Salem, Ore. – On Friday the ODA reported that one horse from Umatilla County, OR, and a second horse from Modoc County, CA, tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) following attendance at a barrel racing event at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon.
The ODA did not say which specific barrel racing event the horses were tied to, but both the Extreme Redmond aArrel Race and Sanctuary Barrel Races were held last month at the facility.
In both cases, after exhibiting neurologic symptoms, the owners called private veterinarians to examine the animals and collect samples for testing. Out-of-state laboratories later confirmed EHV-1 in both horses recovering from their illness.
EHV-1 is a reportable disease, and veterinarians are legally responsible for immediately reporting all suspected cases to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).
Both horse owners reported the animals recently attended a barrel racing event held April 22-23 at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. The ODA State Veterinarian has placed the Umatilla County premises under quarantine, while the California State Veterinarian has quarantined the Modoc County premises.
Because of delays in reporting and confirmation of both cases, it is unlikely that additional cases will result from exposures that the event, but horse owners who believe that their horse may have been exposed to EHV-1 should monitor their animal’s temperature twice daily and call their veterinarian if they see any symptoms.
While neurologic symptoms are rare, the EHV-1 virus is highly contagious and spreads via aerosolized secretions from infected coughing horses, direct and indirect contact with nasal secretions, and fetal fluids. EHV-1 typically has an incubation period of 2-10 days. Respiratory shedding of the virus generally occurs for 7-10 days but may persist longer in infected horses.
Following basic biosecurity practices is essential in reducing the risk of exposure to all contagious equine diseases. Basic biosecurity measures to follow to decrease potential disease spread at equine events include:
Limit horse-to-horse contact
Limit horse-to-human-to-horse contact
Avoid the use of communal water sources
Avoid sharing equipment unless thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between uses
Isolate new or returning horses from others for 30 days
Monitor your horse for clinical signs of disease and report any temperature over 102°F to a veterinarian
Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Agriculture appears to be violating Oregon law by circumventing rules related to application requirements for one-day horse sales– ultimately to the benefit of a newly formed Oregon horse sale business which the agency was trying to fast-track only mere days before a scheduled sale.
A yet-to-be-licensed sale is currently scheduled by the company to take place at the Oregon State Fairgrounds this weekend, May 13th, and many attendees and sellers appear unaware the company has yet to obtain a license as horses were being consigned and other preparations made.
The revelations came after a Facebook Page for the business began quickly circulating in late March with claims it would provide an alternative after the recent end of a monthly horse auction in Oregon that was put on by the Eugene Livestock Auction. While unrelated to the reasons for the end of their monthly horse auction (ELA) was recently under scrutiny for allegedly defrauding buyers with illegal debit and credit card surcharges.
Following the FB posts by PNW Horse Sales, an explosion of comments on social media both in support as well as comments critical of the sale appeared. Comments directly on the businesses page that were negative appeared to have been deleted.
Sources had alleged on social media that the business was not yet registered with the Oregon Secretary of State, despite having promptly announced they would hold a horse auction sale at the Linn County Expo Center on May 13th. NW Horse Report confirmed at the time that the business was not yet registered.
An April 6th post from owner Tommie Reevs stated, “I have been in the auction world for 10 years now so when the only horse sale in Oregon decided to close down, I knew something needed to be done.”
Reevs also appeared to focus on making clear distinctions between her company’s new sales and that of the Eugene Horse Auction in response to proponents who have long alleged major issues with the ELA auctions.
“With this sale you will get a wide variety of people to look at your horse and potentially buy it. I expect all buyers to be there and represent their horses. This is NOT a drop and dump your horse type situation. All sellers information will be posted and you can talk directly to the seller about the horse you are interested in.” said Reevs.
Proponents against the sale claim that many of the same alleged “nefarious horse traders” who were behind the Eugene Horse Auction would be involved. Two individuals who have also been the subject of past reporting by NW Horse Report that appeared tied and had been promoting PNW Horse Sale included Donald Nowlin of Outwest Livestock from Washington State, along with Geneva Boston of Salem– who went as far as lying to police claiming a woman horse had died despite it being shipped to auction in Montana.
According to recent statements by Nowlin, Boston appears to provide transportation for horses for his company in Washington State but did not appear to have any licensing with the USDOT or under the FMCSA to provide such services.
About a month before the scheduled sale, a spokesperson for the Linn County Board of Commissioners told NW Horse Report that the company did not have a contract and had only made an inquiry regarding the date is available.
Officials with ODA also confirmed last month that the company did not have the required license to conduct the “one-day” horse sale and that it was not licensed as a livestock auction yard in Oregon.
On April 18th the company suddenly announced on FB that the sale would instead take place at the State Fairgrounds in Salem. Around the start of May the Oregon State Expo Center’s calendar page then listed the sale.
In a follow-up inquiry earlier this week asking if the company had obtained a license, a spokesperson for ODA said, “ODA received an application for May 13, 2023, held at the Oregon State Fair & Expo in Salem. It was faxed in on 5/5/23 and accounting validated it on 5/9/23.”
It was unclear from that response if a license was issued or not, prompting follow-up asking if “validated” meant a license was issued. The official responded by saying, “The license is not issued until the inspection is complete. ODA is scheduled to do that inspection sometime between today and Friday.”
Despite the application still being well within the minimum 30-day requirement required by Oregon law, the response confirmed that the company was already advertising the sale about a month before even applying for the license, raising serious consumer protection questions as many equestrians who planned on attending reported being unaware the company had yet to obtain the license before even advertising the sale.
“That definitely sounds like an issue of the cart before the horses there, that’s really worrisome,” said one source who spoke only on the condition of anonymity as they had previously been a buyer and seller at the Eugene Horse Auction.
The discovery was shocking considering that rules under Oregon law state: “Application to hold a temporary horse sale shall be made to Department at least 30 days prior to the date the sale is to be held.”
Clear legal precedence has repeatedly found that the word “shall”, especially in the content of the law, means that it imposes a duty upon a party and is a mandatory word. This leaves little room for the ODA or businesses to circumvent this requirement according to a now-retired Oregon judge who spoke on the condition of anonymity with NW Horse Report late Thursday.
The Oregon Supreme Court also found in the 1957 case of Stanley v Mueller highlighted what it called the “ordinary effect” of the word, “In our opinion, the mandatory ‘shall’ in this statute should be given its ordinary effect by the courts.”
The disclosure by ODA officials now raises serious questions regarding the apparent violation of Oregon law, especially with the agency fast-tracking an application and providing a license not only to the new company but even the move of conducting an inspection of the site the same day animals are scheduled to arrive on Friday.
Officials with ODA then went silent earlier Thursday after being questioned by multiple reporters if the ongoing process and handling of the application for PNW Horse Sales was in compliance with Oregon law.
NW Horse Report has previously learned of allegations from proponents who believed officials at ODA were providing “favors” to circumvent various rules related to livestock auctions and horse sales for special interests behind the sales.
Those allegations could not be corroborated, but they did prompt NW Horse Report to begin a more detailed process of obtaining public records from the ODA in investigating the claims.
When NW Horse Report reached out to Reevs asking if she wanted to speak generally about the company’s sale and their plans, she promptly refused to provide any comment claiming NW Horse Report had already created enough issues.
“Okay, I want nothing to do with you, you have caused a lot of problems for me already, please do not call me again,” was all that Reevs said before hanging up.
Reevs did not say anything further to detail what “problems” she alleges were caused by NW Horse Report, but the response raised further questions on whether any ODA officials might have informed Reevs and PNW Horse Sale about inquiries made into the company’s licensing, or if Reevs may have been referring to earlier inquiries made with Linn County officials.
However, it is also known that Reevs’ acquaintances Boston and Nowlin have been widely critical of NW Horse Report’s past reporting.
After officials with ODA appear to have gone silent earlier Thursday from the ODA, NW Horse Report reached out to the governor’s office for comment, but has yet to hear back. A staffer for Oregon State Representative Ken Helm, who is the Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, also stated that Governor Tina Kotek’s office would be responsible for oversight of the agency.
NW Horse Report also reached officials with the Oregon State Expo Center which is responsible for the administration of the Oregon State Fairgrounds, which is listed as public state property. An official only indicated they handle the rental facilitation for the fairgrounds only and would have nothing to do with any other licensing requirements.
When asked if they expect all vendors to comply with Oregon laws while conducting business on State property, the unnamed official declined to comment saying their CEO would have to respond but was out until Tuesday.
According to Oregon Parks & Recreation Division (OPRD) Associate Director Chris Havel, the Oregon State Expo Center previously operated until around 2015 under the control of OPRD. Havel explained a quasi-government corporation was formed to handle the affairs of the Oregon State Fairgrounds property at that time. Some of the property is also under the control of the Oregon Military Department.
No response or updates from ODA officials were received before the end of business on Thursday. It was unclear if ODA did conduct the inspection and issued the license to the company.
Additional questions regarding the business’s compliance with Oregon workers’ compensation insurance laws were also raised, as the auction operation was to involve the need for additional workers. According to state records, the company has not yet obtained workers’ compensation insurance as required under Oregon law.
The lack of workers’ compensation insurance coverage by equestrian businesses continues to be a major issue in Oregon– especially considering the risks for those working with and around horses.
Separate from the ongoing licensing questions and handling by ODA officials, the central feeling about the prospects of a new sale can likely be summed up in a statement made by Sandy McLarrin on Facebook:
“Here’s hoping this auction is more honest than Eugene was. Good luck in taking on this huge endeavor.”
Aside from the license application requirements, the concerns raised by several proponents that PNW Horse Sales event may be dead in the water if a license is not issued remains the biggest potential impact on consumers as well as buyers– as some are traveling and even shipping far distances– raising serious questions as to the businesses quick and hasty startup.
This is a developing story you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
Photo showing the US Army Cassion Platoon which is a specialty unit part of the 3rd Infantry Regiment also known as the Old Guard. The unit is part of the Military District of Washington. (Photo Credit – US Army)
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, the Army revealed modifications to the way it will look after the gray and black horses in the ceremonial unit that transport the flag-draped caskets of service members to their final resting places in Arlington National Cemetery. The changes were prompted after the deaths of some horses due to their inadequate living conditions.
The horses belong to the caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, also called the Old Guard. This regiment is popularly known for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the cemetery, situated on the other side of the river from Washington.
In February 2022, Mickey and Tony, two platoon horses from the Old Guard, were euthanized within days of each other due to colon impaction. According to an investigation by the Army, Tony had to be euthanized because the sand and gravel impaction in his case was too extensive to be removed through surgery. The report related to Mickey stated there was a “dry, firm mass of feed, or foreign material, such as dirt or sand,”.
According to the investigation, veterinarians found sediment in the manure of other horses which could be attributed to the small amount of grass available in their turnout fields. The two horses that died were also in their 20s and had likely consumed sand and gravel from the ground while eating hay.
Additionally, the low quality of hay made it difficult for older horses like Tony to digest as they searched for edible feed by nosing it on the ground. Army veterinarians observed this problem half a year before the horses died, but they did not escalate the issue beyond the platoon leadership.
Moreover, the platoon was unable to compel the hay supplier to furnish superior quality hay because the Army contract did not specify the necessary nutritional value.
The investigation revealed that the small turnout fields where horses grazed outdoors were filled with construction debris and manure. Even if these fields were in good condition, they would have been insufficient to support more than six or seven horses. During the time when the horses died, there were 64 of them using the field.
According to Major General Allan Pepin, the commanding general of the Military District of Washington, the poor conditions for the horses were due to mismanagement and not soldier abuse.
Pepin believes that senior leadership did not fully understand the needs of the horses and the required training for soldiers to care for them, as well as a lack of resources.
“The platoon took it personally because nobody wanted this outcome,” Pepin told members of the press on Wednesday. “Every time you went by and saw the missions, we never saw a horse that looked like it was lame. We never saw a horse that looked like it was having issues. What we saw was expert soldiers and horses that looked great. So it kind of masked the underlying problem.”
In the past few months, the Army has taken the initiative to retire some of its older horses, some of which were up to 20 years old and still part of the team that pull the over 2,500-pound caissons dating back to 1918. Additionally, they are in the process of procuring new horses but will steer clear of buying gray horses, which are prone to skin cancer. More pasture land has also been leased, and Congress has provided the necessary funding to upgrade the stables.
