Raina McKenzie Ott, 25, pictured in a 2020 booking photo released to Equestrian Media Group following her conviction of multiple counts of animal neglect involving horses. (Photo Credit- Lane County Sheriff’s Office)
This is a breaking story. Please keep checking back; we expect to update this story as we learn more information.
Eugene, Ore. – An Oregon woman who has been the subject of recurring probation violations on her horse neglect conviction and was recently indicted on new felony charges, resulting in multiple outstanding warrants, has been apprehended.
According to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Raina McKenzie Ott, 25, was apprehended yesterday. One of the warrants stemmed from new charges not yet released in court records filed by the Linn County District Attorney. According to the jail roster, she is still in custody and was set to be arranged at 1:30 pm today.
Ott had been on the run for nearly a month, having also traveled to Idaho without permission of the court to visit an ailing family member. Ott’s travel expenses were reportedly supported through a GoFundMe account setup, which listed Ott’s father, Wade Ott, as a beneficiary. Ott then failed to attend a court hearing for two ongoing criminal cases.
According to Linn County’s Undersheriff Micah Smith, Ott had a warrant issued on April 19th concerning the theft of approximately 20 cows from the Lebanon Livestock Yard. It was not confirmed if those cattle were the same as the ones Ott allegedly neglected, as stated in the March indictment.
Ott had repeatedly skipped out on court hearings and even failed to attend alternative jail work crew service, ultimately leading to the judge later sentencing her to 45 days of jail and not allowing jail officials to allow alternative service in lieu of being in custody.
Shortly after her release from her jail sentence early last summer, Ott allegedly began defrauding a local Coastal Farm & Ranch in Eugene, which resulted in her trespass from the store (a story only reported by Equestrian Media Group).
She was later charged and failed to appear, resulting in one of the warrants she was arrested on.
On April 17th, an order was also issued after Ott failed to appear in court on a forfeiture hearing that forfeited the animals to the Greenhill Humane Society. The order states that as of the state of the hearing, Ott owed a total of $26,780 due to necessary costs of care, including veterinary.
The forfeiture order can be viewed by clicking here. Ott’s court-appointed attorney appeared, but Ott was absent as she still had multiple outstanding warrants.
The order confirms that multiple dogs later died in the weeks following their birth– including two puppies.
Questions have also been raised regarding the alleged conduct of officials with multiple livestock actions, including the Lebanon Livestock Yard’s owner, Lezlie Cowart. Cowart’s business is the same that Ott allegedly defrauded for just over $11,000 with a bad check for approximately twenty head of cattle.
According to the Linn County Sheriff’s report, Ott paid approximately $2,000 in cash and the remainder with the bad check. The reports were released to Equestrian Media Group after officials determined it would not compromise the ongoing criminal case against Ott, a surprising step of transparency often unseen.
Most law enforcement agencies refuse to release reports until after the conclusion of court cases, even if it might not always qualify for an exemption under Oregon public records law.
Equestrian Media Group is currently awaiting comment from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office on the new developments and arrest.
Ott’s two new charges include Aggravated Theft in the 1st Degree and Negotiating a Bad Check in the 2nd Degree. Booking information on the Lane County jail roster also references Linn County, but additional information was not immediately available.
According to the booking information, Ott appeared to remain in custody following her arraignment earlier today.
This is a breaking story. Please keep checking back; we expect to update this story as we learn more information.
A reader’s tip of a posting by Lane County Mugshots contributed to our awareness of this story and our breaking reporting. If you have a news tip, please email us at news@nwhorsereport.com or message us on Facebook.
A photo of the Mt. Hood Event Center operated by Kaluga, LLC, owned by California businessman Dean Najdawi. (Photo Credit – Google Maps)
Clackamas, Ore. – A popular and controversial equestrian and event center in Oregon has been ordered to close and sued by Clackamas County, according to a press release. The company is also facing allegations in the lawsuit that it permitted mistreatment of an animal.
The Mt. Hood Center in Boring, Oregon, located east of Portland, was issued a dangerous building closure notice by Clackamas County code enforcement officials. The County also served the company with a public and chronic nuisance lawsuit earlier today, according to the county’s statement.
“The Mt. Hood Center will not be able to legally host any future scheduled events, including weddings, birthdays, the High Noon in Boring event on April 20 and the Derby Party on May 4. People who put down deposit money or purchased event tickets at the Mt. Hood Center should contact the facility regarding refunds,” the County said.
The facility owner, Kaluga, LLC, is alleged to have “repeatedly rebuffed” help from Clackamas County officials who offered assistance to get the facility to comply with county and state codes.
According to Clackamas County officials, the 18-acre facility has continued to be the subject of recurring code violations since 2017, including dangerous facility capacity violations and illegal construction.
County officials recently posted numerous videos on social media showing a March 16th, 2024, event in which security staff were overwhelmed by crowds of thousands despite the facility’s maximum occupancy of 300.
According to the County’s lawsuit, a stabbing also occurred during the event. It also alleged that the company permitted the “mistreatment of an animal” at the center in late March.
