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Equestrians upset over sponsorship of trainer convicted of animal neglect

NW Horse Report Staff
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Equestrians upset over sponsorship of trainer convicted of animal neglect

UPDATE 3/16 at 6:58pm: Shortly after the release of this article, via a Facebook post made on NW Horse Report, Nancy O’Dell Plunkett, President of NWGHA, confirmed that the clinic mentioned in our story had been cancelled. She further stated that Woods had “resigned from the NWGHA Board”. It was not clear if she is still a member of the organization. It was not known to NW Horse Report at the time that Woods was a member of the groups board of directors.

Many equestrians are up in arms over the recent news that the Northwest Gaited Horse Association (NWGHA) was moving forward publicly with sponsoring a clinic being presented by a horse trainer previously convicted of animal neglect over her care of multiple horses. The event had been set for April 10th, 2021. The past criminal convictions against the trainer, Janna Woods, stem from a late 2014 case out of Lane County, Oregon. KVAL News previously reported on the arrest of Janna Woods, a show horse trainer, and charges for theft and animal neglect.

Janna Woods showing one of the horses that was allegedly later neglected in her care.

On February 13th, NWGHA posted on its official Facebook page that it would be sponsoring a clinic presented by Woods, indicating she was a “TWH Trainer”. This promptly angered many people throughout the equestrian community who had known of Woods’ past or had even been involved in the efforts related to the rescue of the multiple horses she was convicted of neglecting. The ad further stated the event would be held at Springhill Stables, a equestrian boarding and riding facility near Albany, Oregon. In an interesting twist, when reached for comment, Springhill’s owners adamantly denied having any knowledge of the scheduled event.

“This is the first I’ve heard of Any clinic being held at my place of business. It was not authorized by me, nor did I have any knowledge of it…” said Liz Couzin, the Stables owner. “Until a couple of months ago, she was just the roommate of one of my boarders, and she worked with her horses. A couple of months ago she brought in a horse of her own.” She also said she was unaware of the allegations and past convictions against Woods. She confirmed there were recent discussions with Woods about “starting training out here [referring to Springhill Stables]”, but said nothing had been confirmed or mentioned further. Couzin did go on to say that “Janna has given me no reason to believe that she is anything but kind and professional.”

NWGHA’s President, Nancy O’Dell Plunkett, told NW Horse Report that she did not directly confirm with Springhill Stables about the event but was instead working with another member of NWGHA (the roommate referenced by Couzin) as well as Woods to handle that communication. Plunkett was surprised Springhill Stables was unaware, considering a month had gone by since their announcement and that they had gone as far as obtaining a “binder” for insurance purposes in order for them to have their event at Springhill. She did say there may have been a breakdown in communication with Springhill Stables.

Strawberry Mountain Mustangs, an Oregon-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, received one of Woods’ horses which she voluntarily surrendered to them in November of 2014. Woods also surrendered a second horse to another equestrian, Patty Berg-Le. According to Darla Clark, the Executive Director for Strawberry Mountain Mustangs, the surrendering of a couple horses was shortly before the criminal charges against Woods, as she continued to have other horses she failed to provide proper care for. Clark further said she was shocked after reading a statement posted by the official NWGHA page in response to being questioned on Facebook about the event: “We are not OK with horse abusers but we do believe that anyone can make mistakes and change for the better.”

It was further alleged that Woods faced multiple violations and sanctions under the USDA Horse Protection Act (HPA) related to alleged actions of “soring” dating to 2008 and 2010. According to The American Veterinary Medical Association: “Soring is the unethical and illegal practice of deliberately inflicting pain to exaggerate the leg motion of gaited horses (such as Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses) to gain an unfair advantage in the show ring.”

A photo from late 2014 showing one of the horses that was allegedly neglected by Woods and later lead to her conviction of animal neglect charges

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (or APHIS) has yet to respond to NW Horse Report’s inquiries into Woods looking to confirm the records. Plunkett disputed the allegations of the federal violations by Woods: “I was the one who sent in violations [of Woods].” She explained they were only “local HIO tickets” and there would be no listed record with APHIS. HIO is short for Horse Inspection Organization. Plunkett did confirm that Woods was suspended for 6-months for what she called “minor violations”. Based on the statements it appears Plunkett was previously an investigator

According to Plunkett, until a few years ago the Western International Walking Horse Association was the delegated HIO authority for the northwest. “Since it was dissolved and there is no official HIO, any issues regarding violations of the federal HPA becomes the responsibility of any show management.” said Plunkett.

Plunkett went on to defend Woods’ involvement despite the previous convictions, as well as saying the nearly 30-member NWGHA were all supportive of Woods: “There were events in her life that created a situation.”

When asked about why Woods did not surrender all of the horses to avoid further neglect in late 2014: “Some are far more adoptable than others, this had been going on for a period of time, prior to and some after the convictions. The ones she had remaining were horses that were less adoptable but she was emotionally attached to. I can’t tell you how much this damaged her personally.” It was discovered that Woods also failed to complete her probation terms about 6-months following an apparent plea-deal with the DA. That would have deferred the charges for animal neglect had she not violated the terms of her probation.

We asked Plunkett if they had considered the past issues with Woods before the promotion of their event and whether they considered any public backlash for the announcement. “It didn’t even cross our mind because Janna [Woods] today is not the same person. It doesn’t excuse the theft, but she stole something to sell to feed the horses. She is living with another member of our group, is stable on employment history, on her medication, she does ride the horses with her roommate.”

While Plunkett confirmed that Woods would not be compensated for this particular clinic and that it was intended as a fundraiser for their association, NW Horse Report was shown social media pages that Woods’ had indeed started soliciting business online under the name “Janna Woods Stables”, although it appears that Woods does not have her own facility, nor is the business registered with the State of Oregon. She had also shared the event on a Facebook page she maintained for her business. Others expressed that while they didn’t believe that Woods should continue to be “punished”, they felt strongly that her role as a trainer was far from appropriate and set a bad precedence. “She’s not someone who should be setting an example” said Clark.

Within a couple days of our investigation, the online ads for the April 10th event appear to have been taken down on the NWGHA Facebook page. After the initial publication of this article, NWGHA confirmed that the event had been cancelled. While we informed Plunkett and her roommate that Ms. Woods was welcome to provide any statement for publication, we have had no further contact from NWGHA or Woods at the time this story was published.

Shortly after the release of this article via a Facebook post made on NW Horse Report, Nancy O’Dell Plunkett, President of NWGHA, confirmed that clinic mentioned in our story was cancelled. She further stated that Woods had “resigned from the NWGHA Board”. It was not know to NW Horse Report at the time that Woods was a member of the groups board of directors.

Concerns arise over horse sale event set for Deschutes County Fairgrounds

NW Horse Report Staff
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Concerns arise over horse sale event set for Deschutes County Fairgrounds

UPDATE: This story was updated after its original publication to include details of a response from Phillip Metcalf made a day after it was released.

