Crooked River Roundup 2024 Queen Mary Makenna Olney (Photo Courtesy – Crooked River Roundup)
Prineville, Ore. – The Crooked River Roundup is set to hold its 11th Annual Kickoff Party on April 27th at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Prineville, Oregon.
The event will feature a live and silent auction, as well as the queen’s coronation. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door, and they include a tri-tip and chicken dinner. The event’s grand marshals, Rick and Linda Smith, will also be honored at the event.
This years Crooked River Roundup Queen is Mary Makenna Olney.
Crooked River Roundup includes two key summer equestrian events every year. The first is a rodeo, followed weeks later by their horse races. The events have been a longtime staple of Central Oregon and the Prineville community.
“The Crooked River Roundup is an iconic part of the fabric of the Prineville community,” says Steve Holliday, President of the all-volunteer Crooked River Roundup Association. “It’s a family-friendly tradition that dates back generations– providing us an opportunity to celebrate our western heritage, reconnect with neighbors, and welcome new friends and visitors.”
Doors for the kickoff party open at 5 pm, with dinner starting at 6 pm. Those looking for tickets for the kickoff event can call or text (541) 460-1239. Tickets for the kickoff party are not available online.
The Rodeo is scheduled for June 20-23, while the Races are scheduled for July 11-14. Rodeo and Races tickets are already available for purchase online
Redmond, Ore. – A registered sex offender and husband of a former high school equestrian team coach for Ridgeview High School in Redmond, Oregon, was allegedly volunteering at various team events, according to multiple sources.
Following the disputed allegations, two of the girls reported that they had transferred from Ridgeview High School in Redmond back into an online school program they attended during the pandemic.
The increased scrutiny resulted in numerous tips being provided to Equestrian Media Group and growing allegations of potential ethics violations by coaches for Ridgeview High School’s OHSET team and other teams within OHSET in Central Oregon.
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission had also opened a preliminary investigation tied to the school district and OHSET, although the agency’s director, Susan Myers, could not provide specifics to confirm whether their investigation was tied to the allegations.
Equestrian Media Group then made the discovery last week that the husband of a recent coach for the Ridgeview High School OHSET team is currently a registered sex offender, according to records available from the Oregon State Police. The former coach now serves as an official with OHSET’s Central District, which covers Central Oregon.
Peter Len Shirley, 65, was identified in those records along with a history of public indecency and sex abuse charges spanning several decades, including felony charges in Deschutes County in both 1999 and 2006. According to OSP’s registry website, which lists Shirley, it only contains “offenders classified as Level 3 Sex Offenders (who present the highest risk of reoffending and require the widest range of notification).”
The Level 3 designation is made by the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision (BoPPPS), the PSRB, or the supervisory authority.
Shirley was reportedly an active parent volunteer for the team, at least between 2019 through 2022. Equestrian Media Group could not confirm if Shirley was still active despite his wife’s current status as an official for OHSET’s Central District.
Shirley’s criminal charges date back to 1980’s. He was convicted twice in 1984 on charges of public indecency. In May of 1986, Shirley was again convicted of public indecency. The details of those convictions could not be found in Oregon court records.
In 1992, Shirley was convicted by a jury of public indecency in Klamath County. He was ordered to serve three years of probation and attend a sex offender treatment program. The details of that conviction had not yet been obtained.
Later that year, Shirley was charged by Lane County prosecutors in Eugene on a single county of felony sex abuse in the first degree. A week later, prosecutors downgraded the charges to a single count of sex abuse in the third degree, to which Shirley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years probation.
Shirley then faced multiple allegations of probation violations in that case, including just months after his conviction, in March of 1993, and again in 1994 and 1996. Two amended sentences on the court record in 1995 and 1996 show Shirley was twice sentenced to an additional 30 days of jail time and a one-year extension of probation.
In 1999, Shirley was again convicted of public indecency in Deschutes County on a charge of public indecency. He was ordered to 90 days in jail and no contact with minors among the terms, although it appears he was later granted house arrest with electronic monitoring after 16 days in jail.
Shirley’s probation was extended twice, the last time in 2004 until November of that year, after failing to complete a sex offender treatment program on multiple occasions.
In 2006, Shirley was again arrested in Deschutes County on three counts of public indecency, ultimately pleading guilty to two counts, which were charged as a felony due to his past convictions of indecency and sex abuse.
The court sentenced Shirley to 19 months in state prison and five years post-prison supervision. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
Court documents confirmed that all of the original charges Shirley pleaded guilty to involved three separate incidents, one in January and two in February of 2006.
According to several sources and the organization’s website listing district officers, Shirley’s wife, Tami Shirley, now serves as a media representative for OHSET’s Central District following her recent role as a coach for Ridgeview High School.
Equestrian Media Group then learned from several sources that Shirley had allegedly been volunteering at OHSET activities for several years, including being present for team meetings at his residence when his wife was a coach.
However, they said that Tami Shirley has provided a lot of help and support to OHSET and equestrian athletes over the years, which has been widely appreciated.
Those sources, who would not yet speak publically out of fear of retribution by OHSET, stated that they were never aware that Shirley was a registered sex offender. They went on to confirm that Shirley would often volunteer at OHSET competitions, although nobody had been made aware.
The parents also said that girls on the team would also practice at the equestrian property where Shirley resides, at least while his wife was a coach for the equestrian team for Ridgeview High School.
Equestrian Media Group confirmed the role of each source, which included two parents of OHSET athletes, one who was still active in the program and another who graduated from Ridgeview High School in 2022.
Another source included a now-graduated student from Central Oregon who would only speak on the condition of anonymity due to their current status with a local horse group whose officials are also tied to or serve as top officials in OHSET.
The parent of another now-former equestrian athlete from Ridgeview High School also confirmed that Shirley and his wife were present on a team trail ride near Tumalo State Park in 2021, going so far as to detail a specific incident during that ride in which another parent and husband of the now-current OHSET district chair and coach, McKenzie Hughes, was severely injured after being bucked off his horse.
However, Shirley’s volunteer work was not as a coach or team advisor, they said.
While it could not be confirmed if Shirley was under any current court-ordered restrictions, we did reach out to the Redmond School District to see if Shirley, as school districts often prohibit registered sex offenders from school activities and property.
While OHSET does not appear to expressly state that sex offenders are restricted from volunteering, one of their policies indicates that background checks are conducted on all volunteers.
OHSET’s State Chair, Teresa Hoffman, did not respond to an email seeking comment. OHSET had not responded to multiple attempts in early March seeking comment regarding the disputed allegations made against the suspended athletes.
Since a single response was made weeks earlier regarding OHSET’s suspension of three Ridgeview High School students by the Redmond School District, all of our requests for comment have been ignored, except responses required under Oregon Public Records Law to this publication’s ongoing public records requests.
Last week, Equestrian Media Group filed a petition with the Deschutes County District Attorney after the Redmond School District failed to acknowledge a request for a fee waiver as required under Oregon Public Records Law in its replies to this publication’s records requests, let alone consider a fee reduction in the alternative.
An attorney for the Redmond School District argued against any public interest argument in this publication’s records request this week.
