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> > A co-worker at work who shows TWH's told me this morning that yesterday (or
> last night) the TWH Celebration was basically shut down.  She said the
> government agents (?) came and were checking horses, trainers, and whatever
> they check for, and writing out tickets (or something to that effect), and
> not allowing horses with certain trainers to show their horses

Ah...the National TWH Shamebration was postponed again, I'm not
surprized, as it tends to occur every few years.

Thank the goddess that the Federal USDA VMO "veterinary medical
officers" were there to inspect the horses AFTER the local
yahoos...oops I mean the local DQP checked the horses and didn't find
any "signs of soring and pressure shoeing"....but the VMO did!!!!

Keep in mind folks.....it's all done for a cheap blue ribbon. <;[

Here's another report on the shut down:
Friday Evening Celebration Performance Postponed
Friday, August 25, 2006

Copyright 2006

By Christy Howard Parsons

Celebration Chairman John T. Bobo announced at 8:45 p.m. this evening,
that the remaining classes from the Friday evening performance were
being postponed, to be rescheduled at
a time to be announced later. He reinforced that tomorrow morning's slate of
classes would be held as scheduled in Calsonic Arena at 9:00 a.m.

The United States Department of Agriculture Veterinary Medical
Officers, accompanied by Dr. Todd Behre, were present on the grounds
on Thursday evening observing the National Horse Show Commission's
Designated Qualified Persons' inspection process.
Tonight, the VMOs were aggressively inspecting horses after those horses
had been inspected by the DQPs.

Conflict arose on a number of horses which were inspected and not
allowed to show and Walking Horse Trainers Association officials and
Celebration officials met with Dr. Behre to attempt to resolve the
conflict. Initial discussions were between Celebration Board members
John T. Bobo, Charles McDonald and David Howard and WHTA Board Members
David Landrum, Allan Callaway, Benny Johnson, Jimmy McConnell and
Billy Gray and NHSC Director of Horse Protection Lonnie Messick and
the USDA's Dr. Todd Behre.

Subsequently all WHTA Board Members were called into these
discussions. With a great deal of pressure from the professional
trainers in the inspection area, the WHTA officials
asked the Celebration to delay the horse show after class 47, in an attempt to
continue to resolve the conflict.

As the discussions continued, the USDA VMOs left the show grounds
while the conflicts were further reviewed.

Discussions yielded a proposed solution which was for industry
representatives to photograph each horse as they were inspected by
the NHSC to be examined by the USDA VMOs at a later time and USDA VMOs
would remain absent for the remaining classes of
Friday's evening performance to let tensions cool. This proposed
solution was presented to the hundreds of trainers and exhibitors who
were standing inside the warm up ring in Calsonic Arena by David
Landrum, Mack Motes, Mickey McCormick, Link Webb, Benny Johnson and
other members of the WHTA Board as well as Celebration officials
Charles
McDonald and David Howard. David Landrum and Link Webb both encouraged
trainers to show the remainder of the evening under this proposal.

The proposal was met with displeasure from many trainers and arguments
erupted between WHTA Board members and trainers. The WHTA Board
reconvened the members of the audience with professional trainers
licenses in the main show arena where a
microphone was brought in to more clearly address the situation.
Arguments continued between the trainers on either side of the issue
as the show continued to be delayed.

As it became apparent that the matter was not going to be  resolved n
a timely manner, the decision was made to postpone he remainder f the
performance and Celebration Chairman John T. obo made the nnouncement
over the microphone.

Celebration officials are continuing to meet at this our in hopes of
bringing this issue to a resolution.

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