King Cotton Horse Show slated for Saturday

EDISON — One of Edison’s most popular events will return to the community this weekend, when 48th annual Billie Lane King Cotton Horse Show takes place at the Lions Club Horse Show Grounds on Redding Street this Saturday.

The horse show, which is one of Edison’s best-attended events, will feature between 150-175 walking horses competing for $10,000 in prize money, according to Dan Hammack a volunteer and member of the Edison Lions Club, which sponsors the event.

“It’s a really good show,” said Hammack. “We’ve got the nicest facility you ever saw. It’s a nice lighted ring. There ain’t many horse shows left anymore, so this one is important. It’s a nice show if you love horses.”

Horses competing in the horse show will be coming from throughout the southeast, including Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Texas.

Hammack said the first event was held in the late 1930s and then was put on hold for a few years after World War II before being revived in 1967, after which it has been held ever since.

The show is set to start at 5 p.m. and attendees will get to see 33 classes of walking horses competing for prize money, trophies and ribbons, for what Hammack said is a nominal fee of $5. He said there will also be concessions and an organist on site as well as a farrier and a veterinarian, to assist horse owners if needed.

In addition to the show, there will also be a parade through downtown Edison to commemorate the event, which starts at 10 a.m. Hammack said that there will be vendors of all types at the parade and that it has become an annual tradition.

“It’s a pretty big day for our little community,” Hammack said. “It brings everybody together and we have a good time. The weather this weekend is supposed to be nice, so it’ll be a lot of fun.”

For more information, call (229) 835-2211 or (229) 835-2526.