This is a developing story you can count on us to keep you updated on. If you have information on this or another story you’d like to share, please get in touch with us.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations & Federal Bureau of Investigations Cyber Task Force conduct an investigation. (Photo Credit – FBI)
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking information and/or victims regarding alleged illegal drawings and raffles for horses, livestock, or merchandise via social media that were conducted under “deception and misrepresentation”.
According to the FBI, these scams involved situations in which a winner never received the awarded prize, was expected to pay inflated or hidden fees when collecting the reward, or the award was switched with a lesser prize.
The FBI is also “seeking information regarding the purchase of horses, livestock, or merchandise from a livestock company to discover the item was not as described or advertised correctly and/or expected to pay inflated, hidden fees prior to taking possession of the purchase.”
Equestrian Media Group has also had an increase in tips and reports from consumers related to illegal raffles and drawings by for-profit actors in the northwest, as well as allegations against horse auction and sale companies.
In September 2023, we reported on an investigation by the Idaho Lottery Enforcement Division involving an equestrian company’s illegal raffles for horses. That case involved Weber Family Quarter Horses operated by Afton Weber.
That same month, this publication also started to report widespread allegations of fraud against the now-defunct company PNW Horse Sales and several horse traders who were allegedly concealing their role in the business. That included notorious horse trader Don Nowlin, who now reportedly operates the Enumclaw Sales Pavilion in Washington State.
The ordeal with PNW Horse Sales has also led to this publication’s issues with Oregon State Fair officials, prompting EMG’s editor to file a lawsuit alleging constitutional violations after the subsequent implementation of a “media policy”. The story was later picked up by Willamette Week after Oregon State Fair officials rescinded the policy.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny that embroiled the public body, Oregon State Fair officials have continued to obstruct numerous requests for records as part of this publication’s investigative reporting into the fraud allegations by PNW Horse Sales and associated horse traders.
Despite many of these raffles and drawings being limited to non-profit organizations and even requiring those non-profits to obtain licensing– raffle drawings remain an ongoing practice within the equestrian industry by for-profit interests, including many businesses that are also unregistered as local businesses.
The lack of business registration, in many cases, makes it difficult for consumers to identify those behind the entities with authorities.
In many cases, individuals have also tried to hold these raffles. Equestrian Media Group reported on one particular raffle in January of 2022 held by an Oregon woman. The issue came to light after numerous equestrians raised issues with Equestrian Media Group.
The efforts by the FBI show their intent to curtail these practices, which ultimately defraud consumers.
In many cases, victims are completely unaware they are even being defrauded and that these raffle and prize drawings are done illegally in their respective states.
Some operations have tried adding disclaimers saying “no purchase necessary” at the end, but according to several state authorities, the disclaimers aren’t quite sufficient, and oftentimes, consumers still pay the fees for drawing entry. Some consumers have reportedly been forced to pay later or are defrauded by not being considered in the drawing if they ask for free entry.
Lottery & sweepstakes regulations are also enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.
According to multiple agencies, such laws are intended to protect consumers by preventing the potential for deceptive and unfair business practices involving such raffles, which can be plagued with questions of accountability.
The FBI has provided an intake form for anyone with information and/or who may have been a victim of alleged drawings or raffles for horses or other livestock. You can access the form at: https://forms.fbi.gov/OnlineLotteryScam/
Morgan Fowler riding during a Douglas County Mounted Posse event in March 2024. (Photo Courtesy – Will Geschke, News-Review)
Roseburg, Ore. – An Oregon equestrian and member of the Douglas County Mounted Posse has been arrested on allegations she neglected and abused a horse.
Morgan Faith Fowler, 24, of Winston, was arrested (and since released) yesterday on one count of first-degree animal neglect and another count of second-degree animal abuse.
According to online statements by Darla Clark, executive director of Strawberry Mountain Mustangs, a 501(c)(3) non-profit horse rescue, the incident was one of the worst she has seen in over 20 years.
“Tonight, acting as a volunteer for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, I carried out the heartbreaking task of burying this beautiful young soul on the ridge overlooking the rescue,” said Clark, referring to the horse allegedly abused and neglected by Fowler.
“Strawberry Mountain did not own him but we will be covering all expenses incurred by the Sheriff’s Department,” said Clark. “In over 20 years working neglect cases, this is one of the most disturbing acts of cruelty I have witnessed, as evidenced by the abuse charge in addition to neglect.”
Clark also explained that a team of veterinarians had been assisting on the case. “Rest assured that a team of investigators and veterinarians are doing their part to bring this boy justice.”
Despite veterinarian intervention, the horse could not be saved. Clark detailed efforts underway the evening before: “UC Davis refeeding protocol is under way [sic] and veterinarians from one of our local clinics are assisting.”
Douglas County Mounted Posse Captain Erica Astry confirmed that Fowler was a member of their non-profit but did not provide any details on any action involving Fowler’s status.
Astry also explained that while the organization was initially overseen by the Sheriff’s Office, which is typical for most mounted posses, the organization dropped Sheriff from its name nearly two decades ago and is not under the control of the Douglas County Sheriff. Oregon Corporation Division records confirmed the change in 2006.
“We just got news about it, and we had no prior knowledge of it,” Astry explained.
“We are preparing a public statement that we will have ready on Monday, so as of right now, we can’t say much other than we’re shocked. None of us had any knowledge of anything that was going or happening,” said Astry.
Sheriff John Hanlin and Lieutenant Brad O’Dell spoke with Equestrian Media Group in a conference call earlier this morning and confirmed that his deputies were investigating the case against Fowler.
“The investigation is ongoing, and [Fowler] is going to be held accountable for any crimes she has committed. It’s truly a shocking tragedy for the community to hear about,” said Hanlin. “The majority of the people involved with these posses are good people– are good, hardworking, law-abiding citizens.”
“I know that the people involved in this posse that she was a member of are good folks, and they shared with us how shocked they were and unaware of the conditions [Fowler] had this horse in,” explained Hanlin.
In a press release, O’Dell said the investigation started early this week when animal control deputies received a tip about a horse being mistreated in the 600 block of Longhorn Lane. During the investigation, deputies learned the horse and property owner had no connection, O’Dell said.
Fowler was just recently featured in a story by News-Review, having participated in a local event hosted by the Douglas County Mounted Posse.
“My whole family has been in the posse. I’ve been around it since I was a kid. So, when I turned 21, I joined and I love being in the posse,” Fowler told News-Review.
“Just being in a group of horse people and being able to be around people that are into the same thing, always learning new things and volunteering, community service is what the posse is all about.”
Equestrian Media Group was unable to reach Fowler for comment before publication.
Fowler’s next court appearance is scheduled as an arraignment for May 1st in Douglas County Circuit Court in Roseburg.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 541-440-4471 referencing case 24-1522.
Redmond, Ore. – The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s (PRCA) High Desert Stampede is set to begin this week at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon. It is one of Central Oregon’s major annual rodeo events and will run from April 3rd through the 6th.
The event will kick off Wednesday with the Extreme Bull Performance at 7pm. Thursday will feature a Women’s Barrel Racing Slack at 10 am, while the evening features the start of the PRCA’s NFR Playoff Series round at 7 pm, which will continue on Friday and Saturday at the same time.
