Triumph Project
The Davis McCullough Foundation an the charity
Triumph is a herald heard across the United States when a new Bill offered by bipartisan sponsorship of Representatives Joseph Abruzzo and Luis Garcia and Senator Victor Crist has just been passed unanimously by the House and Senate and signed by the distinguished Governor Charles Crist of The State of Florida U.S.A. Named The Evonne Rodriguiez and Victoria McCullough Bill this legislation creates the most aggressive zero tolerance for Equine Abuse in the Nation establishing a minimum fine of 3,500,00 USD ,minimum one year jail sentencing and a mandatory Felony for conviction of killing ,maiming ,mutilation, neglect ,abandonment, and abuse of Equines . The bill will also expedite the judiciary process for cruelty cases and provide strict qualifications of certification of veterinary care attendance and eliminate individuals convicted of animal abuse from exemption under the Veterinary Practice Act
This is a "Hallmark Victory" for equines in The U.S.A. and a challenge for the remaining States to follow ,One the "Triumph Project" happily accepts.
HISTORY
The Triumph Project is an awareness campaign funded by the Davis McCullough Foundation to enlighten the world through unified efforts both in the United States and abroad of the betrayal of our equine ally.
A major victory was achieved for the American Wild Horse on Friday 17 July 2009. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve the “Restore our American Mustang” (ROAM ACT) H.R. 1018, sponsored by the House Natural Resource Committee Chairman Congressman Nick Rayhall of West Virginia U.S.A. and supported by Victoria McCullough for the Davis McCullough Foundation.
The Bill aims to restore over 19 million acres once removed by former Senator Conrad Burns from the original 53 million acres awarded to The Wild Horses in 1971 when Congress passed the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. 200,000 horses and burros have been removed from the lands.
This Bill will ensure the land for the horses and protect them from commercial sale and slaughter at the same time requiring efficient management practices for the wild herd.
"It is unacceptable for wild horses to be slaughtered without any regard for the general health, well-being and conservation of these iconic animals that embody the spirit of our American West," said Chairman Rahall. "This legislation will ensure the continued presence of those wild horses that make their homes on public lands."
This is the first of three bills Victoria McCullough and the Davis McCullough Foundation have been working on. The second is a Federal Ban of transporting horses in double decker cattle trailers, as these are often used by kill buyers to haul horses to slaughter in Mexico or Canada from the U.S.A. The third bill is The Conyers Equine Protection Act of 2009 which will impose a Federal Ban of sending horses to slaughter for human consumption. This third bill is expected to pass in late September 2009.
“It is with the greatest of pleasure that The Davis McCullough Foundation sponsors the Global Champions Tour and we celebrate these beautiful events by locating them within the treasures of our world. It is my hope that this contrast will remind us all who love horses and horse sports that we can make a difference, we can shelter and protect.” Victoria McCullough
Background
Hundreds of thousands of horses are slaughtered every year and the conditions of transport are appalling. Horses are typically hauled for more than twenty four hours without rest, food or water in trailers often designated for cattle with little protection from weather extremes. The ceilings are so low they injure their heads and many that are very young, lame, pregnant or blind are in great distress even before loading. Once at the slaughterhouse the suffering continues unabated, they are left for long periods of time and they are beaten by callus workers who force them to their deaths, those who are down are dragged and brutalized.
The object of this project is to illuminate the sad truth that hides in the shadows, the majority of these horses are not the old, infirmed and unwanted. They are sometimes days old foals, the yearling's the mares in foal, racehorses that are not swift, draft horses, ponies quarter horses and donkeys.
Horses, that given the opportunity, could live with us and while we give back we gain so much in return. One perfect example is the great Olympic star “Mr Burns”. Who saved in the nick of time by a keen eye for the kill buy price and galloped into greatness being named after the proprietor of Burns Pet Food. Perhaps there are more champions waiting in kill pens but if the efforts to become more accountable for the innocent are not addressed, then far too many are traveling to their deaths in tortuous conditions and ultimately inhumanely destroyed. The abilities to make a difference are at our fingertips, to rescue is an opportunity to remind us how extremely fortunate our show horse are and the gift of devotion from these horses is incomparable.
In November of 2007, The Triumph Project was born, paired with Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal rescue we visited Sugar Creek, Ohio, USA, the location of one of the largest Kill Buy auctions where we rescued 82 horses ponies and donkeys.
On May 23rd 2008, we returned to Sugar Creek and purchased 163 horses, the entire sale sending all of the kill buyers home empty handed. It was the largest rescue to date and as we sat in the dingy oval arena and bid on each horse until all were returned to the paddocks instead of loading shoulder to shoulder to slaughter, they rested in a peace so erie for they knew that they would not smell the death that they had imagined. A Triumph it was. These horse have been transported to Wellington, Florida, USA, where they reside on show farms and have created a magnet of love and support from the community. They are finding homes and useful lives in all aspects, such as colleges and form part of riding programs and the students are raising funds for their care. There are ponies and donkeys to make us smile, ex-race horses to become hopeful show prospects or polo paint horses to brighten a barn and the draft horses that are my favorite to make us smile, their quiet gentle goodness just so very heartfelt. This was the largest rescue to date in the US and all of these horses save for five found wonderful homes and kindness that perhaps has been elusive. If the word “unwanted” was not in our vocabulary that would be a triumph.
Victoria Davis McCullough
Founder
