The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) held a conference call meeting of its Executive Committee on July 18, 2013.  No media was allowed to attend the meeting, however sources have confirmed to Walking Horse Report that the following actions were taken.

Loyd Hall “Buster” Black, Jr. was appointed President after current President Tracy Boyd resigns his position.  Boyd was recently hired to replace Ron Thomas as Executive Director of TWHBEA and confirmed to Walking Horse Report he will submit his resignation on July 22, 2013.  Boyd will retain his vote on the executive committee as Past President.  Marty Irby will lose his vote as Past President.

The executive committee voted 7-5, with one abstaining, to allow Rick Wies, Pleasure Horse Vice President, to determine if the World Versatility Show would accept the $1000 donation from the Humane Society of the United States.  Previously the executive committee had voted to not accept this donation.  Since that vote, Irby has led a campaign to accept the donation and coordinated a TWHBEA Past President’s meeting where that group recommended TWHBEA accept the HSUS donation.  The 3-2 vote consisted of Irby, Boyd and David Pruett voting to accept donation.  Jim Welch and Walt Chism voted not to accept the donation.  Jerrold Pedio abstained.  Steve Smith was present at the meeting but after notifying the group of his time constraints had already left the meeting when the matter was addressed.

The affiliation of the Futurity was also discussed and the Performance Show Horse Association had previously agreed to recommend the SHOW HIO affiliate the four padded performance classes as a result of the public TWHBEA release stating their opposition to the Whitfield Amendment.  Sources told the Walking Horse Report that Boyd stated in the meeting that the statement PSHA referenced did not state that TWHBEA was in opposition to the Whitfield Amendment, contrary to PSHA’s statement.  Boyd denies that he made that statement in the meeting.  Boyd said about the release, “We stated the facts in our release.”

Upon receiving that denial, Boyd was asked to confirm the official position of TWHBEA relative to the Whitfield Amendment.  More specifically, Boyd was asked if TWHBEA stood in opposition, in agreement or didn’t have a position with regards to the Amendment.  Boyd answered, "I don't know if I can tell you the official position.  All I can do is tell you the facts of what has happened."  Those facts are that the executive committee voted to support the Whitfield Amendment and the International Board of Directors voted not to accept that action of the executive committee.  "We have some people that think the executive committee action stands and some that think the board action stands.  I am not a lawyer so I can't answer which is correct," said Boyd.  Boyd did point out that no vote of opposition to the Whitfield Amendment has been taken by TWHBEA.