Soring

TWHNC backed, concern shown (05/24/12)
National media reports regarding the training practices of trainer Jackie McConnell have played a role in influencing local public perception of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry. This week the Times-Gazette has invited public comment from readers, called upon local business people and solicited information in an online poll. Here's what they have shared...

Celebration punishes McConnell (05/23/12)
The Celebration Board of Directors took decisive action Tuesday afternoon, condemning the actions of walking horse trainer Jackie McConnell, who pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges related to the conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act. The Celebration Board voted Tuesday to suspend McConnell for life from entering the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Grounds for any and all events, regardless of the event's affiliation or ownership...

TWH industry reacts to video (05/17/12)
An ABC Nightline news investigation aired video Wednesday evening showing abuse inflicted by a legendary Tennessee walking horse trainer. Consequences of that video included Pepsi-Cola withdrawing from their select sponsorship of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration...

TWH leaders hit 'renegades' at listening session (04/05/12)
MURFREESBORO -- USDA officials urged Tennessee Walking Horse organizations Wednesday to unite and speak with one voice, while those in the local equine industry were equally united in opposing a proposed ban on pads and "action devices." Officials from the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) Animal Care Program held a three-hour listening session at the Doubletree Hotel to hear feedback from walking horse trainers and owners...

WHTA preparing a new initiative (03/29/12)
From a press release: The Walking Horse Trainers' Association (WHTA) serves the best interest of its members and remains committed to protecting the welfare of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Since the passage of the Horse Protection Act and introduction of the Horse Industry Organization (HIO) program by the USDA, the WHTA has strongly supported inspections at affiliated shows...

McConnell out on bond; training limited (03/27/12)
Walking Horse trainer Jackie McConnell of Collierville will remain free on bond but will not be allowed to train any horses he doesn't own. McConnell and three associates have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act by transporting and showing horses they knew to be "sored" and also falsifying entry forms and paperwork. Earlier this month, agents with the U.S. Department of Agriculture raided McConnell's Whitter Stables in west Tennessee, taking eight of 28 horses...

Report cites 'substances' (03/23/12)
Data released this week from the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) shows that every horse randomly sampled at last year's Celebration tested positive for illegal substances. A local industry veterinarian, however, said Thursday the substances revealed by the swab test samples (results of those tests were only recently published) are already deemed illegal under the Horse Protection Act...

May trial set for McConnell, co-defendants (03/18/12)
A May trial date has been set for a prominent walking horse trainer and three others accused in a horse soring conspiracy. Jackie McConnell, 60, along with Jeff Dockery, 56; John Mays, 47; and Joseph Abernathy, 29, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Carter in Chattanooga for arraignment and to hear their conditions for bond...

Top trainer accused of soring horses (03/02/12)
A prominent Walking Horse trainer and three others were arrested Thursday and charged in a 52-count federal indictment with violations of the Horse Protection Act (HPA). Jackie L. McConnell, 60, Jeff Dockery, 54, John Mays, 50, all from Collierville, and Joseph R. Abernathy, 30, of Olive Branch, Miss., were charged with conspiracy to violate the protection act by transporting and showing horses they knew to be "sored" and also falsifying entry forms and paperwork...

Soring leader sentenced to jail, must submit article (02/28/12)
The ringleader of a local spotted saddle horse soring conspiracy received a sentence of one year and one day in jail from a federal judge Monday, and must educate the public about the problem. Barney Davis, 38, who has been in custody since July of last year, heard his punishment from U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice. Davis must also pay a $4,000 fine, and will then serve three years supervised release...

Soring sentence includes order to write article for T-G (01/24/12)
Writing a newspaper article about his crimes is part of the punishment given to one of four people who pleaded guilty last year to soring horses. Paul Blackburn, 36, of Shelbyville received a year of probation and a $1,000 fine for conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act and substantive violations of the act....

Sentencing delayed in horse soring case (01/12/12)
Sentencing has been delayed until the end of next month for two people who have admitted their guilt in a federal horse soring case. Jeffery Bradford, 33, of Lewisburg, and Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville will now be sentenced on Feb. 27 instead of the original date of Feb. 13, according to an order by U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr...

Horse groups close ranks (11/29/11)
The Tennessee Walking Horse industry will meet Wednesday to appoint a committee to look at "the welfare and future" of animals in the show ring. A recently passed appropriations bill includes a large increase in federal funding for enforcement of the Horse Protection Act, used to combat the practice of soring...