According to Pepin, the Army is currently developing a lighter caisson to lessen the burden on horses and creating new saddles and other equipment to prevent horse injuries.
The Army has since hired a full-time herd manager and enhanced the horses’ diets after the euthanizations, and the regular veterinary bloodwork indicates that the horses are making progress.
Unfortunately, two more horses had to be euthanized since then, one because of a leg fracture and the other due to intestinal issues.
The Army also recently suspended caisson operations for 45 days to allow time for the horses to recuperate from any injuries.
Eugene, Ore. – A spokesperson for PeaceHealth confirmed to NW Horse Report that one of its doctors is no longer employed by the company after having spent at least nearly 5 months on leave after being convicted of animal neglect.
The doctor, Christy Horton, who worked for the Peace Habor Medical Center in Florence, Oregon, was convicted in early November last year of neglecting numerous dogs at her Eugene area property. Neighbors told KEZI 9 News about horrendous smells coming from the property– a location where horrific and unsanitary conditions were documented by investigators in records obtained by the Eugene Weekly.
Nearly a dozen horses were also surrendered by Horton from a second property she owned in Mapleton, between the cities of Eugene and Florence.
Officials with Sound Equine Options, a 501(c)(3) who helped officials with the Eugene Animal Services take possession of the horses, did indicate to NW Horse Report that the horses had clear signs of abuse. This included photos from SEO showing horses with a body score of 2, including a young 5-year-old horse with painful white line disease in the hoof.
However, officials with the Lane County Animal Services (LCAS), who according to records obtained by Eugene Weekly, did not take any additional action on the case by citing Horton in relation to the alleged neglect of horses. LCAS also did not appear to refer the matter to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office or Oregon Humane Society for criminal review despite what many say was a case of clear animal neglect under Oregon law.
LCAS continues to face growing public scrutiny in recent years, especially following details in a story by NW Horse Report involving LCAS’ alleged inaction in a case last summer where four ponies were seized with one having to be euthanized shortly after arriving at a rescue in Central Oregon.
Proponents continue to allege that the agency’s lack of training and improper discretion being exercised by its code officers are directly linked to the higher number of major horse neglect cases coming out of Lane County when compared to other parts of the State.
While LCAS only has the authority to cite those who violate county ordinances, countless proponents have alleged for years that LCAS officers are often failing to refer cases to actual law enforcement when the neglect clearly rises to the level of a crime under State law, both in misdemeanor as well as felony level neglect.
The inaction by LCAS in the Horton case alone was further called into question after reports and evidence of neglect of dogs and an emaciated cow were released by neighbors of Horton’s, including Amanda Hendricks-Davis. The revelations and evidence from Hendricks-Davis were also revealed by the Eugene Weekly. The reports against Horton in Lane County date as far back as 2013, with more complaints in 2014 and 2017.
Amanda Hendricks-Davis wrote in one of the complaints: “When I got to my neighbor’s house, I could see three great Danes tugging and pulling on various parts of the cow, who lay in the mud, still alive but seriously fatigued. I then pulled out my camera and started recording.”
A photo of one of Horton’s horses was released via Facebook by Sound Equine Options last year showing the horse with white line disease. (Photo Courtesy – Sound Equine Options)
In March, PeaceHealth officials confirmed to NW Horse Report that Horton remained on leave. Last week, NW Horse Report reached out to PeaceHealth spokesman Joseph Waltasti again for an update but didn’t hear back until pressed a week later for confirmation.
Waltasti then promptly responded by saying “Christy Horton is no longer employed by PeaceHealth.”. PeaceHealth would not confirm if Horton was terminated or ultimately resigned while on the lengthy leave- but Horton’s employment would have ended sometime between mid-March and now.
“PeaceHealth does not comment on the private employment details of its staff,” said Waltasti.
The confirmation did confirm that Horton may have spent almost half a year on leave before her termination from PeaceHealth.
The Oregon Health Plan had also previously declined to provide any comment about the case despite Horton handling care for Oregonians who were on the State’s Medicaid program.
Officials with the Oregon Medical Board previously declined to comment about any potential investigation and complaints that may have been made regarding Horton following public outcry– citing confidentially laws.
As of the most recent Board Action Report from the agency dated April 15th, there doesn’t appear to have been any actions taken by the agency against Horton, leaving her license to practice intact.
There had not been any evidence that Horton faced any allegations related to her care of humans.
NW Horse Report had also previously uncovered that Horton spent over a decade as a fugitive from justice out of Washington State, having fled the state amid criminal charges for animal neglect in King County.
Prosecutors eventually removed the case and warrant in recent years, but it was revealed that Horton obtained her job with PeaceHealth while she had an active warrant, raising serious questions as to the background check process used by PeaceHealth and the State.
Horton worked for PeaceHealth for years while the warrant remained active for her arrest in Washington State.
It is unclear if Horton intends to seek continued employment as a doctor elsewhere, either in Oregon or out of state.
Eugene, Ore. – A woman convicted as part of a notorious 2019 horse neglect case in Oregon’s Lane County made a false report to law enforcement that led a reporter to be detained by a sheriff’s deputy and a federal BLM law enforcement officer.
Despite what appeared to be an excessive escalation by a Lane County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputy in detaining one of NW Horse Report’s own reporters and falsely alleging Oregon is a “stop and identify state”– a concept with deep roots in constitutional case law– police appeared to have also intentionally avoided arresting or citing the woman.
The woman, Raina Ott, also had an active warrant after skipping out on a required work-crew offering in lieu of 45-days she was sentenced to earlier this year.
It was unclear if the LCSO also had the legal authority to take the woman into custody for skipping out during the alternate jail service, even before a warrant was again formally issued by the court after an application from prosecutors.
Raina Ott, along with her mother Erica Ott, are tied to a high-profile horse neglect case in 2019 where they– along with the primary neglecter Gwyenth Davies– had over 60 horses seized as part of an investigation by local law enforcement and special agents from the Oregon Humane Society. All three women had been convicted of neglect.
Davies has continued to make her monthly restitution payments, albeit sometimes late, but still owes over $40,000. At the present rate, it will take Davies over a quarter century to repay the debt, most of which is owed to 501(c)(3) Sound Equine Options, as well as some to the Oregon Humane Society.
The Ott’s– who were former associates of Davies– were also later charged in connection with the case on several counts directly connected with their own horses, as State prosecutors uncovered they shared in the care of their own horses. Raina Ott received a deferred sentencing agreement which she then was found to have later violated this year, while her mother Erica was sentenced and received probation– among other terms.
Raina Ott while her attorney addresses the court regarding ongoing negotiations regarding her alleged failure to attend work crew in lieu of actual in-custody jail earlier this year. Ott had just been instructed to remove a ball cap held in her hand prior to the photo. (Photo Credit – NW Horse Report)
Raina Ott had also been interviewed by KEZI 9 News daysafter law enforcement executed the warrant and seized over 60 horses in late 2019.
“We’ve got people who are totally innocent in this situation, such as myself, that are just wanting our babies [horses] back.” Ott told KEZI.
But numerous people familiar with the past case along with State prosecutors say the Ott’s situation was far different from other unsuspecting owners who simply boarded and sent their horses to training with Davies.
Davies also claimed to KEZI 9 News that her horses seized from Davies’ facility were perfectly healthy, claims that conflicted with evidence gathered on the Ott’s horses, along with officials with Sound Equine Options who have spent many months rehabilitating one of the Ott’s horses who is still in their care to this day.
Raina Ott previously told NW Horse Report last December during a phone interview that they had frequently been involved in providing care for not only their own horses, but many of the horses boarded and/or owned by Davies back in 2019.
Shortly after, Ott was sentenced to 45 days in jail by a judge in Lane County, but the judge permitted sheriff’s officials at the Lane County Jail to offer Raina Ott the option of “work crew” in lieu of going into custody for 45 days, angering many proponents calling for strong action against Raina Ott who had been following the case.
Many of those same proponents then stated to NW Horse Report that they have little doubt that Raina Ott would not comply– and according to new court documents just uncovered NW Horse Report– they were correct.
State prosecutor Jacob Kamins detailed in these newly uncovered court documents that Raina Ott only attended a few days of her work before she stopped reporting daily to jail officials. This resulted in a Lane County judge issuing a warrant for Raina Ott’s arrest.
Kamins also filed a motion to “Show Cause” against Raina’s mother, Erica Ott, for also having been found recently to be in violation of her probation terms related to the horses. Among the violations by both Ott was their joint failure to pay restitution.
No warrant was issued for Erica Ott, but she was ordered to appear on May 1st in Lane County Circuit Court.
Days after the incident involving law enforcement, it appears the warrant was eventually executed on Raina Ott and she was also released with an order to appear at the same hearing as her mother.
Both Ott’s did appear at their May 1st hearing earlier last week and ultimately denied through their attorneys the State’s new allegations, but Oregon’s Special Animal Cruelty Prosecutor Jacob Kamins confirmed the obvious from court filings that the parties were likely to negotiate acceptable resolutions.
Erica Ott seated (center) while her attorney (left) and State prosecutor Jacob Kamins (right) speak to the court regarding ongoing negotiations regarding her probation violation and allegedly being involved with animals and having not paid restitution along with her daughter Raina Ott – (Photo Credit – NW Horse Report)
That includes an implied extension of the probation timeline in Erica Ott’s case and new language for both the Ott’s pertaining to their restrictions involving animals.
It is unclear if Raina Ott is likely to face a new jail sentence and if she would again be permitted any sort of work crew alternatives.
The attorney representing Erica Ott also told the court that her client did not have the means to be involved with animals anymore due to her alleged health problems. She also stated that she currently had a caregiver, in addition to help from her own daughter Raina Ott.
Attorneys for the Ott’s declined to make any comment at this time. Raina Ott’s attorney indicated they would advise her client not to speak with the media.
Raina Ott was not taken back into custody at this hearing despite the past sentence and was released on her own recognizance, pending further court progress on the State’s allegations.
Deputy illegally detains reporter and cites non-existent law
The incident involving law enforcement last week stemmed from NW Horse Report working to obtain photopgrahs of a property allegedly being rented by the Ott’s located on Highway 58 just outside Eugene, a location that some sources are alleging was the site of continued probation violations through an unlicensed business.
While present for only a few minutes, a woman later identified as Raina Ott eventually appeared, potentially arriving within those short minutes driving a Chevy pickup truck with another unknown female who was not identified. We will refer to her first name in this segment to avoid confusion with her mother, Erica Ott.
Eventually, Raina was pictured past a gate in a fenced section of the property yelling unintelligibly due to the noise of highway traffic.
Our reporter yelled back “I’m a reporter, would you like to talk to us?”, but it was unknown if Raina had been able to hear the response while she continued to yell amid the noise of the highway. Our reporter then left the public area of the highway in front of the property after picturing Raina walking back to a camper trailer behind a hedgerow.
Not long after the encounter, while interviewing an elderly woman who was a neighbor of the Ott’s who was detailing some of the issues with loose dogs and concerns she also had for horses seen on the property, a Lane County Sheriff’s Deputy with assistance from a federal US Fish & Wildlife officer arrived in front of the neighbor’s property.
The reporter and elderly woman then went to approach the officers closer to the highway, an initial encounter caught all on camera. The reporter promptly and politely alerted the officers they were recording, as well as identifying themselves as a reporter with NW Horse Report, an established policy for reporters with Equestrian Media Group.
The deputy quickly acknowledged the statement, before our reporter then explained that he assumed they might be responding to a call from one of the Ott’s.
The deputy said, “So it sounds like you’ve been standing at a fence yelling for somebody,”.
“She yelled, I was here and saw a vehicle pull in and was taking some photos, but I was just out to take photographs from the public access of the property, and did that, then a woman came out and she was kinda flipping us off..” our reporter explained.
The elderly neighbor then interjected and said to the deputy, “I’m sure it’s Raina Ott.”
Raina Ott is pictured walking back behind a hedgerow on her rented property, allegedly with a dog she is allegedly forbidden from being in possession of. Ott had just finished a brief encounter with a reporter with intelligible yelling due to the proximity and noise from a busy Oregon highway. (Photo Credit – NW Horse Report)
The reporter then explained clearly that most of the filming had been done from the public highway, and at only one point had access down a short unpaved road leading to a gate onto the property been made.
