It is usually held annually in late August, coinciding with the dates of the Kentucky State Fair and in the middle of the show season for the three breeds.

[2][3] Saddlebreds in the Three-Gaited World's Grand Championship compete at the walk, trot and canter, but are still judged on their breed type and animation.

[6] In 1953, the stallion Wing Commander, trained by Earl Teater became the first Saddlebred to ever win six World's Grand Championship titles, all in the five-gaited division.

More recently, a fine harness horse named Callaway's Copyright won his sixth World's Grand Championship in 2006 and retired shortly thereafter.

The latter year was also notable, for another amateur woman, Mary Gaylord McClean, won the reserve title to MacFarlane.

Some other horses that have made recent history with their performances are An Heir About Her, who became the first three-year-old Saddlebred to win a World's Grand Championship in 2002, and A Sweet Treat and HS Daydream's Heads Up, who won World's Grand Championships in both the three-gaited and fine harness divisions, which is particularly unusual and proves a horse's versatility.