Wartrace show termed 'success'

Trainer Jimmy McConnell and Busting Special wait for the floral horseshoe of the championship at the Wartrace Horse Show Saturday night. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"I thought it was excellent. We had good crowd support," said Nancy Edwards, who helped coordinate the annual event. "We had good, very high quality entries. We're very pleased."

The presence of USDA inspectors may have had some impact on the show, said one spectator, Derwood Stewart of McMinnville.

"A lot of the trainers won't show this close to the Celebration," he said. "If he gets disqualified now, he can't show in the Celebration. And it's a shame -- this is a charity show."

The Wartrace Horse Show, in its 102nd year, is considered one of the oldest one-night shows in the country. While all shows have DQPs -- designated qualified persons -- to inspect the animals for indications of soring, the USDA inspectors are not always on-site to follow through with an inspection on their own.

Soring is an illegal practice used to exaggerate the horse's natural gait. It can involve using chemical agents, burning or blistering the horse's legs, or pressure-shoeing, where the hoof is trimmed to the quick so that the sole is in direct contact with the pad or shoe.

USDA inspectors approve a horse after it wins its class at the Wartrace Horse Show Saturday night. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

This year, the USDA inspectors were at Belfast Friday night and Wartrace Saturday night, but there were few disqualifications and few, if any, trainers left when they realized "the government" was there.

"After more than 400 inspections between Belfast and here, we had a 97 percent compliance rate," said David Finger , DQP director for the National Horse Show Committee. "They (USDA) are well satisfied and we, as an industry, are pleased as well."

Finger said Dr. Rachel Cezar, the Horse Protection Act coordinator for the USDA was at both shows.

"We are under such heavy scrutiny," he said. "The trainers did an excellent job. They are to be commended."

Trainers, owners and others kept one eye on the ring, where classes ranged from one entry to 13, and one eye on the inspection area next to the warm-up area. One owner shook his head as a horse was turned away.

"That's a 20-year-old horse," said the trainer, who asked his name not be used. "He's never been turned down before. The owner's 5-year-old granddaughter shows him."

"This is about half, maybe a third of the crowd it used to be," said Stewart.

Many of the big name trainers did appear, such as Ronnie Spears and Jimmy McConnell. McConnell took the championship with Busting Special, owned by Larry and Farrah McAlexander.

There were also several world grand champions and contenders present, including Coin's Black Stroke and New York New York.