Out of an abundance of caution, having not been able to understand Ott, our reporter did not go back down the unposted road. The reporter had approached the gate prior to the arrival of the vehicle and the encounter with Raina.
In Oregon, trespass requires that “the person enters or remains unlawfully in a motor vehicle or in or upon premises.”
According to an Oregon defense attorney familiar with trespass law, it would require an individual to knowingly refuse to leave an un-posted private property by someone with authority over the property or have entered property clearly posted or secured.
None of these situations applied, but surprisingly the deputy later claimed– when alleging he could have arrested the reporter– that the short roadway leading to the closed gate was indeed posted up closer to the highway.
The deputy’s claim was quickly refuted later on after reviewing a number of detailed photographs showing the entire fenceline and gate– revealing no trespassing signs. Only the neighbor’s property had any posted trespassing signs, but these signs could not have been mistaken for the property the Ott’s are allegedly renting and were nearly 100 yards away from the short unfenced section of road.
Our reporter had remarked in the video that there had perhaps been a trespassing sign at the gate, but it was later confirmed that there was only an “Equine Risk” sign. Even then, the reporter never went past the gate and promptly returned to the public highway.
As the interaction continued our reporter explained, “I’ve never gone past any gate at any point, and generally stayed…” attempting to explain that they then remained back on the public highway, before being interrupted by the deputy.
“So can I ask you why you keep showing up at her house taking photos?” the deputy remarked. While not immediately clear, it did appear the deputy was revealing the false element of the complaint that was called into the police to prompt their response.
“This is the first time I’ve ever been here,” our reporter stated while sounding surprised by the deputy appeared to be approaching the situation by taking the allegation on face value, despite having not even investigated or having yet made contact with Raina Ott.
No other reporters with NW Horse Report had ever been to the location in question, raising serious questions as to the description of the incident being provided by Raina Ott to police dispatch– and perhaps the deputy himself who responded.
The video then captures the deputy asking our reporter, “Why are you wanting to take photos?”… appearing and sounding dismayed by the reporter’s presence and filming.
“I’m a reporter, that’s why.” our reporter replied.
The deputy then asked, “A reporter for what?”
“Equestrian Media Group…” our reporter remarked before being cut off again by the deputy saying, “Okay” while the reporter handed the deputy press identification and started to say, “Happy to…” before once again being cut off by the deputy.
“What are you reporting on?” while looking at our reporter’s press identification.
“We’re reporting on the case that’s been going on for several years that you guys are pretty well aware of.” the reporter stated. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office along with the county’s Animal Services– were both involved in the 2019 case involving Davies and the Ott’s.
Deputy: “Okay, do you have a license on you?”
Reporter: “I’m not going to provide my identification because I haven’t broken any laws, sir.”
Deputy: “So because you’ve been called in and I’m actively investigating a crime you do need to show me your license.”
“Actually, I do not– Oregon is not a stop & identify statute.” our reporter says.
The deputy promptly claimed our reporter was wrong, saying, “It is” a stop & identify State.
There is only one key issue with the deputy’s claim– it’s completely untrue.
Oregon law doesn’t require citizens to disclose their name or ID upon an officer’s demand. Refusing to give your name or ID or failing to carry your ID is generally not an offense, with exceptions being related to driving without a license. The US Supreme Court has previously found other states’ laws requiring citizens to carry or show ID as unconstitutional.
The defense attorney further said after reviewing the video that he thought the deputy’s actions showed a “blatant misunderstanding of the law and the supporting case law,”.
“This officer needs some more training, or it just shows he wasn’t thrilled by being filmed and felt that you shouldn’t be filming even from the shoulder of a public highway, but that’s not illegal at all.”
He went on to explain that he believes from experience that some officers get a false sense of entitlement when they demand a citizen, let alone a journalist, do something– including providing ID.
“Most citizens and former clients of mine often provide their ID and other information, because they believe they legally have to and could be arrested if they don’t,” he said.
“I would not be surprised if anyone believed by this officer’s demeanor and approach that they might be arrested if they didn’t comply with his demand to provide identification, or implying they must leave the side of the public highway in order not to be detained any longer.” the attorney said.
“He didn’t appear to approach the situation asking about the reporter’s side of the story and showing an intent to professionally investigate, that’s obvious– and it’s clear he came in there believing the complainant’s story and or not liking what the reporter was doing.”
The attorney spoke on the condition of anonymity and as a subject matter expert only, not as counsel for our reporter for Equestrian Media Group.
The details behind Stop & ID laws & established constitutional case law
Even in states with “stop & identify” laws, the US Supreme Court– along with other federal and state court rulings– has repeatedly and consistently found that the requirement to carry ID is unconstitutional when not stopped for a violation or crime involving the operation of a motor vehicle.
In such cases, and only when the officer also still has reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime, may it potentially be a crime if you fail to provide your name, and in some States their date of birth.
Since Oregon does not have any stop & identify statute, persons are not required to answer such questions or identify themselves if stopped by law enforcement, and refusing to do is not a crime.
A refusal to give your name or ID isn’t a separate offense and you cannot be legally arrested or jailed for that refusal, even if ultimately being placed under arrest for another offense.
And while the ruling in the famous US Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio found that officers can also perform an investigatory stop with an external patdown, also known as “stop and frisk”, but only in cases where the officer believes the person “may be armed and presently dangerous”. It established officers must have “reasonable suspicion” that the person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime in order to identify, and only in the states with such laws.
While there have not been a clear set of tests established on what is considered reasonable suspicion, the courts have well established that it is based on the “totality of circumstances”, and an individual’s complaint about an alleged activity– especially related to simple trespass and an officer not having witnessed the alleged trespass– likely does not rise to the level of providing the reasonable suspicion of a crime.
One of the elements outlined by the court was that “a police officer observes unusual conduct by a subject.”
If that were the case, every mere allegation and complaint made with police by an individual could subject the alleged suspect to an unreasonable violation of their constitutional right under the fourth and fifth amendments.
LCSO Deputy detains reporter for exercising rights, attempts to intimidate reporter into leaving public area
In the case of our reporter, they had already identified themselves through press credentials as well as verbally, which would have clearly met the requirements to identify even if Oregon was a “stop & identify” State (which it is not).
Again, the US Supreme Court has held even in States with stop & identify laws, requiring an actual identification card cannot be required, only that they provide their name, and in some states their date of birth.
This gives rise to our reporter’s allegation that the deputy’s action of detention was also for the refusal to provide an actual license, despite having given their name and other details which itself was not required (but in accordance with EMG policy).
It later also became clear– as will be seen in the details of the continued interaction– that the deputy was prepared to end the “detention” if our reporters simply left the area and ceased engaging in press activities that were protected by the Oregon State & US Constitution.
After being falsely told by the deputy that Oregon is a “stop & identify” state, our reporter calmly said, “I am not going to provide my identification, I was happy to provide you that.” referring to his press ID.
“So at this point though, I have someone calling in that you’re possibly trespassing on their property, okay” the deputy says, with our reporter responding, “Do you know I was actually trespassing?”
“No” the deputy clearly says.
Our reporter, who is also a former law enforcement officer, went on to state, “Sir, investigate– am I being detained or am I free to go?”
The deputy then went on to confirm he was detaining our reporter, “So right now you’re going to be detained, okay?”
“Okay, I have nothing further to say– I’d like to speak to an attorney.” our reporter says.
The deputy then says, “So at this point then,” pausing for a few seconds, “…are you going to be leaving the property?”
Again our reporter repeated that they were invoking their right to remain silent and consult an attorney, “I’m not making any statements until I speak to an attorney.”
This all being said despite clearly being on the side of a public highway and not on any private property, an area that is normally found to be considered a “traditional public forum” in Supreme Court cases involving first-amendment protected activities that include free press and free speech.
An Oregon Lane County Sheriff’s Deputy (right) and a federal BLM Law Enforcement Officer (left) while having detained an Equestrian Media Group reporter just outside Eugene, Oregon, on the side of a highway. The officers originally responded to a complaint by Raina Ott who was unhappy about our reporter’s filming of her rental property and equine facility from a public highway in late April, 2023. (Photo Credit – NW Horse Report)
This response by the deputy appears to make clear that the detention of our reporter was indeed for exercising their legal rights– signaling that the reporter was free to go if they were willing to simply leave and cease engaging in legal press activity that Raina Ott had allegedly was upset about, not that the detention was actually part of the deputy’s need to actually investigate the (falsely) alleged trespass.
The deputy had been made aware that they arrived while our reporter was in the middle of an interview with one of Ott’s neighbors, with the encounter happening in front of the unnamed neighbor’s property, not the Ott’s.
Our reporter believed the deputy’s demeanor then became more condescending, with a response to invoking his right a second time, “Go ahead and call your attorney” he says, while our reporter then remained silent.
After a brief moment, the deputy says, “If you want to speak to an attorney, you can call your attorney.”
Our reporter again remains silent. The deputy then gestures to the BLM Law Enforcement Officer saying, “Can I talk to you real quick?” before the two move to the other side of the deputy’s patrol vehicle to apparently discuss the situation.
Both officers later refused to fully identify themselves when requested by our reporter, which is believed to be a violation of policy for both agencies.
The BLM officer also later stated that his body camera was not recording and refused to turn it on when politely requested by our reporter, and also stated he was only there to back up the deputy for officer safety. However, this raises questions considering the obvious discussion that then happens between the officers following our reporter’s detention.
As the officers step away briefly our reporter, who is also a former federal law enforcement officer, can be heard saying “Wow”, expressing is shock at the entire encounter. The recording ends a few seconds later as it was recorded by our reporter’s cell phone and not his camera being used for still photography.
Our reporter also then attempted to speak with officials at the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, receiving no response for days until they walked into the Sheriff’s office asking if the Sheriff or another official would be willing to comment or have an off-the-record conversation about the incident, expressing an interest in ensuring this kind of encounter did not happen again.
A staff member who works directly with the Sheriff or the Undersheriff came out to speak with the reporter, but then promptly declined to continue the conversation after seeing the reporter’s clearly visible microphone and saying she didn’t want to speak if being recorded.
Our reporter said he then pointed to a sign mere feet away next to a video camera in the sheriff’s office lobby that said audio and video recording in progress, but this did not dissuade the official from refusing to speak further.
Not long after, Public Information Officer for LCSO Tom Speldrich, called NW Horse Report to speak about the incident. Speldrich ultimately expressed that any off-the-record conversation with LCSO officials, even in the interest of a productive conversation to avoid this issue for all reporters with Equestrian Media Group, would not be possible– essentially saying the only option forward would be to initiate a “complaint” on the officer.
This made clear that LCSO officials did not appear interested in any collaborative effort to avoid potential conflicts with reporters in the future. Speldrich did however express that their agency supports the role journalists play in public transparency.
NW Horse Report was also not able to obtain the deputy’s full name and information until our reporter formally initiated the complaint against the deputy, which was done just over a week following the interaction.
Once our reporter indicated the potential of filing a complaint and protested the deputy not fully identifying himself originally when requested, Speldrich provided the deputy’s name.
Speldrich declined to provide the name of the BLM officer involved, but only confirmed it was a BLM law enforcement officer and directed NW Horse Report to that agency.
Officials with BLM Law Enforcement in Washington D.C. and with a local office in Springfield, Oregon, have not returned multiple requests for information, including the officer’s identity. A BLM official with an office in Prineville confirmed it was not one of their officers, and also expressed that their officers always identify themselves when requested and are supposed to record interactions with citizens using their issued body-worn-cameras, both things the BLM officer refused to do.
Our reporter and the deputy’s full name are not being disclosed out of respect for the ongoing internal investigation at this time, with our reporter expressing hope that it will at “minimum involve significant education for the deputy on well-established constitutional case law and department policy”.
Speldrich initially said he would like to provide his thoughts if we sent a copy of the video of the encounter, but by the start of May, it appeared he would not be providing further comment or context to the interaction when asked, leading to the complaint eventually being filed.
NW Horse Report will provide an update to this story at a later time as more details emerge, including the specific details of the false complaint allegedly made by Raina Ott that led to the encounter with law enforcement.
The assumed parts of her alleged complaint based on the deputy’s statements, including the filming from the public and yelling back and forth with her (albeit due to the traffic noise), were clearly not illegal and simply a constitutionally protected activity the Ott’s did not appreciate.
