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September 09, 2006
Lies, Bribes, and Now Rabies?
This Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration story keeps growing tentacles. Allegations of "soring" (a most inglorious term with which I was heretofore unfamiliar) caused a spate of disqualifications, which led to cancellation of the entire finale. Subsequently, the reason show organizers gave for cancelling, "public safety," has been soundly refuted by members of the Tennessee Department of, um, Safety.
Then we found out that our very special* friend Mike Walden not only was one of the disqualified owners, but that he may have attempted to pay off the "clean" trainers to keep them from showing.
And now there's a horse with rabies. Did somebody put a hex on this horse show?
*"Special" in this case is defined thusly:
1. County Election Commissioner who also managed the campaign of an incumbent sheriff. Fortunately for all of us, that former sheriff lost by enough that, even if there had been any foul play (and I'm not suggesting there was, just that the appearance was less than savory), it wouldn't have mattered, since Billy Long whupped their asses.
2. Owner of a private security firm that, at least while the aforementioned former incumbent sheriff was in office, held a contract for providing security at the courthouse and other venues.
Related: Kentucky's Celebration has now called off its event.
Also, weird coincidence time: while searching for info on this post, I came across this page (and don't think I won't follow up about Ron Littlefield's attendance at that Corker fundraiser). Down the page there are a couple of references (from 2004) to Greg Norman's new golf course. Also while researching this horse story, I came across this rather more recent reference to the same famous golfer, same course. Strange.
