November 2020 Issue

Page 24 November 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN By Amy Worden A Lancaster County woman is facing felony animal cruelty charges after humane officers found emaciated and injured horses on her property, including an eight-week-old foal who had to be euthanized. Joanna Fleming, 45, who operates Red Rock Horse Res- cue Rehab and Blue Starr Horse Rescue Barn in Peach Bottom, was arrested on Oct. 8 and charged with 10 counts of cruel- ty, four of them felony charges, according to the Pennsylvania SPCA. Among the eleven horses found was Baby, a two month old foal, who was septic and had necrotic wounds. Baby was taken to the New Bolton Center where veterinarians determined they could not save her and she was humanely euthanized, the PSPCA said. The felony charges were for failure to provide veterinary care PSPCA Seizes Horses from Lancaster County Rescue for four horses removed from her property, including the foal who died. Fleming also was charged with two misdemeanor counts involving two horses with very underweight body conditions, overgrown hooves and teeth bad- ly in need of dental work. Fleming was charged with summary counts involving a second foal with a laceration requiring medical attention; a horse with an infected wound on her hind leg; and horses in underweight body conditions and needing dental work. Efforts to reach Fleming, who was released after posting $25,000 bail, were unsuccessful. The rescue’s Facebook page described the mission as “rehab- bing kill pen and auction horses to good health” and “giving a second chance at life.” The investigation began in February when the PSPCA received a call from an individual concerned about the condition of the horses on Fleming’s farm. When a humane officer went to the property they did not find conditions that rose to the level of cruelty and provided education on how to properly manage the herd of about 35 horses, said Nicole Wilson, the PSPCA’s director of humane law enforcement. “We gave her an opportu- nity to make adjustments,” said Wilson. A total of five horses were surrendered by Fleming during two follow up visits over the summer, including two miniature horses, a Quarter horse and two thoroughbreds. Separately, a mare and foal abandoned by Fleming on another property were surren- dered by that property owner. On Oct. 8, following another round of warnings about the conditions of specific horses, PSPCA officers and Lancaster County Detectives returned to the property and seized four horses, including a Haflinger cross mare and the foal in distress. The two-month-old filly had suffered an injury which had become septic and infected her joints, to the point the infection was eating away at her growth plate. After consulting with vet- erinarians at New Bolton it was determined to humanely eutha- nize the foal, Wilson said. “Because the infection had not been treated it became sys- temic,” said Wilson. “She would have had no quality of life.” Wilson described the eight- month-long case as a “slow moving car crash.” “The statute is clear about that which is evidence of an existing crime, which is why the slow removal through surrender or seizure,” she said. “She was not able to keep up with the horses she had. Injuries came when horses were fighting for resources.” Of the surviving horses, five have been adopted or have been sent to rescue, including the two minis and Quarter horse now at Lancaster Farm Sanctuary. Five other horses remain in protective custody of the PSPCA, pending the outcome of the case. Wilson said the case is a re- minder to those seeking to donate money to rescues or surrender their horses to a rescue to first conduct thorough research on the organization. “The case underscores the need for donors and anyone seek- ing to relinquish a horse to do their due diligence to ensure the rescue isn’t breeding horses, isn’t flipping horses and is providing proper care,” said Wilson. Because Fleming has had no prior cruelty convictions, Wilson said she may not receive jail time. But the PSPCA will ask that she be ordered to relinquish remain- ing animals, be prohibited from owning any animals for up to 30 years and that the PSPCA have inspection rights on her property, she said. Fleming's preliminary hear- ing is scheduled for Nov. 13. Regional Morgans Bring World Titles Home from Oklahoma City By Suzy Lucine The 2020 edition of the Grand National & World Cham- pionship Morgan Horse Show was a great success during the year of the pandemic. It all hap- pened because of the extra hours put in by the show committee and officials, and all of the stables followed the rules and regulations established by the US Equestrian Federation. “There are so many mov- ing parts putting on a show of this size, plus factoring in the safety and health concerns with Covid-19 this year,” said Betsy Wallen, Show Chairman. “The Morgan community at the show did a wonderful job following the guidelines that were put in place to safely show under these circumstances.” Even though entries were down a bit in number, the quality abound in every division. Many special memories were made as different generations in several families shared the winner’s circle. There was also a notable number of home-bred horses that were shown by their breeders to world titles. Entries from the Mid-Atlan- tic region were no exceptions. Tara Wentz Goosley brought five horses from her Wentz Stable in Orefield, PA. She coached her daughter, Alexa Rae Goosley, to the Grand National Walk Trot