I called. The CSR tried to give me the soso about how Coke doesn’t approve of animals being ill-treated and doesn’t sponsor events where animals are treated inhumanely. But said she would pass my oncerns along. She did try to say it ws a local bottler issue-- but I didn’t let her get away with THAT excuse. Keep those calls coming.
[QUOTE=bayou_bengal;6408326]
I called. The CSR tried to geive me the soso about how Coke doesn’t approve of animals being ill-treated. But said she would pass my oncerns along. She did try to say it ws a local bottler issue-- but I didn’t let her get away with THAT excuse. Keep those calls coming.[/QUOTE]
Isn’t that the same crap Ford was dishing out? We see how that worked for them.
I’ve posted to their Facebook, sent an email and am typing up a snail mail letter. By the time I’m done I’ll have all my talking points and references lined up to make the phone call.
Contact information for the local Coca Cola bottling company sponsoring the Celebration:
Coca Cola Bottling Works of Tullahoma, Inc.
1502 E Carroll St Phone: (931) 455-3466
Tullahoma, TN Fax: (931) 455-4998
37388-3894
United States
And if you’d like to email the bottler directly, here ya go!
http://www.macraesbluebook.com/search/contact/contact_company.cfm?company=530251
[QUOTE=Guilherme;6405518]
After more than a decade of “activism” I moved on precisely because it was plain to me that the rank and file of the TWH industry were not ready to take back what had been stolen from them. When pressed on the issues, they sounded like Rudy, Gnali, and Cordial (denying that the BL process causes problems; if there were problems it was a small number of bad apples; that they were being unfairly picked on; etc. ) Nothing has changed even unto today.
So it remains to be seen if the current furor will result in industry behavioral change.
G.[/QUOTE]
Well back in the 1970s, 80s and 90s-- and of course in the decades before, the Internet was not the strong social communication tool for change that it has become. If people communicating through the Internet can topple despotic national governments-- surely we can take care of ridding the TWH world of the stranglehold a few Good Ole Boys from Tennessee and their followers have had on it for the past 50 or so years.
Roy Exum: Two Horse Owners Write
Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - by Roy Exum
Roy Exum As Jackie McConnell was being told he now faces up to five years in prison and a multitude of other penalties after pleading guilty to just one of 48 counts in violation of the Horse Protection Act on Tuesday, the outcry from Tennessee Walking Horse owners was incredible and there is a groundswell of support growing to either clean up a very crooked industry or actually ban it.
Ironically, a Page One story in the Nashville Tennessean on Tuesday quoted former U.S. Senator Joseph Tydings, who originally wrote the federal House Protection Act 40 years ago, as saying, “It’s just as bad today” as it was when he was prompted to introduce the legislation long ago.
I got another deluge of signed emails yesterday and please allow me to use just two in hopes the federal prosecutors, our judges, our elected officials and our jurors will finally put the criminals who still thrive in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry in their proper place – that would be jail.
Dear Mr. Exum:
There is no doubt that Mr. McConnell is a cad. The people who work with and for him are abusers of animals, but they are far from being (the only) rogues and everyone in the industry knows it, including the Celebration management.
Ask yourself this question: if you had trainers who had received one of the government’s longest awarded suspensions for soring horses and the judgment covered not only one (family member) but two, as well as their wives and a hired hand, would you, if you were a legitimate industry committed to sound horses and ethical training practices, welcome such people back into your midst with open arms when the (multi-year) suspension was complete?
There is every indication that these scofflaws continued to train horses that were exhibited through other means. If you were serious about this protection of the horse and guaranteeing a sound competition arena, wouldn’t you have banned them from your industry for life?
Well, if you were the walking horse industry the answer would be “no” and to show exactly what “no” means, all you have to do is look at the winner of the 2011 World Grand Championship title. It was won by (name deleted) the violator who got this multiple-year suspension. Everyone took his money and his picture. The picture of the horse now hangs in the state capital.
(A) magazine trumpeted his praises. The audience cheered and no one ever mentioned or seemed to notice that this guy and his crew should never have been let near a horse again. Is this a one-time deal… look at the 2010 Celebration grand champion winner, (name deleted), another multiple federal violator, just back from a recent multi-year suspension.
I could go on, right through the Hall of Famers, the Trainers of the Year, and more but it is clear to me that you already have gotten the idea that the picture that is being painted by the PR spin is not quite the real face of the industry.
The trainers know and cover up for each other. The owners know who these guys are and what their history with the law is (even if they may never have seen them in action with their own horses) and they frankly don’t care.
