The 23 horses seized Sept 4. from a Weld County man who threatened to have them shot now belong to the state of Colorado, a Weld County judge ruled late this afternoon.
District Court Judge Daniel Maus ruled that the horses seized from Trenton Parker are now legally in the possession and ownership of Colorado Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp, according to Weld County Sheriff John Cooke.
On Sept. 4, hours after Stulp obtained a restraining order allowing him to seize the horses, 28 people, including two state veterinarians, Weld County deputies and representatives of the state Brand Inspector’s office, went to the 45-acre ranch near Fort Lupton and removed the horses which had been under Parker’s care.
With the assistance of a horse rescue group, the nine mares and 14 stallions were loaded onto 10 horse trailers and taken to undisclosed locations.
Prior to the seizure, Parker, 64, made a threat to kill the horses, distributing a flier announcing a “public execution” of the horses to protest Weld County zoning codes.
Parker’s flier advertised “Riflemen-Executioners Wanted” to kill the horses.
Weld County Undersheriff Margie Martinez said authorities felt it necessary to seize the horses because every time authorities talked to Parker “he said he was going to shoot the horses.”
When the seizure began about 6:30 a.m., Parker did not attempt to interfere and later said he was glad the horses would be cared for by authorities.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
