Uncovering the nasty origins of an ugly event OMAK, Washington––The 86th annual edition of the bizarre and often deadly “World Famous Suicide Race” held annually in Omak, Washington, is to be held nightly, August 8-11, 2019. Bizarre as the race itself is, even more bizarre––and perplexing––is that the 12 Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation […]
Three more chuckwagon horses killed as Calgary Stampede 2019 ends
Six horses killed in 10 days; most since 1986 CALGARY, Alberta––The 2019 Calgary Stampede ended on the night of July 14, 2019 with reportedly the second-highest attendance in the history of the event, and three more horses killed in the climactic last heat of the Rangeland Derby, the chuckwagon races that for almost a […]
E. coli kills yet another child who visited a petting zoo
Third known petting zoo fatality since 2011 SAN DIEGO, California––Jedidiah King Cabezuela, age 2, on June 24, 2019 died from hemolytic uremic syndrome, an apparent complication of exposure to shiga toxin-producing e. coli bacteria two weeks earlier at the San Diego County Fair. “The County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency said the […]
Driving at demonstrators costs “Big Lick” champ’s insurers $50,000
Billygoboy wins again TUNICA, Mississippi––Having organized boycotts that have shut down “Big Lick” walking horse shows in at least 13 southern cities, semi-retired attorney Clant Seay, 71, better known as Billygoboy, is now celebrating a victory of a different sort. This time Seay has collected $50,000 on behalf of four clients, plus himself, in […]
Big win over the “big lick” walking horse industry in 2018 federal budget
“Big lickers” kicked, but Congress kicked back WASHINGTON D.C.––Winning increasingly often against initially steep odds, BillyGoBoy and friends opposed to soring horses to make them step higher appear likely to enjoy the last horse laugh over the walking horse show industry. Walking horse shows have been infamously dominated for decades by trainers who––defying the […]
Could soring horses leave top Republicans limping in red-state Tennessee?
Political columnist & senior attorney both think so CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee––Could being associated with soring horses to induce the “Big Lick” goose step favored at walking horse shows cost the Republican candidates the 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections? Roy Exum thinks it could. And attorney Clant Seay, a 72-year-old walking horse show breeder turned […]
USDA-APHIS reposts less than 1% of deleted law enforcement info
More activists & animal charities sue WASHINGTON D.C.––The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service on February 17, 2017 reposted some of the inspection reports on animal research facilities that it deleted from the USDA-APHIS web site two weeks earlier, on February 3, 2014, but not enough to quell protest or […]
Did Trump kill rules to protect walking horses?
Horse advocates fear the worst WASHINGTON D.C.––Reports differ as to whether the Donald Trump administration has killed or just delayed new Horse Protection Act of 1970 enforcement regulations meant to protect walking horses from soring. The new regulations, introduced by the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service on January 13, 2017, just a week before […]
Kentucky Congressman who fought for walking horses resigns
Ed Whitfield stood against making horses goose-step SHELBYVILLE, Tennessee––Congressman Ed Whitfield, a Kentucky Republican known for his attempts to reform the walking horse industry, on August 31, 2016 gave participants in the 78th annual Tennessee National Walking Horse Celebration something extra to celebrate by announcing his resignation from Congress, effective at 6 p.m. on […]
Stampede & Frontier Days ride furiously in opposite directions
No animal deaths in 2016 in Calgary; 8 injuries in 8 days in Cheyenne One day we rode the mountain crest and I went east & he went west. I took to law & wore a star while he spread terror near and far. ––Lorne Green, “Ringo” (1964) With two days left to run, at least 10 […]