“Avid rodeo fans come for the world champion athletes and animals. Families visit Central Oregon for spring break skiing, golfing and add rodeo as their finale. Even if you’re just looking for a fun evening, come to join the party!” said the High Desert Stampede.
The vendor retail marketplace opens at 5pm each evening as well. An after-party will also take place in the CS Construction Chute 9 Pavilion at 9pm following the performances each evening. Friday evening will also feature a Tailgate Party with Bend’s CRoss-Eyed Cricket starting at 5pm.
“For any rodeo to be successful it takes the support of the community, we at HDS are blessed to be in Central Oregon. We have enjoyed the support of sponsors, fairgrounds, media, volunteers, local government, advertisers, fans, and the list could go on. Without this support it would be impossible to be where we are and to get to where we want to be” said HDS Chairman Denis Fast in an online message.
“High Desert Stampede sincerely appreciates everyone who has supported us and welcome new interested entities in building the tradition.”
Additionally, the Oregon Horse Council is hosting its Country Marketplace on Friday and Saturday throughout the day until the performance kicks off at 7 p.m. Vendor space is sold out. The marketplace will include home decor, western / ranch , clothing, jewelry, equestrian clubs, and an equine tack/fee. It’ll be located in the High Desert Activity Center.
Eugene, Ore. – A Eugene, Oregon man has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges in connection with allegations he sexually assaulted a horse earlier this year.
In January, Mark Theodore Golly, 57, was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a horse for three years, starting in January of 2021.
Mark Theodore Golly (Photo Credit – Lane County Sheriff’s Office)
While KEZI News previously reported that Golly was initially charged with six counts of sexual assault of an animal before charges were reduced to only two counts, Equestrian Media Group could only confirm through recently obtained court records that prosecutors only charged Golly with two counts.
We could not find any court documents showing that Golly was ever charged with six counts.
Golly also applied for a court-appointed attorney but was denied after the court determined that the “defendant is not without means to obtain counsel,” according to an order signed by Lane County Circuit Court Judge Charles Zennache.
Zennache sentenced Golly to thirty days in the Lane County Jail, with credit for any time served. According to the judgment document, Golly must report to the jail today (March 29th, 2024). In addition to other general terms of probation on a felony conviction, Golly is prohibited from owning any equines or other domestic animals for 15 years and must also register as a sex offender.
The allegations against Golly initially came to light after a tip from a concerned person was made to law enforcement.
New allegations are raising questions of potential ethics violations under Oregon law by OHSET coaches at Ridgeview High School in Redmond, Oregon. (Photo Credit – Equestrian Media Group)
Correction: Updated at 9:24am on 3/28 to include a statement from the past accountants for Rim Rock Riders. It also included a correction on a misspelling for Talburt. Updated again on 9/29 at 4:38pm to include details confirming a false report and allegation made by a subject of this story against this publication, which is believed to have been done to prevent publication of this story.
Redmond, Ore. – Amid ongoing allegations embroiling the Redmond School District, Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (OHSET), and three recently suspended teen girls, new questions have surfaced concerning potential ethics violations involving a team advisor and coaches over required payments to a non-profit equestrian club to practice and maintain team membership.
While some questions are related to ties and potential conflicts of interest between the club and at least one of the coaches, the shocking discovery was that the non-profit Rim Rock Riders is facing severe financial reporting issues and the discovery of its 501(c)(7) tax-exempt status being revoked two years ago by the IRS.
Roy Kaufmann, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Justice, told Equestrian Media Group that the “DOJ determined that Rim Rock Riders was exempt from their registration…”
While Rim Rock Riders was a tax-exempt non-profit, it was not considered a charitable organization for the purposes of the Oregon DOJ’s registration requirements. Kaufmann pointed out that the IRS had revoked Rim Rock Riders’ 501(c)(7) tax-exempt status.
“The IRS website indicates it was classified as a 501(c)(7) social/recreational organization prior to its IRS revocation for failing to file annual 990 returns with that agency. Generally, IRS 501(c)(7) organizations are not considered charitable,” said Kaufmann.
According to the IRS, Rim Rock Riders had its 501(c)(7) non-profit status revoked nearly two years ago on May 15th, 2022. The IRS stated that the non-profit’s tax exemption status was revoked after it failed to file Form 990 (its tax return) for several years.
As of now, the organization appears to be nearly five years delinquent, having last submitted its Form 990 return in 2018. This raises serious questions of public transparency and accountability for a non-profit organization and its staff.
According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Corporation Division, the non-profit was also dissolved in August 2020 after being reinstated following a 2019 dissolution by Kerri Jo Talburt, who listed herself as the organization’s “Admin”.
Talburt has handled the organization’s filings with the Oregon Corporation Division since 2014. In their most recent 990 filing with the IRS in 2018, she was listed as the individual who maintains all the organization’s records and books.
Surprisingly, Talburt was not listed as an officer, director, or top-paid employee despite her alleged role at Rim Rock Riders and authority to file critical documents with the State of Oregon for the organization since 2014, along with the number of sources who have pointed to the level of authority Talburt allegedly carries within Rim Rock Riders.
Multiple sources, including a senior staffer with Brasada Ranch who only spoke on the condition of anonymity, indicated that Talburt currently runs the day-to-day operations of Rim Rock Riders. The staffer also said Talburt is the primary person handling business affairs.
Faith Kuhn, the mother of one of the three girls who were suspended by OHSET over questionable allegations that have been rebutted through the negative drug tests, also spoke to the level of Talburt’s involvement at Rim Rock Riders.
Kuhn also explained that Talburt owned the RRR Catering & Cafe, a separate and dissolved limited liability company operating within Rim Rock Riders. She also alleged that one of the coaches for OHSET at Ridgeview High School, McKenzie Hughes, is not only good friends with Talburt but has also worked for Talburt’s business.
Hughes also serves as the Chair of OHSET’s Central District.
Additional records were recently obtained by Equestrian Media Group showing alleged financial transactions, including unspecified payments regularly made between Talburt to Hughes.
While Rim Rock Riders currently maintains a workers’ compensation insurance policy as required by Oregon law, Equestrian Media Group confirmed that Talburt’s RRR Catering & Cafe does not appear to, which Talburt herself has admitted to.
The allegations raise questions concerning Hughes’s decision to require practices at Rim Rock Riders’ facility due to Oregon government ethics rules which the state says apply to OHSET coaches. They also raise questions about potential conflicts of interest for Talburt, including operating a for-profit business that undoubtedly involves renting facilities from Rim Rock Riders.
OHSET itself outlines that school officials should handle decisions in situations where there may be such a conflict, including where a coach may be employed by a party that financially benefits, which in this case could be Talburt and Rim Rock Riders.
Rim Rock Riders do not have any non-profit conflict of interest typically required for non-profits available. It also does not disclose any of its officers or current board of directors online.
The main question remains, especially for Talburt and the listed board members:
Where is the money going over the years of missing financial disclosures?
The organization’s 2018 Form 990 also claimed the group had assets of $1.2M, with an average annual revenue of just over $100K. Of that in 2018, it claimed approximately $27K in salaries and $45K in “Contractors & Temporary”.
