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Writer's pictureDavid Duquette

Strength in Numbers

Updated: Jul 1, 2023

Message from Western Justice Founder, Dave Duquette


Dave Duquette, Western Heritage, Washington DC, Western Justice, Western Sports Industry Coalition,
Dave Duquette and Forrie Smith at Western Sports Industry Coalition Event

During my trips, this past year to Washington DC. I witnessed perfect examples of the mentality we are up against agendas that should make everyone in our industry mad and looking for a way to help stop them.


For example, The PACT Act was signed into law by President Trump. If it wasn’t for our team’s efforts, part of the bill that would have become law stated that a person cannot weigh more than 10% of the animal’s body weight being ridden. With the help of our allies, our efforts got that part thrown out. We are still watching this Act and how it’s enforced very closely, because we believe it can be used in ways that Congress and President Trump did not intend. Another unbelievable train of thought was revealed by a comment made by the head veterinarian at USDA during a discussion regarding “soring” Tennessee Walking Horses to enhance their gait a practice that has been illegal in every state for more than 30 years.


The USDA veterinarian actually said , “I could see where riding a horse could be considered an act of soring.”

If there isn’t a strong, unified voice sitting in those meetings to check this type of illogical thinking, the horse industry is destined for peril.




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