Saturday evening, Gene Wright of Shelbyville was inducted into the World’s Championship Horse Show Hall of Fame during the Kentucky State Fair.
Wright has been playing the organ for the World’s Championship Horse Show for 47 years. He has been playing the organ for shows across the country for 54 years in locations like in Louisville, Lexington, Kansas City, Ocala and many others, including the Shelbyville Horse Show.
“It started out when I was in high school as kind of a hobby,” said Wright. “As I went through stuff, it just continued longer and longer.”
Wright, who lives in Shelbyville, is originally from Cox’s Creek. He moved to Shelbyville in 2000 when he took a position as the minister of music at Shelbyville First Baptist Church. He served in the position for 20 years before retiring.
In third grade, Wright began taking music lessons. He said that while growing up, he played in the band and continued to play the tuba into his adult years. Today he focuses only on piano and organ.
Having spent nearly his entire life playing music, Wright gave some advice to people, both young and old, who may be in the early stages of their musical careers.
“If music is really what you want to do, don’t get discouraged and don’t quit,” Wright said. “And if you are discouraged, don’t quit. Just keep going.”
Wright entered the Hall of Fame with a class of three other inductees and was surprised to receive the honor.
“It was quite a surprise to me,” Wright said. “Most people in the hall of fame are people who are trainers and have won several championship classes. Or others are owners of horses or managers of the Kentucky State Fair Horse Show. There are several past managers that are in the hall of fame, but never an organist. So I was just really surprised! I never had any idea that was even a possibility.”
For those who work at or attend the World’s Championship Horse Show, having the event without Wright at the organ would be like watching a movie without a soundtrack. The sound of his organ fills the arena with lively energy. Without him and his musical talent, the spirit of the horse show just wouldn’t be the same.
