The SHOW HIO has issued a press release yesterday, February 29, regarding the Barney Davis case in Chattanooga, Tenn. to the Associated Press wire service and other publications in the Southeast. 
This is in addition to a letter sent to the author of the article that has previously been released.
 
SHOW plans to rework the article in a form more suitable for other breed publications and release it in the coming days.  Below is the news release:


SHOW Inspection Leads to Criminal Prosecution

The successful prosecution of Spotted Saddle Horse trainer Barney Davis is a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of the Walking Horse industries commitment to enforcing the Horse Protection Act.  Although Davis shows another breed of horse, the Horse Industry Organization SHOW was hired to inspect horses at a Spotted Saddle Horse show.

SHOW is the inspection program funded and operated by the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enforce the Horse Protection Act.

Davis was found guilty in federal court of violating the Horse Protection Act and sentenced to one year in prison and a $4,000 fine.  He was guilty of violating the HPA at a Spotted Saddle Horse show that contracted with SHOW to inspect horses.

The United States Department of Agriculture sends Veterinary Medical Officers to many shows and oversees and works with the SHOW inspectors. They were not in attendance at the show where Davis violated the law.

SHOW caught Davis’ violation and issued a lifetime suspension prior to turning their findings over to the USDA for further action.  USDA subsequently turned the case over to the Department of Justice and they successfully prosecuted the case.  If not for the efforts of SHOW, this egregious violation would have gone unpunished.

Davis does not train or show Tennessee Walking Horses and is not a member of any of the industry’s organizations despite news reports to the contrary.

SHOW is under the direction of Dr. Steve Mullins, a licensed veterinarian and member of the American
Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners.  SHOW inspects in excess of 20,000 horses per year in cooperation with the USDA and has a compliance rate of 95% over the past 3 years.

At the 2011 Celebration, the breeds world championship horse show, SHOW reported an astonishing 98% compliance rate demonstrating the effectiveness of the industry’s inspection protocol.  The walking horse industry and all of its organizations totally support the humane treatment of horses and strict enforcement of the Horse Protection Act.