Dr. Doyle Meadows, CEO of the SHOW HIO, has announced the appointment of Frank Eichler to serve as head of the Sound Horse Task Force.  This is the first of several appointments that will be made to task forces designed to assist SHOW as it implements its program to enforce the Horse Protection Act and eliminate non-compliant horses from the industry.

Eichler will be announcing the committee members as they are finalized.  SHOW has recommended that committees include 5 to 7 members and that the Walking Horse Owners’ Association, the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association and the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association be contacted for member recommendations.

The committees will report to Dr. Meadows with suggestions and recommendations to be presented to the SHOW board, currently the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.  SHOW intends to name an independent board by June 1, 2009.

Eichler is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel for OHL which is one of the largest  private international Third Party Logistics companies in the US. Eichler is currently responsible for all legal, human resources, marketing and acquisition activities. Prior to joining OHL, Eichler served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Dex Media, Inc. in Englewood, Colorado where he was instrumental in taking the company public in July 2004 and selling the company to R.H. Donnelley in 2006. He also served as head of corporate development for Teletech and as General Counsel for Media One Group in Englewood, Colorado.

Eichler and his wife, Debbie, reside in Shelbyville, Tenn. where they own Rising Star Ranch, a breeding and training operation.  Eichler enjoys watching his wife in the show ring and working around the farm.

Other Task Forces to be named include Financial, Communications, Personnel and 2010 Operating Plan.  Dr. Meadows will be announcing the Chairman of those committees in the coming days.

SHOW continues to work with AAEP veterinarians on the implementation of the scar rule to eliminate its subjective and inconsistent application and eliminate all non-compliant horses.  “Our DQP’s are doing a very good job enforcing the scar rule but there is still too much confusion and inconsistency in its application among DQP’s VMO’s and outside veterinarians,” said Meadows.