Rim Rock Riders’ lack of required public financial disclosures with the IRS, along with the organization’s revocation of its 501(c)(7) status and dissolution by the Oregon Secretary of State, may leave more questions for those who have donated, volunteered, or potentially even paid the non-profit organization for services.
The discovery is likely to be a major problem for Talburt and potentially the organization’s last listed directors in its 2018 filing, which include President Jon Page, Secretary Sharie Forde, and Treasurer Katie Yount.
According to the Oregon DOJ, non-profit officers and directors often face personal liability for improper or negligent management of the organization. Non-profits are never owned by individuals. If a non-profit is dissolved, the organization’s assets are supposed to be dispersed to a non-profit charity.
Andy Damman, an official with Brasada Ranch who spoke on the record, confirmed that Rim Rock Riders maintains a long-term lease for the property and the main equestrian complex. While Brasada Ranch owns the building and property, Damman said Rim Rock Riders maintains “exclusive” use of the leased property and complex.
Damman did confirm that smaller barns and pastures on the north and south ends of the leased complex are maintained directly by Brasada as horse boarding for their residents and are separate from Rim Rock Riders.
While Damman could not comment further, he said Brasada strives to maintain ethical business relationships.
Brasada Ranch was recently awarded the 2023 Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking as the fourth-best resort in the Pacific Northwest.
Brasada also took its equestrian trail riding business in-house in recent years, a program it previously contracted to a local equestrian busted last year by the Oregon State Police for illegal guiding near Juniper Preserve resort on BLM land.
After researching Rim Rock Riders, we contacted Polzel and Kuhn again to ask questions about their own interactions and knowledge of the operation. The Polzel’s had not been previously aware of Equestrian Media Group’s finding regarding the tax status for Rim Rock Riders.
Kuhn and April Polzel, mother of the other two girls allegedly suspended by OHSET on questionable allegations that were met with swift rebuke, also explained that the Ridgeview High School’s OHSET team advisor, Gayln Snair, would also handle payments for Rim Rock Riders during their events through a personal Venmo account.
They stated that membership fees were still handled directly by Rim Rock Riders, but Snair handled payments for services provided by Rim Rock Riders at specific activities. They were unsure if all the monies paid to Snair were actually paid to Rim Rock Riders or the extent of any relationships Snair had with Rim Rock Riders or Talburt.
Polzel alleged that Talburt previously reported that Rim Rock Riders charged $20 for a bundle of bedding for horses, while she says Snair would charge them $40. Polzel said she was unsure where the alleged difference may have gone.
Earlier today, Executive Director Susan Myers with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission confirmed that the OGEC had received a complaint involving the Redmond School District or OHSET but could not provide any further information at this time, citing “ORS 244.260(4)(c).”
It was unclear if the complaint and likely preliminary investigation by the OGEC involved any of these new allegations.
OHSET’s State Board voted to pay Wacker’s fine and ultimately instituted new ethics training after OHSET’s coaches were determined to be public officials.
(Photo Credit – Equestrian Media Group)
We eventually spoke with Talburt, who answered the phone provided by Rim Rock Riders and asked her about the missing fillings.
Talburt admitted to the lapse while not specifically confirming that she knew the organization’s non-profit status was revoked nearly two years ago.
“It’s being taken care of,” Talburt said at least twice.
“We fired an accountant, and they started working on it,” Talburt then stated.
While the Board of Directors and key officers are responsible for non-profit tax filings, the organization’s 2018 Form 990 reports that the non-profit’s accountants at that time as Bend-based Kernutt Stokes, LLP.
Kernutt Stokes told Equestrian Media Group the day after publication they had never been retained to handle any filings for Rim Rock Riders since 2018.
“Rim Rock Riders did not engage our firm to prepare the 2019 Form 990 or any subsequent filings,” said Managing Partner Steve Ritchie.
Talburt then claimed she was ultimately not responsible for the organization’s tax filings or the annual reports she filed between 2014 and 2019 with the Oregon Secretary of State.
She also downplayed her alleged role, saying she was only a part-time employee of Rim Rock Riders, calling her role a “clerical worker” while denying being in any position of authority as an officer or management employee.
“I’m not an officer; I’m not a director,” Talburt said while also stating that she handles the filings with the Oregon Secretary of State.
Talburt also denied that she handles the organization’s interactions with Brasada Ranch, saying an officer handles vital decisions on the organization’s business.
“I have no relationship with Brasada Ranch,” Talburt went on to say.
“We don’t really have a relationship with Brasada… we don’t engage with Brasada in any way, except they rent our arena now and then,”
When we asked who the officers or key employees were, if not the directors themselves, Talburt then claimed they had a single full-time employee who maintained the grounds.
We then asked Talburt if she thought there was any conflict of interest in her operating her for-profit business at Rim Rock Riders, considering her current employment status with the non-profit.
Talburt was asked if the non-profit maintains a conflict of interest policy and if they’d be willing to provide it. Talburt said she didn’t know if that policy existed. She also said the board of directors didn’t think her operating a business within the non-profit was a conflict of interest.
We then asked Talburt if she thought it was a conflict of interest and perhaps why Rim Rock Riders weren’t operating the concessions directly.
“Let me put it this way– I’m here 16 hours a day,” she said.
Talburt had just minutes earlier claimed that her RRR Catering & Cafe business only operates during events and that she was only a part-time employee of Rim Rock Riders.
The organization’s 2018 financial disclosures leave even more questions on how Rim Rock Riders could have maintained Talburt’s part-time employment and the employment of a single full-time maintenance worker on only $27K in salaries paid and only approximately $4K between payroll taxes and workers’ compensation coverage.
When we asked why Talburt about the lack of filling for her own business after she confirmed it was still in operation, she said it was a “simple oversight”.
Talburt also acknowledged that she had not maintained workers’ compensation coverage despite clearly saying she does employ workers, but she felt it wasn’t necessary because the majority of those working for her are family at the RRR Cafe.
Talburt avoided if the business used the workers’ compensation policy maintained by the non-profit.
Talburt then went on to also confirm that Ridgeview High School athletes in OHSET are required to pay either a non-member fee or be members of the facility in order to attend the practices.
When we asked if Talburt employs Hughes, she responded saying, “Well she’s a member here,” prompting a clarification if Hughes does or has ever worked for her RRR Cafe business as well when she again denied.
Talburt also said that Rim Rock Riders has never received any monies from the Redmond School District, which raises the question about the discovery of funds revealed in a previous grant award to Ridgeview’s OHSET program for “Arena Fees”, which Equestrian Media Group reported just yesterday.
Equestrian Media Group is still in the process of obtaining documents of financial records from the Redmond School District showing where that money went, something the district’s spokesperson had denied they handle for the OHSET team.
Talburt again deflected and claimed Hughes was a member of Rim Rock Riders. We then asked her if she had ever engaged in any financial transactions with Hughes, prompting a quick “No.”
When asked again, and Hughes again said “No”, but promptly hung up the call while asking a follow-up question.
Equestrian Media Group did not have an opportunity to ask specifically about the financial records of public transactions made via Venmo to Hughes. It was unclear if Talburt was aware that the transactions between them were set to show publically on Venmo as well.