While many equestrians may take to a horse sale consignment event as a great opportunity, concerns are being raised concerning one such upcoming event in Redmond, Oregon, located in Deschutes County. On March 4th, Philip Royce Metcalf, who has also used the alias of Royce Bisio, created a Facebook page titled “High Desert Horse Sale Redmond Oregon May 28th 2021” and immediately started posting details about an event that was to be held at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center on May 29th. Metcalf further shared this page and other posts on multiple equestrian targeted Facebook groups.

Metcalf further disclosed that he runs a company called “High Desert Select Horse Sales”. Aaron Fiedler, Press Secretary and Public Information Officer for the Oregon Secretary of State, told NW Horse Report that the Corporations Division did not have any record of Metcalf’s purported business. Records for a business Dependable Horse Training & Shoeing, LLC registered in 2005 were discovered and do list a “Phil Metcalf” tied to the company. That company is listed as inactive due to “administrative dissolution” dated in 2006. Based on a Facebook page and other social media pages, Metcalf has also been known to trade under a name of “R&R Horses Select” and “Metcalf Horse Sales”, none of which were found registered according to Fiedler.

“Speaking generally, Oregonians who have specific complaints about individual businesses would be directed to the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Protection team” said Fiedler.

The concerns shared by those who have done business with Metcalf (aka Royce Bisio) expressed that he has had a history of “shady” and “unethical” transactions related to the sales of horses and tack equipment. Their concerns were increased with their allegations that Metcalf may be using the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center to legitimize his latest business transactions.

The Crook County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Phillip Metcalf currently has an outstanding warrant for a probation violation. While not related to any financial crimes or business practices, court records show that Metcalf actually has multiple outstanding warrants out of both Crook and Deschutes counties, as well as several charges related to DUI from 2017 and 2018. The warrant from Deschutes County is for failure to appear and stems from a case in which he was charged with DUI, Recklessly Endangering Another, Reckless Driving, and Refusal to Take a Test for Intoxicants.

Phillip Royce Metcalf, aka Royce Bisio
A 2018 photo of Phillip Metcalf (aka Royce Bisio) upon booking, Crook County Jail.

Multiple people who spoke with NW Horse Report that know Metcalf have alleged he has continued to regularly operate a motor vehicle, despite the fact that Metcalf’s license was suspended by a court in 2019 and is effective through June of 2022. Metcalf also had a charge from early 2018 for Criminal Driving while Suspended, indicating it is not his first time engaging in the alleged operation of a vehicle while suspended.

On the event page created by Metcalf, he posted that those wishing to consign a horse should mail checks or money orders made out to “High Desert Horse Select Sales” and mail them to an address in Redmond. However, the address appears to have several discrepancies and may not actually point to a specific location. It was also unclear how Metcalf would be able to deposit checks made out to this business name as banks typically require documentation with the Secretary of State to be presented in order to open a bank account with that tradename.

We reached out to the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center for comment regarding the May 29th event, which is also still displayed on their website and lists Metcalf as a point for contact. Facility Director Geoff Hinds confirmed that Metcalf had signed a contract with them for the event personally, not under the business name that Metcalf is soliciting payments under.

Hinds’ said that per the contract, Metcalf is not required to make his first partial payment to the county until March 16th, with other monies being due at a later date before the event. “We do not discriminate with those we do business with. It’s no different than the rules for individuals who would rent park or other government facilities.” said Hinds. Additionally Metcalf would be required to provide proof of insurance that meets the facilities requirements, but that they do not currently have a process or policy to verify business registrations with the Secretary of State online database.

Phillip Metcalf and his purported business “High Desert Select Horse Sales” is scheduled to hold a horse consignment sale on May 29th at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds.

In speaking with Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair about the county involvement and circumstances around Metcalf’s unregistered business and current outstanding warrants, Adair said it was “very concerning”. Adair disclosed she herself is an avid equestrian and wants to ensure other equestrians are protected from being “taken advantage of”. While she was also unsure if someone with active warrants out of Deschutes as well as other Oregon counties should be permitted to contract for the use of county facilities, Adair went on to say “I definitely want to check into this and get back to you.” NW Horse Report will either update this story when we receive any updates or provide a follow-up story.

The owner of a A Bit Less, an equine consignment store in Bend, revealed that it had itself had issues with the purchase of a saddle from Metcalf in the summer of 2020. The owner of the store, Heather Naasz, indicated that upon meeting Metcalf to buy a saddle he had for sale, the saddle was missing the stirrup and leathers for the saddle. Naasz said she went ahead with the transaction and paid Metcalf, believing a story that he needed to retrieve them from another location where they were left by mistake.

Naasz said Metcalf then gave her the run-around for months via countless text message conversations. She has yet to receive the stirrups promised by Metcalf despite having paid for them with the saddle in full. Several of the other stories detailed to NW Horse Report have a similar claims stemming from discovered issues of unfair trade practices.

COURTESY PHOTO – A photo from inside of A Bit Less, LLC, an equine tack consignment store in Bend, Oregon.

Naasz was asked if she had any recommendations for those looking to consign any sort of property for sale, including horses. “I always make sure our customers understand our straight forward contract at the time of consignment, whether it be length of consignment, fees, or timeline. We also use a POS system designed just for consignment stores.”

Under Oregon law (ORS 698.640) there are specific legal requirements for any individuals or businesses engaged in consignment sales. Violations are considered unlawful trade practices.

Trevor Hall, a former acquaintance of Metcalf who runs a farrier business in central Oregon said that Metcalf has gone as far as misrepresenting horses during sales, having directly witnessed Metcalf “drugging” horses and passing the horses off as safe and/or beginner horses. Under Oregon law, it is a misdemeanor crime to “sell or offer for sale a horse that is drugged, tranquilized, or otherwise sedated without the consent of the buyer.” (ORS 165.825).

Hall said that in one particular case, Metcalf sold a drugged horse to a family who needed a very good kid-safe horse for their child with down-syndrome. Hall said the that everything was fine the day of the sale, but the family then quickly discovered that the horse had tendencies that were incompatible and opposite of what Metcalf had allegedly told them. Several days after the sale, Hall had been asked by the family to come shoe the horse. Hall indicated that not only was the horse not kid safe, he said that horse was unsafe for him despite feeling he is a “fairly qualified horsemen”.

NW Horse Report did independently verify the the source of the allegations with the family in question. They confirmed they purchased the horse from Metcalf for $5,000. After their discovery they attempted to reach Metcalf who then “ghosted” them. They claim he later answered one of their calls, but only threating to call the police for harassment. They said they briefly spoke to a Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy, but ultimately just gave up pursuing the issue with Metcalf.

The family then detailed the spending of another approximately $7,500 over 9-months with a trainer to work with the horse multiple times each week, hoping to have progress that would allow them to use the horse. At the request of the family on a bona fide fear for their own safety, their names are being withheld.

