WASHINGTON - Kentucky Derby devotees and other horse fans are rounding up support in Congress to stop the slaughter of U.S. horses that would grace gourmet dinner plates in Japan, Belgium and France.

Americans, who have a special love for the animal that carried pioneers into the Wild West, U.S. soldiers into battle and jockeys into race track history, are finding the notion of grilled horse steak, "chevelle tartare," and horsemeat sushi extremely distasteful.

When you watch a thoroughbred pulling ahead on the back stretch, remember that "the winner could be some Frenchman's entree," said Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., chairman of the Congressional Horse Caucus, who has collected 209 co-sponsors on a bill to ban the slaughter or export of U.S. horses for human consumption. "We view horses as athletes and entertainers," Sweeney said. "The American psyche is shocked by the notion that we are going to so inhumanely treat such an important part of our culture."

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., a veterinarian, who introduced a matching bill in the Senate last week, called the slaughter for human consumption of nearly 50,000 of the nation's 7 million horses last year "barbaric."

To draw attention to the equine issue, Sweeney and actress Bo Derek, a American sex symbol who rode to fame on horseback in the movie "10," combed the halls of Capitol Hill last week and plan to do so again this week.

Also lobbying lawmakers are actor Tony Curtis and his wife Jill who founded a horse rescue farm in Los Vegas. Derek, an avid rider, says she was "shocked to find out that horses are being slaughtered not for countries that have a famine, but for gourmet meals.

" "We're giving these magnificent animals a hideous death," Derek said in an interview. "No one knows its happening." Curtis said he started to love horses when he began his film career. "The history of horses on our continent is extraordinary," Curtis said. "We wouldn't have discovered America the way we did without horses."

U.S. soldiers and some civilians ate horsemeat during World War II when beef was scarce, but now virtually all of U.S. slaughtered horsemeat is shipped to Europe, primarily Belgium, France and Switzerland, as well as Russia and Mexico.

The United States exported 11,940 metric tons of horsemeat in 2001 amounting to $41 million in sales, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation. About 50,000 horses are slaughtered for consumption each year in the United States, according to the National Horse Protection Coalition, which represents horse industry groups, humane organizations and some veterinarians.

While a dozen horse slaughter plants dotted this country 20 years ago, now there are just two in Texas, the Dallas Crown firm, in Kaufman, Texas, and Beltex Corp., in Fort Worth. Another horse-meat plant, Cavel International, is under construction in DeKalb, Ill., which has catapulted the issue into the state legislature. Texas banned horse slaughter for human consumption in 1949, but the law was never enforced.

In 2002, then-Texas Attorney General John Cornyn, now a Republican U.S. senator, issued an opinion saying that the 1949 law outlawing the sale, possession and transfer of horsemeat for human consumption was still in effect.

Tarrant County, Texas, has filed suit in federal court to close the slaughterhouses. John Linebarger, an attorney representing both Texas slaughterhouses, said a lot of the horses are unwanted and sold to the plants for an average of $300 to $400.

"Some people would otherwise let these things die in the fields and rot," Linebarger said. Linebarger said horseflesh is very lean and is lower in cholesterol and fat than white meat chicken, which is why many Japanese and European physicians recommend it for their patients. "Horses aren't bred as a food item and so they aren't filled with hormones and chemicals," Linebarger said.

Oliver Kemseke, a native of Belgium who has owned Dallas Crown for 10 years, notes that U.S. Department of Agriculture officials are at his plant to ensure that the horses are humanely treated. Kemseke said the American revulsion over horsemeat is merely a cultural clash.

"It happens in Europe that we have another variety in the supermarkets," he said. The National Cattleman's Beef Association, which represents about 30,000 ranchers, opposes a horsemeat-ban, saying it would hurt ranchers by leaving them with the cost of caring for unwanted animals.

"What is a rancher to do when it's time to sell their horses?" said Bryan Dierlam, director of legislation affairs for the association.

The American Veterinary Medical Association also opposes the legislation because it lacks funding to provide for the care of unwanted horses that would otherwise be slaughtered.

Gail Golab, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the association, said food and water for a horse costs about $5 a day. "This is not about consumption of horse meat - this is about the welfare of the horse," Golab said.

But Chris Heyde, executive director of the National Horse Protection Coalition, said there are many preferred alternatives for horses, such as donating them to horse rescues, riding schools and therapy programs or even euthanasia.

Horse-saving activists jumped into action after Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby champion, was shipped to Japan to stand for stud, and then slaughtered for food after he turned out to be an unsuccessful stud and his sires failed to win.

Howard Keck Jr., of Los Angeles, whose father owned and bred Ferdinand, said he tried to buy the horse back from the Japanese to put him out to pasture only to find out he'd been slaughtered for food.

"I was shocked because in this country our culture was different because we place great value on these retired treasures," Keck said in a telephone interview. He has since brought back two of Ferdinand's daughters.

The news of Ferdinand's demise triggered probes into the horse slaughtering business, said Rep. Edward Whitfield, R-Ky., a leader on the legislation.

Whitfield said stallions, foals and mares are being transported smashed together in tight quarters without rest or water for 28 hours, the maximum time allowed by federal law.

Horses shouldn't travel that way for more than six or seven hours, he said. "They are arriving at plants seriously injured and sometimes dead," Whitfield said. "The process is quite cruel, particularly when you consider the horse has never been in the food chain in America."






