James Dale (Jimmy) McConnell, age 78, of Shelbyville, Tennessee, passed from this life on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at his residence.
Jimmy was born on March 28, 1947, in Union City, Tennessee, to the late Odell Whitfield McConnell and Helen Modene Hammonds McConnell. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church.
Jimmy was a true legend in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, winning his first Celebration blue at the age of 23. Throughout the next 55 years, over 200 world and world grand championships would be won under his direction. He was a great trainer, coach and was truly the master showman.
Jimmy made his first World Grand Championship spotlight ride aboard The Black Nightshade in 2004, followed by Master Of Jazz in 2007, Watch It Now in 2009 and Gen A’Mighty in 2018. Making Jimmy one of only a handful of trainers to have won “The Big Stake” four times.
At the 2023 Celebration, Jimmy won both the Two-Year-Old Mare World Grand Championship with Gimme A Redneck Girl and the Two-Year-Old World Grand Championship with No Apology – making him the only trainer to have done this.
Jimmy shared his love of horses with his children and grandchildren and was always there to cheer them on in every stage of life. Jimmy is survived by his children and their spouses, Stacy and Knox Blackburn and Jason and Fran McConnell. He loved nothing more than his four grandchildren who adored their “Big Mac”, Alex and Evan Blackburn and Libby and Finn McConnell. Jimmy also leaves behind the mother of his children, Gail McConnell as well as his brother Jackie and his wife Cyndi.
Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, August 1, 2025, at Fair Haven Baptist Church from 11-2. Funeral services will follow the visitation at 2.
A private graveside service will be held at Eastview Cemetery in Union City, Tennessee.
Doak-Howell Funeral Home is serving the family.