The Walking Horse Trainers’ Association has suspended the licenses of Hal Newman and Chris Zahnd effectively immediately. The suspensions of Newman and Zahnd are as a result of their actions at SHOW affiliated horse shows over the past couple of weeks. Newman was found swapping horses for inspection by SHOW Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs) and Zahnd was suspended by SHOW for life as a result of use of a device to aid in checking.
Newman’s license has been suspended for one year, the same length of his SHOW suspension. In addition to Newman, Josh Wall and Frank Alvarez were also suspended in the horse swapping incident and thus their licenses have been suspended by the WHTA.
In addition to Zahnd’s suspended license, Dallas Proctor also had his license suspended for the length of his SHOW suspension. Wayne Dotson was also suspended by SHOW but is not a member of the WHTA.
The WHTA will monitor the potential appeals of the trainers involved and respond further after SHOW officials have reached a final verdict. All of the suspended trainers licenses will have to be re-applied for at the end of their suspensions.
“We take very seriously the initiatives of SHOW and the importance for animal welfare in our profession,” said President Link Webb. “As an association we have to monitor the activities of our members and protect the welfare of our horses and our industry. It is our full intent to support our members and we hate to lose members of our association, even for a short time but we have to be responsible to our entire association,” concluded Webb.