 The main arena at the TWHNC grounds | |
| Sanctioning body | Walking Horse Trainers' Association |
|---|---|
| Location | Celebration Grounds, Shelbyville, Tennessee |
| Held | Annually |
| Length | 11 days |
| Sponsors | Various |
| Inaugurated | 1939 |
| Breeds shown | Tennessee Walking Horses |
| Largest honor | World Grand Championship |
| Divisions | Amateur, youth, professional |
| Qualifying | No |
| Total purse | US$650,000 |
| Number of entries | ≈2,000 |
| Attendance | ≈250,000 |
| Website | Official website  |
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC), sometimes known as the Celebration, is the largest horse show for the Tennessee Walking Horse breed, and has been held annually in or near Shelbyville, Tennessee since its inception in 1939. The Celebration was conceived by Henry Davis, a horse trainer who along with several other horsemen, felt the Shelbyville area should have a festival or annual event. Although the Celebration was originally held in Wartrace, Tennessee, it moved to Shelbyville, the seat of Bedford County, a few years later. The Celebration spans 11 days and nights in late August and early September annually, and finishes with the crowning of the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walker on the Saturday night before Labor Day. The TWHNC draws an estimated 2,000 horses and 250,000 spectators to Shelbyville each year.