FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 1, 2026
CONTACT:
Mark Farrar
Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association
info@twhbea.com
931-359-1574
TWHBEA AWARDED TWO TENNESSEE AMERICA 250 GRANTS SFROM THE TENNESSEE COMMISSION FOR THE UNITED STATES SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL
Grants will be used for an archive digitization project and a podcast featuring the history of the Tennessee Walking Horse
Lewisburg, Tenn. – TWHBEA is a recipient of a $20,000 grant and a $10,000 grant for Tennessee America 250 initiatives from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The $20,000 grant award will be used for a digitization project focused on preserving and expanding public access to its VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse magazine collection and historic photograph archive, which together document nearly 90 years of the breed’s history and its impact on Tennessee communities. These materials capture the people, events, traditions, and evolving culture of the Tennessee Walking Horse, offering a rich visual and narrative record of the state’s agricultural and social heritage.
The VOICE magazine has served for over six decades as a historical record for the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, featuring articles, interviews, photographs, and coverage of breeders, exhibitions, and community events. Alongside the magazine collection, TWHBEA’s historic photo archive preserves thousands of images that illustrate the development of the breed, its natural gait, and the individuals and families who shaped its legacy. Many of these materials exist only in fragile physical formats and are at risk of deterioration.
This project will digitize and organize selected issues of the VOICE magazine and priority photographic materials using professional digitization standards and descriptive metadata. By making these materials available online, TWHBEA will transform a largely inaccessible collection into a public digital resource for educators, students, researchers, and the general public. The project supports Tennessee America 250’s mission by preserving, interpreting, and sharing Tennessee’s unique stories, ensuring that the history of the Tennessee Walking Horse remains accessible and relevant for future generations.
The $10,000 grant award will be used for the creation of a podcast series dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the living history of the Tennessee Walking Horse, drawing on the organization’s 90 years of accumulated records, experiences, and expertise. The project will prioritize recording interviews with the few surviving foundational members of the industry whose firsthand knowledge represents an irreplaceable link to Tennessee’s agricultural and cultural heritage. These voices, combined with archival research and expert commentary, will provide a rich, firsthand perspective on the breed’s development and its role in Tennessee history.
The Tennessee Walking Horse is Tennessee’s official state horse and a breed deeply rooted in the state’s rural communities, traditions, and economy. Through recorded interviews, archival materials, and storytelling, the podcast will explore the origins of the breed, the development of its natural gait, and the historical role of walking horses in farm life, transportation, exhibitions, and community identity. By centering these narratives in primary-source voices and historical documentation, the project will provide context and clarity around the breed’s true nature and evolution.
An important goal of the podcast is to address and correct common misconceptions by presenting historically grounded information and firsthand perspectives that reflect the breed’s natural gait, versatility, and significance. By sharing accurate history and lived experience, the series will foster a deeper public understanding of why the Tennessee Walking Horse, and the stories of the people who built the industry, deserves preservation and protection as part of Tennessee’s shared heritage.
To support high-quality production and long-term sustainability, TWHBEA plans to remodel one of the existing spaces in its main office into a professional recording studio. This dedicated space will allow for in-person interviews, narration, and voice recordings in a controlled environment. Post-production editing, sound design, and final episode mastering will be handled by a professional outside contractor, ensuring the podcast meets industry standards while allowing the association to focus on research, interviews, and storytelling.
The podcast will be produced as a freely accessible digital series and distributed through major podcast platforms and TWHBEA’s website, ensuring broad public access across Tennessee and beyond. In alignment with Tennessee America 250’s mission, this project uses modern media to interpret Tennessee’s unique stories, preserve foundational voices, and engage the public in meaningful dialogue about the state’s history. The podcast will serve as both an educational resource during the America 250 commemoration and a lasting historical record for future generations.
The State of Tennessee made available funding to be administered by the Tennessee State Museum, on behalf of the Commission to support statewide America 250 activities.
The second round of the Tennessee America 250 grant program was a highly competitive process. In total, the Commission received 365 applications, totaling $6,364,017 in requests. The Commission has made full or partial awards for 194 grants across the state, representing 73 counties, for a total of $2,267,058 awarded. A complete list of second round Tennessee America 250 grantees, counties and amounts is posted at www.tn250.com.
“I am inspired by the excitement across the state to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Ashley Howell, Executive Director of the Tennessee State Museum and Chair of the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. “This year will be filled with exhibitions, programs, festivals, and preservation of our local and state history. We hope that these projects inspire Tennesseans across the state to engage with the anniversary in 2026.”
“This support allows us to preserve and share the authentic history of the Tennessee Walking Horse in a way we’ve never been able to before,” said Mark Farrar, CEO of TWHBEA. “By digitizing our archives and capturing the voices of those who built this industry, we are ensuring that future generations can understand and appreciate the breed’s true legacy and its deep roots in Tennessee.”
The Tennessee America 250 Project Support Grants and Community Support Grants had maximum request amounts of $20,000 and $25,000, respectively. All projects funded in the second round must be completed by April 30, 2027.
ABOUT TWHBEA
Founded in 1935, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) is the oldest breed association dedicated to the Tennessee Walking Horse – the official horse of the State of Tennessee. TWHBEA maintains the official breed registry and records the pedigrees of Tennessee Walking Horses around the world. They also promote the diverse qualities and uses of the smooth-riding breed and help assure the general welfare of all Tennessee Walking Horses. The association headquarters, located in Lewisburg, Tennessee, is governed by an International Board of Directors. For more information visit www.twhbea.com.
ABOUT TENNESSEE COMMISSION FOR THE UNITED STATES SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL
The Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial was legislatively established by Public Chapter 384 of the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019. The Assembly created the Commission to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, and recognize Tennessee’s integral role in that event and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present, and future. For more information on Commission activities, please visit www.tn250.com.
ABOUT TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM
Celebrating its 88th Anniversary in 2025, the Tennessee State Museum, is the administrative attachment of the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The Museum is located on the corner of Rosa L Parks Blvd. and Jefferson Street at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. It is home to thousands of years of Tennessee history, art, and culture. The Museum is free and open to the public Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on exhibitions and events, please visit TNMuseum.org.
