Horse Show Takes Over The Fairgrounds

Just about every nook and cranny at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds that could hold a horse has got one in it. Thatâ€™s because the Reichert Celebration is in town this week. It's America's largest

Friday, August 17th 2007, 4:00 pm

By: News On 6

Just about every nook and cranny at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds that could hold a horse has got one in it. Thatâ€™s because the Reichert Celebration is in town this week. It's America's largest multi-breed, western pleasure horse show. The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports the winners will take home more than $1.25 million dollars in cash prizes before the weekend is over.

The final stages of the Elite Halter Classic were held Friday at the fairgrounds; itâ€™s just one of the competitions at the Reichert Celebration. Horses compete on their own good looks in the contest, kind of a beauty pageant for horses.

The Reichert Celebration is in its second year in Tulsa after it outgrew two previous locations. Jenna Dempze is from Wisconsin, she's a senior business major at Northern Iowa University. Sheâ€™s in Tulsa with her horse Coco, last year they won about $17,000 in prize money at horse shows around the country.

"This is a dream come true really, I started taking lessons, and then I begged them and they finally broke down and bought me my first horse," competitor Jenna Dempze said.

And now she's been showing horses for 15 years. Her trainer is Gil Galyean. He lives in Pauls Valley, south of Oklahoma City. He trains her horses and has some of his own he shows, like Old Gold Machine. She lived up to her name and won $100,000 at the competition last year.

So what do you do with a $100,000 first prize?

"Whoo-boy, keep training horses 'til it's gone,â€ horse trainer Gil Galyean said.

The horse show continues through Sunday at the Tulsa County Fairgrounds located at 21st and Yale. The big money competitions are Friday night and Saturday night, in the Livestock Arena. The competition begins at 7 p.m. and itâ€™s free.

For more information on the Reichert Celebration visit their website, www.reichertcelebration.com.

Watch the video: Tulsa County Fairgrounds Hosts Western Pleasure Horse Show