The numbers continue to pile up as the USDA Veterinary Medical Officers disqualify horses with the subjective inspection protocols that continue to plague the industry.  On Tuesday night, September  1, the USDA disqualified 16 horses that had previously passed SHOW Designated Qualified Person inspections.

Those 16 horses had previously passed inspection 74 times in 2015 prior to the Celebration with the USDA present for 40 of those inspections.  For the show that brings the total of horses disqualified by the VMOs that had passed the SHOW inspection to 113.  Those 113 horses had previously passed inspection 501 times in 2015 with the USDA present for 298 of those inspections.

Taking a closer look at the horses disqualified on Tuesday night will show that three of those horses had previously passed a USDA inspection at this year’s show.  One such horse had passed on Monday night just 24 hours prior to the inspection on Tuesday night.  All three horses that had previously passed during the 2015 Celebration were disqualified for a potential scar rule violation on Tuesday night.  Per the medical and HPA definition of a scar, it is impossible to not have a scar on Monday night and have one on Tuesday night.

The USDA took information on a potential 17 scar rule violations on Tuesday evening’s 120 entries.  For the show, the USDA has taken information on 89 potential scar rule violations in 769 entries in the evening performances.  The disqualification rate of 11.5% for potential scar rule violations at this year’s Celebration is compared to the season rate of 1.1% when USDA VMOs are at the show conducting inspections.