The small city of Shelbyville (population <15,000) is predominantly an agricultural community, with associated services. Probably its most famous resident was Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), who lived in Shelbyville from 1960 until his death in 1980.
(some scenes from Shelbyville)
Shelbyville is of oversized importance to lovers of Saddlebred horses as it’s known as the “Saddlebred Capital of the World”, a title bestowed on it by the Kentucky legislature. Every summer it’s home to the Shelbyville Horse Show which attracts lovers of Saddlebred horses from around the world — perhaps the most famous being William Shatner. The event runs for four days and includes lots of horses and partying.
(Statue of Saddlebred horse and rider situated just outside the Fair Grounds)
Saddlebreds have a lovely gait which you need to see to appreciate. I found this brief introductory video to be informative:
There are around 90 American Saddlebred horse farms around Shelbyville, some open to visitors (generally by appointment). You can see the horses worked and trained, explore the barns, and perhaps see foals play. There are many trail rides in the area, generally around lush green pastures, so check into that if this interests you.
Our visit to Shelbyville was brief. My wife, who owns several Saddlebred horses, wanted to visit a tailor in town to get fitted for a proper riding outfit. While we were there, we explored the town a little.
(entry to the Shelby County Fair Grounds)
Our first stop was to see the Shelbyville Fair Grounds where the annual Shelbyville Horse Show is held for 4 days each summer. The grounds were empty when we visited (in the spring) but the facility was most definitely centered around horses. There were many barns on site, all topped by attractive horse weathervanes.
There are nice residential neighborhoods in town, with stately old homes. My eyes were drawn to this one in particular, where a large tree had been subjected to a talented carver’s chainsaw, to yield a memorable eagle.
The area also has several wineries and a few bourbon distilleries, none of which we had time to visit.
As we drove out of Shelbyville we stopped by an old cemetery. I sometimes like to do this because they give one an appreciation of the passage of time in a community.
I expect I’ll be back in Shelbyville some year to see the annual horse show. It would be interesting to have a little more time for exploration.
