Quote from WalkingHorse.Chat Staff on April 4, 2024, 2:33 pm

Amended Complaint Filed in Wrights v. USDA
Thursday, April 4, 2024

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Torridon Law PLLC filed an amended complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on Wednesday April 3, 2024.  The original complaint was filed on March 11, 2024.  The USDA has 60 days to respond to the complaint filed by Torridon Law PLLC.

The amendments to the original complaint are due to an email from USDA-APHIS during the middle of the 2024 National Trainers’ Show that changed the application of the scar rule effective immediately, reversing seven years of training and application in the field of the highly subjective Scar Rule.  No reason was given by USDA-APHIS nor was any comment or notice period given to the industry.

USDA Veterinary Medical Officers had already been in attendance at two shows in 2024 applying the Scar Rule as it had been for the last seven years and the change came before the third night of the four-night National Trainers’ Show.

The amended complaint just further emphasizes the arbitrary nature of the scar rule, which was included in the original complaint.  The complaint still includes the lack of due process claims in the original complaint as well as the disqualification of horses for post-show inflammation.

CLICK HERE  to read the amended complaint.