Results-Best In Show for Friday Night!…Heart O’ Dixie Spring Showcase Crowns Top Performers in Philadelphia, Mississippi

  • Heart O’ Dixie Spring Showcase Crowns Top Performers in Philadelphia, Mississippi
    March 7-8, 2025 | Reported by Tommy WilliamsThe Heart O’ Dixie Spring Showcase in Philadelphia, Mississippi, concluded with fierce competition across 23 classes, showcasing the talents of horses, riders, and owners. Using a points system that rewarded consistency and excellence, the event crowned its Best in Show honorees. Here are the standout performers:

    Best Owner: Joyce Watson & Carole Baxter (27 Points Each)

    A thrilling tie emerged in the owner category, with Joyce Watson and Carole Baxter each amassing 27 points.

    • Joyce Watson dominated with victories in Park Performance (The Pinch Hitter), Racking Specialty Action Amateur (Sky Strong), and a second-place finish in Racking Open (Smooth as TN Whiskey).
    • Carole Baxter shone with wins in Amateur Mares/Geldings (Jimmers Country Girl), Amateur Ponies (Form a Line), and a third-place finish in Open Three Year Old Mares/Geldings (Jimmers Tequila Cash).

    Best Rider: Leighanne Tibbs & Blaise Broccard (30 Points Each)

    Two riders stood atop the leaderboard with flawless performances:

    • Leighanne Tibbs swept three classes: Model/WHTA Riders Cup (Without a Warning), Spotted Trail Pleasure (Trump Card FS), and Spotted Country Pleasure (Buckdance), earning a perfect 30 points.
    • Blaise Broccard matched this feat with victories in Show Pleasure/WHTA Riders Cup (Cactus Jack JH), Open Three Year Old Mares/Geldings (Woman of Honor), and Open Specialty/WHTA Riders Cup (Bourbon Street I).

    Best Horse: Jose’s Black as Coal (13 Points)

    The striking Jose’s Black as Coal (sired by Jose Jose) claimed the title of Best Horse with 13 points. Ridden by Sarah Stanfill and owned by Andy Rippy, this standout competitor earned a fourth-place finish in Model/WHTA Riders Cup and triumphed in Gaited Pleasure, demonstrating versatility across disciplines.

    Notable Performances

    • Fount Darnell (Rider) excelled with 23 points, winning Country Pleasure (Judge Jeanine) and Park Pleasure (Dollars for Honors).
    • Koda Downs (Rider) earned 20 points across three classes, including a win in Racking Four & Under (High Sheriff SM).
    • Honors-sired horses dominated the show, with winners like Steinbeck, Cactus Jack JH, and Dollars for Honors highlighting the sire’s influence.

    Final Thoughts

    The Heart O’ Dixie Spring Showcase celebrated the dedication of competitors and the grace of Tennessee Walking Horses. With ties in both owner and rider categories, the event underscored the depth of talent in the industry. Congratulations to all participants, and a special salute to the 2025 champions!

    Photography by Natasha Douglass | Judged by Amber Zahnd

    For full results and video highlights, visit WalkingHorseChat.com.

  • Points were awarded based on class placings:
    • 1st: 10 pts
    • 2nd: 7 pts
    • 3rd: 5 pts
    • 4th: 3 pts
    • 5th: 2 pts
    • 6th–10th: 1 pt

Heart O’ Dixie Spring Showcase

  • Philadelphia, Mississippi
  • March 7-8, 2025
  • Amber Zahnd
  •  Natasha Douglass

 

MODEL/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryModel
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 WITHOUT A WARNING Leighanne Tibbs Austin/Dalton Tibbs
2 THE KINGS WAY Mary Frances Way Buckner/Player/Parks
3 KHEMOSABIS FANCY DANCER Narsis Whigham David/Amanda McCann
4 JOSES BLACK AS COAL Sarah Stanfill Andy Rippy
 SIRED BY: JOSE JOSE

PARK PERFORMANCE/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryPark Performance
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 THE PINCH HITTER Steve Beam Joyce Watson
2 ONE MISSISSIPPI David Latham Tyler Brugh
3 HES BUCKWILD Koda Downs Beth Ward
 SIRED BY: GENS BLACK GIN
4 BEAUTYS PIT BOSS Fred Dillon Sam Brown Jr
 SIRED BY: THE TITLEIST

RACKING FOUR & UNDER

HPS CategoryRacking Performance
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 HIGH SHERIFF SM Koda Downs Beth Ward
2 LADY OMAVOL Lamar Denny Connie Missildine McAdams
3 DONT BURST MY BUBBLE Marissa Scott Dawson Dawson/Roberts

SPOTTED TRAIL PLEASURE

HPS CategorySpotted Trail Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 TRUMP CARD FS Leighanne Tibbs Ally Jo Jacobs

AMATEUR THREE YEAR OLD STALLIONS

HPS CategoryAmateur Three Year Old
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 STEINBECK Denise Maples Denise Maples
 SIRED BY: HONORS
2 HANK AT THE RITZ Rylee Nichols Linda Stewart
 SIRED BY: STAR OF RITZ

COUNTRY PLEASURE

HPS CategoryCountry Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 JUDGE JEANINE Fount Darnell Cody Satterfield
 SIRED BY: HONORS

AMATEUR TWO YEAR OLD

HPS CategoryAmateur Two Year Old
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 SUPERBOWL CHEERLEADER CTF Chet Mills John Fikes
2 MISS BRIGHAM YOUNG Don Dotson Bobby Joe Jones
 SIRED BY: JIMMER FREDETTE

