Governor Fletcher opened Wednesday night’s

performance with a thank you ceremony.

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, First Lady Glenna Fletcher and the Fletchers’ daughter, Rachael, and grandchildren, Callie, Hannah, Joshua and Mason, were among the distinguished guests at opening night of the 2006 Shelbyville Horse Show on August 2, 2006. The Governor and his family enjoyed the “hands on” opportunity to experience one of the industry’s premiere Saddle Horse shows, and to visit with various horse show exhibitors, owners, breeders and fans.

Shortly before the Wednesday night performance, a special ceremony was held in the ring to recognize and thank Governor Fletcher and his administration for promotion of the horse industry in Kentucky, including Kentucky’s submission of the winning bid to host the 2010 World Equestrian Games and the construction of a new, state-of-the-art indoor equine arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington which will be used for year-round equine events, including Saddlebred shows.

The brief ceremony on Wednesday evening also included an exhibition by Tate Bennett of a two-year-old saddlebred gelding, Kentucky Unbridled Spirit, which owner Hoppy Bennett named in the fall of 2004 immediately after the Governor announced Kentucky’s adoption of the Unbridled Spirit brand.

To conclude their horse show experience, the Governor and his family were escorted to Infinity Stables barn area, where daughter Rachael and all four grandchildren, under the capable supervision of Will Harris, took turns riding Dream Train, an American Saddlebred gelding owned by Jimmy and Helen Robertson.

Governor Fletcher and horse trainer Hoppy Bennett

took a minute from the show to share ideas.