Yes, the online petition will MOST DEFINITELY be sent to the USOC, and the FEI as well.
Though media attention certainly never hurt anyone. Perhaps we might contract a certain Florida-based company to consult!! 
I never mentioned it to Bill Moroney; I didn’t even have the opportunity. However, if he knew it came from me he didn’t come over to me either. I wasn’t sure if he knew the source since the information was from a Member of the Board. And I am not one of his favorite people. I would have not been surprised if my name hadn’t come up. I was making enough heat over the Date Rotation Problem.
I was disappointed when I learned from a Member of the Hearing Committee that he never brought it up.The fact is if they agreed with us at all they could have initiated the action in the Hearing Committee and I was told then he could bring it to the Board Meeting for a hearing. I had sent the copies of paper work as documentation of the Virginia Case and referenced PV and Joe Plemmons. They could have dealt with one part, all of it or none of it. Obviously the players had more important business at this meeting and didn’t want to muddy the waters. There was no opportunity for an auditor to speak with the Board or at the Committee Meetings unless addressed by the Committee. I felt if there was any interest it would have come up and it didn’t.
I think the conflict of interest was the big issue at this meeting. I’ve been told by someone ho knows that David is paid $500 per day he travels with a $24k cap. So he is not actually getting a salary. But that’s not a news flash so I’m not sure why it was brought up or who was behind the issue. They did offer him a salary if it meant that he didn’t need to take the Canadian job. He did offer his resignation if the Board wished. I think it was unanimous that he stay in his position.
I have to remind you that these views are those of an outsider and not someone with any inside information. I’m sure that accounts for the differences in opinions.
OK guys, here is a first draft. I would really welcome any input you all may have. And again, if you’re not comfortable posting here, feel free to PM me.
The reason it’s this long is that this is going to cross the desks of a lot of people who are not familiar with the case. I wanted to use the Hearing Committee’s own language to explain their reasoning.
PETITION DRAFT:
TO: The United States Equestrian Federation (“USEF”), the United States Olympic Committee (“USOC”), and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (“FEI”):
PURPOSE: This petition is in opposition to the reinstatement of Mr. Paul Valliere to full membership rights and privileges in USEF.
BACKGROUND: On March 12, 1996, a meeting of the Hearings Committee of the American Horse Shows Association (predecessor in interest to USEF) was held and the following resolution was adopted:
[I] "Mr. Paul Valliere, of North Smithfield, RI, violated Rule III, Article 302.6 and Rule VII, Article 702(a), (d), and (f) of this Association, in that he was convicted of having participated in a plan or conspiracy to commit acts of cruelty or abuse to a horse and the conduct underlying his conviction is deemed improper, unethical, dishonest, unsportsmanlike
or intemperate, or prejudicial to the best interests of the Association.
In considering an appropriate penalty for the violation by MR. VALLIERE, the committee members weighed in his favor that he had cooperated with
the government; however, the panel also took into consideration that he hired a killer for the horse Roseau Platiere, owned by him, which was electrocuted as part of a scheme to defraud an insurance company, and that the evidence presented at the hearing established that death by electrocution causes pain to the horse.
For his violation of the rules as charged, the committee determined pursuant to the provisions of Rule III, Article 302.6 and Rule VII,
Article 703.1 (b), © and (f), that effective immediately and until further notice, MR. VALLIERE is hereby expelled from membership in the AHSA and denied all the privileges of membership including the ability to hold or exercise office in the association, attend or participate in association meetings, hold license(s) as an AHSA or FEI official, compete in international competitions or receive AHSA automatic insurance coverages or participate in AHSA group insurance programs and is found not in good standing and he and all horses owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation or stable of his are found not in good standing and are suspended from competing or taking any part whatsoever in Recognized competitions and he is excluded from all competition grounds during Recognized competitions as an exhibitor, participant, or spectator. The panel members also directed that the Hearing Committee retains jurisdiction over this matter, and MR. VALLIERE may not apply to the Association for reinstatement any sooner than 10 years from the date he first became suspended by the Association on account of his indictment for the crime in question and then only based upon affirmative proof of total rehabilitation, including proof that he has taken steps to reform himself and has performed community service to benefit the welfare of horses."[/I]
PETITION: We, the undersigned, do not believe that Mr. Valliere has presented sufficient proof of total rehabilitation as required by USEF. We further believe that the reinstatement of Mr. Valliere would be in direct contravention of the USEF’s own Vision Statement, contained in the USEF Bylaws, which states, in part:
“Bylaw 102: The vision of the Federation is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America, promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grass roots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its human and equine athletes…”
We, the undersigned, believe that the killing of the equine athlete Roseau Platiere flies in the face of USEF Bylaws by failing to promote the welfare of equine athletes.
We further believe that the killing of Roseau Platiere is in direct contravention of the FEI Code of Conduct, which states in part:
[I]"The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) expects all those involved in international equestrian sport to adhere to the FEI’s Code of Conduct and to acknowledge and accept that at all times the welfare of the horse must be paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.
At all stages during the preparation and training of competition horses, welfare must take precedence over all other demands. This includes good horse management…[/I]
We, the undersigned, believe that in killing the equine athlete Roseau Platiere, Mr. Valliere directly violated the FEI Code. We further believe the reinstatement of Roseau Platiere’s admitted killer, Mr. Valliere, is not in the best interests of equestrian sport, USEF, the United States of America, or the FEI, and does not promote the welfare of our equine athletes.
Respectfully submitted,
Comments???
Equibrit and Sheila, I love you both and your great ideas. Please make me the basket with red trim and a NO REINSTATEMENT ribbon on it. Than send it with love and care, insured, to the USEF. What a great idea! Heck, why not make a couple so that your friend PV can have his own. You could send them both at the same time. Wait, just one more. We forgot to get one for Mason. He would not want to be left out either. This could be another item for the NO REINSTATEMENT store. great idea guys.
Be right back. Must go watch figure skating.
Janet and Chanda–I interpreted Snowbird’s remarks to apply to professionals, running a business, and not to private individuals.
I have no knowledge about the technical part of it all.
I really think you need to calm down Jrjumper and show some respect to Snowy. Whether right or wrong, she probably knows alot more than you do and is always respectful.
Originally posted by anthem35:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>Originally posted by Sherry3313 Groom of Winners Aefvue Farms:
For those of you claiming that PV doesn’t own any horses that are showing during his suspension, this comes DIRECTLY from Mason Phelps…
"Winter Equestrian Festival Week 7 Wrap-Up, March 9-13, 2005 CN Finale, CSIO-US 4*, ‘AA’
Contact:
Mason Phelps, Jr. of Phelps Media Group, Inc. at (561) 753-3389 or at
The R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Scholarship winner, Cathy Rolfs, placed eighth in Section A of the ASPCA Maclay and had scores of 80 in both the hunter and jumper phases of the WIHS Equitation Classic. Zazou Hoffman, the R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Working Student winner, placed ninth in the ASPCA Maclay and also received a score of 80 in the hunter phase of the WIHS Equitation Classic. Both girls were graciously loaned wonderful horses to compete on. Rolfs rode Aristocrat, who is owned by Paul Valliere, while Hoffman rode Missy Clark’s Long Island. "
I believe that this was a wording error on Mason’s part, to which he has subsequently corrected. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jeez anthem35…you’ll say anything to defend your guy 
Originally posted by anthem35:
There are many well respected individuals who are very active in the USEF horse show community who are by far the most well informed of the story, and who, by knowing all the facts, are welcoming him back.
I may be misinterpreting this, but that statement seems to say that these well respected individuals might know facts that us lesser informed are unaware of, facts that make what PV did less egregious. Again I may be so far out of that loop- but I thought the facts were pretty well established already?
Is there something else that has come to light to make these well respected folks welcome him back? Like maybe he didn’t have the horse killed because of ego, didn’t lie to the insurance company, didn’t become a turncoat to mititgate his punishment ( I could go on, but that is sufficient), maybe he did these things for some other reason. Maybe it was all a dream like the whole season of Dallas.
However, if there are other or different facts out there that would inform the rest of us so well, maybe we too would welcome him back. We are a very forgiving bunch 
If as I suspect these people have no facts other than the ones that are documented, then I agree with Silk-
I dont think most people’s opinion’s will change, regardless of which big names welcome him back. I think just the opposite: those big names will lose the respect of many who once respected them.
Originally posted by Snowbird:
Not that you know of Sheila! But do you know who everyone is that posts here on this thread? Do you even know if the same person is posting under many alters?
Of course I know who everyone is! As I’ve said many times, I know most of the pros and all of the cons!
Renn…What you said makes all of us at Aefvue Farm proud
Julie, if you can’t open it with Internet explorer, you can e-mail me your USEF number, and I’d be more than happy to sign for you. 
You know, I would really prefer to just ignore them, rather than add fuel to the fire…
You have just lost ALL creditbility. If I were getting these “so- called emails” I certainly would have forwared and contacted Erin without a doubt!
We can have a healthy debate on this subject, but when threats and vial personal attacks occur that’s crossing the line and where it should stop. So are you contacting Erin?
Ditto.
How does “growing up in the industry” mediate anything? Andknowing “everyone involved personally” would surely magnify this atrocity.
Originally posted by Fairview Horse Center:
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-title”>quote:</div><div class=“ip-ubbcode-quote-content”>What professional horse person is on their computer at 1:10 PM ET?
People who live on their barn property, taking a lunch/coffee break. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Good point but PV is not one of those people… there is no lunch break in his vocabulary
Originally posted by Hopeful Hunter:
For me, this is about what is and is not acceptable practices that the governing body of my sport will allow. And I do not believe that the governing body should ever permit the destruction of the horses that are the only reason this sport exists - for nothing more than greed and vanity - to be condoned. Period.
HH is right on. My father always told me to remember the difference between an honor and a privilege. An honor is something you receive for something you’ve done well, and it’s yours to keep. A privilege is something that’s lent to you in trust, and if you abuse it, the privilege can be taken away. Winning the Maclay is an honor. Membership in the USEF is a privilege. PV abused the privilege of membership in an organization that (purportedly) puts the welfare of the horse above all else.
Besides, at this point in time an apology seems a little late, and would seem like a means to an end. Had I seen that apology come long ago, and seen it repeatedly, then I might think it was sincere.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever, Letter Man.
Here is an idea for PV. Maybe he could rescue a few OTTBs from the meat truck, train them to have a useful career, and sell them for a low price - just to cover their purchase expense. You know, nice litte local show hunters for pony club kids. Sure, it would take his time, and he wouldn’t be making judges or BNT fees for it, but quality training will always help those unfortunate horses to find a home. Unless he would have a problem training a less than stellar talented horse…hmm oh yeah, he already had a problem with his ability to do that 
YOU GO HIDDENLAKE!!!