Document describes soring methods inflicted by convicted SSH trainers (11/13/11)
Documents made public recently in a local horse soring case detailed the abusive methods used on the animals. Last week, Barney Davis, 38, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, both of Lewisburg, and Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, pleaded guilty to charges involving a conspiracy to sore spotted saddle horses and falsify paperwork...

3 plead guilty in soring conspiracy (11/09/11)
Three people at the center of a conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act pleaded guilty on Tuesday. Barney Davis, 38, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, both of Lewisburg, and Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, appeared for a federal court hearing in Chattanooga and changed their pleas, admitting guilt...

Soring suspect pleads guilty (10/20/11)
A Shelbyville man is facing a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges involving soring spotted saddle horses. Paul Blackburn, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga Tuesday to conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 23 and faces up to a year in prison and a $3,000 fine...

Inspector is capable, USDA says (08/31/11)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture responded to the Times-Gazette's inquiry about the experience level of veterinarians inspecting horses during last Saturday evening's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Industry leaders expressed their frustration with USDA inspectors after the agency turned down six horses before the aged stallion class...

Suspect in soring case is arrested (07/29/11)
A Lewisburg man accused in a conspiracy involving charges of soring spotted saddle horses and money laundering has been taken into custody by U.S. marshals. The T-G has confirmed that Barney Davis, 38, is now being held in Chattanooga for an alleged "supervised release violation from an earlier charge," according to Paul Salayko, a deputy U.S. marshal who handles public affairs...

Trial dates reset in conspiracy case (07/24/11)
Trial dates in federal court have again been reset for four people accused in a conspiracy involving charges of soring horses and money laundering. U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. has ordered that Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville; Barney Davis, 38, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, both of Lewisburg; and Paul Blackburn, 35, of Shelbyville have their case heard by a 12-person jury on Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Chattanooga...

Soring suspect seeks delay in court date (07/13/11)
A Shelbyville woman accused of soring horses, money laundering and wire fraud is asking a federal judge for more time to prepare her defense. Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga asking to declare the case against her as "complex litigation" and is requesting a continuance in the matter, which is set for trial on Tuesday, Aug. 9...

Trial dates reset for soring suspects (06/08/11)
Trial dates have once again been reset for four area residents accused of soring horses, while one was arraigned in federal court on Monday. U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Mitchell Carter ruled Monday that Barney Davis, 38, of Lewisburg, Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, Paul Blackburn, 35, of Shelbyville and Jeffery Bradford, 33, of Lewisburg will now stand trial Tuesday, Aug. 9 in Chattanooga...

Soring trial set for July (05/15/11)
New trial dates have been set in federal court for three local residents accused of soring horses. U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Mitchell Carter ruled Friday that Barney Davis, 38, of Lewisburg, Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, of Lewisburg will stand trial Tuesday, July 19 in Chattanooga...

Witness 'fearful' of Altman (05/05/11)
A woman accused of soring horses by federal authorities has been ordered to stay away from a witness in the case, who claimed of being "fearful." Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, has been ordered by a U.S. Magistrate to avoid all contact with anyone "who is or may become a victim or potential witness in the investigation or prosecution" in the soring case...

4th person charged with soring horses (04/27/11)
A 34-count superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury Tuesday against three people already accused of soring horses, with a fourth person also now charged. Paul Blackburn, 35, of Shelbyville was indicted Tuesday along with Barney Davis, 38, of Lewisburg, Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, of Lewisburg...

Waterfall owners suspended over alleged violations (03/31/11)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has fined and suspended the owners of Waterfall Farms in Shelbyville for one year from any horse show or event in connection with alleged violations of the Horse Protection Act more than 10 years ago. William B. (Bill) Johnson and Sandra Johnson of Atlanta, known nationwide as breeders of champion Tennessee Walking Horses, were suspended for a year beginning on Jan. ...

Soring trial set for May 31 (03/25/11)
A federal judge has set a trial date of May 31 for three people accused of "soring" horses. Last Friday, a four-count indictment was returned on Barney Davis, 38, of Lewisburg, Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, of Lewisburg...

3 accused in soring incidents (03/20/11)
A federal grand jury has accused three area residents of soring horses. A four count indictment was returned on Barney Davis, 38, of Lewisburg, Christen Altman, 25, of Shelbyville, and Jeffery Bradford, 33, of Lewisburg. All three were arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga late Friday...

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