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| World Champion Free Spirit I and Stephanie McLaughlin (Rawlinson) at the Tennessee Walking Horse World Championships |
One of my first outings as a baby was to a horse show in Middle Tennessee. My family owned, showed and bred Tennessee Walking Horses my entire life at Wildwood Farms here in Florence, SC and at our farm in Shelbyville, Tennessee called Cedar Hill. Most weekends, until I had my second child, were spent at a horse show somewhere in the USA. Tennessee Walking Horses were my first loves and I was good at it. I loved my horses more than I loved politics and that's a whole lot.
With the current costly regulations imposed by the USDA, it was no longer profitable to keep our family horse business open. About 6 years ago we closed the farms to horses. My brother, a professional horse trainer, is now working in another industry and we sold all 125 of the horses. The barn now sits empty and the pastures have grown up. Six employees were let go, the vets, farriers, hay production and grain production companies services were no longer needed.
Because of the costly regulations, the horses were no longer selling and thus the farm was not making money. Horse trainers, and their families all over the country are closing their barns and farms due to the USDA regulations. Many of these families have worked in this occupation for 4 or 5 generations. All of these good people are unemployed and now dependent on the state. Many are too old to find work while others are hunting for jobs to feed their families.
The USDA has just about closed down entire towns in middle Tennessee. Most horse shows are non-profits, their proceeds benefit local charities. These charities are also going under and suffering because trainers can not afford to take horses to the shows anymore. I ask you to encourage your congressional members to vote NO on HR 1518. This will completely end the Tennessee Walking Horse industry in our state and country.
With the current costly regulations imposed by the USDA, it was no longer profitable to keep our family horse business open. About 6 years ago we closed the farms to horses. My brother, a professional horse trainer, is now working in another industry and we sold all 125 of the horses. The barn now sits empty and the pastures have grown up. Six employees were let go, the vets, farriers, hay production and grain production companies services were no longer needed.
Because of the costly regulations, the horses were no longer selling and thus the farm was not making money. Horse trainers, and their families all over the country are closing their barns and farms due to the USDA regulations. Many of these families have worked in this occupation for 4 or 5 generations. All of these good people are unemployed and now dependent on the state. Many are too old to find work while others are hunting for jobs to feed their families.
The USDA has just about closed down entire towns in middle Tennessee. Most horse shows are non-profits, their proceeds benefit local charities. These charities are also going under and suffering because trainers can not afford to take horses to the shows anymore. I ask you to encourage your congressional members to vote NO on HR 1518. This will completely end the Tennessee Walking Horse industry in our state and country.
• H.R. 1518, was written and sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States, an animal rights organization that seeks to destroy all animal ownership
•H.R. 1518 vastly expands the jurisdiction of federal inspectors and calls for oversight without funding.
• H.R. 1518 does NOTHING to address the problem of unethical participants who are already in violation of existing laws. H.R. 1518 amends the Horse Protection Act which already imposes strong rules and regulations on the Tennessee Walking Horse Industry.
• Issues penalties based on the standards of the animal rights groups.
• The economic impact of H.R. 1518 would be detrimental to farriers, veterinarians, feed and tack companies, restaurants, motels, retail stores, trailer/truck dealers, and many more businesses.
• If passed, H.R. 1518 will remove all pads, weighted shoes, and all action devices from show horses of three specified breeds—Tennessee Walking Horse, Racking Horse, and Spotted Saddle Horse.
In a year when Congress is looking for every possible way to create jobs and stimulate the economy, this misguided and deceptive bill would destroy what is left of the walking horse industry and do NOTHING to stop cruelty! Let's enforce the laws we already have -- we don't need NEW laws!
Please act now and urge Congress to VOTE NO on H.R. 1518!
Below are some photos of some of our horses from years gone by. I beg you not to be a part of ending this industry...these are my friends who are losing their livelihoods and something that I love that you will be ending!
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| World Champion Free Spirit I with Celia, Stephanie and Sam Rowland McLaughlin |
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| Stars and Bars and Future Generation (foals bred and raised by Wildwood Farms) with Celia, Sam Rowland and Stephanie Rawlinson |
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| World Champion Free Spirit I and SC Junior Horsewoman of the Year Stephanie McLaughlin |
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| The Foals of Wildwood Laurie, Stephanie, Celia and Sam Rowland McLaughlin |
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| World Champion Star of the Future |
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| North Carolina State Champion Star of the Future |
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| World Champion Free Spirit I and Stephanie McLaughlin |
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| Reserve World Grand Champion Star of the Future |
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