Speldrich also confirmed that LCSO does have a specific policy for its deputies involving interactions with members of the media when clearly identified. A records request for the documents containing this and other LCSO policies is underway.
Our stance on attempted suppression of free press activities& increases in suppression against reporters
NW Horse Report and Equestrian Media Group have repeatedly stood by media partners and fellow journalists in cases of the government attempts to suppress free speech, including the recent case in which the Bend Bulletin and others refused to abide by a judge’s unconstitutional “gag order” in a criminal trial in Jefferson County that went so far as to order that media could not print any story during the course of the trial.
Like most media publications, our expectation does not imply a belief that reporters are in any way exempt from laws that are constitutional.
This also included a recent case involving OPB reporter April Ehrlich who was arrested by Medford Police for a 2020 incident in which her attorneys claim her rights were violated. The charges against Ehrlich were dismissed by a judge late last year.
NPR for Oregonians then reported, “In a twist from earlier developments an Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter is back in court, but now as the plaintiff, and the City of Medford as the defendant.”
Ehrlich is now suing the City of Medford and Medford Police in federal court.
Ehrlich’s case drew the attention of free press advocates and journalist organizations, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Reporters Committee. Media organizations have been noting a dramatic spike in arrests, detainments, and assaults against reporters in recent years, including Ehrlich’s case.
Cases of detainments and other suppression by government officials and police are also often less reported than cases of the arrests of journalists. This is why Ehrlich encourages other reporters to read up on their rights and prepare themselves for similar confrontations.
Earlier this year, a national case involving a NewNation reporter being arrested in Ohio after a confrontation involving the State’s Adjutant General of the National Guard at a press conference involving the Ohio governor.
Police bodycam footage released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert, center, interacts with the leader of the Ohio National Guard in the gymnasium of an elementary school in East Palestine, Ohio, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023.
The incident gained significant attention and rebuke from media organizations, journalists, and the general public.
Governor Mike DeWine swiftly called for the reporter’s release from jail and said the reporter should never have been arrested. The charges against the NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert were promptly dismissed by prosecutors.
Pacific City, Ore. – A shocking video has surfaced showing a chicken allegedly being intentionally burned alive at the property of an Oregon coast horseback riding company that has been the site of ongoing allegations of horse neglect.
The video allegedly was taken by the suspect, identified by numerous sources who listened to the voice behind the video as a minor and teen grandson of Teresa Stuebgen, who along with her now ex-husband Daniel Stuebgen, owns Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides.
Stuebgen is one of the owners primarily alleged to have been neglecting horses owned by her company, a story covered by NW Horse Report just yesterday. The company has also been embroiled in issues with numerous State agencies and local citizens related to licensing issues, illegal labor practices, and issues related to its use of the beach.
A picture taken by Harmony New Beginnings Animal Rescue of one of the horses initially part of a voluntary surrender by Teresa Stuebgen & Green Acres on Friday April 14th – (Photo Credited Mary Renouf)
Sources also alleged the minor teen has been living on the property in the custody of his grandmother, Stuebgen. The allegations included that the minor was frequently provided alcohol and marijuana products– including edibles. It was also said the minor had not been in school over this last week.
The revelations are already adding to the growing public outrage surrounding business. Multiple sources reported that the video was being discussed and shared among students at Nestucca High School in Cloverdale, Oregon, eventually catching the attention of school officials, and ultimately law enforcement.
The video starts showing the chicken already on fire and swimming in what appeared to be a small pool of water. As time progressed the chicken became more engulfed in flames, eventually exiting the water and moving a short distance before stopping– apparently succumbing to the burning.
You can hear the teen recording the video say, “Bro, look at this [expletive] swimming around while on fire.” while then proceeding to laugh.
As the chicken started trying to exit the water, you can hear the teen, “Oh no, oh no,” and then the chicken lets out a quick scream and begins flapping frantically as it exits the pool of water, followed by more laughing by the teen.
NW Horse Report will not be naming the minor and generally does not name alleged minor suspects, except in specific circumstances, in accordance with our journalistic standards.
A blurred photo taken by NW Horse Report from the graphic video allegedly showed a chicken being burned alive by a minor teen who was allegedly living with his grandmother who owned Green Acres Beach & Trail RideS. The case is currently being investigated by the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office.
After learning of these developments, NW Horse Report made follow-up inquiries with TCSO. An official spokesperson for the sheriff eventually responded days after the initial requests seeking comment on the earlier allegations surrounding horse neglect but declined to provide any information related to the abuse of a chicken.
“In regards to your question regarding alleged abuse to a chicken, we are unable to comment on that per ORS 419B.035” said Paul Fournier, the Public Information Officer for TCSO.
Numerous people familiar with Green Acres and Stuebgen had also been alleging that TCSO deputies, despite knowing Stuebgen had an active warrant, failed to execute the warrant as commanded by a judge’s order originally issued back in March.
The warrant was on unrelated charges stemming from a 2021 charge for DUII. That included their failure to arrest Stuebgen during a contact allegedly made on April 14th when investigating the abuse of the chicken.
While it was several days after the initial request for comment, including on the allegations deputies knowingly ignored the warrant for Stuebgen’s arrest, Fournier confirmed that Stuebgen was taken into custody earlier yesterday, while citing Oregon records laws as to why he could not disclose if deputies knowingly ignored the judge’s command ordering Stuebgen’s arrest.
A snippet of the conditional release agreement for Teresa Stuebgen following her arrest and booking into the Tillamook County jail on repeated issues of a violation of a diversion agreement and
“In regards to the question of whether a person was or was not arrested when an arrest warrant existed, we are unable to answer that query per ORS 419B.035. However, Teresa Stuebgen was arrested today [April 19th] on a misdemeanor warrant for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and was transported, booked and lodged at the Tillamook County Jail.”
The warrant issued by the court specifically to Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office stated “YOU ARE COMMANDED to arrest Teresa Jo Stuebgen, and bring her before this court. If this Court is closed, deliver her into the custody of the Jailor of TILLAMOOK County, Oregon.”
According to jail records and court records, Stuebgen remained in jail overnight but was arraigned on new charges/allegations and then granted conditional release by the court Thursday afternoon– the day following her arrest.
Additional allegations were also swirling that this was not the first time the minor teen had been abusing animals, including one particular incident allegedly caught on video that had previously been circulated among other kids at the child’s school instructing people to delete and not share the video.
It was unclear if the minor teen had been taken into juvenile custody, or if he may have been placed into the custody of other family members or child protective services.
This is a developing story that you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
Pacific City, Ore. – An official with an Oregon horse rescue organization recently detailed the horrific conditions and neglect of numerous horses and other animals at the hands of a horseback riding outfitter company located on the Oregon coast.
The company, Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides, has had a laundry list of ongoing issues and violations with numerous State agencies. The company’s owners have also been facing their own legal issues, including one of the owners having an active warrant for their arrest.
Mary Renouf, a director and volunteer for Harmony New Beginnings Animal Rescue based in Polk County, Oregon, made the weekend blog post following their efforts to rescue two horses and a turkey from one of the properties of Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides. Her story was originally posted to her personal blog, and then on Monday by NW Horse Report as a guest column.
The company allegedly maintains at least two locations located in Pacific City, Oregon, a housing barn with a small pasture and a beachside location where they conduct horseback rides for tourists a few minutes away.
“But yesterday – yesterday almost broke me.” said Renouf in her recent column, and who herself is a seasoned veteran that has seen countless cases of animal neglect and abuse in Oregon. Harmony New Beginnings is one of the few “go-to” rescues that frequently assists Oregon’s law enforcement agencies with conducting seizures of animals in cases like this, including horses.
A major horse neglect case Harmony New Beginnings recently assisted on that started in 2022 and continued into 2023, involved a mother and daughter duo just outside Dallas, Oregon, were convicted in a case of felony animal neglect. Sanda and Jessica Brownell’s property was raided by authorities while they shockingly were in the midst of conducting a summer horse camp for kids as part of the illegal unregistered business.
Animal control Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office called on Harmony New Beginnings and a local veterinarian to assist with removing countless horses in that case and rehabilitating them.
Renouf explained that they became concerned about horses and other animals at Green Acres after receiving a new wave of people expressing concerns, including riders, other horse people, and neighbors of the business, and even hearing about complaints being filed with the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office.
“Animal control was receiving calls but nothing appeared to have been done about it.” said Renouf
Renouf didn’t want to mention the owner or business by name in her blog post but did confirm to NW Horse Report that the owner referenced was indeed Teresa “Terri” Stuebgen and her Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides. The business is co-owned with her now ex-husband Daniel Stuebgen.
One of the other directors from Harmony New Beginnings knew Teresa Stuebgen, and so they made a visit to the property just to see what they could do. Renouf explained to NW Horse Report that while they expected issues, nothing could have prepared their seasoned staff for what they actually found considering some of these horses were being used on the beach with tourists in recent weeks.
A photo of one of the horses recently rescued by Harmony New Beginnings Animal Rescue – (Photo Courtesy of Mary Renouf)
She went on to explain that, “[Teresa Stuebgen] tried to explain the situation– and some of it is probably true. It has been a rough winter, feed is expensive, there is a shortage of care providers and the economy has been hard.” said Renouf.
“But if we’re being honest, if your business is based off using horses to provide tours, then you have to put their care first. Sure, vets are taking awhile to come out, but these horses hadn’t had care in a VERY LONG time.” explained Renouf.
“Hoof experts do cancel sometimes, but not for years at a time. Feed and supplements can be hard to come by, but there are alternatives.”
Renouf also said it’s even more “unconscionable” considering the Stuebgens also own a feed store, which NW Horse Report uncovered as Happy Trails Feed & Tack.
A detailed a long list of issues witnessed by the rescue staff at the overnight barn for Green Acres on Friday was also disclosed by Renouf;
· “Way too many horses being housed in one area.”
· “Numerous horses that were incredibly underweight, one with an eye infection so bad the eye couldn’t be opened and others that were biting and kicking because of the unsafe cohabitation.”
· “Unclean pen area, with some horses clearly covered in mud and feces.”
· “No clear food source and water troughs that were unclean and had nowhere near enough water for the number of animals present.”
· Other livestock confined and segregated in small spaces, again with no food or water.
· “Unsafe living conditions IN THE BARN for numerous humans, none of whom seemed to be actively participating in the care of the animals.”
The rescue crew later went to the beach location after finding that Teresa Stuebgen was not present.
“We got there a little ahead of the return of a tour group where we noticed the stalls had no food and empty water buckets. As the group came back, we could see the horses were clearly being overworked, underfed, and lacked energy,” said Renouf.
“Upon further inspection, we saw their coats were dull, their tails and manes matted and falling out. You could clearly see ribs poking out on several, feet in desperate need of a farrier, and teeth issues,” she also details.
Photo showing two horses voluntarily surrendered to Harmony New Beginnings Animal Rescue by the owner of Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides – (Photo Courtesy of Mary Renouf)
Renouf confirmed that they received three animals, two horses as well as a neglected turkey which was pictured in her blog.
She also explained they were “lucky” the owner even released those few animals to them voluntarily, “There are so many horses in this situation I could talk about, but what I will say is this. The owner couldn’t defend it no matter how hard they tried. And we shouldn’t have been the ones having that conversation with them.”
“Animal control could have done more. The local authorities should have done more. We were lucky that owner was willing to release a couple of them to us to work on, but even then, they didn’t surrender them, they asked us to rehabilitate them and give them back.”
More witnesses coming forward
Mahaley Rogers, 22, is a now former employee of Green Acres and recently came forward to NW Horse Report to tell her story after hearing about the latest round of discoveries involving Green Acres, further corroborating much of what Renouf and other rescue staff recently uncovered.
Rogers explained that she’s actually known the Stuebgens a long time– since she was about 10 years old– and had worked off-and-on for the business and the Stuebgens since she was that age. Until the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Rogers had worked as a minor for the business.
She detailed what was a myriad of problems with the business, from lying about hiring minors, falsifying payroll records, and how it and the Stuebgens generally operated their businesses, among the issues being the care of the horses year-round– explaining that it was however far worse during the winters.
