1969 Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1969 December Voice | Page 45

moved, in commerce and to make such inspections of
any horses at any horse show or exhibition within, the
United States to which any horse was moved in com­
merce, as he deems necessary for the effective en­
forcement of this Act, and the owner or other person
having custody of any such horse shall afford such
representative access to and opportunity to so inspect
such horse.
(b) The person or persons in charge of any horse
show or exhibition within the United States shall keep
such records as the Secretary of Agriculture may by
regulation prescribe in order to enable the represen­
tatives of said Secretary to determine whether any
horses were moved to or from such show or exhibition
in commerce, the identity of the owner or exhibitor of
any horse at the show or exhibition, and other facts
necessary for the effective enforcement of this Act,
and the person or persons in charge of any horse
show or exhibition shall afford the representatives of
the Secretary of Agriculture access to and opportunity
to inspect and copy such records at all reasonable
times.
SEC. 6. Any person who violates any provision of
this Act shall be fined not more than S500 or impris­
oned not more than six months, or both.
SEC. 7. Whenever the Secretary of Agriculture be­
lieves that a violation of this Act has occurred and
that prosecution is needed to obtain compliance with
the Act, he shall inform the Attorney General and the
Attorney General shall take such action with respect
to such matter as he deems appropriate.
SEC. 8. The Secretary of Agriculture shall, in carry­
ing out the provisions of this Act, to the maximum ex­
tent practicable, utilize the existing personnel and
facilities of the Department of Agriculture. The Secre­
tary of Agriculture is further authorized to utilize the
officers and employees of any State, with its consent,
to assist him in carrying out the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 9. The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized
to issue such rules and regulations as he deems ne­
cessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
SEC. 10. There are hereby authorized to be appro­
priated such sums as may be necessary to carry out
the provisions of this Act.
his horse with one hand, while holding both reins in
the other. In the future, any whipping can only be
done while holding a line in each hand.”
The 50-man board of the United States Trotting As­
sociation also opened the door to permit more women
harness drivers at the nation’s pari-mutuel tracks.
Licensing Women Approved
In a surprise move, the board approved the licens­
ing of women drivers at the pari-mutuel level provided
they meet all the standards of male applicants. This
reversed a U. S. T. A. policy that was in effect since
the mid-1950’s.
In another major piece of legislation, the U. S. T. A.
governing body expanded the breeding season, there­
by setting the stage for older and more mature two-
year-old standardbred racers. Starting in 1970, the
months of November and December will be included
with the following year so that foals born in those two
months may actually be 13 or 14 months old by the
time they are officially declared yearlings on the sub­
sequent Jan. 1.
The purposes of this rule are to permit breeding in
December and January, when mares have more nor­
mal ovulation cycles, and to send more mature two-
year-olds to the track. Ultimately, the U. S. T. A.
directors hope to back the new breeding season into
the late summer.
Even wheel discs came under more official scrutiny.
Now these mandatory safety devices must either be
colorless or of a single color. Banned were the circusy
color patterns and designs that can prove distracting
to public and participants alike.
HARNESS RACING CONGRESS SETS PACE FOR
SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERAL HORSE
ACTIVITY
The following article was sent in by Gordon Wilder
of Lexington, Kentucky. It points out the fact that the
Walking Horse industry is not the only area of horse
activity that is in line for some improvements. It also
clearly indicates that a well-organized industry doesn’t
have to resort to federal or state legislation to solve
its problems.
HARNESS RACING VIRTUALLY BANS
WHIPPING OF HORSES BY DRIVERS
The practice of whipping horses is about to disap­
pear from the nation’s harness tracks.
The Harness Racing Congress at its three-day meet­
ing in Columbus, Ohio, recently passed legislation
that, in effect, made it impossible for harness drivers
to whip their horses.
The board of directors ruled: "A driver cannot whip
December, 1969
45