Donna Benefield is the Administrative Director & DQP Supervisor of the Horse Protection Commission, a USDA certified Horse Industry Organization that trains and licenses inspectors for horse shows, sales and exhibitions. Ms. Benefield is very active with the issues and organizations in striving to reform and protect Tennessee Walking Horses. With a horse she trained with world-famous Hollywood horse trainer Glenn Randall, she won the Plantation (flat-shod) World Grand Championship in Shelbyville, Tennessee. For over 35 years, Ms. Benefield's occupation has been in the film industry in Hollywood, California. She and her husband own a multi Emmy Award winning film studio involved in the production of television series (such as Cagney and Lacy) and many movies for television. She served as production coordinator for the CNN Special Assignment "They Sore Horses Don't They" exposé.

Dr. Midge Leitch received the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) President's Award in 2008. Dr. Leitch is a radiologist at The New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and a diplomat with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. She has traveled with the U.S. Equestrian Team to Seoul, South Korea; Atlanta; and Sydney, Australia, and she served as a member of the U.S. Equestrian Federation's Veterinary Committee. Dr. Leitch recently chaired the AAEP's Tennessee Walking Horse Task Force which developed their "AAEP White Paper" on the subject of soring in 2008.

Dr. Tom James, DVM, grew up in Tennessee riding walking horses when they were still shown in keg shoes. Since then, he has shown performance walking horses, and has served as a Veterinary Medical Officer (VMO) for the USDA's Animal Care, and before that the USDA Veterinary Services, the agency responsible for Horse Protection. He received his degree from Auburn University in Alabama, and has served as President for the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association, as well as Chairman of TVMA's Ethics and Grievance Committee. Dr. James has been in private practice, and is now retired.

Randy Luikart has been shoeing horses for 41 years, during which, in addition to his active practice, he has a list of accomplishments including publications, seminars, training, research papers and presentations. He was winner of many international farrier competitions, was honored with prestigious awards, and was inducted into the Kentucky Derby Museum Farriers and Veterinarians' Hall of Fame. He was on the American Farriers Team from 1979-1984, and was the farrier liaison for the American Association of Equine Practioners (AAEP) and served on the board of the Association of Equine Sports Medicine. Randy rewrote the section on horseshoeing for the Horse Protection Act in 1988. He taught USDA veterinary inspectors equine anatomy and farrier practices for their inspection procedures. Randy specializes in referral performance problems and lameness of equines, and is a guest speaker on Functional Anatomy for the University of Guelph's Equine Science Program.

Dr. Donna Moore, DVM is past USDA Horse Protection Coordinator, veterinary advisor to the Horse Protection Commission, and an active veterinarian in an all-equine practice that serves a wide variety of horses. In addition to her veterinary degree, she completed graduate training in equine sports medicine. She has a special interest in lameness, and has published research in that field as well as biomechanics. Dr. Moore has been a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners for 23 years.