Shelbyville, TN – Today the Tennessee Walking Show Horse Organization (TWSHO) has learned from the Walking Horse Trainer’s Association (WHTA) the results of The Celebration’s second round of expedited swabbing results.

According to Don Gandy, Commissioner for the WHTA Enforcement LLC, there were no violations to report from Thursday or Friday’s swabs.

Last week, The Celebration announced it would be implementing historic reforms by enhancing the science based testing recently announced by the Walking Horse Trainers’ Association  (WHTA’s) Enforcement Initiative and strengthening the stringent testing methods currently employed at the event.  For the first time ever swabbing results will be made public during the event and violations will be punished severely by suspending trainers’ licenses, disqualifying horses, removing ribbons, trophies and prize monies.

Every horse participating in the Celebration will be tested for foreign substances through the WHTA’s Enforcement Initiative program.  This swabbing program is an objective, science-based inspection initiative to swab the pasterns of horses in competition in order to detect substances that harm the horse or mask substances that could have harmed the horse. Celebration is going one step further and paying to expedite the swabs so that the results will be available during the event – this is a first in the history of the Industry. The swabbing results will then be made public and those found in violation will be punished in accordance with the Trainers’ Initiative. This is also the first time that classes will be retied accordingly removing ribbons, trophies and prize monies.  A trainer found in violation will have their license suspended in line with WHTA initiative protocol and the horse will be disqualified.