Trainers meet to kick off banquet weekend
Friday, February 14, 2025

The Walking Horse Trainers’ Association kicked off its annual banquet weekend with their first general membership meeting of 2025. One of the most important action items on this meeting’s agenda is the election of officers and board members. Spencer Benedict was elected president, stepping into the role that was held by Bill Young. Young has been president of the WHTA during a very critical time and led the association through some turbulent years and leaves the WHTA in a very strong position moving forward.
Edgar Abernathy was elected First Vice-President and Clay Sanderson was elected to serve at Second Vice President. The membership was asked to vote for four open board seats and those went to Rodney Dick, Scott Beaty, RM Kellet and Brad Beard. Waye Dean updated the association’s financials. The WHTA has $259,956 spread across accounts they manage including just over $100,000 in a CD. The horse show account currently sits at $124,838.
Lobbyist Jeff Speaks opened the meeting with an update on the legislative and regulatory actions concerning the industry. It has been a very active year on the regulatory front with the industry winning the lawsuit challenging the rule amending the HPA regulations. Speaks also updated the WHTA on the ongoing investigations from House Oversight Committee into APHIS.
Jeffrey Howard also spoke at the meeting updating the membership on the lawsuits in both Texas and Tennessee. Howard brought everyone up-to-date on the next steps and the projected path forward and options in the Tennessee case which should begin to see movement in the coming months. Judge Kacsmaryk’s order in the TX case contained language that will be used by industry attorneys in the Wright case in Tennessee.
The annual Horse of the Year banquet will wrap up the weekend on Saturday night at the Embassy Suites in Franklin, Tenn.
More Stories |
-
For Ben Weddington, the Tennessee Walking Horse world isn’t just a part of his past—it’s a piece of who he is. From the time he was old enough to walk the aisles of his father’s barn, Ben was immersed in a life built on tradition and discipline
Read More
-
LEBANON, Tenn. – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins served as keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Tennessee State Fair FFA Ham Breakfast on August 18, 2025, where she was joined by Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden of Union City, Tennessee.
Read More
-
Amarillo, Texas – August 19, 2025 – In a major victory for Tennessee Walking Horse owners, trainers, and the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from enforcing several of its controversial inspection rules at the upcoming 2025 Celebration.
Read More
-
WHTA President Spencer Benedict announces the retirement of Mel Bryant, who has functioned as Office Manager for the WHTA since February 2021. We wish her the best in her new adventure.
Read More
-
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration announced today that it will reopen entries for the 87th Annual Celebration for a limited 24-hour period. Due to a recent federal court ruling granting a preliminary injunction against certain USDA enforcement rules, entries will be accepted until Wednesday, August 20, at 6:00 PM CT.
Read More
-
Read More
-
Read More
-
Dean Johnson Video – Streaming the 2025 Celebration in 4K & HD.
Read More
-
The Walking Horse Trainers’ Association (WHTA), located on the historic Celebration grounds, will once again welcome Shane Shiflet Photography during this year’s Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC).
Read More
-
The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association is proud to announce the Legends that will be participating in the Lunch With The Legends Event on Sunday, August 24, 2025, at 11am-1pm in the Hall of Fame Club inside Cooper Steel Arena on the Celebration grounds.
Read More
|