By Christy Howard Parsons

Copyright WHR 2007

Yesterday, in a conference call, the board of directors of the Walking Horse Trainers Association voted in favor of supporting the reorganization of the National Horse Show Commission that is being proposed by the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration.

The Board of the WHTA originally met with the Celebration on April 19, 2007 and voted 12-0 to support the reorganization plan. Subsequently, some confusion arose regarding elements of the plan which resulted in yesterday’s conference call.

The Celebration plan calls for a nine-member board, consisting of members of the Celebration, knowledgeable industry participants, and representatives from related outside organizations to govern the HIO. Initially, the plan calls for maintaining the NHSC Rule Book, the NHSC Judges List, and the current NHSC DQPs.

Celebration officials are meeting with representatives of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, United States Department of Agriculture, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association, the Humane Society of the United States, and others in an effort to reunite the industry and to provide a direction for positive growth.

President Wink Groover was called for a comment and said that he had no official statement.