While Hall indicated that he thought Metcalf had “…promise and potential to be a real asset to equestrians by doing good business, he decided to go for the quick buck. I don’t wish him any ill will, but I don’t want to see others getting taken advantage of either.” said Hall. When asked what he’d tell others looking to buy from Metcalf, “Avoid at all costs. He preys on those that don’t know better and haven’t heard of him.” Hall further went on to confirm that Metcalf has also been involved in the export of horses for slaughter, another allegation repeatedly made by others across social media.

Multiple posts over the last couple of years show numerous claims about Metcalf, including on the “Oregon Horse Buyer Beware” Facebook group. “Royce Bisio [an alias used by Phillip Metcalf] bought the horse under false pretenses last fall.” said one of the posts. “Lied about everything this horse knows and then deleted his ad once called out on it. He is a horse flipper who takes horses to auction regularly, often by lying to owners”.

We reached out early in our investigation to Mr. Metcalf requesting information about his event. He provided little comment but indicated he would email us information shortly after a “new website” for the event was up and going. He did state that he his business was “fully licensed and insured”, a claim that is questionable considering the statement from the Corporations Division, at least in Oregon.

Metcalf further claimed that Facebook was “glitching” and not allowing certain updates to be posted. A post made a few days before our story also said he was working on the website, but as of publishing it appears that post was removed from the page. We reached back out to Mr. Metcalf seeking comment on the many allegations and have not heard back before initial publishing.

Following the initial release of this story, Phillip Metcalf contacted NW Horse Report, going on at length claiming he was being “defamed” and “bullied by people who have bad reps themselves”. Metcalf further said NW Horse Report was “lying in its reporting”, going on at length. “My business is licensed, you better [expiative removed] check that, you probably not spelling it right.” said Metcalf. When it was explained that our investigation involved speaking with the Oregon Secretary of State, he said: “they aren’t looking it up right either, I’ll send you the damn paper in my wallet that will prove it.”

Metcalf has yet to provide any documentation he indicated would contradict the State’s data about his business. When asked if he could provide the actual registry number so as to avoid any possible confusion, he refused to disclose it.

Metcalf also said he didn’t have to have the horse sale permit until 30-days before the sale, something that NW Horse Report had not previously made mention of. It was determined that the Oregon Department of Agriculture would require Metcalf to obtain a “One Day Horse Sale License”. Among the requirements is an application and $25 license fee, a $25,000 minimum bond or irrevocable letter of credit, facility inspection by ODA, and a deputy state veterinarian employed by the licensee must also present on the sale day.

Metcalf further went on to claim that he has yet to solicit and monies from those wanting to consign their horses. Despite having his own posts that do solicit money and entries being brought to his attention, he simply responded saying “I haven’t gotten any money yet, so it’s not soliciting.” He further went on to say: “I’m still going to have this sale and it’s going to be a great family friendly environment, the other stuff is just a bunch of [expiative removed]”.

Metcalf further claimed the event was actually going to be an auction, having a “legitimate auctioneer coming”. When asked who the auctioneer was: “I’m not going to say, it’s none of your business.” remarked Metcalf. This raised further confusion as to the event being a straight forward consignment sale or an bidding auction, which continues to be unclear with the latest rounds of posts by Metcalf on social media.

Metcalf initially disputed our reports about his outstanding warrants, but eventually admitted that one of the warrants was due to classes related to his DUI being cancelled from COVID. “the sheriffs said I didn’t need to worry about it until after this COVID stuff is over.” said Metcalf. When asked if he intended on reporting to law enforcement about the warrant, Metcalf said “oh yeah, I’m going to call them right now and clear this all up.”

This story was updated after it’s original publication to include details of a response from Metcalf following the initial story.

Popular FB Group responds to claims of unfair censorship over equestrian coach found guilty of State ethics laws

NW Horse Report Staff
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Popular FB Group responds to claims of unfair censorship over equestrian coach found guilty of State ethics laws

UPDATE 3/13: Following this story being published, Oregon HORSE Forum decided to re-block and deny re-entry to a number of individuals associated with the ethics complaint against Wacker. It was further discovered that several other group moderators had close ties and friendships with Wacker. Additionally Oregon HORSE Forum claimed that those individuals were being denied reentry for allegedly “One of the main reasons that OHF has been so successful is that we do not promote or engage in drama. When a group of people join with the same agenda, we stop it before it can escalate.” said Gartner.

However, individuals posted that they had been banned by the group before and/or again without having made any post regarding Wacker on Oregon HORSE Forum. Gartner further proceeded to criticizedNW Horse Report for it’s reporting of the Wacker case and the allegations against Crouch on its group, differing greatly from statements made by Gartner and others made outside the group. It is unclear if they have criticized Pamplin Media Group who has had much more in-depth and frequent reporting regarding Angie Wacker.

Following the initial breaking story from Oregon City News regarding a high school equestrian coach found running afoul of Oregon ethics laws, NW Horse Report learned from multiple sources alleging that the popular equestrian Facebook group, “Oregon HORSE Forum”, was engaged in questionable censorship of any news regarding Oregon City High School equestrian coach, Angie Wacker. Wacker was found guilty of State ethics violations last month. A Final Disposition order for Wacker has yet to be released by OGEC on her case.

Wacker, who is still currently the coach for Oregon City High School’s OHSET equestrian team, was found to have violated four counts of Oregon ethics laws by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC). She, along with several Oregon City School District officials, are now subject to additional investigations from the Oregon Department of Education as well as the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. Having convicted Wacker, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission has launched a new investigation into whether the Oregon City School Board broke other laws in voting not to fire Wacker.

Following the initial story by Oregon City News, NW Horse Report also released its initial story on Wacker’s violations and questions regarding improper injury reporting, bringing further attention to additional issues that were uncovered of alleged check fraud by Wacker. Read that story here

Oregon HORSE Forum is one of the largest Facebook groups for Oregon equestrians, having a current membership of over 12,000 members. The Group is currently setup as a “private” group, meaning that Facebook users must be approved prior to seeing or being able to comment on posts made by other group members.

In the days following the initial story from Oregon City News on February 11th, tips came into NW Horse Report showing shares by Facebook users of a news story about Wacker from Oregon City News being removed without any explanation. It was additionally claimed that several of those who were complainants feared sharing the story on this Facebook group, stating it would result in them being “banned” from the group. Although, several individuals associated with the complaints against Wacker found themselves blocked from Oregon HORSE Forum starting around this time.

Further material provided to us indicated that other people not associated with the Wacker case may have innocently shared the same news story, unaware that a moderator of Oregon HORSE Forum Facebook group, Polly Crouch, was friends with Wacker.

A screenshot of the Oregon HORSE Forum as seen on Facebook. This is the group that individuals alleged was being unfair moderated by a friend of Angie Wacker, a coach found guilty of Oregon ethics laws and under additional investigations.

