NEWS - Meetings between USDA and HIOs

I received this text from the Walking Horse Report.

"[Dr.] Gipson will meet with the Kentucky HIO on Wednesday November 16, 2011 in Lexington and then make his way to Middle Tennessee to meet with the TWHBEA Executive Committee on Saturday November 19, 2011. The Walking Horse Report will be at this meeting and have a report on the contents of that executive committee meeting.

The Report has also learned that Gipson will meet with the Walking Horse Owners’ Association (WHOA) on Sunday November 20, 2011 and is awaiting confirmation of this meeting from WHOA. The exact intent of the meetings with Gipson is unknown however rumors are rampant as to the contents of those meetings. Topics such as mandatory penalties, decertification and the future of the pad and action device have all been rumored to have been discussed."

As always, plenty of rumors are floating around, and I'm sure most of the people who are spreading them have it on absolute authority that their information is correct.

I have to say that I'm tired of these meetings going on and the stakeholders and members not being given the details of the meeting.  What's written are just little blurbs like "we are confident we can work with the USDA in the future," trying to placate the public.  There is no reason why things like this need to be kept private--the entire industry, sound or sore, needs to know what's going on.  So if you are a member of TWHBEA and especially are for real change that ends soring, then it might be a good idea to request a transcript of the meeting.  Take the time to write to or call the Executive Committee before the end of this week and ask for a transcript.  No matter what is said, the membership deserves to know what's going on.