Classic Pleasure 9-Year-Old Championship and the World Walk Trot Classic Pleasure 9 & Under Championship. She was riding Sevati, a bay mare owned by Kathleen Tomlinson. Later in the event, Sevati and Alexa went on to win the Grand National Walk Trot Classic Equitation 9-Year-Old Champi- onship and the World Walk Trot Classic Equitation 9 & Under Championship. In both the World Championships, Alexa’s win was unanimous under two different judging panels. Mykonos won the Reserve Grand National Junior Exhibitor Classic Pleasure Saddle 14 & 15 Championship. He was ridden by Patrick McMurtrie for owners Erica Webster and Pam Wirth of Muncy, PA. Also showing under the Wentz Stable banner, Eddie Money won the Grand National Four-Year-Old Park Harness Stallion Championship. Owned by Amos Glick, the black stallion was driven by Mark Mason. The duo went on to win the Reserve World Four-Year-Old Park Har- ness Championship. There were many win- ners shown under the direction of Mike Goebig and Dwayne Knowles of Broadmoor in Kutz- town, PA. Blurred Lines and owner Kim Germ-Cramer were the first to bring a tri-color ribbon back to hang on the stable banner. For the second year in a row, they won both the Grand National Ladies English Pleasure Mare Cham- pionship and the World Ladies English Pleasure Championship. In her Grand National debut, Unpretentious was Reserve Grand National Four-Year-Old Classic Pleasure Champion. She then won the World Junior Classic Pleasure Driving Cham- pionship. What made these wins even more special is that the mare was driven by her breeder/owner Laurie Sterling. After her sixth show ring performance, Outrageouslee was Reserve Grand National Two- Year-Old Pleasure Driving Cham- pion. Owned by Tony Lee, the bay filly was driven by Dwayne Knowles. Tony catch drove Newmont’s Pretty Please and won the Grand National Amateur Gentlemens Pleasure Driving Championship. The five-year-old bay mare is owned by Tony Alagna of Mill- stone Farm. Later in the show, the duo captured the Reserve World Amateur Pleasure Driving Championship. Millstone Farm’s Radical Atomic Force won the Grand National Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Championship. Later in the week, the stallion trotted down victory lane as the Reserve World Three-Year-Old Plea- sure Driving Champion and the Reserve UPHAMorgan Pleasure Driving Classic Champion. He is owned by Tony Alagna of Mill- stone Morgans in Manalapan, NJ, and was driven by Mike Goebig. For the second year in a row, Indian Creek American Girl won the Grand National Ama- teur Masters English Pleasure Championship. The bay mare was ridden by owner Holly Johnson. Get Lucky was the Reserve Champion in the Hunter Plea- sure Gentlemens Final. Lucky is owned by Emily Lents and was ridden by Assistant Trainer John Velardi. John also rode CN Awaited Masterpiece to the Reserve World Three-Year-Old English Pleasure Championship. The stallion is owned by Cindy Nord. Allyson Nord Wandtke rode her gelding, What’s Up GCH, to the Grand National Amateur En- glish Pleasure Stallion & Gelding Championship. The duo added a third world title to their show record. In 2018, they won the World Ladies Amateur English Pleasure Championship; in 2019, they won the World Open English Pleasure Championship; and this year, they won the World Ama- teur English Pleasure Champion- ship. They were on the top of all three judges’ cards. In 2011, Maria Tartaglione made her first victory pass at the Grand National, and there have been many other rides since then. This year, she rode her four- year-old mare, Ledyard All the Rage, to the Reserve World Youth English Pleasure Championship. This was the young mare’s first time in the winner’s circle in OKC, so this duo has an exciting future together. For the second year in a row, Carol Dawson won the Grand National Park Saddle Mare Championship. Mike Goebig was in the saddle for owner Holly Johnson The last class of the show was the World Park Saddle Championship. Mike was back in the winner’s circle adding another World Park Saddle title to his record. The spectacular Carol Dawson earned the tricolor for the second year in a row for owner Holly Johnson. This was the eighth time in his career that Mike Goebig has won this coveted title. He won four times with The Master’s Touch, two times with Stand And Deliver, and a second time with Carol Dawson. When all the ribbons were presented, horse show announc- er Peter Fenton asked Mike to come stand in the center of the ring, and asked the spotlight crew to aim their lights on Mike and the mare. Peter told the inhouse spectators and the larger virtual audience that as Mike was about to trot out of the ring in the spotlight, he was completing his 50th year of showing Morgans professionally. Another barn in Lehigh County at the show was Alicia Owens’ Scottfield Stables in Lenhartsville, PA. Alicia brought seven horses to the show, including her six-year-old bay stallion, EKL Shakedown. Alicia drove him to the Reserve Grand National Park Harness Stallion Championship. CBMF Momentarily won the Grand National Youth English Pleasure Championship. Owned by Kathy Dowling, the gelding was ridden by Audra Lee. Alicia coached Sophie Esarco to the Grand National Saddle Seat Equitation Classic Equitation 14-17 Championship. Later in the week, Sophie went (Continued on page 30) Nine year old Alexa Rae Goosley of Orfield, PA, had a great show winning her qualifying classes unanimously. She also won a world championship riding Sevati. Photo by Howard Schatzberg