It was discovered that Crouch currently rents a house and horse barn from Wacker, the same house that was part of the alleged retaliatory termination of a residential lease held by a former parent and student-athlete of Wacker’s. Additionally, the complaint to the State’s Ethics Commission alleged that Wacker used her position to arrange for a student-athlete’s family to lease the house owned by her Husband.

In documents released by the Ethics Commission, it explains that the issues related to the lease where just beyond the 4-year limitation for the commission to have investigative authority and were not addressed any further by the commission.

On March 8th, we reached out to Pam Gartner who is the Admin for the Oregon HORSE Forum Facebook group. While Gartner stated that while she had only glanced at one of the stories about Wacker, she was unfamiliar with any ties between one of her moderators, Polly Crouch, and Angie Wacker. She also said she had no knowledge of improper censorship and actions by any of her moderators, including Crouch. She stated she had no relationship herself with Wacker, but did state that “most people in the show world know the Wackers and have had positive things to say about them.”

Gartner further went on to explain that the group she created was done so about a decade ago, having been the result of other Facebook groups that she said where “unfairly censoring discussions about a particular [horse] trainer”. She further explained that she had always meant for the group to be a place where people could appropriately discuss issues and differing opinions, so long as people are threating others.

When asked if she knew others had alleged Crouch was improperly using her role as a group moderator to ban users and remove posts related to discussions related to Wacker, Garter explained she wasn’t sure of the extent of any of Crouch’s alleged actions. She said if the allegations were true, including removals of posts sharing such news stories, that it “would be extremely inappropriate”.

“I have removed many moderators in the past for doing such things” said Gartner. She further explained that while she was also Facebook friends with Crouch and had only met in person once or twice, they really didn’t know each other personally.

Gartner did confirm that Crouch had taken some moderator actions on users who had shared articles on the group discussion page, including requiring preapproval of posts. However, she stopped short of confirming if Crouch had actually removed the posts which were no longer on the group page, stating that her moderation log on Facebook wasn’t showing the actual posts ever being removed.

Gartner also explained that she was unaware about the any removals/bans that may have been made by Crouch recently against those who had spoken out about Wacker.

She did go on to explain that the management team for Oregon HORSE Forum would ban any users which blocked the personal profiles of herself or any of the moderators. Several individuals told NW Horse Report that they have blocked or been blocked by Crouch, perhaps providing an explanation for the reason they were banned from Oregon HORSE Forum.

We asked Gartner if she had been contacted by anyone who had issues with any of the moderation of her page, which she said she had not. She further stated that anyone who feels the moderators are overstepping should be brought to her attention and that she would address it “fairly, without bias”.

Stephanie Nolte, who’s daughter was previously in Wacker’s 4-H program, discovered that sometime between the middle to late February that she was banned from the group, despite not having had any discussion on the group regarding Wacker. “I have never posted anything negative, slanderous, or business bashing. I do like to follow the page to keep up to date on what is going on in the horse world and sometimes offer advice on what has worked for us.” said Nolte.

Another individual who came forward during the ethics investigation, Amanda Barton, also discovered she was blocked from the page sometime in late February. Barton was also one of the individuals who received “cease and desist” letters, following parents who appealed the school districts decision to retain Wacker in 2019. These letters were sent not by Wackers primary attorney, but a second attorney she had retained. Pamplin Media Group reported that Oregon Ethics Commissioner Nathan Sosa, a Hillsboro-based attorney, said Wacker “put significant pressure” on parents and the district to ignore issues and keep Wacker in her position as coach.

“This is a place for you to ask or offer advice, chat about horse related issues, share your success, and upcoming events. Discussions are welcome. Please allow differences of opinion, and do not attack members if they do not support your views. There are topics that the horse community will NEVER agree on! Foul language will not be tolerated.” a statement from the Oregon HORSE Forum’s About section.

She also confirmed that those under 18 years of age are not permitted in the group as the discussions and business of the group should never involve minors. This statement raised further questions regarding an incident involving Crouch as a group moderator going back to 2017. In that case Crouch messaged via Facebook a 16-year-old student-athlete, who was also allegedly part of Wackers OHSET team at OCHS and her 4-H program. The message about the student being Facebook friends with another girl who requested to join the Oregon HORSE Forum.

“I’m curious if she is 21…and also curious why you would be friends with someone like her?” said Crouch to the minor. The minor student replied “I thought she was friends with [name redacted] when I was younger, and when we were close. I might have been thinking of someone else though.” Crouch went on to say “Not really someone you need to be associating with… even just [on] Facebook. People judge other people by the friends they keep.” Crouch followed-up at the end confirming she “denied and blocked” the other girl from the Oregon Horse Forum.” It was unclear the age of the other girl who requested to join the group at the time.

Considering Gartner’s policy where they would only permit those who are 18-years of age to join the group, we asked Gartner if a group moderator like Crouch should be involving minors when reviewing the applications of other adults. She further indicated that “anyone under 18 is not supposed to be involved in any matters concerning the [Oregon HORSE Forum], just not appropriate, that’s always been my rule,”

The day after Gartner spoke with NW Horse Report, it appeared Crouch was no longer a moderator of the group. In our call with Gartner she expressed that anyone who feels they were improperly removed or blocked from the group should contact her for assistance. Multiple individuals, including Nolte and Barton, have since reported that they were successful in reaching Gartner about being blocked from the page, or would be reaching out shortly. They said Gartner was prompt in restoring their access to group page on Facebook, for which they were thankful.

We reached out by email to Ms. Crouch for comment on March 8th regarding the allegations that she was abusing her moderator role with Oregon HORSE Forum and unfairly blocking users on the group. She has yet to respond upon the publishing of this story.

County Commissioners pressure Oregon Governor Kate Brown over Sisters Rodeo

NW Horse Report Staff
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County Commissioners pressure Oregon Governor Kate Brown over Sisters Rodeo

Much like many rodeo and equestrian events across the country, the cancellation of the Sisters Rodeo in 2020 over COVID-19 restrictions was no exception. With the decreasing cases of COVID-19 and daily increases in vaccinations, many public events have been working to make arrangements in holding modified events in their respective communities across the state. For rural parts of Oregon, events like the Sisters Rodeo are major local revenue generators that businesses desperately depend on, and with that the jobs they provide.

On March 3rd, the three Deschutes County Commissioners sent a joint letter to Oregon Governor Kate Brown pressuring the governor to take action, in particular to have the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to issue a “provisional permit” to allow alcohol sales for the 2021 Sisters Rodeo. The county’s commission is comprised of two republicans and one democrat.

COURTESY PHOTO | Sisters Rodeo 2010 – Gary Miller – Sisters Country Photography

“2021 will be the 80th anniversary of the Sisters Rodeo. The rodeo has been a fixture in Deschutes County for all 80 years, and the importance of the event from both a community and economic perspective cannot be underestimated.” the letter to Gov. Brown stated. “The Sisters Rodeo is an outdoor ticketed event, with assigned seating which allows us to control the crowd safely given its location on private grounds.”

