Notes from KWHA-HIO "E" Committee:

At the August 11, 2002 KWHA-HIO Oversight Committee meeting it was agreed and decided to form a Committee with their responsibility being to offer ideas relating to ethical industry issues and to ways and means that KWHA-HIO can better serve and for this Committee to consist of representation from the North Carolina Association, the South Carolina Association, the East Tennessee Association, the Kentucky Walking & Racking Horse Trainers Association, and at least one member at large. Further, it was decided that this Committee be formed and meet no later than the beginning of the 2003 show season.

This Committee held their first meeting on Friday, February 21, 2003 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, White Pine, Tennessee at 12:30p.m. Present at the meeting were John Tudor, Kentucky Walking & Racking Horse Trainers Association; Bill Rorick, South Carolina Walking Horse Association; Rusty Rouse, East Tennessee Walking Horse Association; and Charles Mosley, Bowling Green, KY., Member-at-Large, along with Jackie Brown. The president of the North Carolina Walking Horse Association, Tommy Griggs, had planned on attending but was thinking that the meeting was to be held on Saturday, February 22, 2003.

Committee members were informed that they would compose the "E" Committee of the KWHA-HIO with the "E" standing for the eyes, the ears, and the ethical issues of the geographical areas that KWHA-HIO is now serving and that ideas expressed would be passed to the Oversight Committee for their consideration.

Now for sharing the "E" Committee thoughts:

The walking horse industry has many positives but is still trying to rise over the public stigma created years ago. While the group applauded the work of the DQP program and the industry’s efforts to eliminate the sore horse, the Committee felt that that the horse, the shows, and the industry offered many positives that were not being marketed to the maximum level. Great emphasis was expressed on the "family atmosphere" that the horse and the shows provide and that promotion of the "family atmosphere" concept needs to be done. It was indicated that passing the idea on to others within KWHA and KWHA-HIO as to how best market the "family atmosphere" idea would generate brainstorming and some innovative marketing techniques would develop. The Committee expressed their desire that they hope to see results on their charge of exploring marketing possibilities.

The Committee felt that since all of KWHA-HIO affiliated shows provided financial means for charitable causes that this concept needed to be exposed and marketed. The Committee suggested the preparation of a sheet for detailing the benefits that a show may generate.

These listed benefits would include dollars to charitable causes, the value of the show to the community, the reaction from show attendees, and any economic impact to the area. The group ask that this sheet be sent to each show manager prior to their show and ask that they complete the form after the show and submit it back to KWHA-HIO and for the program to compile the information and market it in the most appropriate way. The group’s thinking was in reflecting on our 2002 shows "if you have 124 shows/events then you have potentially 124 good charitable causes that have gained because of the horse and the show and that this needs to be documented and marketed." While the group recognized that this would require effort, the members felt that this would be another way of marketing the positives that our industry offers. The group felt that the exposure in this regard could be especially helpful in lobbying as well as encouraging participation within and outside our industry. The group recognized the need to promote the industry to others in the local areas and that marketing of the contributions from shows to charitable causes may help in this regard.

The group heavily emphasized the need to control any negativism within our industry, our associations, our programs, and our individual shows. The bottom line expressed was "to stop and think before you speak." The group acknowledged the difficulty of achieving this goal but felt that educational emphasis would be an effective start. In speaking of the educational emphasis, the group advised that KWHA-HIO make strides in seeking to encourage education and understanding. It was suggested that we optimize use of the web page, that we encourage people to know the rules in the KWHA-HIO rulebook, that we openly communicate with our fellow-man about the need to control negativism, and that we brain-storm on how to have more knowledgeable people in the areas that KWHA-HIO serves. Strongly mentioned was that "you can’t sit still or you will go backward." The Committee felt very good about many aspects of the HIO program but felt that education and controlling any negativism are essential for continued presence, development, and growth. With repeated mentioning of the difficulty of achieving the goal, the group remained convinced of the need to start at the HIO level. As to the educational emphasis, the group felt the program should look at all levels of involvement, that being from the show management role, to the trainer, owner, exhibitor, spectator, and the general public, and to encourage each party to be more knowledgeable. Discussions should be the stepping stone for achieving this goal.