Rogers stopped working for the company by mid-summer of 2021, but said she tried “not to entirely burn bridges” so she could continue to check on the horses. Months ago, Rogers said she finally had enough after witnessing the condition of most of the horses which she claimed were worse than it had been in any other past winter.
That’s when Rogers says she reported the issue to the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office but said the complaint was ultimately dismissed.
“When you can see that a horse is thin and skinny even with a thick winter blanket on– if a deputy can’t tell those horses need help they need to have a professional go with them because they clearly don’t know anything about horse welfare,” said Rogers.
“If an officer went down there months ago and saw any one of those horses, they should have done something then.”
A photograph from 2020 taken by a private investigator and obtained through State public records detailing past issues of horse care corroborates numerous allegations that the Stuebgens and their company Green Acres have a repeating pattern of neglecting their animals each winter.
Renouf’s detail of last Friday’s ordeal went on to express that some of the wounds and conditions of horses were so bad, the seasoned animal rescuer couldn’t even bring herself to share them.
“When we got the ones we were able to take back to the rescue out of the trailer and into a stall with alfalfa, they didn’t stop eating for over an hour. We took off their blankets and we all were gutted. We knew it was bad, but we didn’t know it was THAT bad. Ribs clearly visible, sunken backs, jutting hips, hair loss, caked on feces to the tails and haunches, open wounds (I can’t even post those photos because they are so disgusting and heart wrenching), cracked hooves, bald patches, and broken spirits.”
Allegations related to illegal business practices
The issues related to animal neglect are not the first major issues facing the Stuebgens or their businesses.
In addition to the numerous allegations by citizens and State officials related to illegal business practices, both Teresa and Daniel Stuebgen have faced repeated criminal issues with local law enforcement in recent years.
Daniel Stuebgen and a woman he was allegedly having an affair with were previously charged with assaulting Ms. Stuebgen. Court records show Daniel Stuebgen being charged with domestic assault and harassment in late 2021. The case was eventually dropped after prosecutors were unable to get Ms. Stuebgen to testify against him. He was convicted on charges the same year for Failure to Report an Accident, Operation of an Unregistered Vehicle, and Unlawful Operation of a Vehicle.
Teresa Stuebgen was also charged in 2021 with a DUII in Tillamook County, a case which is still active following her failure to complete multiple diversion agreements, and ultimately appear in court– leading to the recent issuance of a warrant for her arrest.
Rogers went on to explain that Teresa Stuebgen has a “history of lying and creating excuses every time she’s investigated for something”.
“The Stuebgens always seem to be in trouble with someone”, referring to what she learned were issues with State park officials and even recent social media posts where Stuebgen discouraged her employees from speaking with officials from BOLI who has previously investigated the business.
The Stuebgen’s and Green Acres have also been embroiled in numerous issues and allegations from both citizens and state officials in recent years. This also included their connections to their partner company and its owner who was recently charged with felony counts of filming minors in a bathroom at the beach location for Green Acres.
Photo of John Bonander released by Tillamook County Sheriff’s Detectives in efforts to uncover additional victims in his criminal case. (Photo Courtesy of TCSO)
John David Boannder, 48, was arrested last December after it was alleged by Tillamook County Detectives that he was secretly filming minors and others in a bathroom on the property used by both businesses and minor employees of both businesses.
Bonander operates West Coast Camels which jointly shared facilities with Green Acres. Bonander also lived at the same property.
Through court records when compared to records from the Oregon State Marine Board, two of the minor victims were confirmed to be employees of both Green Acres and West Coast Camels.
The Stuebgen’s later denied on social media there being any ties between the businesses at all, despite Green Acres advertising the camel rides and details provided by multiple former employees. The Stuebgen’s have refused to respond to requests for comment, except to email and post threats of legal action against NW Horse Report and others.
Rogers claimed the denial of ties between Green Acres and West Coast Camels was “beyond ridiculous”.
“They’re working and running together, they were basically the same business with the guides being involved with both. [Bonander] did go on rides on a few occasions and would also help at the overnight barn– taking care of his camels and the horses.”
A picture obtained from a private investigators report showing the joint facility used by Green Acres and West Coast Camels located on Pacific Ave in Pacific City, Oregon. The owners of Green Acres have denied findings that showed both companies were together after the owner of West Coast Camels was arrested late last year for filming minors and others in a bathroom on the property.
The other issues with State officials, which were detailed in a mountain of public records from multiple state agencies about the business, included; failing to maintain workers’ compensation insurance, illegal minor labor, and occasional issues with compliance with outfitter guide licensing requirements.
Officials with the Department of Consumer & Business Services (DCBS) confirmed ongoing but yet unsuccessful efforts to get Green Acres into compliance with Oregon law. The company has not had workers’ compensation insurance for several years that is required to protect workers.
DCBS also confirmed that the Stuebgen’s other business Happy Trails Feed & Tack has never had workers’ compensation insurance, despite numerous sources confirming the company has employed numerous workers over the last 5 years who were allegedly “paid under the table”. It is unclear if Happy Trails has ever paid any payroll taxes for these employees.
Green Acres also has a nearly decade-long battle with officials with the Oregon Parks & Recreation Division (OPRD) for riding on illegal trails and not cleaning manure on the beach– issues which numerous local residents have attempted to solve with a laundry list of complaints filed with the State in recent years– with little success.
As previously reported as part of our “Shadow Outfitting” story series, Oregon Parks’ Associate Director Havel confirmed that the agency was going so far as working with an Assistant Attorney General at the Oregon Department of Justice to take legal action against the Green Acres and secure an “exclusion order”.
A photo uncovered on Facebook showed camels were being housed alongside horses of Green Acres, and interactions with Teresa Stuebgen (pictured) despite past denials by the Stuebgens on having any ties to John Bonander and West Coast Camels – (Photo used under “Fair Use” rights)
Havel maintained that the exclusion order remained on the table as they continue to deal with the company.
Havel told NW Horse Report on Tuesday that their “office doesn’t have any new recent reports of interactions with the stables, but we did send the owner an email last week.” but stated the Stuebgens have yet to comply with the request.
The agency requested the company renew a permit required to operate an ATV on the beach after learning they resumed operations this year, part of the agency’s efforts to help them facilitate the cleanup of manure.
“It sounds like you have resumed offering beach rides so please complete the permit application at your earliest convenience so that manure clean-up can resume,” said Park Manager Jason Elkins in an April 13th email.
OPRD officials acknowledged the continued difficulties in gaining compliance from Green Acres. Several local residents alleged the issues with the company and the violations of the State rules by Green Acres have been going on for nearly a decade– with most expressing they’ve given up even bothering to make any new complaints on the ongoing issue after it started to grow worse between 2017 and 2019.
A spokesperson with the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB), the agency responsible for licensing all outfitter guides in Oregon, said they had not yet been aware of the new allegations and evidence concerning Green Acres and their horses.
“Oregon registered outfitter and guides shall provide any animal used in the conduct of business with proper food, water, and shelter and not subject any animal to needless abuse or cruel inhuman treatment.” said OSMB official Brian Paulsen.
“With this new information we are immediately working with our law enforcement partners to substantiate the information and investigate further. Our agency strives to ensure that all individuals who provide outdoor recreation activities for compensation in Oregon conduct themselves in a safe and legal manner.”
The company appeared to enjoy successes and far fewer issues in years past until it changed ownership around 2017 to the Stuebgens. Gary Fromm, who is known as the current owner of the unincorporated city of Otis near Lincoln City, appears to have originally owned the company.
State records showed Fromm’s business, Green Acres Boarding, had an assumed business name of “Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides”. Fromm appears to have canceled his assumed business name filling which coincided with the registration of “Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides, LLC” under a new registry number– filed by the Stuebgens.
While online reviews remain generally positive for Green Acres, the review averages in recent years have been plummeting much lower when not factoring reviews from before 2018, with some ranging averages in the high 2’s and low 3’s on both Google and Trip Advisor.
A significant increase in 1-star reviews with lengthy complaints detailing issues with unsupervised child workers, horse safety and care, failure to return deposits, and other inappropriate conduct– was very noticeable on the company’s review pages.
In one response, the company actually knowledges having minors working, but alleged that adult workers would check in on them.
An active warrant for owner’s arrest on unrelated case
NW Horse Report also discovered that Teresa Stuebgen continues to have an active bench warrant for her arrest as of the publication of this story, having failed to appear recently per court order for hearings related to her repeated failure to comply with a “diversion agreement” stemming from 2021 DUI charge in Tillamook County.
According to an affidavit from Tillamook County District Attorney Aubrey Olson in her application for a warrant for Stuebgen’s arrest, it stated Stuebgen was contacted by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies in their attempts to serve an “Order to Show Case for Diversion Violation”.
Lincoln County deputies “were unable to serve the defendant because the address provided is a business that appears vacant.”
Olson then details that deputies “contacted defendant via phone, and she refused to provide her address, but stated she no longer lives in Lincoln Co. She then hung up on them.”
Based on court records obtained by NW Horse Report connected in both civil and criminal legal fillings, Teresa Stuebgen appears to have been providing false information to the courts when using the now former Lincoln County business address as a residence in some of the fillings, while other fillings show her residence as the property where the overnight barn for Green Acres is based on Resort Drive in Pacific City, which is located in Oregon’s Tillamook County.
Stuebgen’s now ex-husband Daniel Stuebgen also has continued to provide this and other addresses claiming the “principal place of business” for Green Acres is actually in Lincoln City, despite it being located at either the location on Resort Drive or Pacific Ave in Pacific City.
Several individuals also alleged that Daniel Stuebgen has remained aware and shares in the responsibility for the care of the horses. An online review posted just over a week ago appears to show Mr. Stuebgen next to a young customer on the horse.
Daniel Stuebgen is also reportedly a certified farrier, which also raises more questions as to the alleged explanation from Teresa Stuebgen to the rescue and others on the lack of hoof care for their horses.
Allegations of illegal labor practices, payroll fraud, exploiting minor labor, and alcohol and drug use
Rogers also went on to corroborate reports from numerous sources who over the last year also alleged illegal payroll and labor practices by Green Acres and the Stuebgen’s other business, Happy Trails Feed & Tack.
In addition to the illegal employment of minors which Rogers said looking back feels “exploitive”, her story matched with that of others who alleged that the Stuebgens were also falsifying payroll and timesheet records, in addition to illegal wage practices that did not include paying overtime or even minimum wage.
“Okay, here’s an example, I was supposed to be paid $20 per hour– but in reality, they would pay us only $3 or $4 per rider. So if we had 30 riders that day, they would only pay me $90 and on paystubs claim only 4.5 hours, even though I actually worked 12-14 hours a day sometimes,” explained Rogers.
“It was just a mess, and that’s even if we got paystubs and normal paychecks.”
When Rogers was asked who handled payroll she explained, “Tina Cabal, she’s a friend of the Stuebgens and an employee, she was the one who was handling all the fudging of the numbers for Green Acres, she was absolutely in on it,”.
The other employee claimed that Cabal was “paid extra” as an office manager, but couldn’t confirm exactly how much. Rogers said she wasn’t aware if there was any such arrangement for extra pay for Cabal in handling the payroll records with the Stuebgens.
Rogers claimed the company got in trouble years ago with BOLI for paying the guides by the number of rides and having classified them as “independent contractors”, which is an issue where a business engages in the misclassification of workers to avoid payroll taxes and other labor requirements. Despite the change to an “employee classification” and “hourly pay”, Rogers and others said the business just went on to manipulate the numbers for the same effective result.
According to Rogers and the other former employee, it enabled Green Acres to illegally avoid required overtime pay, and pay employees well under Oregon’s minimum wage.
“By 2021, I was making less than $10 an hour most days. I’d work 12 hours and only make $80-$100 dollars” Rogers explained.
The other former employee’s story was similar to Rogers’ own claim.
The allegations by the former Green Acres employees appear to be a clear form of payroll fraud through falsified timesheets, which not only takes advantage of workers but also has serious potential implications of tax fraud.
In fact, according to an official with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that specifically requires employers to keep accurate records of nonexempt employees’ work hours. For instance, it is illegal for employers to cut an employee’s work time down in an attempt to avoid paying overtime.
When asked if she was ever paid overtime for the many weeks she knew were well in excess of 40 hours, Rogers said, “Never, they would also avoid overtime pay this way, absolutely.”