Letter to Governor Brown from Deschutes County Commissioners
Deschutes County Commissioners sent a letter to Governor Kate Brown on March 3rd regarding OLCC permitting for the 2021 Sisters Rodeo. Click above to read the full letter.

The commissioners also pointed to was the ability to work on consultation with the County’s Environment Health staff. “The rodeo will require everyone within the Rodeo complex to wear a mask, distancing protocols would be in place and sanitizing stations will be readily available. In addition, during the Rodeo audio and video presentations will be placed to further encourage fans to comply with all safety rules and regulations.”

The letter further explained that the county commissioners understood that OLCC would not issue a permit due to the anticipated size of the event. “Without alcohol sales, our sponsors, Coors and Crown Royal would make it impossible for us to have the event.” the commissioners said. “We ask that OLCC issue a provisional permit in this case.”

“I can only HOPE all the support will make the OLCC open up and give the Sister’s Rodeo all the support its needs.” said Commissioner Patti Adair in an email to NW Horse Report.

Rodger Dwight with the Sisters Rodeo Board of Directors spoke with NW Horse Report about their optimism of being able to hold the rodeo this year. “We have a plan as to how we’re going to do it, and PRCA has a plan with their athletes and we’re incorporating their plan with ours,” said Dwight. “A plan has been submitted to the Governor’s office and there is a major meeting they are holding at the end of March about all big events throughout the state”.

When asked about the financial impacts for the Sisters Rodeo from already having to cancel the rodeo in 2020, Dwight further expressed that they had to “tighten down” financially. “We’re okay financially, but barely. It’s a very volunteer based operation, but that’s become hard with so many people themselves struggling financially and being out of work.”

“We are trying to expand the discussions about the economic impact. We’re talking
about millions of dollars coming into the county during the rodeo that impacts our community.” said Dwight.

This article was updated at 3:50pm on 3/10 in include comments made to NW Horse Report from Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair following the initial release of this story.

Training underway at Emerald Downs for 2021 Racing Season

NW Horse Report Staff
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Training underway at Emerald Downs for 2021 Racing Season

Here’s My Copy, an unraced 4-year-old filly trained by Greg Moore, was first on the track Friday morning when training began for the 2021 racing season at Emerald Downs.

Here’s My Copy
2020 Horse of the Meeting Dutton and Jennifer Whitaker

According to Director of Racing Bret Anderson, 210 horses have arrived since Monday, including strings trained by Blaine Wright, Rosie Simkins, Sharon Ross, Tom Wenzel, Bonnie Jenne, Candi Cryderman, David Martinez, Vince Gibson, Howard Belvoir, Jose Navarro, Steve Bullock, Satchell Stevens, Shelly Crowe, Jesse Velasquez, Doris Harwood, Cliff Balcom, and two-time defending training champion Frank Lucarelli.

Dutton, 2020 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting, made an 8:30 a.m. appearance under regular rider Jennifer Whitaker. Trained by Howard Belvoir and owned by Rising Star Stable VIII, Dutton was 3 for 3 in 2020 including wins in the WTBOA Lads Stakes and Gottstein Futurity. A 3-year-old gelding by Noosito, Dutton was named co-champion 2-year-old with Bodenheimer at last week’s 2020 WTBOA awards ceremony.

Training continues 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily.

Here’s My Copy takes the 2021 early bird award.

The 50-day meeting begins Wednesday, May 19 and runs through Thursday, Sept. 23. The 2021 stakes scheduling featuring the 86th running of the Longacres Mile (G3) will be announced later this month.

Pot producers to be allowed near youth equestrian activities

NW Horse Report Staff
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Pot producers to be allowed near youth equestrian activities

Over the course of two years, two marijuana producers have been fighting to be able to establish their businesses in rural Deschutes County. The County Commissioners voted last month not to not appeal a recent decision from the Oregon Court of Appeals to affirm a Land Use Board of Appeals ruling last month that said Deschutes County could not block marijuana production near “youth activity centers”. The ruling deemed that the county’s use of the term was too ambiguous.

Multiple applications were denied by the county commission for various reasons, with two applications being initially denied because the commission said they were too close to what the county deemed “youth activity centers.” Another application was rejected for being near facilities that host “youth oriented equestrian activates” as well as “4-H agricultural activities,” as stated in court documents. One other application was denied because the county commission said it was too close to Sundance Meadows Ranch, a privately owned and operated recreational activity and lodging business.

48 horses seized from facility in Yamhill County, owner charged with felony neglect

NW Horse Report Staff
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48 horses seized from facility in Yamhill County, owner charged with felony neglect

On February 24th, 2020, volunteers associated with Sound Equine Options assisted the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon Human Society with the seizure of 48 horses from Silver Oaks Saddlebreds, a horse boarding, breading, and training facility located in Carlton, Oregon. The facility is owned by Susan Swango. Sound Equine Options (SEO) is a 501(c)(3) horse rescue located in Gresham. Additionally, 7 cats were seized also taken to the Oregon Human Society.

A press release from the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said “Deputies assisted Yamhill County Code Enforcement in the service of an administrative warrant at Silver Oaks on February 19.  During the service, deputies discovered inadequate food and water sources for the horses. Water was being obtained from a nearby creek but was insufficient.  Deputies on scene were very concerned about the physical condition of the horses.”

The Sheriff’s Office immediately arranged for a donation of 2 tons of alfalfa hay for Swango. While she did accept the hay, she refused an offer for a donation of 1,000 gallons of water.

On February 23rd and 24th, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Crime Response Team (CRT) and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), with the assistance of special agents from the Oregon Humane Society, served a search warrant at Swango’s property.

Silver Oaks Saddlebreds is located at 8350 NE Hendricks Road just east of Carlton, Oregon.

A photo of one of the rescued horses while being documented as evidence for criminal charges against Susan Swango, owner of Silver Oaks Saddlebreds. She has been charged with a felony, animal neglect in the second degree.

Capt. Chris Ray, Public Information Officer for Yamhill County Sheriff’s office also confirmed that a horse died during the rescue efforts “In an unfortunate incident, one horse died of injuries sustained from falling over while volunteer attempted to guide the horse into a rescue trailer.” according to the statement from Capt.

Swango has been charged with a felony, Animal Neglect in the Second Degree. She has been issued a citation to appear for these charges on March 24th. There appeared to be no record of her being arrested and booked into the Yamhill County Jail at this time. Deputy District Attorney Jake Kamins from Yamhill County will be prosecuting the case. The Yamhill County Sheriff’s press release seems to imply that Kamins is experienced in handling cases of animal cruelty.

Silver Oaks Saddlebreds is an assumed business name used by owner/operator, Susan Swango. According to records from the Oregon Secretary of State, Swango registered the assumed business name (aka DBA) in May of 2011, but failed to renew in 2013. However, several sources have reported that Swango has been in this line of business for well over 30+ years with a trail of reports and complaints about her care of horses in other parts of Oregon.