I would remind you that to actually get a federal conviction is no easy task to accomplish. The accused “lawyer up” and it can take years to actually get the case decided. Meanwhile, the trainers keep training horses and the owners keep paying the bills; the associations continue to tell the big lie and the locals turn their heads so as not to upset the economic apple cart. The horror spins along like a well-oiled machine and there is an irony in the word “oiled.”
If you are interested I can send you the violation reports for the current crop of Riders’ Cup competitors in the industry. It makes for interesting reading and analysis, especially in view of what the so-called inspectors keep turning up again and again, a one foot sore violation, that just happens to come without any penalties.
Face it, trainers don’t sore horses on one foot, Mr. Exum, and legitimate industries don’t welcome animal abusers back into their ranks again and again, allow them to continue to compete as if they were legitimate competitors, and then crown them with the industry’s highest titles at the same time they are saying that McConnell is a rogue and not representative of the rest of them.
McConnell “is” the rest of them. He just happened to get caught on an undercover video tape.
Dear Mr. Exum,
Not that this will be a surprise, but I have to tell this to you. I have recently returned home … from the “Panama City Beach Celebration” walking horse show April 26-29 2012. I took my prized … stallion to compete … but to my horror I saw that most horses in the barn were sored, even laying and moaning.
I guess my biggest surprise was that it was openly talked about … like it was just a matter-of-fact around the barn. I had my horse near the entrance to the arena trying to get him to use to the built up walkers and the arena … A young man walked up behind scuffing the ground (with his foot) then moving closer and repeating the scuffing (as if he was trying to hide something in the dirt.)
It was making my horse even more nervous so I looked harder – he was moving along quickly to cover-up the bloody steps of another horse that had just broke its foot off! The young man told me this in a hushed voice, like I would understand.
My horse and the young girl that rides him were both nervous, so I had her take the horse behind the barn area to lunge him for a bit to get them working together and reduce some of their tension. I was on the sideline watching when I felt people behind me. Several trainers – I suppose – had lined up to watch. The one directly behind me said “You are a good horse person.” I said “Excuse me?” and he repeated it.
To this day I know it was sarcasm in the remark, but I still have no idea how it was meant.
When I got back to where we were staying I sat down and just cried for the poor animals. There was a young colt next to my horse (pure white with sensitive pink skin). I witnessed him being beaten and saw the sores on his legs. This baby – not even two – laid on his back with his feet in the air to get relief.
My husband tried (at my pleading) to buy him so we could rescue him and bring him back with us, but the owners were not in attendance. He was traveling with his trainers/abusers and a deal could not be accomplished.
After hearing about the atrocities at the show, some of the young girls (who ride) at my barn have been trying to find ways to raise funds to rescue the white colt. Of course now, after the ABC news story, they are more determined. I still well in tears when I think about the show and my rider refuses to show at all now.
When I take my students and horses to a show I always tell them “We are happy with a 3rd place ribbon on a SOUND horse!” I sincerely hope that this is the beginning of the end of soring. My worry is that when the news becomes old, the practices will be in full force again.
Wow! And if you think these letters are dandies, you ought to see what else is arriving in my email by the hour. Sadly, the horses can’t write.
royexum@aol.com
23
[QUOTE=GaitedGloryRider;6408158]
So is Coca-Cola stepping in and sponsoring the Celebration since Pespi bowed out?
ETA: Ugh, just saw Roy Exum’s column and did some googling. Guess it’s time to start emailing Coca-Cola and blowing up their FB page with comments: http://www.facebook.com/cocacola[/QUOTE]
I wrote on their wall. Who knows how long they’ll leave it up? Shared the coke info on FB this am. Have LOTS of horsey friends.
Thanks all who have contacted Coca Cola. If you haven’t please, take a few minutes and do it. Let’s keep it rolling guys!
Just wrote on their wall on FB… and added a link to a story how Pepsi has pulled their sponsorship.
This big lick crap needs to stop…. Perhaps when there isn’t as much money to be made, these creeps will be less likely to torture their horses
This whole thing just makes me ill.
I really believe it’s time to reclaim the breed. We’ve got a great American horse and it’s shameful what we’ve allowed to happen.
I agree that nothing less than eliminating padded performance in the TWH “industry” is required. Even if you feel the pads/chains don’t hurt, there’s just too much ugly history here. It’s been proven time and time again, it cannot be clean.