The Mt. Hood Center was also the subject of controversy over the treatment of a bull during a Latin rodeo event after a video was posted online by one of the attendees who provided a copy of Equestrian Media Group. Although this publication did not report on it at that time, the story was widely reported by other local media outlets.
County officials filed a lawsuit April 16th against the owners of the Mt. Hood Center in Clackamas County Circuit Court.
Officials with the company ignored multiple attempts to seek comment from Equestrian Media Group in January.
An incident report from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office also detailed numerous people who were highly intoxicated at the event. Alcoholic beverage containers were found throughout the venue, despite the County saying alcohol was legally limited to the bar area. Bartenders were also reportedly seen handing beers to people over a side fence at the venue.
“The Clackamas Fire’s Fire Marshal responded to the event, finding blocked exits and the event clearly exceeding the venue’s capacity,” said the County’s statement.
Officials also pointed to the Ghost Ship fire that took place in 2016 in Oakland, California, as their reason for the necessity of compliance with building codes.
That event resulted in the deaths of 36 people.
“That’s a constant reminder that if we do not follow through with enforcing these codes, which are birthed from historical events, lives can and will be lost,” said Clackamas Fire Public Information Officer Izak Hamilton.
“It’s only a matter of time before the negligence shown by this property manager will result in a potentially horrific event,” said Hamilton.
He went on to detail the fire agency’s response to the large event in March.
“When we arrived, I think the estimate for attendees was around 7,500,” Hamilton said. The event center has a maximum capacity of 300.
“During this time, the Residents have caused a public nuisance by intentionally, negligently, or recklessly participating in or allowing certain activities to occur on the Property, which substantially and unreasonably interfere with the public’s right to health, safety, and well-being,” the legal complaint said in part.
According to the Oregon Secretary of State, the business was dissolved last August because it failed to file its annual report with the Corporations Division.
Equestrian Media Group also discovered that the assumed business name, “Mt. Hood Center,” was actually registered by Kaluga, LLC’s owner, Dean Najdawi, and another company called Magdala, LLC, not Kaluga itself.
Najdawi purchased the Mt. Hood Center property in July of 2018.
Najdawi, a California businessman, was also highlighted in a 2016 article by Patch, which reported he owed over $850,000 in Sales & Use taxes to the State of California.
Magdala, LLC, is a Florida-incorporated business. Court records show that Magdala, under the DBA of Mt. Hood Center, filed a civil lawsuit against multiple defendants in September 2022 related to a drunk-driving incident where a local man allegedly crashed into the company’s billboard.
The company has not responded to our attempts seeking comment.
This is a developing story, and you can count on us to keep you updated. We will update this story if we promptly receive a statement from Najdawi or Kaluga, LLC.
Note: This story was updated shortly after publication to include findings regarding business registrations.
One of 15 horses seized by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office as part of an animal neglect investigation on a farm and previous horse-breeding operation near Bend, Oregon. (Photo Courtesy – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office)
Bend, Ore. – Over a dozen horses were seized from a Central Oregon farm as part of an animal neglect investigation, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation started in early March when deputies and animal control technicians with the DCSO received information concerning possible animal neglect at a farm east of Bend.
According to investigators, the property belonged to Jean Poirier, 66, who on Monday was indicted by a grand jury on 15 misdemeanor counts and one felony count of animal neglect.
Poirier was arraigned yesterday on the charges in Deschutes County Circuit Court. Judge Alycia Herriott ordered her not to possess any livestock, including horses.
Poirier also is known by several aliases– including Jean Poirlee, Jean Kelly, and Jean Straight– according to court records.
Poirier initially cooperated with the investigation, including examinations by veterinarians on the 15 horses as well as 17 dogs. Those examinations determined that the horses on the 9-acre ranch “were in dire need of intervention, namely additional veterinarian care, hoof care, and proper feed,” said a DCSO press release.
On March 14th, investigators, along with assistance from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Posse, removed the horses after b Poirier surrendered ownership and transported them to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Rescue Ranch. The horses were reported to range in age from 13-29, consisting of one stallion, four geldings, and ten mares.
One of 15 horses seized by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office as part of an animal neglect investigation on a farm and previous horse-breeding operation near Bend, Oregon. (Photo Courtesy – Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office)
“The 17 dogs were in better condition than the horses and were allowed to remain with Poirier based upon her continued cooperation. Due to Poirier’s cooperation, she was cited and released for 15 misdemeanor counts of Animal Neglect in the Second Degree. The Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office has since reviewed the case and added one additional felony count of Animal Neglect in the Second Degree,” read the April 17th press release from DCSO.
The statement went on to report that the horses continue to receive necessary care: “The horses seized as a result of this investigation are receiving veterinarian care, farrier care, appropriate feed, and are already showing signs of improvement.”
DCSO Lt. Bryan Husband said Poirier had been a dog breeder for several years and was a former horse breeder, according to The Bulletin reporter Anna Kaminski.
“The horses were the remnant of her and her husband’s previous horse-breeding operation,” he said.
Poirier was also granted release and ordered back to court on May 31st for a plea hearing.
This is a developing story you can count on Equestrian Media Group to keep you updated on.
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.