Both FLSA and Oregon law requires employers to compensate employees at the rate of 1.5 of their normal hourly pay for each hour worked over 40 hours in a single work week.
Allegations further supported by investigator’s interview with Stuebgen’s daughter-in-law
Many of the allegations made by Rogers and the other unnamed employee were also corroborated in a private investigators’ report from October 2020 also detailed an interview with Teresa Stuebgen’s daughter-in-law, Paris Kirkpatrick-Ware.
The report details many of the same allegations made by Rogers and another unnamed employee but also alleges the company was not in compliance with outfitter-guide laws including avoiding CPR/First Aid-certified training for its guides, especially the minors who were employed.
“When I was really young, the company would call us ‘Junior Guides’, which meant we only got paid with a share of tips. They were still doing this when I left the company in 2021.” said Rogers.
When asked why they thought this could happen, both former employees explained that it was an alternative to “babysitting for some parents” and taking advantage of those who wanted to help and be around the horses.
When we asked Rogers and the other employee why they never reported the issues to authorities or Oregon labor officials, it was due to “fear” of the Stuebgens. The other unnamed employee, and another source familiar with the business’s practices, would only speak to NW Horse Report under the condition of anonymity out of a bonafide fear of retribution.
“I wanted to go to BOLI, I wanted to go do that, but I was in fear of retaliation,” Rogers said, going on to explain, “But I had also been there a long time since I was a kid, I really cared about the horses. I wanted to ensure I didn’t burn a bridge and could have access to the horses and be sure they were okay, because [the Stuebgens] didn’t take care of the horses in the winter.”
BOLI is Oregon’s Bureau of Labor & Industries which investigates and enforces Oregon’s labor laws and provides support for both employees and employers.
As previously detailed in past reporting from NW Horse Report, records also showed that Green Acres attempted to obtain a “minor exemption certificate” in the summer of 2020 after BOLI’s Child Labor Unit sent a warning to the business, but the application was denied based on the classification of work in accordance with State and Federal labor laws.
BOLI’s Child Labor Unit then attempted to receive more information from the company, but their requests were ignored. The State informed Green Acres that they could not employ minors.
“You may not employ minors as long as you do not have a current Employment Certificate.” said an August 13th, 2020 letter from the agency. According to BOLI officials, Green Acres did not respond to their requests.
One of the former employees told NW Horse Report that Teresa Stuebgen would also frequently claim people as “family” in order to deflect inquiries from State officials, despite the individuals not being immediate family members or even family at all.
Kirkpatrick-Ware also made similar allegations in her interview with an investigator, having been aware that when the company did not have their license for months following a citation for “guiding without a license” in March of 2020.
The report read, “Ms. Kirkpatrick-Ware stated Mr. and Ms. Stuebgen ran beach rides without a license from March 2020 to May 2020. After my own internal investigation, I found that their business also falls under Oregon State Marine Board outfitter licensing. She stated during this time they would make the paying customers pretend to be ‘family’.”
Kirkpatrick-Ware also detailed to the investigator that Teresa Stuebgen continued to “bute” a horse named Chrome that the company’s Oregon veterinarian, Dr. Richard McMillian, had previously told the Stuebgens needed to be retired. Bute is a term for the analgesic drug phenylbutazone, namely used in the treatment of horses.
The allegations by Kirkpatrick-Ware were collaborated by Rogers– telling NW Horse Report that the horse Chrome should not have had any riders over 90lbs on the horse or used on the beach, and being aware that Teresa Stuebgen would frequently give the horse “bute” before rides with customers on the beach.
Rogers also claimed the same practice was being done with another horse in recent years.
“They had to give one of the horses named Jet butte in order for the horse to do rides, they never worked to get her in shape before the rides.” said Rogers.
The interview report with Kirkpatrick-Ware also went on to allege drug and alcohol use by both adults as well as some of the minors on the property. Rogers stated she witnessed consumption by both Bonander and Teresa Stuebgen on a “regular occasion”, and that alcohol was prevalent in a fridge inside the business and used by the workers, including several children.
Sheriff’s office confirms new investigation
The Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) confirmed to NW Horse Report on Tuesday that it was actively investigating the report and confirming an official with the horse rescue filed a complaint with the agency.
Following initial publication NW Horse Report spoke with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), having made an inquiry prior to press time of sources who believed their office was providing an agency assist to TCSO after having learned that the rescue– located in Polk County– had obtained two of the horses and a turkey.
Following initial publication, Capt. Jeff Isham with PCSO clarified the record and stated that while their deputy did inspect the horses that were brought to Polk County by the rescue, they have yet to receive any request from TCSO for any assistance or to officially investigate the animals surrendered to the rescue.
Isham said Polk County Sheriff’s Office is more than happy to provide assistance of their animal control officer to other agencies, especially those without qualified staff. PCSO’s Deputy Jodi Whiting was recently awarded ACO of the Year by the Oregon Animal Control Council and regularly conducts training for all of Polk County’s patrol deputies. Isham said the training of their other deputies by the State’s leading ACO is a great resource that allows their agency to be more effective in properly investigating animal neglect cases.
A turkey rescued last Friday from the Green Acres facility was allegedly found next to “dead chickens”. (Photo Courtesy of Mary Renouf)
A patrol supervisor for TCSO also confirmed that a deputy and a veterinarian went to the property earlier Tuesday, but did not yet have details regarding the visit and if Ms. Stuebgen cooperated with the visit. The supervisor stated that the visit was not however under the authority of a warrant and did not disclose the veterinarian.
The supervisor did not generally respond to multiple allegations by numerous citizens previously mentioned in this story, indicating it was above his pay grade and that such comment would need to come from either their Sheriff or PIO.
Tillamook County Sheriff Joshua Brown stated on Tuesday evening that he would need more time to respond to the request for comment, having not been familiar with the case. As of press time Wednesday no further comment had been made.
We did ask Sheriff Brown if his agency was familiar with many of the resources in neighboring counties that often assist smaller agencies and communities with similar cases, including support from animal rescue organizations that frequently work with law enforcement, the State’s special animal cruelty prosecutor, and veterinarians with experience in such legal cases.
Joy Laudahl, another director for Harmony New Beginnings Animal Rescue, also spoke with NW Horse Report regarding the recent revelations. Laudahl was one of the three members of their rescue who approach Teresa Stuebgen last Friday when they made a visit to her family.
Laudahl disclosed that she had worked with Teresa Stuebgen in years past, including with her feed store by holding fundraisers for their non-profit. She however expressed that despite the past relationship with Teresa Stuebgen, her feelings quickly changed with time as the reality of the situation and reports– from those both in and outside the equestrian community– were increasingly coming to light.
“It’s honestly heartbreaking, and at the end of the day there isn’t anybody that can really remain a true friend of mine when animals are put into this situation,” Laudahl said.
“People need to be honest and excuses don’t cut it when the animals are suffering, and this is really one of the most heartbreaking cases I’ve ever experienced. This happens by people’s choices– and by negligence– and they [the animals] don’t have a voice.”
Much of the same somber mood and heartbreak expressed by Renouf in her weekend blog post following the ordeal last Friday was also shared by Laudahl, “It was just so bad, and if the sheriff doesn’t move soon more animals are going to die.”
While Laudahl is no stranger to working with law enforcement agencies across the State in her and Renouf’s capacity at Harmony New Beginnings, Laudahl did express concerns that partly mirror those expressed by others in the community regarding the capabilities of the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office in handling such a case.
Laudahl did however express that she was hopeful that where Tillamook County deputies may not have the necessary experience, they will seek outside help from qualified professionals and other agencies. She also hoped TCS listens to the community that recognizes this case well exceeds what has been seen in other neglect cases in other jurisdictions that have led to criminal charges.
“The community is already starting to speak out, and it’s just the beginning, so I really hope those leading this case understand how serious it actually is when you look at the other cases being prosecuted,” Laudahl said.
“The community just wants to be heard and know that their Sheriff prevented one more animal from dying because they didn’t take too long to act, to seize animals, and not continue to enable those who will continue to repeatedly neglect their animals,”
A photo of one of the two horses recently rescued by Harmony New Beginnings from Green Acres. (Photo Courtesy of Harmony New Beginnings)
Laudahl and others pointed to the swift action in numerous other cases, including the recent Brownell felony neglect case.
Renouf said that while there weren’t horses that needed to be euthanized on-site as was the case in the recent Brownell case outside Dallas, Oregon, the “situation was very similar in many respects,” including the horses being used for a for-profit business. The Brownells were convicted in that case earlier this year.
Numerous individuals and former employees also expressed that they believe law enforcement must act and “not just try to educate or help them care for the animals themselves”, believing this pattern of conduct has already been repeating itself for years.
“They easily make over $400,000 a year if you can do simple math, with at least a quarter million of that in just the heat of a few months of summer,” said Rogers, claiming that at best Green Acres is probably paying out only 30-40 thousand dollars in payroll.
“Even if it’s twice that, that’s still plenty of money to take care of the horses they have, but everybody that knows them knows they just won’t do it,” said Rogers.
“There is plenty of money for them to buy hay and feed, but the Stuebgens have continued to show they are irresponsible. They make plenty of money to do things legally and take care of their animals, they just choose not to and instead spend the money on themselves, and tons of alcohol while the horses suffer.”
The other employee also believed that the amount Rogers alleged the business generates was fairly accurate when figuring an average of 30 riders a day and being open nearly 7 days a week during the summer season.
She also claimed, “They do a lot of business in cash too, and [the Stuebgens] take a lot of money out and just go spend it, so I’m sure they don’t report that much. Plus we’ve learned they aren’t paying for workers’ [compensation] insurance like they were supposed to.”
NW Horse Report did not receive any response from the Stuebgens or Green Acres following a Tuesday email to their business.
However, Teresa Stuebgen made a Facebook post-Tuesday evening saying, “Hey Karen’s unless you know about a horse or my life shut the hell up and get a life.”
Laudahl also provided copies of hostile voicemails from both Daniel & Teresa Stuebgen left with Harmony New Beginnings early Wednesday afternoon.
“Hi Joy, this is Dan over at Green Acres, and uh I think we have some [f-ing] problems and I want a callback.” said a voicemail from Daniel Stuebgen.
A voicemail from Teresa Stuebgen stated, “Hey you know, I’ve always rescued with all my heart, and for you to backstab me the way you did, I am unbelievably hurt, I did everything I could and I have given you a lot…”
After initial publication, Daniel Stuebgen left two more voicemails on the rescue’s phone which escalated to threats of lawsuits against the non-profit and its officers for “defamation” and alleged that he would be taking action on everyone who he claimed was “trespassing”, despite them having been allowed onto the property by Teresa Stuebgen as part of the voluntary surrender.
As of press time, the website for Green Acres at www.beach-rides.com appears to have been replaced with a simple “Coming Soon” landing page.
Anyone with first-hand information regarding allegations of animal neglect in relation to this case can contact the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office at (503) 842-2561.
Those interested in supporting the ongoing care of the two horses and turkey or other animals already in the care of Harmony New Beginnings can visit www.hnbar.org. The organization is a licensed Animal Rescue Entity with the Oregon Department of Agriculture and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
This is a developing story that you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on.
You know that saying — you take the good with the bad? That’s life as an animal rescuer. There are beautiful days in rescue and there are days that break your heart. Recently I had a beautiful day when I had a former foster dog visit and he was so overjoyed to see me he rolled over and peed himself, but also gladly jumped in the car with his new family when it was time to go because he’s so happy there. But yesterday — yesterday almost broke me.
A large part of animal rescue isn’t the rehabbing or rehoming an animal, it’s the acquiring of the animal that is sometimes the hardest. I’m going to take you on a journey to understand how it often works.
Our rescue received calls from a few concerned people about a group of horses being used for beach rides. The concerns had been coming from media reporters, paid riders, other horse people and even neighbors of the barn area. Animal control was receiving calls but nothing appeared to have been done about it. So we were asked if we could go assess the situation. Especially since the horse community is fairly small and our founder knew the owner of the horses.
We knew it would be a sensitive conversation and we knew it might be a hard situation. We weren’t sure how many horses were unhealthy or “skin and bones” as the reports were saying. And we didn’t know if we’d be able to convince the owner to surrender them. You also never really know what the situation is — maybe it’s just one sick horse. Or maybe it’s an owner who is sick or can’t take care of the animals and the horses are unintentionally being neglected.
