Starnes
• 4. Harper New
• 5. Ally Jo Jacobs

Versatility High Point Horse Winners  

• 1. Spirits Generator- Owned by Shelby Kubly
• 2. Blues American Woman- Owned by Dan Starnes
• 3. Blues Traveler- Owned by Linda Starnes
• 4. Believable Teen- Owned by Jalynn Evans
• 5. I'm Sleight of Hand- Owned by Sandy Harris

1st Place Winners Receive: Custom Belt Buckle- Photo Frame and Gift Card from Barr Studios -Saddle Pad- 2024 International Medallion 

2nd Place Winners Receive: Custom Leather Halter- 2024 International Medallion 

3rd -4th -5th Place Winners in Youth Divisions Receive: Tractor Supply Buckets filled with Horse Supplies

Congratulations to all and thanks for Walking With Us!

The 2024 Show Season is almost here!  WHOA would like to remind everyone of the following: WHOA Membership is due by March 1, 2024 to receive the Discounted rates! All Exhibitors and Owners Must Be WHOA Members to participate at any WHOA affiliated Event! Membership can be paid online at WalkingHorseOwners.com or mailed into the WHOA Office at P.O. Box 4007 Murfreesboro TN 37129. After March 1, 2024 WHOA Membership fees will be as follows: Individual $100 Family $150 Youth $30 Please pay for your membership before making show entries. Memberships can no longer be paid on show entries. Spotted Horse Classes for 2024  WHOA Spotted Horse classes are open to horses that are registered with SSHBEA or have been certified Tobiano, Sabino, Overo, or Splash White by University of California Davis DNA testing. (White Pattern Panel 1).   Here is a link to that testing information:  White Pattern Panel 1 | Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (ucdavis.edu)   Come Walk With Us!

Angela Strickland Patterson of Port Ludlow, Washington passed away on January 9th 2024. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia January 29, 1957 to parents Harold and Myra Jean Strickland. She is survived by her Husband Scott Patterson, her brothers Alan (Barb) Strickland, Steve (Tammy) Strickland, and their families. She retired in 2018 from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. 

Angie passionately loved her Tennessee Walking Horses, and was quite fond of buckskins, as she owned 3 of them. Her latest addition was her youngster, Knights Yellowstone, who is affectionately known as “Tater”. Amongst her herd, Designer Edition “Smudge” was very special to her, and she accomplished many wins competing in the Northwest, which included the prestigious Horse of the Year award. Angie’s gelding A-R 15 “Rico” was also a special part of her life, and she enjoyed showing him in Tennessee. She served her walking horse community by being active in the industry, and in held a WHOA judge’s license. She also served on the TWHBEA International Board of Directors, and represented the state of Washington. 

Angie was a lover of all animals, and will be remembered by all that she touched as a kind and wonderful friend.