And I want to add, some of you seem a little radical on this. But good on you. I love the breed, I have two, nothing I’ve done to point has made a difference. My hat is off to you. Thank you for your dedication. And I’m going to do more.
[QUOTE=bayou_bengal;6408002]
End the BIG YUCK NOW. Prohibit stacks of pads, hoofbands, outrageously heavy shoes that cover almost the entire sole of a horse’s front hooves, and ANY kind of action device being used ANYWHERE on the show grounds.
End the BL and the people who want to show natural and clean will flock back to the show ring!!
End the BL and the good trainers who don’t mind putting in the time to develop a horse the right way without any gimmicks, soring and stewarding will still be able to make a living-- the rest can go drive trucks or something.
End the BL and the good breeders who know how to breed for a natural gait will be able to save the breed before it is TOO LATE!
If you LOVE the breed, stand up to end the BL! The BL is artificial, ugly and harmful to the horses.[/QUOTE]
When you were breeding and showing did you advertise in the Walking Way…the plantation TWH magazine?
[QUOTE=Fairfax;6409089]
When you were breeding and showing did you advertise in the Walking Way…the plantation TWH magazine?[/QUOTE]
Sorry- I can’t remember the names of all the various papers and magazines my late husband advertised in except for The Voice-- I do remember The Voice because it came as part of being a member of the TWHBEA and was the only TWH magazine since forever-- I used to have issues, including two or more copies of the same issue, of The Voice going all the way back into the 1940s, but I sold or gave them all away years ago. I had copies of The Blue Ribbon- Celebration show program going back into the 1940s, too. I also had all 10 volumes- first editions of the stud books-- but my son has those now.
[QUOTE=Fairfax;6409089]
When you were breeding and showing did you advertise in the Walking Way…the plantation TWH magazine?[/QUOTE]
Wow, there’s a “blast from the past.” 
I’ve still got a few old “Walking Way” issues in a box in the garage.
There were always a few folks who said, “no” but they were small in both number and influence. I don’t think they could have made any difference unless their numbers were vastly larger. And they were not.
G.
I’ve sent Coca-Cola three e-mails, written on their Facebook page, and contacted them by phone. Maybe they’ll get the point! LOL!
What happend to the horse or horses?
in the video? Did he/she survive? I’ll admit I didn’t watch the vid as the photo accompanying the article was enough for me.
I have asked all my family and friends to help let Coca-Cola hear about this matter.they (coke rep) let me know that the company does NOT support anything that abuses or treats any animal inhumanly,so did i give this gentleman an ear full.asked him to check out the web.gave him chapter and verse. i did not just get lip service,He was shocked.
the ripple is in the water,and moving, PLEASE lets keep tossing in those peebles so this ripple will become a wave.
to STOP SORING.
Roy Exum: Coca-Cola Just Broke My Heart
Monday, July 02, 2012 - by Roy Exum
Roy Exum One of the smartest of all Life’s Rules is also one of the hardest to remember at key times in your life. Simply put it reads, “Never let your money get mad.” Let’s face it, almost all of us are going to get into a fret or a huff but when you allow yourself to get so angry it ends up actually costing you money, your best friends will build a statue and chisel your name at the bottom of it as the World’s Biggest Fool.
Trust me, I’ve done it a time or two and – after declaring myself double-dumb – I’ve dusted off my britches and tried to get back to being the kind of person I ought to be. But one of my dearest and most beloved friends just broke my heart and, gracious goodness, the pain is so bad that my money is really mad.
On May 16 this year the ABC News show “Nightline” aired the most atrocious and disgusting video in my memory when they showed a Hall of Fame horse trainer named Jackie McConnell sadistically and savagely whipping a Tennessee Walking Horse with an electric cattle prod. The very next day the Pepsi Cola Company – which I’ve never much cared about – withdrew its sponsorship of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration that will be held in Shelbyville Aug. 22 through Sept. 1.That meant a lot to me because while I cannot remember ever allowing a Pepsi to touch my lips, it told me a lot about the kind of people who today run the Pepsi organization. Please understand, Pepsi has never done anything to hurt me, but I’m a child of the South and my loyalty to Coca-Cola started when I could bang one out of a crank cooler for only a nickel.
In the 60 years that have followed, I’ve never been without a Coke. I drink Diet Cokes all day long. I have a small cooler right beside the desk where I write and I’ve got another little refrigerator beside my bed. I have known and loved quite literally thousands of Coca-Cola people and know that while the first one was bottled in Chattanooga, many millions of cases were sent – at no charge – to The Greatest Generation all over the Europe and the Pacific during World War II. We must never, ever, forget that.
