FAST Board: Explain How Last Night Advanced the Horse
By Thomas A. Williams
The entire FAST board needs to examine what happened at its October 3 Fall Showcase—and explain how that presentation served the horses, their owners, or the future of this industry.
In my judgment, at least ten entries presented such a horrific image that they should have been excused. That is my assessment of their public presentation, not a veterinary diagnosis. But the question for FAST is unavoidable: What standard does your organization expect its own showcase to uphold?
An organization dedicated to preserving and supporting the Tennessee Walking Show Horse should understand the damage a poor exhibition can do. Every entry represents more than one horse, one trainer, or one owner. It becomes part of the public’s understanding of this breed.
Last night, in my view, was a huge setback.
President Kasey Kesselring, Vice-President Barron Witherspoon, Treasurer Heather Beard, and board members Jill Derickson, Kim Lewis, Bob Roach, Erica Derickson-Way, Kimberly Walden, David Williams, Jake Jacobs, Sarah Burks, and Paul Simmons: this deserves the attention of every one of you.
Being listed as a director should mean accepting responsibility for the standards attached to FAST’s name. The board may not make individual ringside decisions, but it can demand an accounting of those decisions and insist on corrective action.
Review the complete footage. Examine the entries that raised concerns. Ask the judges and show management to explain the standards applied and the authority available to excuse an entry. Then tell the owners and supporters what that review establishes.
Do not answer a question about the quality of the exhibition with a report about how much money the event raised. Financial success cannot settle whether the presentation protected the horse’s reputation.
Owners invest money, time, and faith in this industry. They deserve leadership willing to confront an embarrassing performance—even when doing so creates an uncomfortable conversation with familiar people.
The exhibitors who present their horses well deserve that same leadership. Their work should not be overshadowed by performances that leave spectators questioning the judgment of everyone involved.
FAST cannot control every criticism leveled at this breed. It can control how seriously it examines criticism of an event carrying its own name.
Calling something a “showcase” sets an expectation. It promises a presentation worth putting before the public. If entries undermine that promise, somebody must be willing to intervene within the applicable rules.
My criticism is direct: last night’s presentation fell far below what FAST should demand of itself.
Now the board needs to respond with a substantive review, a public explanation, and clear standards for its next event. If that review disputes my assessment, show the evidence. If it confirms problems, acknowledge them and explain what will change.
The horse cannot address the board. The owners should not have to beg for accountability.
FAST’s directors need to earn the confidence their organization asks this industry to place in them.
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