A photo provided by the Oregon Humane Society showing conditions in one of the paddocks at Silver Oaks Saddlebreds

It was further reported by Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office that a veterinarian had come to Swango’s property about 5 months ago to assess the horses, finding at the time that evidence did not rise to the level of probable cause for an arrest or search warrant. While NW Horse Report has learned that the veterinarian who came to Swango’s property may have been Dr. Carrie O’Brian who is based in Yamhill County. Dr. O’Brian has not returned our call at the time of this publication.

NW Horse Report further learned from Carlton Police Chief Kevin Martinez that Swango was also recently charged with fraudulent use of a credit card related to attempted payments of her water bill with the City of Carlton. While Chief Martinez indicated that his Department was not involved in the investigation regarding horse neglect, he did say the case of this magnitude is not normal for the area. He said that most equestrians he’s aware of in their area of Yamhill County we’re diligent equestrians.

A photo of a horse taken by Casseay Tadlock who blew the whistle by posting on Facebook about the issues at Susan Swango’s horse facility back in September of 2020.

In September of 2020, Casseay Tadlock of Carlton created a Facebook Group and posted pictures and provided a public statement due to conditions she found on the property in an effort to raise attention with fellow equestrians. Tadlock told NW Horse Report that she had heard about terrible conditions at the property and was able to get a job as a stable hand with Swango, doing so with an open mind and unsure of how accurate the reports had been about Swango and horses on the property. Tadlock said she was shocked after discovering the conditions, much of which she detailed in photos and video posted to the Facebook Group she created. Tadlock indicated she has a background as a vet tech and livestock farrier.

Coutesy Photo – Casseay Tadlock pictured with one of her horses.

While Tadlock expressed she was relieved for the horses upon the news that they were rescued from the property, she was still upset about the amount of time it took for authorities to take action after being witness to the conditions in September of 2020. She and others continued to contact Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office for months.

“Her manure pile is over the size of a football field and over 10ft tall. Pregnant mares crammed into a small area.” Tadlock said in a post on Facebook.

“This is a woman who knows what she is doing is wrong, but doesn’t care.” she said when talking to NW Horse Report. “My personal and professional opinion is that Ms. Swango should never own animals again. I don’t wish Ms. Swango any ill will.”

Yamhill County Sheriff Tim Svenson expressed his sincere appreciation to all who participated with his office in this operation.  “While we wear many hats in law enforcement, occasionally we run into situations where true expertise and skills in a particular area are needed.  Sound Equine and the Oregon Humane Society’s vast knowledge were instrumental in getting these animals the assistance they need”.

The Oregon Human Society team traveled to the area in Carlton on Wednesday to assist with the processing of evidence and provide other expertise as needed. The cats in OHS’s care will also receive a forensic exam to determine the extent of their neglect.

“This case demonstrates cooperation among multiple agencies and the statewide scope of OHS’s work,” says Sharon Harmon, OHS President and CEO.

Sound Equine Options is accepting monetary donations.  Donations can be made through their website.  These specific horses can be assisted by typing “YCSO” in the “Send an Acknowledgement to” box on the Donation Information page.

In the last decade, SEO has assisted with dozens of law enforcement cases, taken in more than 450 horses, and helped many countless more. SEO has assisted law enforcement agencies in Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, and Wasco counties in Oregon, and Clark and Klickitat counties in Washington. On average, SEO is caring for between 40 and 60 horses at a time. 

This is a developing story which we will be following. Updated at 9:25pm on 2/25 – expanded on comments made to NW Horse Report by Casseay Tadlock.

Emerald Downs Announces 2021 Incentive Programs for Trainers

NW Horse Report Staff
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Emerald Downs Announces 2021 Incentive Programs for Trainers

AUBURN, Wash. – Emerald Downs has announced several incentive programs for the 2021 race meet that begins on May 19 and continues through September 23.

To help increase horse population, Emerald Downs will offer a $10,000 bonus to any new trainer who brings at least 10 horses to the track. A $5,000 bonus will be paid directly to the trainer upon arrival and an additional $5,000 after the trainer’s 10th start of the meet. Trainers must come from a track outside of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.

The popular Ship and Run Incentive Program also has been enhanced for 2021. Out of state horses will receive a $500 bonus for their initial start at Emerald Downs. The bonus is for horses whose most recent start was outside the state and have not raced at Emerald Downs in 2019 and 2020. In addition, horses must have started for a claiming price of $3,000 or more in each of its three previous starts. First-time starters are not eligible. Additionally, every unplaced starter will continue to receive a $200 participation fee.

Emerald Downs’ stable area opens Monday, March 1 and training begins Friday, March 5.

Stall applications are available online at emeralddowns.com in the horsemen section. For complete details on the incentive programs call Director of Racing, Bret Anderson at 253-288-7751.

**New trainer and shipping bonus programs cannot be combined. Trainer bonus limited to the first five who qualify, and shipping bonus limited to the first 100 horses that qualify.

For more information you and visit the Emerald Downs website.

Equestrian Coach busted by Oregon Ethics Commission; Parents also allege check fraud

NW Horse Report Staff
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Equestrian Coach busted by Oregon Ethics Commission; Parents also allege check fraud

Oregon City, Ore. – On January 29th, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) unanimously held that Oregon City High School Equestrian Coach Angie Wacker violated state law. The Commission found that Wacker used her official position to benefit her own horse boarding and training business, Wacker Performance Horses (WPH).

Wacker had also operated this business for over a decade without being registered with the Oregon Secretary of State as required by state law. It wasn’t until August 2020 that Wacker and her husband registered the business after the launch of the ethics investigation into Wacker.

In a phone call with NW Horse Report, Wacker’s husband Kevin said they didn’t know they had to register with the state as they were dealing with other licensing with Clackamas County. He also denied that the registration and formation of their LLC only recently was due to the investigation into his wife.

The Oregon Secretary of State, Corporations Division, has confirmed that to be exempt from registering a tradename, the principal’s full legal name, which means first and last, along with at least the middle initial, must be included in the name. That would mean that Wacker simply having her last name is insufficient, according to ORS 648.007.

Wacker, who has been the coach for OCHS since 2014, had been receiving payments from both the Oregon City School District and students involved in the school’s OHSET program, all while she failed to file statements of economic interest which are required for coaches who are considered public officials. Wacker now faces up to $20,000 in fines from the State associated with the four different ethics violations she was found to be in violation of.

Ethics Commissioner Sean O’Day, who is also the deputy director of the Oregon Department of Veteran Affairs, said that Wacker’s case had a clear and repeated pattern of “self-dealing,” as reported by Oregon City News.

“We want public officials to be making decisions that are free of any personal interest,” said O’Day. The complaint stated that Wacker “…instituted a ‘pay for play’ system that included charging student-athletes leasing, boarding, and training fees and retaliating against student-athletes who stopped leasing or boarding at WPH.”

