On May 8, 2020 the Tennessee Department of Agriculture issued guidance for livestock events and competitions to be held after Governor Lee’s Executive Order 30 expires on May 29th. “The Tennessee State Veterinarian’s office consulted with University of Tennessee Extension officials and considered Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for community events to minimize risk of COVID-19 infection. Based on those discussions, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture makes the following recommendations for all livestock competitions and events scheduled after Executive Order 30 expires, provided there is no extension to the order or additional statewide restrictions enacted,” stated the letter from the Department of Agriculture.

The guidance paves the way for the Walking Horse season to resume, albeit with much more stringent guidelines, the first weekend in June. The Columbia Spring Jubilee is the first show scheduled and will be held at Maury County Park June 4-6, 2020. In addition, leadership in the Walking Horse industry is in the final stages of releasing guidance to horse show management to help with the safe resumption of horse shows.

The guidance from the Department of Agriculture does recommend limiting crowds, recommend the wearing of cloth face coverings and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between people. In addition, hand washing and sanitization stands should be available. The industry recommendations will include these guidelines as well as additional guidance.

To view the entire letter from Tennessee Department of Agriculture click here.