We did not get to ask Talburt about any payments made to Rim Rock Riders by Snair, the Ridgeview OHSET advisor.
Kuhn, the Polzels, and other sources who would only speak again under the condition of anonymity said that Hughes and Talburt were what most would define as “close friends.”
Hughes was unable to be reached for comment prior to press time.
Equestrian Media Group shockingly received a call from a Sheriff’s deputy in Oregon shortly after a voicemail was left with Hughes and after our conversation with Talburt.
The deputy informed us that an individual alleged that we had called and claimed we were with the Department of Justice.
The deputy refused to identify the individual. The day after the initial publication of this story, Crook County Sheriff Gautney reportedly (according to another deputy) declined our requests to identify the caller despite the information being public records, requiring us to go through a public records request process that further delayed identifying the caller.
Equestrian Media Group received a copy of a dispatch log showing that the caller was Hughes and that the call took place after this publication had spoken with Talburt. The notes from the deputy make reference to Hughes mentioning the voicemail we also left her, also properly identifying ourselves.
During a review of the call with Talburt, twice she was informed that the call was from Equestrian Media Group, including at the start of the approximately 15 minute call.
The dispatch notes confirm a story given by Hughes confirming that Talburt contacted Hughes about the call our this publications questioning.
It is also unlikely that Hughes had not been aware of this reporter and publications ongoing investigation over the last month, as well as our story published a day prior.
Note:This publication and its reporters will not be intimidated by the improper summoning of law enforcement authorities on baseless allegations. It is always our effort to ensure that the parties to our reporting are provided an opportunity to comment on matters in our reporting, keeping with the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, and we always identify our news media affiliation.
This publication categorically finds the actions of Hughes (and the claims by Talburt alleged by Hughes) to be unacceptable and potentially criminal.
Equestrian teens and now former Ridgeview High School athletes Hannah & Hailee Polzel were facing allegations by OHSET despite evidence that they say disputes the allegations hastily levied by their coach. (Photo Credit – Equestrian Media Group)
Redmond, Ore. – Several high school girls with Ridgeview High School in Redmond, Oregon, were suspended by Oregon High School Equestrian Teams (known as OHSET) last month following allegations the girls were consuming alcohol and marijuana during a competition held at Brasada Ranch in mid-February.
The allegations quickly fell into disrepute with some after the results of certified independent drug and alcohol tests were conducted by a local laboratory company in Bend and subsequently disclosed by a parent for two of the three suspended girls.
The Redmond School District is also facing scrutiny amid distancing itself from the entire ordeal– allegations similar to those alleged against the handling of issues involving OHSET by the Oregon City School District in 2021.
Two of the three girls at the center of the allegations, Hannah and Hailee Polzel, 15 and 17, respectively, are now expressing their heartbreak and embarrassment being felt due to what they say are inaccurate rumors of also being suspended by the school officials in addition to OHSET, as well as over the ongoing OHSET allegations of a criminal nature which they adamantly say are false.
The situation led both girls to leave Ridgeview High School, returning to an online school they had previously attended before being involved in OHSET during the pandemic.
The girls’ mother, April Polzel, has been heavily engaged in communicating with both school and OHSET officials, especially after the results of the drug and alcohol tests came back negative.
“These alligations [sic] have been proven to be completely false by an outside forensic lab urinalysis that tested for any traces of any substances going back five days. This window of testing proved that no substance [sic] were in their system the entire time they were at the meet,” said Polzel in a March 11th email to school officials.
Polzel has also called for the resignations of McKenzie Hughes and Tiffany Quintero, OHSET’s Central District Chair & Co-chair, respectively, both of which serve as coaches for the Ridgeview High School OHSET team.
Faith Kuhn, the parent of the other girl facing OHSET’s allegations, also demanded a public apology from OHSET and advised Ridgeview High School officials of the potential for legal action.
“It is unfortunate that I find myself having to write this letter, and you should be made aware that I have sought legal counsel regarding this matter,” stated Kuhn.
Kuhn went on to say in part of her three-page letter:
“The manner in how these athletes were dismissed from the OHSET team was completely inappropriate. They didn’t need the entire board surrounding them while they were publicly humiliated. That is intimidation, and as an adult I felt the intimidation, I can only imagine how this felt for teenagers. Not only were they set up to be intimidated and given this terrible decision this was done at the main entrance of the arena, which is where all foot traffic enters and exits the arena. There is absolutely no reason that they could not have conducted this meeting in the office upstairs, privately.”
Kuhn also alleged OHSET violated several of its own policies:
“Per the OHSET Code of Conduct, ‘Code of conduct violations will incite discrete investigation and appropriate disciplinary actions.’ (OHSET, 2020) The policy also references the process for an investigation, following the school’s written policy for an infraction, as well as contacting law enforcement if a law is broken. Not one of these policies were followed.”
“These ‘leaders’ never asked to speak to any of the accused regarding the allegations or to hear their recollection of events. They never even gave them an opportunity to defend themselves. We live in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty, however these three athletes were persecuted based on hearsay, rumors, and false allegations.”
OHSET appeared to have started reassessing the severity of the suspension following inquiries from Equestrian Media Group, which it has ignored.
While OHSET maintained the alleged rule violations, the girls were offered the opportunity to return but would be disqualified from the state and regional meets.
The Polzels said accepting that offer would essentially be agreeing to the allegations they say are false and clearly disputed by the evidence OHSET continues to ignore.
Numerous email communications provided to Equestrian Media Group don’t appear to make any acknowledgment by OHSET of the certified drug test results.
OHSET has yet to respond to multiple attempts seeking comment– although OHSET’s former chair had previously declined to speak further with Equestrian Media Group or Pamplin Media Group following our respective reporting in 2021 on an Oregon City High School OHSET coach.
Hailee & Hannah Polzel explained how they felt shamed and embarrassed at the OHSET district competition at Brasada Ranch on February 18th after Hughes and Quintero allegedly brought forth the matter in a very public way.
“Like fifteen adults, adults that I’d recognize that are on the [OHSET Central District] board, which I knew, my coaches, and their husbands who have no part of being on the district board, came down and surrounded us,” said Hailee Polzel.
That’s when they say they were informed of the suspension for the rest of the year.
Hannah and Hailee explained that while they were having to pack up and clean stalls, other coaches were allegedly informing their teams about the allegations, making the situation even more embarrassing, the girls explained.
“My daughters were humiliated– it’s embarrassing,” said Polzel.
“I told Ms. Ditto [RVHS’s vice principal], I said they’re not coming back until their name is cleared… I literally thought that these tests would come back, and my daughters would be vindicated.”
Equestrian Media Group has reviewed the drug tests, which showed the girls were negative for numerous narcotics, as well as a urine test for alcohol. While Butterfield Testing Solutions could not disclose the results themselves, they confirmed their authenticity as signed by the medical review officer and doctor.
The collection was done on February 19th, the day after the final day of OHSET’s Central District competition.
April Polzel provided public testimony on Thursday at the Redmond School District Board Meeting, calling on the Redmond School District board to intervene and questioning why the school district would continue to approve of OHSET’s affiliation with its schools.