Wacker’s attorney, Rachael Bench, asserted to the Commission that her client “has never required or incentivized members of the OHSET team to lease horses from or board at her facility and she has never taken adverse action against a team member for not leasing a Wacker horse or boarding at the facility.” Wacker also noted that WPH has a number of boarders who are not students or student-athletes. WPH was charging for various fees such as $450 monthly for boarding, as well as trailering fees that ranged between $20 to $50 per trip. According to Athletic Director Andy Jones, he was aware of these fees, although they had not been adopted by the Oregon City School District’s Board of Directors.

The investigation’s report indicated that once a month, WPH submits an invoice to Oregon City High School’s accounting office, an invoice prepared by Team Advisor Shellie Anderson, who attends practices and keeps attendance sheets. Payment is made to WPH by the District and the fees are deducted from the student-athletes’ accounts at the school. A letter submitted to the Commission by Jill Gibson, the complainant’s attorney, asserted that Wacker “used her official position to advance her private financial interests in violation of ORS 244.0[40] and ORs 244.120(1)(c).” She further explained that Wacker decided when and how often the Team would practice and where those practices took place.

“Coach Wacker sets the practice requirements for each athlete [who] wanted to compete in a certain [activity], and those athletes must pay Wacker Performance Horses for those mandated practices… The number of required practices [is] totally within Coach Wacker’s discretion and she directly benefit[s] from each practice she require[s].”

Wacker asserted that arena fees charged by her and WPH were in accordance with OHSET rules so long as the fees are reasonable. However, the Commission’s report showed that Wacker is still the decision maker on when practices took place, the decision for practices to happen at WPH’s facilities, and the number of practices to hold, and one that provided a financial benefit to WPH.

In a statement to the Commission, OHSET State Chair Candi Bothum appeared to acknowledge that “OHSET may need to implement new policies and procedures.”

“OHSET is currently reviewing our policies and guidelines to ensure they align with applicable state law so that all of our programs, coaches, and volunteers have a better understanding of their obligations, including disclosure of actual or potential conflicts of interest,” said Bothum in an emailed statement to NW Horse Report.

Parents allege possible check fraud by Wacker

During our own investigation, NW Horse Report was provided evidence, along with allegations by a parent, that alleged Wacker was fraudulently altering checks originally made out to Wacker Performance Horses.

It was suspected that due to Wacker Performance Horses not having been a registered tradename or business until August 2020, it could not have had a business bank account in order to properly deposit checks written under the “Wacker Performance Horses” tradename in the preceding years. Typically banks require copies of incorporation or tradename documents with the Secretary of State in order to open accounts under a tradename, a step generally necessary to deposit checks in the company name.

One of the parents who provided these checks and other financials to investigators towards the end of the Ethics Commission’s investigation, told NW Horse Report “This was a check written to WPH and altered by [Wacker]” referring to one of the checks provided to NW Horse Report. The individuals name is currently being withheld on the condition of anonymity for fear of potential danger and retribution. It has been confirmed to us that it has been referred to appropriate law enforcement.

This could explain the possibility of Wacker altering a checks by crossing out the business name and placing her own name in order to deposit the checks with US Bank. The checks in question are from 2019 before the business was ever properly registered with the State of Oregon. We reached out again to Wacker and her attorney Rachel Bench for comment about these new allegations and have not heard back.

We spoke to Oregon Government Ethics Commission director, Ronald Bersin, who said that he believes copies of checks may have been provided to investigators towards the end of their investigation, but that any potential issues regarding check/wire fraud would be outside of the scope of the commissions investigative authority and scope. He further said such matters would be for the Oregon DOJ or other law enforcement agency to investigate.

A portion of a check was provided to NW Horse Report that shows the alleged alternations.

It was confirmed that the school’s payments to WPH from such invoices were indeed made out to “Wacker Performance Horses”, but it could still not be determined how Wacker may have been able to deposit these checks, especially if they were not being altered.

We also asked Bothum if OHSET had any knowledge of the alleged check fraud involving Wacker, which she firmly denied. She did comment that if any such claims were substantiated it could be referred to authorities. “…it could have an impact on any OHSET coach/volunteer’s future with our organization.”

It appeared that US Bank was where Wacker was depositing checks. We also reached out to US Bank Corporate Communications for comment regarding their specific policies both for depositing checks and opening business accounts under a tradename or registered business name. They have responded that they are currently working to provide comment but have not yet done so at the time of publishing.

Impacts to OHSET & Wacker’s standing

It appeared during the course of the investigation and hearings that arguments were made that the decisions of the commission would impact and harm youth equestrians and OHSET across the state. Director Bersin told NW Horse Report that the Commission’s duty is to investigate violations of state ethics laws, but that they “do not write the laws.”

“These ethics rules have been on the books since the 1970’s, this is nothing new,” he said. Bersin further made clear that the Oregon State Ethics Commission is focused on efforts of education and that it had already been expressed to OHSET that they are available to help. That could mean providing advisory opinions and other educational resources to help them form responsible and productive guidelines to avoid other coaches being in the same situation as Wacker.

While OHSET State Chair Bothum was defending Wacker and their organization during the investigation, she did admit that mistakes were made.

“OHSET is appreciated of Ms. Wacker’s many volunteer hours and her commitment to our youth program. However, based upon the Ethics Commission’s ruling, it appears that certain mistakes have been made and we are working to address those issues…” in an email to NW Horse Report. “…although we encourage all coaches, volunteers, and officials to consult their own legal counsel for any specific advice about their own particular circumstances.” further distancing herself and OHSET from Wacker.

It speaking with members of the Ethics Commission, including director Bersin and one of the lead investigators, about equestrians involved with OHSET being upset about the situation, they expressed a similar stance that the equestrian community must realize the issue isn’t simply the fact that a coach is making decisions that most would assume a coach should be making. The issue appears to be when a coach begins to involve their own private commercial business without any proper oversight, which could be undertaken with minimal effort.

Bothum provided additional background about OHSET and their response to the Commission’s findings.

“We will continue to learn from each challenge and each success. We will continue to provide training to OHSET coaches and volunteers, and seek guidance from outside professionals when appropriate. OHSET’s volunteer coaches, advisors, and leadership are all passionate about, and dedicated to, providing opportunities for student–athletes and to share tools and skills that each student‐athlete may develop and use well into adulthood.” she said.

Each year OHSET supports about 700 student-athletes across Oregon, with approximately 200 volunteers. Additionally, they provide for about 40‐50 first-year participation scholarships of up to $100 and eight $750 academic scholarships for education at an accredited institution beyond high school (trade school, college, or university). “I think most OHSET districts also provide an annual scholarship or two of lesser amounts to student‐athletes within their district,” said Bothum.

We also asked Bothum how OHSET student-athletes have persevered through the impacts of COVID-19 “Some student‐athletes will attend virtual educational events and opportunities, like the upcoming American Youth Horse Council Symposium.”

