Posts Tagged ‘congressional hearings’
Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
The Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill criminalizing the transportation of horses for the purpose of slaughtering them for human consumption. The action, by voice vote, came less than 24 hours after Josephine Abercrombie, a prominent Kentucky Thoroughbred owner and breeder, sent a letter (co-signed by 45 others) to Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and ranking member Lamar Smith (R-Texas), urging passage of the bill over the “neutral” position taken by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association one week earlier. The bill, H.R. 6598, known as the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008, now moves to the House floor.
Abercrombie’s letter (shown below) seemed to trump an earlier letter by NTRA president Alex Waldrop, which said the NTRA had “concerns with the bill and potential unintended consequences.” The NTRA had previously supported anti-slaughter legislation filed but not passed in 2003; Waldrop’s letter did not address other anti-slaughter bills currently under consideration. Abercrombie and her co-signors urged support of all anti-slaughter legislation currently before the 110th Congress. “We and so many others in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing community strongly support all legislative initiatives, including H.R. 503, S. 311, and H.R. 6598, which will bring horse slaughter to a swift end,” Abercrombie wrote. “We want you to know that the NTRA’s position is not representative of the larger community.”
There currently are no slaughter plants operating in the U.S., the two in Texas having been shut down by a court ruling and a plant in Illinois shuttered after a state law was passed. There has been an increase in the number of horses being transported across the borders into Canada and Mexico, however, and H.R. 6598 provides enforcement for federal officials to end that. Horses confiscated would be under the jusisdiction of the attorney general, who, according to the bill, “shall provide for the humane placement or other humane disposition of any horse seized.”
Abercrombie is a prominent and successful Thoroughbred owner and breeder who owns Pin Oak Stud near Versailles, Ky. She is involved in numerous philanthropic causes, serves as a trustee of the Breeders’ Cup and is a member of the Jockey Club, among other Thoroughbred industry organizations.
Among those who signed the letter with Abercrombie are the owners of such well-known horses as reigning Horse of the Year Curlin (Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson), Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Sunday Silence (Arthur and Staci Hancock, along with breeders Deborah and Thomas Tatham), Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide (Jackson Knowlton of Sackatoga Stable), Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos (Debby and John Oxley, along with breeder James Squires), Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones (Pat Chapman), and Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro (Gretchen and Roy Jackson). Others who signed the letter include Racing Hall of Fame members Nick Zito (trainer of multiple Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown race winners); jockey Gary Stevens (multiple Kentucky Derby winner); and Julie Krone (Belmont Stakes winner and all-time leading female rider).
In addition, a number of the individuals who signed the letter have strong ties to Texas or Oklahoma, where opposition to the anti-slaughter legislation has been the strongest. Included in that list are Abercrombie, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Ford, Janice and Robert McNair, Debby and John Oxley, Madeleine Paulson Pickens (wife of T. Boone Pickens), and Deborah and Thomas Tatham. Following is the text of the letter from Josephine Abercrombie and the list of co-signors.
Sept. 23, 2008
Dear Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith:
Last week, during a Judiciary Committee mark up of H.R. 6598 – the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008, it was revealed that the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) does not support current legislation to ban horse slaughter. Needless to say, we were surprised at the revelation and disappointed by the reasons NTRA put forward, none of which are valid.
As Thoroughbred industry leaders who have long supported all Congressional actions to end this cruel industry, we were disappointed that the NTRA voiced unfounded concerns to those who support the slaughter of horses thus jeopardizing the passage of this legislation. We and so many others in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing community strongly support all legislative initiatives, including H.R. 503, S. 311, and H.R. 6598, which will bring horse slaughter to a swift end. We want you to know that the NTRA’s position is not representative of the larger community.
We commend you, Chairman Conyers, for providing this bill with a fair hearing, which has allowed it to move to this point. Given the narrow opportunity to act before Congress adjourns, we hope that H.R. 6598 can swiftly be moved from Committee to the floor of the full House of Representatives for final consideration. This bill is too important for politics to delay its enactment. Every five minutes an American horse is slaughtered. This bill can stop that.
H.R. 6598 is a sound bill that puts enforcement into the hands of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and its agents who are trained and staffed to deal with criminal issues. We feel confident that the DOJ has the necessary experience in dealing with large animal confiscations having led such high profile investigations involving animal fighting, Class B Dealers, and puppy mills. As with other statutes, under H.R. 6598, the DOJ has the authority to ask for assistance from other federal, state and non-governmental agencies during its enforcement of the law and this flexibility has shown to be highly effective.
Under a close examination of the concerns asserted by those opposing the bill, we can see no legitimate reason not to pass this legislation. As representatives of the Thoroughbred industry we look forward to the next Committee mark up of H.R. 6598 and urge you to pass H.R. 6598 as written, without amendments, as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Josephine Abercrombie
WE, the undersigned, are co-signors of this letter and support legislation to stop the slaughter of American horses.
