Thirty-six representatives of the Kentucky horse industry have agreed to join the Sales Intergrity Task Force, which will meet again sometime in May. The complete list of members was released April 30 by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

TOBA, along with Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, and the Consignors and Commercial Breeders Association agreed to reconvene the task force earlier this year after legislation to address ownership and medication disclosures at public auctions, as well as licensing of bloodstock agents, was filed in Kentucky. Under an agreement with Democratic Rep. Larry Clark, sponsor of the auction bill, the task force must report its progress and recommendations to the Interim Joint Licensing and Occupations Committee by June 30, Sept. 30, and Dec. 31 of this year.

“This is a unique opportunity and important industry initiative that requires participation from a broad-based group of buyers and sellers, as well as the sales companies,” TOBA president Dan Metzger said in a statement. “The work of the task force will have a significant impact on equine public auctions in Kentucky, and we look forward to reaching a consensus within the industry on these important issues.”

The Sales Integrity Task Force was formed in 2004 after Thoroughbred owner, breeder, and buyer Satish Sanan launched his own organization targeting alleged auction fraud. Since that time, lawsuits alleging fraud in horse sales have been filed by Thoroughbred owners Jess Jackson and James McIngvale.

The new members of the task force include representatives from the Thoroughbred, Standardbred, Quarter Horse, Saddlebred, Walking Horse, and Mountain Horse breeds. Alex Waldrop, president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Assocation, will moderate the task force. Administrative support for the task force will be provided by Dan Metzger of TOBA, Patrick Neely of the Kentucky Equine Education Project, and David Switzer of the KTA.

The complete list of task force members is as follows:

John Adger (Stonerside Stables)
Mike Akers (Dapple Bloodstock)
Headley Bell (Nicoma Bloodstock)
Jimmy Bell (Darley USA)
Reynolds Bell (Reynolds Bell Thoroughbred Services)
Wayne Boyd (Western Kentucky Horse Sales)
Boyd Browing (Fasig-Tipton)
Bill Casner (WinStar Farm)
Robert Clay (Three Chimneys)
Joe Costa (Tattersalls/The Red Mile)
Charles “Redd” Crabtree (Crabtree Farms)
Bruce Crowe (United Mountain Horse Association)
Bill Farish (Lane’s End)
Bill Heiligbrodt (Heiligbrodt Racing Stable)
Jess Jackson (Stonestreet Farm)
Ken Jackson (Kentuckiana Farms)
Bill Landes (Hermitage Farm)
Norman Luba (Kentucky Quarter Horse Association)
Tom Ludt (Vinery)
Reiley McDonald (Eaton Sales)
Martha Jane Mulholland (Mulholland Springs Farm)
Nick Nicholson (Keeneland)
Denny Nunnelley (Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association)
Frank Penn (Pennbrook Farm)
Walt Robertson (Fasig-Tipton)
Earl Rogers (Kentucky Walking Horse Association)
Geoffrey Russell (Keeneland Association)
Dermot Ryan (Ashford Stud)
Satish Sanan (Padua Stables)
Fred Sarver (American Saddlebred Horse Association)
Fred Seitz (Thoroughbred trainer/Brookdale Farm)
John Sikura (Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms)
Mark Taylor (Taylor Made Farm)
John Ward (Thoroughbred trainer)
Jack Wolf (Starlight Stables)
Bayne Welker (Mill Ridge Farm)