GAITED PLEASURE

HPS CategoryTWH Non Specified Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 JOSES BLACK AS COAL Sarah Stanfill Andy Rippy
 SIRED BY: JOSE JOSE
2 SMOKEY BRINGING BAD NEWS DeAndre Portis DeAndre Portis
3 KHEMOSABIS FANCY DANCER Narsis Whigham David/Amanda McCann

RACKING SPECIALTY ACTION AMATEUR

HPS CategoryRacking Performance
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 SKY STRONG Joyce Watson Joyce Watson
2 SKY FALL 007 Dianne Hasty Dwight/Dianne Hasty

TWO YEAR OLD MARES/GELDINGS/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryOpen Two Year Old
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 A DAZZLING DIVA Mike Hannah Donna Burnham Thompson
 SIRED BY: JOSE COLD CHILLS

LITE SHOD/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryLite Shod
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 PEPPERMINTS HONOR Lamar Denny Gribble/Abernathy
 SIRED BY: HONORS

RACKING SHOW PLEASURE

HPS CategoryRacking Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 POWDER COATED DIXIE Bonnie Dodge Hasty/Dodge
 SIRED BY: THE DIXIE LINEMAN

AMATEUR FIVE YEAR OLD

HPS CategoryAmateur Five Year Old
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 I AM LIMITLESS John Gladney Dr John Gladney
 SIRED BY: I AM JOSE
2 WALKING IN THE RITZ Jeff Price Taylor/Price
 SIRED BY: WALK TIME CHARLIE

SHOW PLEASURE/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryShow Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 CACTUS JACK JH Blaise Broccard Tom Gould
 SIRED BY: HONORS
2 DIXIES LINE DRIVE Kimberly Yokley Jerry Drinkard
 SIRED BY: THE DIXIE LINEMAN
3 CHARLIES HOLLOW POINT David Latham Hasty/Latham
 SIRED BY: WALK TIME CHARLIE
4 BY APPOINTMENT Lamar Denny Connie McAdams
5 A JAZZY GEN Colton Boyd Jeff Price
 SIRED BY: MASTER OF JAZZ

THREE YEAR OLD MARES/GELDINGS/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryOpen Three Year Old
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 WOMAN OF HONOR Blaise Broccard Larry/Elsie West
 SIRED BY: HONORS
2 HES A SUPER STAR Mike Hannah Donna Burnham Thompson
3 JIMMERS TEQUILA CASH Josh Watts Carole Baxter
 SIRED BY: JIMMER FREDETTE
4 MIGHTYS IMAGE Fount Darnell Fount Darnell

PARK PLEASURE

HPS CategoryPlantation/Park Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 DOLLARS FOR HONORS Fount Darnell Mike Satterfield
 SIRED BY: HONORS
2 I AM A THREE TIMER Josh Watts Lee/Carole Baxter
 SIRED BY: I AM JOSE
3 SHES A WEEKEND FREAK Jessie Love Jr Jessie Love Jr

AMATEUR GENTLEMEN

HPS CategoryAmateur Gentlemen
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 MASTERS COOL JAZZ Brian Nichols Glenda Nichols
 SIRED BY: MASTER OF JAZZ
2 AN EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE Ben Moss Carney/Moss
 SIRED BY: JOSE JOSE
3 I DREAM OF GIN Jeremy Bridges Jeremy Bridges
 SIRED BY: GENS BLACK GIN

AMATEUR 15.2 & UNDER

HPS CategoryAmateur 15.2 & Under Walking Horses
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 CASHS BOLD AND FRESH Peggy Champion Carroll Counts
2 I AM SAM JOSE John Gladney Dr John Gladney
 SIRED BY: I AM JOSE

SPOTTED COUNTRY PLEASURE

HPS CategorySpotted Country Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 BUCKDANCE Leighanne Tibbs Ralph Pinner

AMATEUR FOUR YEAR OLD

HPS CategoryAmateur Four Year Old
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 BELMONT Pam Russell Larry/Pam Russell
2 JIMMERS ROSE Judith Dial Dr John/Judith Dial
 SIRED BY: JIMMER FREDETTE
3 ANGEL EYES Ashley Latham Buckelew David Oliver
 SIRED BY: MASTER OF JAZZ

TRAIL PLEASURE

HPS CategoryTrail Pleasure
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 A PRIME TIME GENERATOR Fred Dillon Sam Brown

AMATEUR MARES/GELDINGS

HPS CategoryAmateur Specialty
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 JIMMERS COUNTRY GIRL Carole Baxter Carole Baxter
 SIRED BY: JIMMER FREDETTE
View Our Video
2 MOST WANTED MCF Chet Mills Fikes/Mills
 SIRED BY: JOSE JOSE
3 MCILROY MCF Morgan Robertson Nichols/Robertson
 SIRED BY: HONORS
4 INK MASTER Carroll Counts Carroll Counts
 SIRED BY: LINED WITH CASH

RACKING OPEN

HPS CategoryRacking Performance
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 JUST CALL ME TED Steve Beam Sherri Briggs
2 SMOOTH AS TN WHISKEY Joyce Watson Joyce Watson
3 JINZU Koda Downs Hannah Padgett
 SIRED BY: GENS BLACK GIN

AMATEUR PONIES

HPS CategoryAdult Walking Pony
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 FORM A LINE Carole Baxter Carole Baxter
 SIRED BY: LINED WITH CASH
2 FRUIT JAR ALLEY Jeff Price Jeff Price
 SIRED BY: THE DIXIE LINEMAN

OPEN SPECIALTY/WHTA RIDERS CUP

HPS CategoryOpen Specialty
Pl Horse Rider Owner
1 BOURBON STREET I Blaise Broccard Ingram/Jackson
 SIRED BY: THE TITLEIST
2 THE GREATEST HONOR Josh Watts Lee/Carole Baxter
 SIRED BY: HONORS