2023 Caparison Ceremony

The Caparison Ceremony (or the riderless horse) is a single horse without a rider and with boots reversed in the stirrups. Annually, the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association opens the Championship night show in this way to recognize and memorialize members of the Association whom have passed away since the last Celebration.

This year the horse wearing the Caparison was 2 time World Grand Champion, Traveler’s Back In Black owned and handled by Darrell Martin of Rolla, Missouri. Members’ names are read aloud as the horse and handler make rounds of the main arena.

The 2023 Caparison Ceremony called out the following names: