I knew the Russells back in the day, and they were always kind to me, especially Lincoln after I had a particularly spectacular fall off a dirty shoulder dropping bucking a-hole of a horse. When I was a working student I sometimes mucked stalls for them at shows for extra money. I do remember one time Lincoln’s son locked the truck with his newborn sibling inside (sister, I think) and I had to go to the entrance of the Showgrounds to escort the police in to unlock the vehicle lol. The young son also had a penchant for running around barefoot and peeing in the manure pile at the shows. However, as nice as they were to me, and as entertaining as it was, I too am not surprised.
7 Likes
There needs to be a Netflix series about this family. 
10 Likes
As a total aside, I hope the horse’s death was instantaneous. How horrific.
13 Likes
Sorry, not following what you’re saying. He received the award and went in a horse show. I understand that part, but not what you mean by it.
I don’t find this sort of dysfunction entertaining at all.
6 Likes
I’m sorry to say I doubt it if he was actually aiming at the rider in the first place, not the horse.
Just awful in every possible direction.
1 Like
I am trying not to imagine the reality. Makes me sick.
2 Likes
These are criminal not civil charges. The victim(s) can’t drop the charges, only the DA can. Even if his sons refuse to cooperate there were other witnesses to the incident.
13 Likes
The award was given prior to the incident and arrest. While Vick might have a reputation for being a bit wild, he is respected as a trainer and horseman. How could anyone know that this was going to happen before the incident and his arrest?
2 Likes
Thanks. I understand now.
My concern goes back to before he won the award.
It’s becoming clear that people have known of his notorious reputation well before the shooting,
and it’s been that way for years. Never the less he was still nominated for Horseman of the Year through the CSHHF, people voted for him, and he won the award along with another person.
Here’s the CSHHF criteria to be nominated for Horseman of the Year:
1. Candidate must have resided in NC or SC for a minimum of 6 months.
2. Candidate must have participated in the show hunter community for a minimum of 15 years.
3. Candidate must have made a substantial positive impact on the upper levels of the sport of show hunters.
After reading some of the stories about him I’d say #3 is problematic, proven by the comments of people who aren’t surprised to hear that he was allegedly waving a gun, threating his son, and killed a horse. Not to mention conduct at a horse show to the point where CPS was called. So making a “positive impact” on the sport is questionable.
There’s more to being a good horseman than riding well and winning ribbons.
It’s a low standard if that’s all it takes.
6 Likes
It’s not easy to have such foresight as you seem to think it should be. He won recognition for his ability as a horseman. If professional awards were all about talent and a great family and human being award, jerks would never win the Nobel Prize, the Academy Award or Grammy Award, or any other professional awards. Unfortunately, jerks win all the time, their personal life is not part of the judging criteria.
It is unfortunate when a person who is not all that we would hope them to be wins an award, but don’t blame committees/people for not being able to see into the future or for not judging people on their social class or mannerisms.
17 Likes
Maybe not. If he was aiming at the rider’s torso, and the rider caused the horse (or horse did it in fright) to swing it’s head in the way, or the horse reared up. There is possibility that the bullet hit the lung, aorta, or head of the horse.
Or even that a mercy shot was delivered if the horse was mortally wounded. One can hope!
3 Likes
Vick has a reputation of taking any horse and making it a winner. He is an extremely good rider and has shown many horses to the top of the sport. He may have issues, but his ability with a horse is not one of them.
He met the criteria to win the award. Doesn’t matter what the family dynamics are.
19 Likes
Inaccurate. Victims of crimes stop cooperating with the prosecution regularly. Non-domestic violence cases are not bound by law for mandatory arrest (in most states) and a victim must chose to press charges to begin with, even then if they decide to “drop charges” all they need to do is recant, perjure themselves, or stop cooperating and the case goes away.
3 Likes
I’m 63 years old. I don’t know of any one shooting dogs, horses or people. I don’t know anyone murdered or, indeed, doing the murdering. Thank heavens I live in my quiet, peaceful, civilized society.
6 Likes
You show a remarkable lack of understanding of human nature. It is absolutely possible to have a successful, positive, even admirable professional life and public face while at the same time having a train wreck of a personal life.
The CSHHF criteria are all about a person’s professional life and Vick Russell clearly met those criteria according to those who voted for him to receive the award - people who, unlike you actually know the man.
12 Likes
Yeah - people can be exceedingly grey with very pristine public lives and very very messy personal lives.
My late father (deceased as his personal life caught up with his public life) is a tough to swallow example that made that veryyy clear to me even as a young person.
4 Likes
I assume you live outside the US, LOL. Or not in a major metro area in the US - one is relatively statistically exposed to crime when the population density is higher.
I wouldn’t say I KNOW these people - I was like 7 or 8 when the dog incident occurred and at summer camp when it happened & my parents referenced it as for reasons why we moved when I was 10 as they expected the guy to be in jail more than a year & he was released and was back in town.
Neighborhoods in LA span a few miles - I read the local news daily and get curious when I see police tape on my main drag a few blocks down when driving to Trader Joes & look up the case.
2 Likes
Given that there were numerous witnesses according to the news report, I don’t think it’s likely that everyone will refuse to cooperate with law enforcement including the owner of the deceased horse. The horse who was shot and killed belonged to a client, not the Russells.
4 Likes
In the State of North Carolina that is NOT true. The state can prosecute a crime without the cooperation of the victim(s).
From the North Carolina Judicial Branch website wwwnccourts.gov
" In criminal cases, the District Attorney prosecutes violations of the State’s laws on behalf of the State, not for any individual victim. If you do not wish to pursue the case, you should inform the prosecutor of that fact, but the prosecutor is not required to dismiss the charges upon your request."
7 Likes