Have trailers, will rescue…
Regardless of what we’d find or what was the driving force, we knew we needed to try to help. So we loaded up the trailer and headed out. On the drive, we discussed our strategy. Our founder would talk to the owner, our horse trainer would assess the horses health and I would assess the condition of where they were being kept.
Our first stop was the barn where they are housed. What we found there was both heartbreaking and scary. The location wasn’t safe, in fact I only felt safe going in because I was armed. We had only a few minutes to scan the area before we were met by a questionable-looking man asking us why we were there.
It was really hard to see the conditions.
Even in a few moments, what we saw was this:
· Way too many horses being housed in one area.
· Numerous horses that were incredibly underweight, one with an eye infection so bad the eye couldn’t be opened and others that were biting and kicking because of the unsafe cohabitation.
· Unclean pen area, with some horses clearly covered in mud and feces.
· No clear food source and water troughs that were unclean and had nowhere near enough water for the number of animals present.
· Other livestock confined and segregated in small spaces, again with no food or water.
· Unsafe living conditions IN THE BARN for numerous humans, none of whom seemed to be actively participating in the care of the animals.
Realizing that we were not welcome in the barn area, we hopped back in the truck and trailer and headed for the beach, where we knew more horses would be in action providing rides to tourists.
We got there a little ahead of the return of a tour group where we noticed the stalls had no food and empty water buckets. As the group came back, we could see the horses were clearly being overworked, underfed, and lacked energy. Upon further inspection, we saw their coats were dull, their tails and manes matted and falling out. You could clearly see ribs poking out on several, feet in desperate need of a farrier, and teeth issues. Even though the situation was worse than we had anticipated, we still wanted to talk with the owner so we had a conversation.
The owner tried to explain the situation — and some of it is probably true. It has been a rough winter, feed is expensive, there is a shortage of care providers and the economy has been hard. But if we’re being honest, if your business is based off using horses to provide tours, then you have to put their care first. Sure, vets are taking awhile to come out, but these horses hadn’t had care in a VERY LONG time. Hoof experts do cancel sometimes, but not for years at a time. Feed and supplements can be hard to come by, but there are alternatives. And even if your horse has been sick, you still need to provide ongoing care and maintenance.
I’ll give you one example — when we asked the owner about a horse that clearly has a body condition score of maybe a 1 or a 1.5 they said the horse had suffered from long-term parasite issues. Our concern with that answer was on several levels. One, you needed to get a vet out to properly diagnose. Two, you can treat parasites fairly easily. Three, the horse had open wounds that were infected from diarrhea burn which is preventable — clean your horse daily while they are experiencing diarrhea. Left untreated it becomes miserable, infected and potentially life threatening. And four, the horse is so malnourished that trying to rehabilitate might not be possible — but you’re still letting people take rides on the beach with her? There is no excuse for that. You’re putting her in jeopardy every day. And the people who are paying money to ride her are in jeopardy of her collapse while on her.
The condition of this horse is beyond weight, she had open and infected wounds.
There are so many horses in this situation I could talk about, but what I will say is this. The owner couldn’t defend it no matter how hard they tried. And we shouldn’t have been the ones having that conversation with them. Animal control could have done more. The local authorities should have done more. We were lucky that owner was willing to release a couple of them to us to work on, but even then, they didn’t surrender them, they asked us to rehabilitate them and give them back.
We took the ones we were allowed to take, we offered to take as many as they would give us. We offered to take a malnourished and isolated cow as well, but they wouldn’t budge — because even though he was skinny, he is future freezer beef. We even took a turkey- yup we threw that boy into the back of the SUV because the condition he was living in was beyond what we could leave him in.
The worst part for me was that while we were taking two out, the one with the severe eye infection was begging me to take him. He was pushing into me and trying to get through the fence panels and into the trailer. He knew that getting into that trailer with us might be his only chance at survival or a better life. But the owner wouldn’t let him go.
That ride back to the rescue was somber. There were tears, there were swear words, there were long, deep breaths. There were broken hearts and broken spirits. But there were also plans being made to continue this fight. There were promises that the horses would be healed if we could do it. There were words of comfort that even though this one hurt, it’s still the right work to be doing. We call it the Lord’s work, and we don’t do so lightly. Because without Faith, we couldn’t do this work long-term — we’d be too broken.
When we got the ones we were able to take back to the rescue out of the trailer and into a stall with alfalfa, they didn’t stop eating for over an hour. We took off their blankets and we all were gutted. We knew it was bad, but we didn’t know it was THAT bad. Ribs clearly visible, sunken backs, jutting hips, hair loss, caked on feces to the tails and haunches, open wounds (I can’t even post those photos because they are so disgusting and heart wrenching), cracked hooves, bald patches, and broken spirits.
We were mostly speechless as we walked them out.
They were so lacking energy that they didn’t even put up a fight when we were cleaning open wounds. They had no fight left in them, but I think they also knew they were finally in good hands. I think they’d eat non-stop if we would let them, but at this point, getting the right amounts of nutrients to them without causing even more harm is the name of the game. It will be expensive, it will be time consuming, and it will be a long haul before they are back to health — if they ever get there. Often at this point, they are too far gone to save. But I promise you this, we will do everything we can to help those horses. And we will do everything we can to help the ones we couldn’t get out of there on THIS trip. Rest assured, we will be fighting to get the rest of them out.
I could go on about this rescue effort, but honestly, this will probably be a court case so I’m not opening too much up.
I could go on about this 10 hour rescue effort, but honestly, I’m still sick and hurt and a bit broken.
I could go on about this rescue effort, but honestly, it’s not even that different from others we’ve been on or others we will go on in the future.
We were heartbroken, but our promise to each other is we always look on the bright side.
But what I WILL always keep talking about is the work we do, and we WILL continue to rescue animals in need.
Clackamas, Ore. – The then-minor victim in a case of alleged sexual misconduct against a USHJA Trainer’s staffer who was recently suspended by the US Center for SafeSport has made her first public statement in an exclusive interview with NW Horse Report.
The staffer was identified by SafeSport last month as Harrison Joseph Brown, 25, who worked alongside USEF certified trainer Jill McGrady, 44, at her business Quiet Rein Riding School, a hunter jumper training facility that primarily trains young women in the Olympic sport.
According to numerous sources who spoke with NW Horse Report, Brown and McGrady were also allegedly dating and engaged in an affair. While both Brown and McGrady have not made any comment, several proponents defending Brown & and McGrady– including Brown’s own father– deny the allegations.
According to public court documents, McGrady had separated from her husband last year and was involved in a 9-month divorce proceeding that was finalized last week. The proceedings originally appeared to be heading for a trial last month until a stipulated judgment between the parties was recently filed.
The divorce petition filed by Jill McGrady last August in Clackamas County Circuit Court also confirmed allegations by numerous sources that Jill McGrady has also been living together with the Browns at a residence in Happy Valley owned by Harrison Brown’s father, which was confirmed by Pamplin Media Group through county property records.
The recent stipulated judgment in the dissolution of marriage document again listed the same address for McGrady last week, confirming McGrady continues to reside with Brown and his father as the investigations continue.
After SafeSport’s interim suspension was made public, the purported victim was then shockingly identified as McGrady’s now estranged daughter Kaylyn McGrady, now 20.
As has been common with many cases of alleged sexual misconduct against minors in the hunter-jumper sport, the younger McGrady has already been faced with a swift rebuke from adamant supporters of Brown and the senior McGrady, including Brown’s own father– actions which are further detailed later in this story.
Four separate individuals who would only speak to NW Horse Report on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution, also reported that Harrison Brown and McGrady were seen out in public together shortly following the notice of suspension and requests for comment from NW Horse Report from both Brown and McGrady.
Kaylyn McGrady breaks silence on allegations & SafeSport investigation
Kaylyn McGrady recently spoke exclusively with NW Horse Report to tell her story following the announcement by SafeSport. For the purpose of this segment, we will refer to her by first name only.
During the interview, Kaylyn went on with expressing much appreciation for those supporting her and other victims of sexual misconduct, within and outside the equestrian community. NW Horse Report’s interview didn’t get into any specifics with Kaylyn regarding the alleged conduct itself, as investigations were ongoing.
Kaylyn explained that her equestrian background started when she was very young, mostly due to her mother’s background going from working for Safeway to eventually becoming an equestrian professional.
“I turned 18 just around the time COVID hit, so I started working professionally for my mom and the original plan was to work for her and eventually take over the business until everything obviously changed. So then I went to work for Imagination Lane starting last July. It’s full-time for me, but I’m also a full-time student and working on a transfer degree so that I can finish at a 4-year and get my business management degree.” she said.
Kaylyn McGrady now works as an assistant trainer for the hunter-jumper training program Imagination Lane located outside Portland, Oregon.
Kaylyn’s initial report to investigators with the US Center for SafeSport about Brown took place in the early summer of 2022 just prior to then taking on a new role with equestrian training facility Imagination Lane as an assistant trainer.
“When it first all happened the aftermath of everything was pretty rough. Luckily I had my roommate– she’s been amazing and basically like my sister and is also in the equestrian world. My dad was like right there with me through everything, so between those two I got a lot of help, and are still helping me out today.” said Kaylyn.
When asked how that support has helped her cope with everything since coming forward, “I’m doing better with the support and everything, but like most things, there are good days and bad days, and there are things that’ll come up and get me into a bit of tizzy. Between my friends, my dad, and even my boyfriend– it’s been nice having them stand behind me.”
“Kendall & Nicole and all of the staff at Imagination Lane have been so supportive as well, providing a safe and supportive work environment,” remarked Kaylyn.
The questions eventually turned to ask how Harrison Brown had come into the picture with the McGradys.
“Harrison had a younger sister who I believe still rides and even works out at Quiet Rein, and then eventually he started coming around the barn and going to shows, eventually being hired by my mother,” said Kaylyn, going on to explain that she thought Harrison was hired around late 2019, and quickly had a close relationship with her mother.
“I did make the initial complaint… I have been working with SafeSport and the investigation, they’ve been great,” she responded.
“I am more than willing to particulate in any investigation that may be brought about.”
We then asked what led her to ultimately come forward with the allegations against Harrison Brown.
Kaylyn McGrady (left) with her father Marshall McGrady (right). Kaylyn expressed to NW Horse Report the significant support she’s had from her father since coming forward to the US Center for SafeSport.
“At first, I’m not going to lie, I was absolutely terrified to come forward. I didn’t know what it meant, I didn’t know what I was getting into, so I just kinda pushed it to the side.”
“It wasn’t until this last year when several girls that were training with us expressed how much they looked up to me, respected me, and all these things… and then one day I just realized that these girls were all my age when things happened to me and I felt like I wanted and needed to do my part to ensure this kind of things didn’t happen to them, because it’s awful, and nobody deserves to go through that,” explained Kaylyn.
“I just wanted to do what I could so that not only just those kids, but minor athletes, in general, were safe from this sort of environment.”
Kaylyn was asked how she handled the environment she was in over a couple of years while Brown continued to be employed by her mother and Quiet Rein, all while finishing high school and working that transition to being an adult.
While appearing emotional Kaylyn went on to explain, “It was not easy for sure, after all of this happened my mental health really started to decline, and as soon as [Brown] came into our lives there was a lot of stress that was happening between all of our relationships between the three of us, and being an only child my mom and my dad are really all I had, they were my family.”
“I really started to feel I was alone and nobody really understood what was happening, because I really didn’t tell anyone about it and didn’t know really what to do.”
We asked Kaylyn how she felt about how everything unfolded with her own mother in this entire ordeal, including the fact that her mother was still standing by Brown following the public notice of Brown’s suspension.
“I did hope that once I came forward that my mom would have been more supportive, but unfortunately it worked out the way that it did,” said Kaylyn.
“I do wish there was a way my mom and I could reconnect and work things out, because my mom is my mom, and family is family, and I’ll always have a love for her. I do love her, I still love her, and I just hope for things to work out eventually.”
NW Horse Report also spoke with Kaylyn’s attorney Russell Prince regarding what they felt were part of the failures in Kaylyn’s case.
“The saddest reality to this whole situation is Kaylyn’s first line of defense was her mother, and her mother was the first person she went to,” said Prince.
