Scarbrough Hearing To Be Rescheduled
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Toby Scarbrough’s appeal hearing with the National Horse Show Commission was scheduled to begin Wednesday, June 18 at 9:00 a.m. However, attorneys representing Scarbrough filed for a Temporary Restraining Order to postpone the scheduled hearing. Scarbrough’s attorney, Brenda Bramlett, served papers on the NHSC’s Lonnie Messick at approximately 9:30 a.m., informing him that Judge Lee Russell had agreed to hear the petition sometime that day in court in Fayetteville, Tenn. The hearing officer then informed the members of the Independent Hearing Committee that due to a procedural disagreement between the two sides they were excused.
NHSC counsel Jimmy Bradshaw and other NHSC officials left for Fayetteville to appear before Judge Russell. Brenda Bramlett and Chuck Cheek, representing Scarbrough, also went to Fayetteville for the hearing.
Judge Russell denied Scarbrough’s petition for a Temporary Restraining Order. Lawyers for Scarbrough and the NHSC then met at 11:00 a.m., June 19 to set the parameters for the hearing. The Independent Hearing Committee will hear Scarbrough’s appeal of the NHSC penalty levied the Commission's Lonnie Messick, but a new date has not yet been set.
The NHSC suspended Scarbrough for 10 years for an alleged violation of NHSC rules during the 1997 Celebration.
In addition, Scarbrough was reportedly fined $5,000 and is prohibited from getting a judge’s license or serving on any NHSC committees. Scarbrough has continued to show and participate in industry functions pending the appeal since that is allowed under current Commission rules.
This and previous stories related to the Scarbrough hearing can be found on our web site at www.walkinghorsereport.com. We will follow with ongoing coverage of this case.