	Stop killing horses for gourmet meals, groups lobby Judy Holland Hearst Newspapers Apr. 30, 2004 01:55 PM WASHINGTON - Kentucky Derby devotees and other horse fans are rounding up support in Congress to stop the slaughter of U.S. horses that would grace gourmet dinner plates in Japan, Belgium and France. Americans, who have a special love for the animal that carried pioneers into the Wild West, U.S. soldiers into battle and jockeys into race track history, are finding the notion of grilled horse steak, "chevelle tartare," and horsemeat sushi extremely distasteful. When you watch a thoroughbred pulling ahead on the back stretch, remember that "the winner could be some Frenchman's entree," said Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., chairman of the Congressional Horse Caucus, who has collected 209 co-sponsors on a bill to ban the slaughter or export of U.S. horses for human consumption. "We view horses as athletes and entertainers," Sweeney said. "The American psyche is shocked by the notion that we are going to so inhumanely treat such an important part of our culture." Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., a veterinarian, who introduced a matching bill in the Senate last week, called the slaughter for human consumption of nearly 50,000 of the nation's 7 million horses last year "barbaric." To draw attention to the equine issue, Sweeney and actress Bo Derek, a American sex symbol who rode to fame on horseback in the movie "10," combed the halls of Capitol Hill last week and plan to do so again this week. Also lobbying lawmakers are actor Tony Curtis and his wife Jill who founded a horse rescue farm in Los Vegas. Derek, an avid rider, says she was "shocked to find out that horses are being slaughtered not for countries that have a famine, but for gourmet meals. " "We're giving these magnificent animals a hideous death," Derek said in an interview. "No one knows its happening." Curtis said he started to love horses when he began his film career. "The history of horses on our continent is extraordinary," Curtis said. "We wouldn't have discovered America the way we did without horses." U.S. soldiers and some civilians ate horsemeat during World War II when beef was scarce, but now virtually all of U.S. slaughtered horsemeat is shipped to Europe, primarily Belgium, France and Switzerland, as well as Russia and Mexico. The United States exported 11,940 metric tons of horsemeat in 2001 amounting to $41 million in sales, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation. About 50,000 horses are slaughtered for consumption each year in the United States, according to the National Horse Protection Coalition, which represents horse industry groups, humane organizations and some veterinarians. While a dozen horse slaughter plants dotted this country 20 years ago, now there are just two in Texas, the Dallas Crown firm, in Kaufman, Texas, and Beltex Corp., in Fort Worth. Another horse-meat plant, Cavel International, is under construction in DeKalb, Ill., which has catapulted the issue into the state legislature. Texas banned horse slaughter for human consumption in 1949, but the law was never enforced. In 2002, then-Texas Attorney General John Cornyn, now a Republican U.S. senator, issued an opinion saying that the 1949 law outlawing the sale, possession and transfer of horsemeat for human consumption was still in effect. Tarrant County, Texas, has filed suit in federal court to close the slaughterhouses. John Linebarger, an attorney representing both Texas slaughterhouses, said a lot of the horses are unwanted and sold to the plants for an average of $300 to $400. "Some people would otherwise let these things die in the fields and rot," Linebarger said. Linebarger said horseflesh is very lean and is lower in cholesterol and fat than white meat chicken, which is why many Japanese and European physicians recommend it for their patients. "Horses aren't bred as a food item and so they aren't filled with hormones and chemicals," Linebarger said. Oliver Kemseke, a native of Belgium who has owned Dallas Crown for 10 years, notes that U.S. Department of Agriculture officials are at his plant to ensure that the horses are humanely treated. Kemseke said the American revulsion over horsemeat is merely a cultural clash. "It happens in Europe that we have another variety in the supermarkets," he said. The National Cattleman's Beef Association, which represents about 30,000 ranchers, opposes a horsemeat-ban, saying it would hurt ranchers by leaving them with the cost of caring for unwanted animals. "What is a rancher to do when it's time to sell their horses?" said Bryan Dierlam, director of legislation affairs for the association. The American Veterinary Medical Association also opposes the legislation because it lacks funding to provide for the care of unwanted horses that would otherwise be slaughtered. Gail Golab, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the association, said food and water for a horse costs about $5 a day. "This is not about consumption of horse meat - this is about the welfare of the horse," Golab said. But Chris Heyde, executive director of the National Horse Protection Coalition, said there are many preferred alternatives for horses, such as donating them to horse rescues, riding schools and therapy programs or even euthanasia. Horse-saving activists jumped into action after Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby champion, was shipped to Japan to stand for stud, and then slaughtered for food after he turned out to be an unsuccessful stud and his sires failed to win. Howard Keck Jr., of Los Angeles, whose father owned and bred Ferdinand, said he tried to buy the horse back from the Japanese to put him out to pasture only to find out he'd been slaughtered for food. "I was shocked because in this country our culture was different because we place great value on these retired treasures," Keck said in a telephone interview. He has since brought back two of Ferdinand's daughters. The news of Ferdinand's demise triggered probes into the horse slaughtering business, said Rep. Edward Whitfield, R-Ky., a leader on the legislation. Whitfield said stallions, foals and mares are being transported smashed together in tight quarters without rest or water for 28 hours, the maximum time allowed by federal law. Horses shouldn't travel that way for more than six or seven hours, he said. "They are arriving at plants seriously injured and sometimes dead," Whitfield said. "The process is quite cruel, particularly when you consider the horse has never been in the food chain in America."

Stop killing horses for gourmet meals, groups lobby