John H. Adger, racing and bloodstock manager, Stonerside Stable, Houston, TX;
Peggy Augustus, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Keswick Stables, Keswick, VA;
Betty and Gary Biszantz, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Cobra Farm, Lexington, KY and Solana Beach, CA;
Nadia Sanan Briggs, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Padua Stables, Ocala, FL;
Anne and Cot Campbell, Thoroughbred owners, Dogwood Stable, Aiken, SC;
Pat Chapman, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Someday Farm, Doylestown, PA;
Jenny Craig, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Rancho Paseana, Rancho Santa Fe, CA;
Carol Farmer, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Shadowlawn Farm, Midway, KY;
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Ford, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Diamond A Farms, Versailles, KY;
Maegan Ford, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Diamond A Farms, Versailles, KY;
Staci and Arthur Hancock, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Stone Farm, Paris, KY;
Mark Hennig, Thoroughbred owner and trainer, Garden City, NY;
Sara Jones Hill, Thoroughbred owner, Coconut Grove, FL;
Gretchen and Roy Jackson, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Lael Farm, West Grove, PA;
Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Stonestreet Farm, Lexington, KY;
Jackson W. Knowlton, Thoroughbred owner, managing partner, Sackatoga Stable, Saratoga Springs, NY;
Julie Krone, Racing Hall of Fame jockey, Los Angeles, CA;
Janice and Robert McNair, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Stonerside Stables, Houston, TX;
Ellen Moelis and Herbert I Moelis, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Candyland Farm, Middletown, DE;
Maggi Moss, Thoroughbred owner, Moss Equestrians, Des Moines, Iowa;
Joanne and Paul Oreffice, Thoroughbred owners, Dogwood Stables, Paradise Valley, AZ;
Debby and John Oxley, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Fawn Leap Farm, Midway, KY;
Madeleine Paulson Pickens, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Rancho Santa Fe, CA;
Dan Rosenberg, Rosenberg Thoroughbred Consulting,, Midway, KY;
James D. Squires, Two Bucks Farm, Versailles, KY;
Angie Athayde-Stevens, Thoroughbred consultant, Los Angeles, CA;
Gary Stevens, Racing Hall of Fame jockey; Los Angeles, CA;
Deborah W. Tatham and Thomas P. Tatham, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Oak Cliff Breeders, Houston, TX;
Melanie and Jeffrey Tucker, Stone Bridge Farm, Schuylerville, NY;
Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Lexington, KY and Saratoga Springs, NY;
Kim and Nick Zito, Thoroughbred owner and trainer, Lexington, KY and Saratoga Springs, NY.
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Tags: Angie Athayde-Stevens, Anne and Cot Campbell, anti-slaughter legislation, Barbaro, Betty and Gary Biszantz, Carol Farmer, congressional hearings, Curlin, Dan Rosenberg, Debby and John Oxley, Deborah Tatham, Department of Justice, Ellen Moelis, funny cide, Gary Stevens, Gerald Ford, Gretchen and Roy Jackson, H.R. 503, h.r. 6598, Herb Moelis, horse slaughter, Jackson Knowlton, James Squires, Janice and Robert McNair, Jenny Craig, Joanne and Paul Oreffice, John Adger, john conyers, john hendrickson, Josephine Abercrombie, judiciary committee, Julie Krone, Kim and Nick Zito, Lamar Smith, Madeleine Paulson Pickens, Maegan Ford, maggi moss, Mark Hennig, marylou whitney, Melanie and Jeffrey Tucker, monarchos, Nadia Sanan Briggs, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, NTRA, Pat Chapman, Paulick Report, Peggy Augustus, prevention of equine cruelty act, Ray Paulick, S. 311, Sara Jones Hill, Smarty Jones, Staci and Arthur Hancock, sunday silence, Thomas P. Tatham
Posted in Horse Slaughter, Horse Welfare, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, People, Uncategorized | 21 Comments »
Friday, September 12th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
The change bandwagon is getting pretty crowded, both in presidential politics and in horseracing. Following on the heels of suggestions for reform at the Jockey Club Round Table in August and demands for reform by the Breeders’ Cup and American Graded Stakes Committee, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association is getting into the act. NTRA president and CEO Alex Waldrop is convening a closed-door meeting in Lexington, Ky., today beginning at 9 a.m. to seek support and funding for widespread changes related to medication and horse welfare issues, many of which were detailed in a Paulick Report exclusive in July.
Today’s invitation-only meeting at the Griffin Gate Marriott Hotel will have representation from a broad base throughout the Thoroughbred industry, unlike an earlier small gathering of insiders who met at Keeneland to draft a discussion document in reaction to the June 19 Congressional hearings that threatened federal intervention. The hearings came in the wake of revelations about legal anabolic steroid use and the death of Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby.