Officials with the Redmond School District have been distancing themselves from OHSET’s decision in recent weeks.
“I would like to reiterate that this is not a Redmond School District activity and so we do not have any information to provide about this situation. I recommend you contact OHSET directly,” said Holly Brown, a spokesperson for the Redmond School District, in response to Equestrian Media Group’s request for an interview.
The district avoided answering whether it or Ridgeview High School staff had held meetings with OHSET officials or whether it agreed with the action OHSET had taken. April Polzel claimed there were at least two separate meetings between the school and OHSET officials, claiming school officials even revealed details of their own meeting with Ditto.
Eric Lea, an elected director on the Redmond School District Board, also stated in a March 11th email to April Polzel: “Because the equestrian club is not sponsored by the school or district, it would be inappropriate for me to comment as a School Board member. I do wish you and your daughters the very best. They are fortunate to have such a staunch advocate.”
Ridgeview’s Athletic Director Randi Viggiano took a similar position when the school was reached for comment by Equestrian Media Group in early March after the district office failed to return our calls.
Brown claimed she was unaware of our attempts to seek comment when we attended the March 20th school board meeting, where April Polzel indicated she intended to address the school board. Brown also said she was unaware of our March 12th public records request, which the district had yet to respond to by a deadline the day before.
Within the hour of that interaction, we received a response to the public records request from an executive assistant for Superintendant Dr. Charan Cline.
Attempts to interview Dr. Cline in early March were ignored and ultimately redirected to Brown without a response.
Still, the position of distancing by the district is also being questioned by the families and their supporters due to the degree they say the school district facilitates OHSET activities. It was unclear if Redmond School District officials were aware of the issues and precedent of the 2021 case involving OHSET and Oregon City High School.
“Athletics and Activities Directors have no role in managing these activities. Tier III activities may not refer to their club as the schools name, for example Ridgeview High School Rodeo Team or Redmond High School Nordic Ski Team is not appropriate,”Brown cited.
However, the Polzels and others questioned the maintenance of that standard, telling Equestrian Media Group that the Ridgeview OHSET team consistently called itself the Ridgeview High School Equestrian Team in fundraising advertisements, had a float in the school’s homecoming parade with a “Ridgeview High School” banner, held meetings in the school’s library, among other examples recently and in past years.
The Redmond School District maintains it cannot handle issues raised by student-athletes and their parents involving OHSET, a claim the families question based on a previous case of alleged conduct by OHSET officials and the Oregon City School District in 2021. (Photo Credit – Equestrian Media Group)
A source who would only speak on the condition of anonymity, citing their fear of OHSET’s retribution against their own child, also alleged that the OHSET team had obtained money through the school district.
A 2021 letter from the Redmond School District and addressed to the team’s reported advisor, Gayln Snair, was identified as being part of the “RVHS Equestrian Team.” The address for Snair was also the school’s address.
The letter reports that a grant made through the district was being provided towards “Arena Fees.”
As a condition, the district required that OHSET “publically thank and promote Hayden Homes” and “Cooperate with Redmond School District to publicize the grant award.”
“Funds will be deposited into a RSD co-curricular account which will be customary for program spending,” the letter stated.
The document’s revelation conflicts with the more recent statements made by the district.
“These activities are generally managed by parents and the activities sanctioning organization. The district does not provide funding for Tier III activities. The finances of Tier III activities are not recorded in the district’s accounting system and are not to be commingled with any district accounts,”Brown claimed.
State officials determined in 2021 that OHSET’s coaches were also considered public officials.
That determination came amid numerous investigations that year, including an Oregon Government Ethics Commission’s case against Angie Wacker, an OHSET coach at Oregon City High School.
Two other separate investigations were also initiated by the Teacher Standards & Practices Commission and Oregon Department of Education into Oregon City High School’s athletic director, principal, and district superintendent due to the district’s handling (and alleged lack thereof) of issues involving Wacker and OHSET, according to reporting from Pamplin Media Group.
The Oregon City School District board also held an illegal vote and executive session under public meetings law to retain Wacker, which was revealed by Pamplin Media Group Editor Raymond Rendleman after an order from the Clackamas County District Attorney requiring the release of audio of the meeting by the school district.
Recently, numerous sources with information regarding the Ridgeview High School OHSET team have continued to emerge, although those sources would only speak on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of being expelled from OHSET and pointing to the organization’s own rules that prohibit any negative or disparaging remarks regarding the organization.
The Polzel girls have maintained that the policy and the current culture of OHSET is keeping many aware of the allegations, including fellow equestrian athletes, from speaking out online and to the school district amid fear of repercussions by OHSET.
One source claimed the policy, which they also said is now labeled as “draft”, goes on to say:
“OHSET does not want to infringe on anyone’s right to free speech. With that said, we also do not want to be the place where people are free to bully, intimidate, or shame our athletes, volunteers, or contractors. It seems some mandated restraint is necessary.”
“Your personal Social Media should never include criticisms of OHSET, OHSET athletes, coaches, advisory, judges, etc…” the policy states.
While restricting criticism, the policy does provide direction on using social media to promote the organization positively. Equestrian Media Group could not yet confirm if the policy was ever officially adopted by OHSET, but sources said it is being enforced.
April Polzel also remarked about the policy: “A policy which restricts and allows them to punish these girls for any bit of criticism isn’t okay, and that’s another reason that any level of support by a school district is just not appropriate when they have a first amendment right when the group ties itself to the school.”
“OHSET, like some of these other sports groups, can exist without even a small tie to the school, but the the [school] district having even small ties is not approperiate if they avoid intervening. Pamplin’s story about Oregon City OHSET seemed to make that clear too,” Polzel went on to say.
The Polzel’s also alleged that OHSET failed to even abide by its policy, having not contacted law enforcement as their policy requires if their athletes were consuming illegal narcotics or alcohol in violation of the law.
Hannah and Hailee said they believe the allegations stem from an adverse relationship they had with the daughter of one of the coaches.
Both girls weren’t aware of any use of marijuana or alcohol by any of the girls during the meet.
(Photo Credit – Equestrian Media Group)
April Polzel claimed that Gayln Snair, the team’s advisor and OHSET’s liaison to the school, reported that there was video evidence to support the allegations against her daughters.
However, she claims that OHSET officials later stated there was no video when she requested to see it. Instead, she says OHSET said that they had several written statements by undisclosed individuals.
School officials have yet to disclose if any of these written statements or other OHSET reports were provided to them. The district is currently citing current exemptions under the law in releasing some material as part of a March 12th public records request submitted by Equestrian Media Group.
The district also failed to provide any fee waiver or consideration of a reduction, which this publication intends to contest, although we will be paying the requested fees while we continue to appeal the matter, if necessary, to the local district attorney.
We also asked what impacts the girls might face moving forward following the suspension and allegations of criminal wrongdoing.
“It was just unbelievable how the whole thing was handled,” said Hannah Polzel, a freshman in her first year and at her first official competition with OHSET.
“I’ve cried for like days over days on just thinking over everything and just like how disgusted it is– how adults could just treat kids like that and try to sweep it under the rug like that.”
