By Edward Gately
The Arizona Republic
If you’d like to discuss equine law, contact Adam Trenk, director of RLG Equine Law Department, atrenk@roselawgroup.com
Horses and military-jet fighters are a dangerous combination.
For the past two years, the Scottsdale Air Fair and the Arizona Dressage Association’s Fall Fiesta and AZ State Championships Dressage Show have taken place over the same weekend in early November in close proximity.
The air fair takes place at Scottsdale Airport, while the equestrian show takes place at the WestWorld events center, on the other side of the Pima Freeway from the airport. Both are city properties.
At a recent City Council meeting, Chad Farmer, the dressage association’s first vice president of recognized shows, said military jet flyovers have caused the horses to panic, creating a “very dangerous” situation for the horses, riders and others in the equestrian center.
During the November 2011 show, two military jets flew over WestWorld at a low altitude, creating a “deafening” noise that caused horses to panic and flee, he said. During last month’s show, no flyovers occurred until the final day, when two jets flew over at a higher altitude, creating a similar panic, he said.
