The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder’s & Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) concluded another year of financial growth at the annual International Board of Directors’ meeting on December 7, 2024. In her opening comments, President Amanda Wright commended the hard work of the executive committee and pointed out the work done over the past year by Chief Executive Officer Mark Farrar and the staff of TWHBEA.

Wright also pointed to the work of the TWHBEA formed Continuity of Show Operations task force which consists of members from industry organizations and HIOs. That group has met to help show managers plan for shows in 2025 amidst the uncertainty of lawsuits, rules and regulations and will host a show managers’ luncheon at the annual Walking Horse Trainers’ Banquet weekend in Franklin, Tennessee. This task force has also met regarding trying to consolidate rulebooks of the differing HIOs with regards to show rules.

Farrar also addressed the board with opening comments and highlighted the positive numbers in membership and registrations. Membership at TWHBEA stands at 5,087 members, which is a 3% increase in membership. Most importantly for TWHBEA, registrations were also up 2% and stand currently at 2,579. Of concern, the number of registrations stood at 2,840 in 2020. Transfers were up 4% with leases being down 18%, which was explained by the increase in lease fees resulting in more people just transferring those horses. In 2024, there were 617 individual stallions bred and mares bred came in at 4,266.

Farrar also spoke to TWHBEA administering the horse and exhibitor cards that were started in 2024 and required by SHOW and American Horse Services affiliated horse shows. There were a total of 3,523 cards sold resulting in $352,000 for legal services in the industry’s current two federal lawsuits. TWHBEA had retained the right to charge an 8% administration fee, but donated all of that fee back so 100% of the horse and exhibitor card money went to the legal fund. This program will continue in 2025.

Kasey Kesselring gave the admin/fiscal report and jumping off the page was TWHBEA’s $210,719 net income for 2024. The budgeted net income figure was $54,756. TWHBEA’s total revenue was $1,435,558 with expenses for the year running $1,224,838. It has not been that long ago that TWHBEA ran at alarming deficits. Membership and Registry income represents 60% of the total revenue of the association. Total current assets of TWHBEA stand at $1,539,317, of which $1,400,975 resides in checking and/or savings accounts of TWHBEA.

In his advocacy role, Bill Stricklend updated the board on the USDA rulemaking and the industry’s challenge to that in a Texas court. The industry’s final reply brief in the case was filed on December 9, 2024, and the final brief from USDA is due December 20, 2024. The industry attorneys have asked for oral arguments in early January, and the full expectation is for the judge to rule prior to the February 1, 2025, implementation/effective date of the rule.

The industry also has a challenge to the current enforcement of the HPA in front of a federal judge in Jackson, Tennessee. That challenge focuses on the enforcement of the scar rule and post-show inflammation, as well as the lack of due process afforded owners and trainers under the current enforcement scheme. In addition, Stricklend pointed out that APHIS is currently under investigation by the Office of Inspector General and the House Oversight Committee for their enforcement and retaliatory actions in 2024.

In his membership and registry comments, David Sisk pointed out that the TWHBEA offered discount for transferring multiple horses at the same time will end December 31, 2024. Discussion centered around the Futurity and the path forward for this program with Sisk offering his personal opinion that it should be limited to weanlings and yearlings, but Sisk was sure to point out that would be the decision of the new executive committee which he will not be a part of due to term limits.

Dee Cantrell gave a thorough report on the Trainers division. Cantrell pointed out that trainers that hold current licenses and also are members of TWHBEA increased from 34 in January to 95 that hold TWHBEA membership in November. That is 38% of the licensed trainers that are now members of TWHBEA. Cantrell’s division also created a new Amateur & Youth Jamboree horse show that raised over $12,000 for the legal fund. TWHBEA has also been instrumental in the creation of the “Pick Your Partner” classes at industry shows. There have been seven shows since the first at the November 2023 United Fall Finale that have had the classes. A total of $103,202 has been raised with those classes at the seven shows with all proceeds going to the legal fund.

TWHBEA approved its 2025 budget, and also conducted its election of new executive committee members for the staggered positions that were open. The result of those elections, all of which were unopposed, are below:

Executive Committee Members elected for two-year terms are:
• Advocacy Vice-President: Bill Stricklend (AL)
• Bylaws & Enforcement Vice-President: Tom Kakassy (SC)
• Membership & Registry Vice-President: Nathan Clark (AL)
• Show Horse Vice-President: Lance Meisenheimer (IL)
• Versatility & Trail Vice-President: Lyn Montgomery (CA)
• Youth Vice-President: Nicole Tolle (CO)


The following will continue their service on the Executive Committee for one-year to complete their EC term:
• President: Amanda Wright (TN)
• Senior Vice-President: David Williams (TN)
• Administrative/Fiscal/Audit Vice-President: Kasey Kesselring (TN)
• Marketing & Communications Vice-President: Dale Daniels (AR)
• International Vice-President: Denise Bader (Germany)
• Trainers Vice-President: Dee Cantrell (AL)

Following the election the new executive committee held their first meeting where they appointed Kasey Kesselring to a dual role as secretary.