Hannah went on to explain that despite feeling embarrassed, she knew they were innocent and thought that when the drug test results came back, their names would be cleared.
According to documents shared with Equestrian Media Group, emails sent to parents and school officials by OHSET’s State Chair Teresa Hoffman make clear that’s not what’s happened.
“To All Involved Parties, I am sending out this email as requested and in conjunction with the revised disciplinary action that Central District implemented for Hannah Polzel and Hailee Polzel of [sic] Ridgeview OHSET team. On March 12th I emailed the revised disciplinary actions that were to be put into effect even though Athletes declined. It reinstated the Athlete with the stipulations of losing 60% of the competition season while still being able to practice with the team and then being eligible for competition on Meet #3 April 11-14, 2024 .” said Hoffman in a March 19th email.
“It’s almost like they just don’t care about the truth. They don’t want the truth,” said Hannah.
Hailee Polzel, a junior in her second year with OHSET, felt the ordeal would likely hurt her chances for scholarships for college to continue her equestrian endeavors.
“Last year, I was top of my events for nearly everything. I made it to State in all my events and continued onto regionals for sorting and poles,” explained Hailee.
“We even broke the regional record for sorting,” she also explained.
The Polzel’s have since shared the drug & alcohol test results for the girls on social media, leading to a number of criticisms about the alleged incident as well as rebuke by some claiming systemic issues within OHSET, specifically its Central District.
As mentioned earlier, OHSET has ignored all requests seeking any comment on the allegations, including the allegations it maintains against the students.
While Equestrian Media Group would typically have just reviewed the test results documents, we are sharing them here because the Polzels have already posted them publically on social media.
April Polzel went on to explain that had her daughters done what she says they are falsely alleged to have done, she absolutely would have stood by the decision and would have “been tough on the girls, making them understand the lesson they’d learn from doing it.”
“That the Redmond School District is allowing a club to abuse and strip these students of basic rights every American is entitled to, is unacceptable. My girls were handed down the heaviest of consequences when code of conduct violations were assumed, yet OHSET factually violated many of their own codes of conduct and it is being completely ignored, causing further insult and injury to these girls,” said April Polzel in a March 11th email to the elected board members for the Redmond School District.
Polzel went on to say in her email to the board:
“You are allowing these students to be bullied, harassed and ostracized by this club that you allow parents to believe is a safe environment. Being as you are involved with education, I would assume that you have a heart for children. The unjust treatment of these children should outrage you and you should be going to battle for them instead of washing your hands of the situation, wishing them well in their own fight for truth and justice to be enforced and recognized.”
Brown did go on to claim that “the children involved are not Redmond School District students,” a claim that Polzel later said during follow-up questioning was “disingenuous” and likely due to her girls just recently registering out of Ridgeview High School after what she says was the school and OHSET’s failures.
April Polzel went on to explain that their family has been supporters of the program for a generation, explaining that the girl’s father was a former coach of the Trinity Lutheran OHSET team years ago and that she has allowed OHSET teams to practice at her horse boarding facility at zero cost over the years.
“My girls grew up around OHSET; they were inspired to be part of OHSET and support the organization, and that makes this all the more devastating to see at the hands of their current leadership,” said Polzel.
In a follow-up email to our interview request to the Redmond School District, we asked, “Does the district dispute that OHSET coaches are considered public officials?”
The Redmond School District has not yet responded to the question.
OHSET’s State Director Teresa Hoffman has also yet to respond to or acknowledge multiple emails made in recent weeks.
Albany, Ore. – The Northwest Horse Fair & Expo 2024 is returning to the Linn County Expo Center in Albany, Oregon, for its twenty-third year. The show will run from Friday, March 22nd, through the 24th.
The event, presented by Akins Trailer Sales, is set to feature top clinicians, numerous presentations, workshops, trade show shopping, and elite horses and trainers from across the northwest and abroad.
Several headline clinicians include John Lyons, Matt Livengood, Abby Carbaugh, and Kalley Krickeberg. The famous Endo the Blind horse will also appear all three days of the event.
The action-packed Cold Starting Challenge USA is another staple scheduled to return this year. According to the event’s producer, Equine Promotions, “Experienced horse trainers will be working with four young, unbroken horses, gentling and saddling them and riding them in just three days. Using Natura Horsemanship methods, each trainer will work with the colt they have drawn.”
“During the Sunday event of the expo, the colts will be ridden and compete through a challenging obstacle course.”
Sunday is also the event’s youth day, during which children aged 12 and under are admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult. All 4-H and Pony Club members aged 13 – 18 get in free with a club ID.
Former OSFC Chair and State Rep. Vicki Berger (left) and Oregon State Fair Director Kim Grewe-Powell (right) during an October 26th meeting of the Oregon State Fair Council. (Photo Credit – Equestrian Media Group)
Salem, Ore. – Nearly six months after Equestrian Media Group submitted public records requests, the Oregon State Fair Council and its director have yet to provide the requested records, which seek to reveal the director’s role following the publishing of stories involving a controversial and now-defunct horse auction company.
The issues came to a head in September 2023 when Equestrian Media Group revealed that PNW Horse Sales was concealing and misrepresenting ownership and management information, as numerous equestrian proponents had alleged for months prior. Those proponents included self-described victims of fraud at the hands of the company’s involved horse traders.
The allegations among equestrian circles included misrepresentation and conflicts of interest, as the individuals staffing and operating the company were the very horse traders consigning horses for auction. The company also faced allegations of illegal child labor, and it never obtained workers’ compensation coverage.
That also included the revelation that the company’s auctioneer was a wanted fugitive in Louisana for multiple causes involving horse theft. According to a Louisana livestock investigator, the same man was also suspected of being the subject of a Texas Rangers’ investigation after originally fleeing Louisana around 2018.
An Oregon horse trainer tied to the company, Geneva Boston, was also receiving national attention after a viral video emerged showing her repeatedly whipping a horse– including in the face.
The incident later resulted in the State Fair Director Kim Grewe-Powell threatening to call the governor and the Oregon State Police on this reporter and an Equestrian Media Group cameraman– claiming she could not be filmed or recorded without her permission, despite Grewe-Powell having approached us at the NPRA Finals event on September 23rd.
Grewe-Powell had repeatedly maintained that the public body was “private” and that she was not a public official.
During a September 9th incident in which Equestrian Media Group was trespassed from publically accessible areas of the fairgrounds not leased by PNW Horse Sales, an Oregon State Trooper also claimed that the OSFC was a private corporation and had unrestricted rights to trespass those it wanted to.
The agency’s failures related to public records and retaliation have led to an increased focus by Equestrian Media Group on the public bodies’ conduct. This included coverage of the agency’s public meetings and efforts to institute an unconstitutional media policy, which Director Kim-Grewe-Powell claimed was in response to the incident.
The policy went as far as requiring news media organizations and journalists to obtain “accreditation” and that the OSFC and staff had the right to correct reporting they believed to be inaccurate. Typically such policies are internal procedures that provide public officials guidance on how to facilitate increased access for news media representatives.
The media policy was motioned for adoption by the agency’s former chair, Vicki Berger, who stepped down in January. Berger, a former Oregon State House representative, continues to serve as a member of the governor-appointed council.
