May the best horse win, and according to event coordinator Marita Tunnage, the top mare and stud in the country will be at the Camelia Horse Club tournament today at the Covington Center Arena from 8 a.m. until about 11 p.m. - and all free to the public.

"We'll have some of the top horses in the nation," Tunnage said. "The deadline for halter entries is 8 a.m. We'll be accepting entries for other classes throughout the day."

Some of the other entries include Western, English, barrel racing, and other timed events, she added. Nearly 109 categories are planned for the extravaganza, including youth classes, said Tunnage.

"We've spaced them out, with a total of about 15 hours for the day," she said.

Tunnage said the competition will be extremely tough.

"We have riders from as far away as Canada, Nevada, Indiana, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia," she said. "Some of the riders are world champions, and the contest will be very competitive."

Although the event will have riders from all over, Tunnage said she would like to see more local competition.

"I urge local people to enter," she said.

The Camelia Horse Club is a branch of the American Paint Horse Association, with a local club in South Alabama and Northwest Florida, Tunnage added.