SHOW HIO has offered to affiliate the 2013 TWHBEA National Futurity following receipt Monday of a limited request from TWHBEA.  The Breeders’ Association requested that SHOW affiliate 5 padded walking horse classes at their Futurity on July 28 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.   They also requested that their three judges – Jason Bachert, Larry Martin and Dee Dee Miller – be granted SHOW judging licenses for this one event.

In addition to the affiliation, SHOW and the Celebration invited TWHBEA to use their grounds free of charge the night preceding the start of the Celebration.  Until last year, TWHBEA had always hosted the Futurity on the Celebration grounds the night preceding the show and used judges licensed by SHOW or its earlier affiliating bodies.  TWHBEA moved the Futurity date and show to Murfreesboro last year and affiliated with SHOW.  This year they affiliated with WHOA and subsequently asked SHOW to make a special exception to affiliate just 5 classes and judges not licensed by SHOW.  SHOW has had a policy of not splitting or sharing affiliations or allowing its judges to adjudicate at shows of other HIO’s since its inception. 

SHOW Board president Buddy Nelson stated “We are more than happy to make this offer and reintroduce the Futurity being held on our grounds the night prior to our show as it had been for over 70 years.  This will alleviate the conflict for padded horse owners showing at the Futurity and not being able to show at The Celebration.  This would also qualify those entries for the World Grand Championship classes at this year’s Celebration.  If it is too late to move to our show grounds this year, we extend the same offer next year.”

Earlier this year the Walking Horse Trainers Association ruled that trainer’s showing horses at shows not affiliated with SHOW would lose their license for 6 months.  Years ago, in cooperation with the Trainers’ Association, the Celebration agreed to only let licensed trainers show at their show.  “Despite TWHBEA’s recent difficulties, financially and otherwise, we are willing to reach out to them and Futurity exhibitors in a spirit of cooperation and in hopes of bridging the gap between our two organizations” stated Nelson.  “It is imperative that the industry get back together for the betterment of the horse and also benefit the loyal exhibitors and fans that support both organizations and the industry.”

TWHBEA President Tracy Boyd (at the time) stated that TWHBEA reached out to the SHOW through a third party with this request several weeks ago.  Nelson said “We have never received any such request until Monday, July 22nd and have considered the request and responded promptly today.”

Also, PSHA recommended that SHOW honor TWHBEA’s request based upon the belief that TWHBEA had come out publicly in opposition to the Whitfield bill.  Subsequently, PSHA withdrew that recommendation.  “The Celebration respects both PSHA and TWHBEA and chooses to remain out of the ongoing discussions between the two organizations,” Nelson said.