The Warhorse Classic rides again
Swannanoa Valley coaching icon rallies the troops to bring back annual football fundraiser
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 31, 2026
The tales of a boisterous young man who grew up to lead generations of local teenagers to victory on the gridiron at his alma mater amount to local legend in the Swannanoa Valley, where Owen alumnus Kenny Ford coached his former team to 21 winning seasons over his 29-year career.
Although he retired in 2015, prior to his inductions into the WNC Sports and Owen High School Athletic Halls of Fame, Ford’s familiar “howdy” greeting can often be heard echoing around his hometown, where, once a year, he lends his significant charisma and energy to support the local football program. Following a one-year hiatus, the coach and more than 100 of his friends and fellow supporters were back in action at the Black Mountain Golf Course, July 31, when the Warhorse Classic teed off for the 37th year.
“We need this right now,” said Ford, who welcomed approximately 130 participants to the tournament, which is sponsored by the Black Mountain Men’s Golf Association and Pepsi and supports the Warhorse football program. “Our recovery from Helene in this valley has been tough, and it’s taken awhile, but I think getting this tournament back shows that we’re grinding out of this thing.”
The event marked the first round of golf played on the front 9 of the Black Mountain course since Helene, which washed out multiple bridges and destroyed the facility’s maintenance building. Organizers of the tournament partnered with the Town of Black Mountain, which owns and operates the course, to allow golfers to bypass creeks by accessing a section of Ninth Street and another area on Laurel Circle Drive. Work on the bridges over Tomahawk Branch is scheduled to begin next week, according to Black Mountain Golf Course Manager Brent Miller.
“We’re excited to see play on the front 9, for the first time since Sept. 26, 2024,” he said. “This is a one-day event, but with our bridges being repaired soon, we’re hoping to open all 18 holes to the public around Aug. 10.”
Miller welcomed the golfers to the course, calling this year’s Warhorse Classic a “special one.”
Organized by Ford, with the support of the Black Mountain Women’s Golf Association, former and current Owen coaches and multiple generations of Owen graduates and community supporters, the event featured an appearance by three-time NCAA National Champion coach Roy Williams, who retired in 2021. Williams, who was born in Marion and raised in Asheville, began his coaching career at Owen.
Ford led the crowd in a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” for Williams, who was celebrating his the day after the tournament.
“Black Mountain and Owen High School mean a great deal to me,” Williams said. “They always have and they always will.”
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach credits the Swannanoa Valley school with offering him a chance.
“I have nothing but great memories of Owen, and I really appreciate you guys out here supporting them,” Williams said.
The annual fundraiser has become a tradition since Ford introduced it in his second year on the sidelines at Owen.
“I always wanted our kids in the Valley to have everything they need. We don’t have the same money here that they do at some of the bigger schools,” Ford said. “The school covers the safety equipment, like helmets, pads and things like that, but players need shorts and t-shirts to wear when they’re practicing without contact. Even small costs like helmet stickers and things most people don’t think about add up, so this tournament helps pay for whatever the coach needs.”
Local businesses, including the Veranda, Phil’s Bar-B-Que Pit, Daymakers Slider Bar, My Father’s Pizza and others contributed gift cards for the raffle that immediately the tournament. Other items, including autographed memorabilia from Williams, Super Bowl champion quarterback Brad Johnson, NFL Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders and retired Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, were auctioned to raise money for the football program.
Black Mountain Mayor Michael Sobol, along with Mike Raines and Allen Styles, smoked chicken, ribs and pork butts near the 18th green. Green Tee Grille prepared side dishes and bagged lunches.
“Karen (Davis) is one of the many people who helps pull this thing together, year after year, and Mike Sobol, Mike Raines and Allen supply some of the best smoked meat you can imagine for supper,” Ford said. “This tournament is more than a fundraiser; it’s a lot like a reunion.”
Generations of former Warhorses competed in the tournament, which sold out before Ford even officially announced its return.
“It was such a strong response, and I wanted to make sure Valley folks and former players got the first shot at it,” Ford said. “Owen football and this tournament are important to a lot of people in this community, so as soon as I knew we could bring it back, it was full within a week.”
Local businesses, like Whatever Rents, which supplied a large tent for the event, and Appalachian Tool & Machine, which offered a $1,000 prize for any hole-in-one, represent another key component of the continued success of the Warhorse Classic, according to Ford.
“So many people help with this every year and we’ve been doing it for so long, everybody just kind of knows what to do,” Ford said. “Mayor Sobol worked really hard to help get this done this year, and I know everybody appreciates that.”
Returning to the Black Mountain Golf Course, following the devastating impact of Helene, represents a highlight in the history of the Warhorse Classic, according to the organizer.
“It’s a chance for folks to get back together, which is something a lot of people haven’t had since Helene,” Ford said. “Being at the golf course on a summer day, supporting Owen football, eating some ribs and sharing old memories is a fun time, no matter what, but once the front 9 of this course opens up, it’s going to make a difference in this valley.”
Photos of the 2026 Warhorse Classic Golf Tournament can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.