Dear Executive Board Members:

     Making an announcement that a Horse Show will be held does not guarantee its success, so why put on a less than successful show?

      The reality of the situation is that many of the many contenders have dissipated over the country side and returned to their homes. Do you really expect them to return to vie for a disputed title? Preparations to bring horses, owners, and trainers and their families to a location take time, energy and added expense. The fact that the event is scheduled for a holiday weekend makes travel even more difficult to schedule and more expensive. I for example travel from Ohio, my horses travel from Kentucky and we all need a place to stay and a method of transportation. To attend such a show it would be necessary to change long standing holiday plans, which I am not prepared to do.

      After the hullabaloo at The Celebration why would a trainer or owner be willing to incur the added expenses necessary to attend this show? TWHBEA needs to work with all segments of the industry to solve our problems not throw down the gauntlet and challenge everyone else. The members of the Breeders Executive Board are not the only smart, well educated, horse loving people in the industry who have a view point that is viable. Not all the 18,000 members of the TWHBEA stand behind the decisions that have been made this summer.

      The decision to host this show and name a World Grand Champion for 2006 are at the best misguided and at the worst self serving. Will the Celebration lend the trophies that winner is entitled to another show? How is crowing a World Grand Champion part of the mission that TWHBEA has been actively striving toward? Is this an attempt to achieve legitimacy for the new HIO?

     I want to go on record that I oppose this ill fated adventure.

Bruce Vaughn

Director, State of Ohio