Newspaper Page Text
Page 2C
August 10, 2022
Reporter
Ranch of Shame? A horrifying report
on Mexican horse track in Milner
By Walter Geiger
news'-barnesville.com
A lot of Monroe and Lamar
county residents were disgusted
to see a Washington Post story
and videos seeming to show
abusive quarter horse racing at
Rancho El Centenario on High
Falls Park Road near Milner late
Friday
The extensive report outlines
the alleged drugging of horses
with cocaine and methamphet-
amine and the use of shock
devices to get them to rim faster.
It also details injuries to jockeys,
one of whom died, and horses,
one of which broke a leg and
was shot and dragged off with a
tractor.
Law enforcement sources say
the story likely was generated by
a rookie USDA investigator sent
to the track who bungled the at
tempt to build a federal case, had
no authority to pursue a state case
and then leaked the information
to PETA which then went to the
Post.
District attorney Jonathan
Adams reiterated his comments
which were included in the story.
He noted the Department of
Justice will not confirm or deny
any pending investigations of the
so-called bush track run by Brutz
English.
Commission chairman Charles
Glass said he was not surprised
by the allegations in the story. “I
do not condone anything that
goes on out there but I have to
balance my personal dislike with
the legal limits of what we can do.
I have always said the state agri
tourism law is too broad in what
is allowed and he is taking full
advantage of that,” Glass said.
Glass said English uses La
mar deputies for security which
benefits the deputies but it is hard
to quantify costs from the track
absorbed by taxpayers. “Years
ago, I got after Brutz about litter
on the roads after an event. Since
then he has picked up litter on
Monday mornings with his crew
and it seems to have stopped that
problem,” he said.
The chairman said there is a
benefit for English to operate the
track but none for the county. He
added, however, that no benefit to
the county is not reason enough
to shut the track down.
Glass referred several times to
the state agritourism statute.
“Agritourism is defined by the
state to be anything that brings
people to the farm for educa
tion or entertainment. That is
why he claims to be operating a
agritourism venue. With his legal
background, any action taken
against him is going to be fought
and delayed in the courts. He
has a right to do that. He will use
every possible legal maneuver to
fight legal action against him and
it will be costly for our citizens,”
Glass concluded.
The county may have an ally
in the legal fight in attorney
Jonathan Sexton lives near the
track and has long been active
in citizens groups in the area. “I
am debating getting a group of
citizens to file suit for it being a
public nuisance. I will be looking
into the law on the issue,” Sexton
said.
Sheriff Brad White confirmed
that his investigators have worked
with various federal agencies over
the past six years in conducting
investigations into activities at the
track.
“Those investigations stemmed
from drug sales to injecting
horses with illegal substances,
to gambling at the track. We are
still working with our federal
partners. I have been in discus
sions with the district attorney
about what evidence we can use
from the PETA investigations for
prosecution. I cannot comment
further about ongoing investiga
tions but I would love to see our
state legislature ban horse racing
in Georgia,” the sheriff concluded.
Commissioner Bob Heiney re
ported he has long heard rumors
of questionable activities at the
track but had seen no proof until
the investigative report broke.
“I don’t see any revenue or
benefit to the county generated
by this operation but I don’t think
it places any substantial burden
on the taxpayers,” Heiney said.
He cited English’s rights as a
property owner and noted, if laws
were broken, he deserves his day
in court.
“In a civilized society with rule
of law, there are numerous pro
cesses to ensure justice. We must
not jump to conclusions based
off a news media story. Aside
from The Herald Gazette, which I
trust for news content, media like
The Washington Post have been
caught numerous times fabricat
ing content and outright lying.
The county and the people who
live here have a right to the truth.
Let’s get to the truth and base
future decisions on the truth,”
Heiney concluded.
The investigative report and
the accompanying video and still
photos are a black eye for the
community. One retired banker
noted, “Other communities in
our area are making headlines
for attracting Rivian and Ama
zon and we get a Mexican horse
track.”
Kathy Oxford, executive direc
tor of the Industrial Develop
ment Authority, agreed with that
sentiment.
“As an advocate for animals,
any abuse for sport, whether it be
dog fighting, cock fighting or this
type horse racing makes me sick
to think about. If there are legal
loopholes, which clearly there are,
the elected leadership and law
enforcement of this county and
the state have a job to do. I’d like
for us to be known as a destina
tion for quality jobs, a place to
live with amazingly giving, caring
people, schools that each respect
for humans and animals and,
most of all, the leadership to stay
the course,” Oxford concluded.
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