The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) will hold a special called meeting on February 3, 2014 in Lewisburg, Tenn., at the association headquarters.  The meeting is being held to address the potential removal of Christy Lantis, a TWHBEA director from Calilfornia.

Although Lantis won election 61-18, a group of California TWHBEA members led by former director Fran Cole have raised issue with Lantis and her unwillingness to support the PAST Act which would eliminate approximately 85% of the show divisions of the Tennessee Walking Horse.  The meeting is being called per the requirements of the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporations Act.  The meeting will be held in Lewisburg at the corporate headquarters per the Tennessee law.

Due to declining membership in the region, California lost its second director position this year leaving Lantis as the sole representative from California on the board of directors.  Lantis only has 10 months remaining on her term and is ineligible to run for re-election in 2014 due to her serving consecutive three year terms.

Although the TWHBEA bylaws don’t specifically address all of the particulars of the meeting, TWHBEA leadership is following the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporations Act and all guidelines of the Tennessee law.  “We have and will continue to comply fully with the Tennessee law and our bylaws and have repeatedly confirmed the process with our legal counsel,” said Senior Vice-President Walt Chism.  “Our responsibility is to make sure both the party requesting the special meeting and the party they seek to remove have fair process under the Tennessee law,” concluded Chism.