Great Celebration Mule And Donkey Show Adds A Bang To Independence Weekend The 12th Annual Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show came to a close late Saturday night with a group of tired, but happy, exhibitors heading back to their homes all across the country. The latest installment of this midsummer classic on the Celebration Grounds can be declared a success by almost all measures. Entries this year numbered 1,418 with a total of 473 different animals competing. These totals are each slightly less than the numbers from the 2002 show. "It's not surprising at all," relayed Celebration CEO Ron Thomas. "Each year that the show has fallen on Independence Weekend, we've seen a slight drop. But we've always bounced back and gained the next year. I expect that will be the case this time around." Due to show schedules across the country and the sanctioning bodies involved, the weekend around the Fourth of July has been the home weekend for the Celebration's show. "We kind of boxed ourselves in," said Thomas. "We've been working with NASMA (North American Saddle Mule Association), NMDA (National Miniature Donkey Association), AGMA (American Gaited Mule Association), and ACOSA (American Council of Spotted Asses) to find the right spot in the schedule for this show. We're happy to announce we've been able to move a week later and will hold the 13th Annual Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show July 8-10, 2004." However, Thomas and others were not unhappy with the quality of this year's show. "This is the best organized show in the country," explained Judge Roger Eitel of Rathdurm, ID. "The facility has everything you could want for a show and the staff is extremely professional about how they go about their business. It's just perfect." "The highest expectations we have to meet are those we set for ourselves," Thomas continued. People come to the Celebration Grounds expecting a world-class event and that's what we strive to give them. Hearing positive comments from the exhibitors and fans is very pleasing." A new event for the exhibitors was added this year. The Celebration and Tyson Foods of Shelbyville partnered for a pre-show cookout at Champions Arena. Nearly 400 pounds of fresh chicken was grilled for the welcoming party. The exhibitors enjoyed the food and the sounds of a local bluegrass band. Fans and exhibitors also enjoyed the annual watermelon feast and barbecue dinner, held on Thursday and Friday respectively. Vendor space in the "Trading Post" area was sold out and vendors expressed satisfaction with good sales throughout the show. Vendors ranged from harness and tack purveyors to t-shirt and iron art booths. While the 12th Annual Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show will go in the books as a success, don't look for everything to stay status quo. "We are always looking for ways to make our show better," said Thomas. "We can guarantee exhibitors and fans that our efforts will be geared toward making the Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show the very best show of its kind in the industry."