The allegations have also raised serious questions as to the alleged conduct of Jill McGrady herself given her obligation to report such alleged conduct under USEF and SafeSport requirements, let alone the fact it was her own daughter.
Kaylyn also went on to detail coming forward to her mother initially, “I was basically saying he did this to me, and I knew she was going to have a hard time handling it, and honestly that’s another reason I waited so long to do anything because I cared for her and wanted to make sure my mom was okay.”
“When I did come forward to her she was the first person I told who could do anything about it, and having her not take the action she needed to was pretty heartbreaking for me, it definitely broke a lot of trust for me,” she explained, albeit emotionally.
In coming forward, Kaylyn also expressed her fear of facing similar personal and often vicious attacks endured by Maggie Kehring, the then minor who was the alleged victim of 2012 FEI World Champion equestrian Rich Fellers who is also from Clackamas County, Oregon.
Brown’s father retaliates with an “anonymous tip” on unrelated allegations causing police response to victim’s workplace
This led Brown’s own father Bob Brown to contact Pamplin Media Group, claiming that SafeSport suspends its members without investigation.
Bob Brown also seemed to imply in an email to Pamplin Media Group that both Kaylyn McGrady, as well as other victims of alleged abuses by equestrian professionals, were not credible.
“You might also consider looking into some of these women that make these reports,” Brown said.
He also made allegations against Kaylyn McGrady for underage drinking as a means to question credibility, pointing to records with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office as evidence to support his claim when requested by Pamplin Media Group.
Kaylyn also stated that in August of 2022, she was contacted by a Clackamas County Sheriff’s Deputy who claimed they received an anonymous tip on the allegations. She also detailed how the deputy even went to her new workplace, Imagination Lane, and spoke with an official for the company that leases the facility to Kaylyn’s employer on a day that she was off work.
NW Horse Report and Pamplin Media Group later worked to obtain the records Bob Brown implied existed, only to shockingly discover the records were from Bob Brown’s own “anonymous” report made to Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in an apparent effort of retaliation against Kaylyn McGrady.
“In the case of Harrison Brown, the accuser made the report of alleged abuse in June 2022 and safe sport took no action until January 2023. Safe sport clearly did not feel he was a threat to the equestrian community.” Bob Brown told Pamplin Media Group.
Officials with SafeSport provided earlier statements to NW Horse Report that the suspension of Harrison Brown took place after an initial investigation– explaining why the younger Brown was not immediately suspended in June.
Some proponents for SafeSport’s investigative efforts claimed that the organization does not issue any public suspensions until an initial investigation has been conducted and evidence obtained, but that such investigations are generally expanded upon by the agency and/or criminal investigations by law enforcement.
Bob Brown then went on regarding his allegation that Kaylyn McGrady had been engaged in underage drinking at several Clackamas County establishments and had a fake ID. When Pamplin Media Group told Bob Brown that it would consider following up if he could point to any sourcing to confirm such allegations, he then responded with additional information.
“As to the accusations that the accuser has illegally obtained alcohol and provided alcohol to other minors could be verified by checking reports with Clackamas County Sheriff’s office…” Bob Brown remarked.
When NW Horse Report later asked Kaylyn about such allegations, she did admit that she had previously been in some such establishments, and like many young adults, has consumed alcohol– but in these circumstances her mother Jill McGrady and Bob Brown were present.
Kaylyn later told NW Horse Report that she felt both “shocked and intimidated” by having law enforcement show up unannounced at her workplace and questioning a manager on her day off, especially based on what she was told was an “anonymous tip”. She also explained a brief phone call she eventually received from a deputy who only indicated that she should not be drinking underage and to be safe.
NW Horse Report was able to confirm the communications were from the correct Bob Brown based upon his use of his company email for his business, Bob Brown Realty.
Bob Brown Realty had been a regular commercial sponsor of events held by McGrady’s Quiet Rein Riding School and by a non-profit called Leg Up Northwest, a 501(c)(3) which was founded by McGrady who currently serves as the group’s president.
Pamplin Media Group and NW Horse Report then worked to obtain records from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office regarding the allegations made by Bob Brown. Initially, the request for records was denied due to a “case with the DA’s office.”.
The District Attorney’s Office then told Pamplin Media Group that it also would not release the records for the same reasons as it “appears to be in reference to a child abuse or child sexual abuse” case.
This response in itself ultimately helped confirm the existence of an ongoing criminal investigation involving Harrison Brown, although no details were provided.
After NW Horse Report and Pamplin Media Group provided further clarification on the nature of the request as being related to a separate matter that should not be part of the referenced criminal case, a subsequent review by the District Attorney’s Office eventually led to the records being released.
The records included a dispatch log and a recording of a phone call with a dispatcher on the individual who made the complaint.
That’s when NW Horse Report promptly discovered that the caller and complainant was actually Bob Brown himself, despite him never making any indication in his statement to Pamplin Media Group that he was the person behind the very “records” he claimed would support his allegations.
The dispatch log also then confirmed that the call was made within a couple of weeks, if not days, following the US Center for SafeSport notifying Harrison Brown of its own investigation. It was unclear if the Browns were aware of a separate and confirmed criminal investigation being conducted by law enforcement that started around that time.
The records contained no additional evidence or statements beyond a repeat of Bob Brown’s allegations made to Pamplin Media Group.
The log also confirmed that a deputy did respond to Kaylyn’s workplace. It additionally showed the deputy spent nearly an hour and a half of time on the call, having been dispatched immediately after Bob Brown contacted police dispatch.
After NW Horse Report revealed its findings to Kaylyn McGrady that Bob Brown was the complainant, she expressed that she felt it was an obvious effort by the Browns to intimidate her, especially considering the ability to cause the police response to her then-new place of employment and having finally gone public with the allegations against the younger Brown.
The action potentially raises questions related to a civil action under a not well-known Oregon law listed as ORS 30.845 titled “Action against person who summons police with improper intent”. One of the listed elements is causing a police officer to arrive at a location to contact another person with the intent to: “Cause the other person to feel harassed, humiliated or embarrassed;”
During the phone call, Bob Brown provided his information to the dispatcher but implied he wanted to be left out of the report. Bob Brown was also told a deputy would contact him. Bob Brown also made no mention of the ongoing investigation into his son Harrison. The dispatcher eventually informed Bob Brown that an officer would contact him.
NW Horse Report is now working to uncover any potential recordings from body-worn cameras that would have captured the deputy’s phone call with Bob Brown.
Kaylyn also told NW Horse Report that the deputy who contacted her by phone said he was reaching out due to an “anonymous tip”, despite the fact it appears the deputy spoke with Bob Brown prior. It was unclear if the deputy had any knowledge of the ongoing investigations involving Harrison Brown.
NW Horse Report did reach Bob Brown at his office weeks ago seeking comment. He initially stated he wanted to comment but would have to call us back later that same day, but ultimately did not call back. He did not return subsequent calls seeking comment.
Colton, Ore. – A woman well known throughout Oregon equestrian circles as a BLM Mustang trainer has been charged by the Clackamas County District Attorney on eight criminal counts of animal neglect and abandonment, according to court records obtained by NW Horse Report.
The charges come following allegations that Aurora resident Michael Jean Wells, 47, who also goes by “Mickie”, had neglected her horses prior to then abandoning them at a commercial horse boarding facility months ago outside Colton, an unincorporated community located in Clackamas County, Oregon.
Wells had also been a trainer with the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) and owner of Wet Paint Mustangs in Burns, Oregon. According to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Corporation Division, the business never legally existed.
Wells’ affiliation with the organization was part of their Trainer Incentive Program (or “TIP), which states it has “trainers in over 40 states” and has “more than 16,000 animals placed” through the program.
Cary Scholtes, Director of the Trainer Incentive Program for MHF, confirmed that Wells was no longer active with their organization and had been “suspended” as a TIP trainer in late 2018.
While Scholtes could not disclose the reason for the suspension, she did state that it is rare for any TIP trainer to be suspended and that such actions are typically related to violations or other improper conduct by a trainer.
She also explained that trainers with any criminal history of neglect or abuse of animals are not permitted to be part of the program which functions in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
Scholtes went on to say that Wells was not permitted to continue using any of the MHF and TIP branding or marketing materials that were still displayed on a Facebook page for her unregistered business.
MHF did say such suspension actions are also shared with the BLM as part of the program, and that MHF does not condone or permit trainers with convictions of animal neglect or abuse from being part of the program.
According to the Mustang Heritage Foundation, “Once a home is approved by the BLM, TIP trainers are reimbursed up to $1,000 for their training and marketing efforts.”
Officials with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) just outside of Burns did not respond to NW Horse Report’s attempts to seek comment before press time. NW Horse Report is in the process of seeking disclosure directly from the BLM regarding the circumstances behind Wells’ suspension as a TIP trainer.
Following the original publication, NW Horse Report received a comment from the Oregon Humane Society regarding the seizure that took place last month.
“The horses from this case are getting the care they need thanks to a concerned citizen who called Oregon Humane Society,” says Chris Allori, OHS Chief of Humane Law Enforcement.
“Everyone can play a part in protecting animals from neglect and abuse – if you see something, say something.”
Wells is also reportedly the founder of one of the more popular equestrian Facebook groups used by Oregon equestrians called “Horse Boarding of Oregon”. Sometime after the recent seizure of her horses, Wells was no longer a member or even an admin of the group, having been removed by one of the other admins.
The only remaining admin says he was added as an admin sometime around 2020, and another admin besides him and Wells must have removed themselves.
Multiple sources familiar with Wells told NW Horse Report that she frequently had been using the FB group to find unsuspecting facility owners to also defraud, frequently bouncing between facilities in recent years, a history of also leaving both back-yard horse barns and registered horse facility companies with thousands in unpaid boarding and care bills.
Wells allegedly has several more horses not part of the current charges at a facility called Cindy’s House of Horses, which is owned by an elderly man in Tualatin. Wells allegedly owes that company tens of thousands, along with the facility she abandoned horses leading to the charges. The facility where the horses were recently seized was known as Spot N’ Splashes Ranch, located just outside of Colton, Oregon.
The owner of that facility, Carena Bolton, spoke to NW Horse Report and detailed how Wells brought in the horses and that their facility did not have an opportunity to see their condition prior to their arrival in early January.
“They were really really bad, and the boarders were concerned,” she said.
Bolton ultimately expressed that she then suspected the company probably wouldn’t get paid, but that they cared about the horses.
“I did expect her to move in and not pay,” Bolton remarked, further saying, “I don’t particularly care about the person, but I care about the horses.”
She then went on to detail the issues with Wells not coming out to provide the necessary care for her horses, leaving it to them while incurring increasing labor and other costs for the “one-off” and daily services, explaining that Wells did not set up to pay and receive full care.
“We also had to pay for a farrier to trim their feet,” going on to explain how overgrown their hooves were upon Wells dropping the horses off.
Bolton expressed that they almost immediately informed Wells about a farrier who had a regularly scheduled visit, but that Wells never made any effort to make the arrangements.
The criminal investigation was prompted after reports from concerned boarders at Spot N Splashes Ranch, although the facility stated the horses were slowly improving under their care while Wells remained absent.
A photo showing one of the horses allegedly abandoned and neglected by Michael Wells. (Photo Courtesy of Oregon Humane Society)
Those reports reached investigators with the Oregon Humane Society (OHS) whose special agents from the agency, along with support from 501(c)(3) horse rescue Sound Equine Options, then moved in on March 7th to seize the horses after securing a warrant.
SEO’s Executive Director Kim Mosiman told NW Horse Report, “SEO was asked to help assist with the handling, hauling, care, and housing of the 4 horses. All horses are gaining weight, receiving basic medical care, and gaining energy.”
The non-profit organization frequently assists law enforcement throughout Oregon and southwest Washington on equine neglect cases.
Spot N Splashes stated they fully cooperated with and allowed agents access to the property in order to investigate prior to the warrant used to seize the animals.
Attempts to reach Wells for comment were unsuccessful prior to press time– her last known number which was also used for her business was disconnected and no longer in service.
According to an order from Wells’ arraignment last Monday, she is due to appear back in Clackamas County Court on May 24th at 10am.
This is a story you can count on NW Horse Report to keep you updated on as it progresses.