Oregon City School District Officials under investigation over alleged mishandling of Wacker case

The first report about the Wacker Investigation from Oregon City News indicated that the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) is now currently investigating Oregon City Superintendent Larry Didway, OCHS Principal Carey Wilhelm, and Athletic Director Andy Jones, all for their involvement in the alleged mishandling of the Wacker case.

In addition to the financial self-dealing, there are other concerns regarding reporting of student-athlete injuries that stem from Wacker in her position as equestrian coach for OCHS.

Oregon City News continues to follow the story and investigations into other OCSD officials.

Questions remain about Injury Reporting

The Oregon City News story about Wacker covered several incidents regarding injuries and Wacker’s failure to report them. When asked about the issues regarding unreported injuries by Wacker, Bothum attempted to indicate that reporting to the OHSET state officials was not Wacker’s responsibility as a coach and OHSET member, but instead other school district officials.

Former Oregon City equestrian Abigail Norton also released a statement to Oregon City News. She spoke about an incident where she had broken her back after a fall at Wacker’s facility during practice. “When I fell, I didn’t feel capable of getting up; it knocked the wind out of me, and I was in a lot of pain. However, my coach, Angie Wacker, insisted I get up and move out of the arena so that the rest of the team could continue practicing. She insisted I brush it off and get back on.” said Norton.

After being taken to the hospital, doctors and nurses were very upset over the incident. Norton explained, “The EMTs and nurses scolded my parents for not calling an ambulance. But my parents only did as Angie asked and got me out of the arena. Angie was only concerned about continuing practice and not my safety.”

“Ms. Wacker has indicated she filed the appropriate documentation with her district’s leadership as required by OHSET’s protocols. However, the district leadership apparently did not submit Ms. Wacker’s documentation to OHSET state leadership, and the district leadership could not recall whether they had received the documentation from Ms. Wacker and could not provide it to OHSET state leadership when asked to provide it,” said OHSET state chair Candi Bothum.

However, Bothum further stated that “OHSET can neither confirm nor deny whether there have been injuries over the last several years that were not reported by Ms. Wacker.”

Statements from Ethics Commissioner

In a more recent meeting held by the OGEC, Nathan Sosa who is one of the commissioners reviewing the Wacker ethics case, outlined concerns saying “I have some concerns in this case about some of the allegations that were made about a coach using her position to put some significant pressure on her students and family to financially benefit themselves.”

In speaking specifically about OHSET Sosa said “That there were no red flags raised is pretty alarming, and that fact that the folks at OHSET [saying] this is just how it’s done, that you have people in these positions who are determining for themselves that they are the best person to fulfill the needs of their students and then in this case arguably putting pressure on them to do so, raises some significant concerns.”

This story was updated on February 19th to provide additional context obtained from officials at the OGEC regarding members of the equestrian community believing this case will devastate the OHSET program, along with details concerning business registration requirements outlined by the Oregon Secretary of State. We also redacted a section due to confusion between OHSET district officials and school district officials, which was later clarified by Candi Bothum of OHSET.

This is a ongoing story and we will continue to have additional developments and potential follow-up articles. If you have any information or news tip related to this story you can contact us at news@nwhorsereport.com.

Horse Stolen from Bend boarding facility just days after physical altercation

NW Horse Report Staff
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Horse Stolen from Bend boarding facility just days after physical altercation

Within a couple days of getting her horse back from Leslie Penhollow in Crook County, Oregon, Stephanie West learned that her horse had gone missing and appeared to have been stolen. The horse went missing sometime from the evening of February 13th to the next morning.

West said that they determined that the suspect parked about half-a-mile down a road from the a boarding facility near Bend where she moved the horse too. “They walked by foot a half mile and took my horse out of its paddock. They then walked the horse and loaded it into the trailer!” said West.

Prior to getting her horse back and then it going missing, West had ongoing disagreements with Penhollow, both over desire to purchase the horse from West and over monies related to the boarding services for West’s horse. During part or most of the time the horse was placed in Penhollow’s care, it was at another property belonging to Christian Radabaugh, who owns Radabaugh Ranch & Construction, LLC. West said Penhollow and Radabaugh are dating.

West's Horse
Stephanie West says her American Quarter Horse (pictured above) was stolen just days after she got it back from a facility in Crook County, Oregon. It was stolen from another boarding facility located near Bend.

West claims there was no written contract. When we reached out to Radabaugh for comment he also stated there was no written contract between West and Penhollow. There were discrepancies between the timeline provided by West and Radabaugh concerning when the horse was placed in Penhollow’s care, ranging from starting in March or as late as August of 2020.

On February 4th, West says that she and a friend went to Rudabaugh’s property in order to get the horse. She stated she ran into Penhollow who refused to let her have her horse. West claimed Penhollow called the Crook County Sheriff’s Office and claimed she was physically assaulted. West claimed that her friend was the one assaulted by Penhollow.

Sgt. Jeremy Bottoms with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with NW Horse Report that Penhollow had indeed called to report a physical altercation, but did not disclose information as to who Penhollow alleged assaulted her, or the current status of that investigation.

Radabaugh confirmed that about a week after the February 4th incident, which he was also not present for, West’s horse was removed from his property. He stated that he nor Penhollow had not exercised any stable lien on the horse, and that the property was not posted or gated at the time.

“I’m glad the horse is gone, now it’s not costing me to fed and take care of it. I just don’t want to be part of it.” said Radabaugh. He stated that since the incident he has installed a gate on his own property. He further confirmed that the money issues were technically arranged between Penhollow and West.

Stephanie West's Horse
An undated photo of Stephanie West’s stolen horse.

West later indicated that she had no issue of paying Penhollow, but the issue was due to Penhollow wanting to buy the horse from her for less than she wanted and to include the amounts West owed her.

NW Horse Report has placed multiple calls since Monday to Penhollow seeking comment, and left a voicemail. She has yet to return our calls.

When speaking with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office regarding the February 4th incident, Sgt. Bottoms said that it appeared the issue concerning the horse ownership was in dispute and would be a civil issue.

However, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman, Sgt. Jayson Janes, told NW Horse Report that evidence already collected by Deputy Bilyeu who is investigating the case strongly supports West’s claim that the horse was stolen and is owned by her. Sgt. Janes explained this was why their office’s case is ongoing and considered a criminal investigation, not just a civil matter.

When asked if Leslie Penhollow was a suspect or person of interest, Janes only said “she was a person mentioned” and provided no further comment about Penhollow. He further confirmed that the horse was taken from a facility that is clearly known as a horse boarding stable in the Bend area, but they are not releasing the name of the facility at this time.

West did confirm that she didn’t want to accuse Penhollow of the theft, but made clear that the timing and recent circumstances of their disagreement hard to ignore. She said “it’s heartbreaking that a member of my family is gone.”

If you have any information about this case or whereabouts of the horse, please call the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 reference case 21-7828.

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