I’m telling you, Coca-Cola runs through me as deep as my blood. You with me here? Good. Guess who just became the “Official Drink Provider” for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration? I’ll answer that by pledging to you that between Aug. 22 and Sept. 1 of this year I’m drinking nothing but Pepsi products for the first time in my life. Or at least I’m going to try. You say, oh, don’t let your money get mad but in the past six weeks the very real business of soring and abusing beautiful Tennessee Walking Horses has gotten personal with me and if Coca-Cola needs “thirty pieces of silver” bad enough to run with such a scurrilous crowd it is no longer “The Real Thing” in my heart of hearts.
Are you kidding me? A half-million people have now watched the Humane Society tape of the downed horse crying like an infant in that stall and – what! – last week the Shelbyville crowd just sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Celebration “handlers” have been just been condemned by the top three veterinary groups in the United States – much to the joy of 500,000 registered Walking Horse owners – and “my” Coca-Cola is now stifling that many giggles. Please!
Contrary to what some may believe, I desperately want the Tennessee Walking Horse to heal itself. I want there to be honest horse shows with beautiful animals, skilled trainers, huge crowds and lots of blue ribbons. But today there is overwhelming evidence, guilty pleas, blatant lies, and enough violations of the federal Horse Protection Act to quite literally kill the “performance horse” forever.
Any junior high student with a computer can easily access public files that will make you cry. My goodness, there is actually a letter from a Kentucky senator – also named McConnell – threatening to restrict funding to the Department of Agriculture if they didn’t back off investigating the Walking Horse fiasco and, written in May of 1998, the first signature is that of then Tennessee Senator Bill Frist. My goodness!
I have been studying the wickedness in the Walking Horse industry for less than two months – so help me that’s true – and it is mind-boggling. I loved it when this rich guy named Randall Baskin jumped up at one redemption meeting about a month ago and pledged $100,000 in matching funds to end violations of the Horse Protection Act. The same Mr. Baskin will get off an eight-month suspension for violating the federal Horse Protection Act in a couple of weeks. How many cans of Coca-Cola do you reckon that charade will sell?
Of course, I can’t answer that but I can tell you this; I might try to set a Pepsi-drinking record in late August. The horrible part is that I know so much about what Coca-Cola has done in the lives of literally millions of people. As a matter of fact, I have enjoyed a can and a half of Diet Coke as this article has been written and, first thing in the morning, I’ll be the first to promise I’ll start anew.
Don’t worry. Around Labor Day I’ll renew my lifelong waltz with Coca-Cola but the last part of August the Pepsi Company is going to get all of me. That might not sound like much but, brother, that’s what happens when your money gets so mad you can’t spit nothing but feathers.
26
Boycott Coca-Cola—
How about we all pledge not to drink ANY Coca-Cola products between August 22 and September 1 AND we call write and email Coke corporate to tell them so?
[QUOTE=bayou_bengal;6410993]
Boycott Coca-Cola—
How about we all pledge not to drink ANY Coca-Cola products between August 22 and September 1 AND we call write and email Coke corporate to tell them so?[/QUOTE]
Count me in.
https://www.facebook.com/BoycottCocaColaAug22Sept1
Take the pledge NOT to use or drink ANY Coca-Cola products from August 22 through September 1 because Coca-Cola has replaced Pepsi and the official beverage supplier and sponsor of The celebration.
Please <like> the page linked above, and take the pledge to let Coca-Cola know you do not approve of their sponsorship of this show patronized by known violators of the HPA of 1970.
Do it for the Walking Horses. Thank you.
[QUOTE=aarpaso;6407854]
but if the GOOD ( i use this term questionably) people of Shelbyville, Franklin, Bell Buckle just all of Bedford County stood up and said we do not want to be known as the community that supported the practice of Soring and Abusing of the Tn Walking Horse. [/QUOTE]
It might be more helpful if those of you spouting opinions about the locals bought a clue.
Franklin hasn’t been a TWH hotbed for years and years. Franklin is now suburbia and to the average Franklinite TWHs are not even on the radar screen much less “supported.” The few farms left the outside the city limits but that may have Franklin addresses are by and large hunters, eventers, dressage, with the occassional polo and western pleasure, etc. TWHs are historically low rent and I assure you the land prices around here (north of $30K an acre) have cleared the vast majority of TWHs out of the Franklin area.
Carry on…
