Bill Walmsley, the long-time president of the Arkansas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and former president of the National HBPA, has been appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe to the Arkansas Court of Appeals.
Walmsley, active in Arkansas politics, was a founding member of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association board of directors in the late 1990s and served for five years as a representative of the National HBPA. He has owned and raced Thoroughbreds since the late 1970s in the name of Jamestown Stables or PHWL Partnership.
Walmsley said Nov. 26 he can continue to own racehorses, but ethics requirements for judges prohibit him from advocating positions before government agencies. As the horsemen representative he regularly does so before the Arkansas Racing Commission, which oversees racing at Oaklawn Park.
"One of the few regrets I have in accepting this judicial appointment is the requirement that I sever my relationship with the state and National HBPA," Walmsley said. "I have made many friends and met many people I admire in this industry, and I will miss them very much. I have found owning and racing Thoroughbreds to be an emotionally rewarding experience."