The discussion document outlined reforms related to medication, drug testing, racetrack safety standards, jockey weights and insurance, 2-year-old sales and racing, wagering protocols, Eclipse Awards, and a national placement program for retired racehorses. The confidential document, which has since been amended since published in the Paulick Report, also had suggestions for implementation and enforcement, but no plan for funding, which is expected to be a major topic of discussion.
Waldrop, who has been traveling around the country with NTRA vice president Keith Chamblin to sell the reform platform to different organizations, said today’s meeting would be an “informational session.” At least 50 individuals will attend. The former Churchill Downs executive is expected to seek funding and may propose the hiring of an outside agency to serve as a “monitor” to hold the industry’s feet to the fire so that it will make enough changes to hold Congress at bay.
One invited participant said it would be a “miracle” if the industry supports the proposals but gives Waldrop high marks for his efforts. “Where is the money going to come from?” he asked. “The NTRA doesn’t have it, racetracks are strapped, and state governments are cutting budgets on racing commissions and drug testing labs.” Another said the plan needs to be scaled down and more realistic. “The Jockey Club Round Table made all these proposals about what the industry needs to do, and I said, ‘Hey, what about the proposals you made last year? When are you going to get around to addressing those?’”
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: alex waldrop, anabolic steroids, congressional hearings, eclipse awards, eight belles, Horse Racing, Jockey Club, jockey club round table, keith chamblin, kentucky derby, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, NTRA, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, Thoroughbred Auctions
Posted in Congressional Hearing, Industry Organizations, Industry Reform, Jockey Club, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Regulatory Issues | 7 Comments »
Monday, July 28th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Within two weeks of the June 19 Congressional hearings that looked into Thoroughbred racing’s safety and medication issues, a small group of industry insiders met at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., to discuss potential reforms that could stave off threatened federal intervention.
A confidential discussion document that came out of the Keeneland meeting and talks with other industry stakeholders outlines a far-reaching program of potential reforms as well as suggestions for implementing and enforcing them. The Paulick Report has obtained a copy of that confidential discussion document and memorandum (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) sent to the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association written July 9 by NTRA CEO Alex Waldrop.
Among the possible reforms discussed in the document are minimum national standards for medication, drug testing and penalties; benchmark safety standards of racing surfaces and/or a mandatory switch to synthetic tracks; a ban or limitation on racing fillies against colts; eliminating timed workouts at 2-year-old sales and distance restrictions for 2-year-old races; a funding mechanism for permanently disabled jockeys; wagering protocols and mandatory public disclosure of wagering abnormalities; uniform scratch rules and "other player-friendly advances"; integrity clauses and potential revocation of Eclipse Awards for individuals involved in infractions; and a national placement program for retired racehorses.
"As part of our post Triple Crown public relations and communications strategy based on consumer research findings, it is clear that the industry must implement real reforms in the area of horse health and safety ," Waldrop wrote in the memorandum to the NTRA board. "It is equally clear that the NTRA must play a leadership role to ensure responsible, timely and uniform execution of the equine health and safety reforms put forth by a number of industry organizations, including The Jockey Club Safety Committee. To that end, we believe it will be necessary for industry stakeholders to come together to reach consensus on industry reforms and to agree upon the methodology for timely implementation."
Waldrop recommended two days of meetings of industry leaders in Lexington, Ky., Sept. 3-4.
Waldrop called the confidential discussion document "far-reaching and ambitious to say the least and impacts virtually all segments of the industry. However," he added, " it appears that virtually all segments of the industry are in agreement that if we do not take pro-active action on the integrity front, the Federal government will very likely act on our behalf. And the questions from fans and media asking, ‘What has the industry done since Eight Belles?’, will come soon enough."
Congressman Ed Whitfield of Kentucky, the ranking Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that conducted the hearings, is calling for an amendment to the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 that would set minimum standards for racetracks wishing to conduct interstate simulcasting.
In fact, the threat of federal intervention will be used as leverage to get people on-board with the reforms, the document suggests. Suggested implementation would occur in four phases, beginning with "house rules" at racetracks "commencing upon the start of each track’s first full racing meeting in 2009." Phases II and III would depend on adoption of model rules and minimum standards by the Association of Racing Commissioners International and its member associations in various racing states. The final suggested phase would be the formation of a "national governing body comprised of key industry stakeholder and legislative bodies under an interstate compact."
Potential penalties for failing to comply with whatever reforms are pushed are loss of eligibility to host a graded race, loss of Breeders’ Cup stakes money or consideration as host site of the championships, loss of NTRA membership or loss of right to conduct interstate simulcasting.
The discussion document also calls for the commitment of owners, trainers and jockeys to compete only at tracks that operate under the agreed upon rules.
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Tags: 2-year-old sales, alex waldrop, congressional hearings, disabled jockeys, eclipse awards, ed whitfield, eight belles, interstate horseracing act, jockey club safety committee, Keeneland, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, Simulcasting, wagering protocols
Posted in Congressional Hearing, Horse Welfare, Industry, Industry Reform, Medication, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Regulatory Issues | 13 Comments »
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