The Walking Horse Trainers’ Association kicked off its annual banquet weekend with their first general membership meeting of 2025. One of the most important action items on this meeting’s agenda is the election of officers and board members. Spencer Benedict was elected president, stepping into the role that was held by Bill Young.  Young has been president of the WHTA during a very critical time and led the association through some turbulent years and leaves the WHTA in a very strong position moving forward.

Edgar Abernathy was elected First Vice-President and Clay Sanderson was elected to serve at Second Vice President.  The membership was asked to vote for four open board seats and those went to Rodney Dick, Scott Beaty, RM Kellet and Brad Beard.  Waye Dean updated the association’s financials.  The WHTA has $259,956 spread across accounts they manage including just over $100,000 in a CD.  The horse show account currently sits at $124,838.

Lobbyist Jeff Speaks opened the meeting with an update on the legislative and regulatory actions concerning the industry.  It has been a very active year on the regulatory front with the industry winning the lawsuit challenging the rule amending the HPA regulations.  Speaks also updated the WHTA on the ongoing investigations from House Oversight Committee into APHIS.

Jeffrey Howard also spoke at the meeting updating the membership on the lawsuits in both Texas and Tennessee.  Howard brought everyone up-to-date on the next steps and the projected path forward and options in the Tennessee case which should begin to see movement in the coming months.  Judge Kacsmaryk’s order in the TX case contained language that will be used by industry attorneys in the Wright case in Tennessee.

The annual Horse of the Year banquet will wrap up the weekend on Saturday night at the Embassy Suites in Franklin, Tenn.