The handling and implementation of the media and a public records policy also resulted in Equestrian Media Group submitting two formal grievances as part of a new Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) law.
A Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon DOJ retained by the OSFC and Grewe-Powell promptly claimed the issue was “moot” and that the OSFC had withdrawn the policy.
That claim only fueled ongoing questions and other allegations made in the legal complaint concerning more violations of the Oregon Public Meetings Law (OPML).
The reply to the response filed by the Oregon DOJ attorney questioned how the OSFC could have withdrawn the policy as claimed when no notice of any public meeting or executive session had been made as required under the meetings law.
The complaint also mentioned how Grewe-Powell and State Fair staff put the policy in effect as early as October 25th, sending it out to all of their regular event lessors before it was even brought before the council.
Grewe-Powell and staffers also attempted to stop Equestrian Media Group from filming upon arrival at the October 26th public meeting– claiming we had to comply with the posted media policy that was on a sign-in table.
When asked for clarification, as the policy was listed as being discussed and possibly adopted by the council, Grewe-Powell claimed the policy didn’t need the council’s approval.
That claim was caught on camera by Equestrian Media Group’s cameraman, who started recording even before the meeting started after staff members were attempting to prevent our recording of the public meeting.
The legal complaint against the OSFC and Grewe-Powell also details a law that requires that matters of public policy be approved and adopted by the council.
ORS 565.470 reads that: “The council shall determine and approve policies and procedures to further the mission and purposes of the council and shall provide oversight and guidance to the state fair director and employees of the council.”
The policy was not adopted despite a motion– instead being tabled to seek input from professional news media organizations, which never happened, according to omissions in OSFC’s own meeting minutes.
The lawsuit also addresses allegations of violations of the OPML and breaches by Grewe-Powell of laws concerning financial reporting requirements she’s responsible for. Those issues only began in December, the next public meeting after Equestrian Media Group began attending and recording the body’s public meetings in October 2023.
Equestrian Media Group alleged in a public records petition with the Marion County District Attorney’s Office that the Oregon State Fair Council and one of its attorneys, Elliott Field of Garrett Hemann Robertson P.C., of intentionally causing repeated “frustration” and delay that violated timelines and notice requirements related to public records requests.
Part of the allegations of intentional frustration included repeated failures to provide records in their normal electronic format, including “.eml” email formats. Instead, records were often provided by printing and simply copying into PDF files, including phone log records, which could have been provided in electronic spreadsheets as the agency had done earlier in 2023 when seeking records concerning PNW Horse Sales.
The production method also allowed the OSFC to prevent connecting which emails the file attachments were connected to, including which users and when they were sent or received.
Oregon’s records law generally requires public bodies to provide data in an electronic medium when available. Follow-up requests for the data in electronic forms have been repeatedly ignored by Field, resulting in an ongoing request for facilitated dispute resolution from the Oregon Public Records Advocate.
Late last month, Field eventually provided some of the requested phone log records for Director Powell, but the records were only for February 2024, which was not even part of the timeline that had been ordered.
Equestrian Media Group also alleged to the Oregon Public Records Advocate that the OSFC continuely delayed producing public records for months and failed to provide updates concerning those requests.
Field and the OSFC have responded in reasonable timeframes when providing records specifically focused on PNW Horse Sales and not their own internal affairs.
Field and the OSFC have continued to be cagey about phone records requested from Grewe-Powell’s official and personal phones, although they eventually admitted in the course of a petition process with the district attorney that Grewe-Powell did, in fact, use a personal phone in the course of official business while simultaneously claiming that Grewe-Powell and other officials spent over ten hours attempting to get AT&T to produce records.
Field claimed on behalf of Grewe-Powell that AT&T would not produce the records, which this publication alleged as a misleading claim supported only by a short transcript of an online chat between Grewe-Powell and AT&T officials. Equestrian Media Group pointed out that it appeared the AT&T support agent only meant the records could not be provided “here” via the online chat system while having provided instructions to Grewe-Powell on how to access those records.
Despite that interaction in early December of 2023, which was the last effort made to obtain the records at the time, Field and the OSFC did not provide any updates until further pushback by this reporter over a month later.
Around the same time, in early December, Field finally provided phone records for the agency’s operations supervisor, Michael Legoretta, but made unnecessary redactions not covered by exemptions under the public records law.
Equestrian Media Group promptly pointed out that the redactions were made in white, which made it difficult to notice that there were redactions at all. Field later provided the records again without the redactions.
Records thus far already reveal a pattern of State Fair officials using personal devices when communicating with other staff using official devices. Other logs showed that Legoretta also forwarded media content via text, including content sent on September 9th during this publication altercation with OSFC staff and PNW Horse Sales, to his personal phone that is not issued by the agency.
The matter now raises questions concerning the OSFC’s compliance with public records retention laws. Such requirements and the use of personal devices received intense scrutiny after the scandal involving former Gov. John Kitzhaber and his girlfriend, Cylvia Hayes.
The issue also resulted in legal action against the Oregonian stemming from investigative reporting by seasoned reporter Nick Budnick. The action was Hayes’ effort to block an order from the Oregon DOJ requiring the release of public records from Hayes’ personal email and devices.
Hayes was ultimately ordered by a court to release many of the records being sought by the Oregonian.
Since the filing of the lawsuit against the OSFC and Grewe-Powell, the OSFC has also appeared to expand on its efforts to avoid public transparency. The OSFC, in accordance with the required practice under the meetings law and its own standard practice, would release a meeting notice and agenda for public meetings on its website.
Despite a meeting set for two days from now, the OSFC has yet to publish any agenda that details the subject matters to be discussed during the meeting, as required. The OSFC would normally publish its agenda the week before the meeting.
The OSFC has also failed to publish the minutes of its January public meeting and the special meeting on February 23rd that it held to correct inaccurate meeting minutes and properly adopt the policy. Only the agenda packets were available for the last two meetings.
According to the Oregon Public Meetings Law, the agency must produce these meeting minutes, even if in draft form, and post them online for public review. The OSFC previously provided draft meeting minutes on its websites, at least until increased scrutiny and news media attention in recent months.
This publication also called into question the last-minute notice, which was provided by Field, of the OSFC’s special meeting. An email was sent to this reporter only 5 hours prior to the meeting. The meeting also didn’t state the meeting was not in person, resulting in our cameraman being unable to access the meeting in person at the fairgrounds.
The notices indicated the meeting was in person and on Zoom.
Despite the meeting only being available by Zoom, Grewe-Powell and two other unknown officials who were not identified in the video were together at an undisclosed location believed to be at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.
The OSFC’s next meeting is set for March 21st at 1:30 pm in Columbia Hall at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. It is open to the public. Remote attendance information has yet to be provided as it is typically included in the agenda packet for the meeting.
Grewe-Powell, Berger, and the OSFC as a body has ignored numerous requests for comment when informed of pending publication.
If you want to support our efforts surrounding public records issues, you can donate to our Public Records & Legal Fund by clicking here. We appreciate your help as we continue to provide our publication at no cost behind any paywalls. You can make a general donation by clicking here instead.