The "tone of the trainer" at the show was addressed. The group felt that efforts needed to be exerted to educating the trainer, through perhaps the trainer organizations, of the importance of this subject and the magnitude that his/her actions may radiate throughout the show and thereafter and the need to handle any differences in the appropriate manner. Also indicated was that every show needed to be made aware of the importance of having law enforcement personnel on the show grounds for their presence may control actions that would not be desired.

The members discussed at considerable length the judging aspect of the KWHA-HIO program. Each recognized the difficulty of pleasing all parties with any selected judge and each spoke on the matter "that is boils down to one man’s opinion." Emphasis, however, was expressed that the opinion needed to be in compliance with the rulebook. Compliments were made on KWHA-HIO requiring 2003 judges to attend a Clinic; however, those educational efforts needed to continue in some form. Perhaps, not in a formal classroom setting, but perhaps through mail-outs or some other means and that the consciousness of knowing that "doing the best job" is expected from various industry facets will yield more favorable results.

The group felt that some accountability of a judge’s performance needed to be established and that continued thought and "brain-storming" would yield to some measure. For the lack of a better way for time-being then the group felt that we should use judge’s evaluation forms but indicated they should only be used to note patterns that may follow a judge rather than citing a judge on simply one person’s comments, unless a rulebook violation, that may be made on such a form. However, the group was far more optimistic about improving judging from a positive angle rather than concentrating on a policy of "what you did wrong in judging" unless a rulebook violation was involved.

Two ideas developed in the discussion on the positive angle approach.

One was to adopt an award for "Best Judge of the Year" or "Best Judges of the Year" and that this would create an incentive for judges to do their very best. It was suggested that a form be developed and sent to each show manager asking that they complete the form on "different questions about the judge’s performance" and return it back to the HIO. Later it was suggested that the form for determing the honor(s) might be used by only the show manager, the ringmaster, or the announcer. The bottom line is that if you used the general public’s judge evaluation form that you more likely would have biased opinions but that if you used the responses from the show manager or someone associated with the show then you would have more fairness.

(At the 02/21/03 Judges Clinic it was suggested that two judge’s evaluation forms be developed, one for the show manager and one for the general public use.)

Nevertheless, the Committee’s thinking was that trying to improve from a positive position would provide better results. The Committee was open-minded in stating that some other means may be better in selecting recipient(s) for the "Judge" awards. Simply stating, the sentiments of the group were:

The second approach was to stress to the Judges that their duty of judging would ultimately be reflective of the charitable cause for the given show. The objective here is to encourage any judge to do his very best for the charity that will be benefiting from the success of the show. Educate the judges by letting them know that any wrong-doing in judging will be a reflection on the charity and the confidence of the show manager who had placed trust in him/her for having a show of the highest integrity. Perhaps a letter to all judges when licensing them with this thought being stated would prove helpful.

The group talked about the financial consequences of having a show---saying that risks were associated and that shows were confronted with alternative moneymaking activities that often were more financially appealing. The members felt that the HIO may offer "start-up" money for any new show. The group recognized that the HIO were losing small shows and that the "start-up" money for a new show may be an enticement. Suggested were amounts of $100. to greater amounts.

The Committee suggested that a fund might be established whereby a show that experienced adverse conditions, such as a rain-out, may received some financial consideration from the HIO. Suggested was that a form be adopted whereby if they (the show management) would complete the said form then it could be reviewed by the Oversight Committee and possibly some consideration be awarded.

Throughout the meeting, repeated reference was made as to the Committee’s suggestion to KWHA-HIO of pursuing and making available "educational opportunities" and that many advancements will come with that "educational" direction, and to exert efforts "of marketing the positives" within our industry.

The Committee stated that they wanted to see the KWHA-HIO remain pro-active and to continue thinking and doing what was best even if some or all of their Committee’s ideas were not adopted.