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Q-TALK THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2005 The American Quarter Horse is becoming quite popular in Australia. That’s understandable. Australia has vast open places full of brush, rough terrain and harsh conditions on which they raise cattle on. There’s no better animal than a Quarter Horse to handle these situations. And, starting today, the 27th Australian Quarter Horse National Championships begins. AQHA (that’s Australian Quarter Horse Association) general manager Hunter Jones predicted the standard of competition across the board would be as high as ever at this. "The quality of entries is astounding," Jones told The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. "We're going into another Youth World Cup year so especially in the youth divisions there's a lot of competition to secure a spot on the team to America." The championships are just one of the steps in the selection process with Tamworth to be the host of the final selection camp in September, and the increase in competitors is reflected across the range of events. "At this point in time indications are that our entries have increased again," Jones said. "In the timed events, the numbers have gone up quite dramatically." And leave it to the Australians to make sure there’s a bar on site. This year, the association opened the Quarter Horse Cafe and Bar, which is also to be home to a large trade show. The bar opens daily at midday and meals are reasonably priced, Jones told the newspaper, with a sit-down meal and dessert costing just $15 (Australian). Musical entertainment will also be provided on six nights with riding action on four nights starting Monday. "In 2003, we started taking the show to the community, and it's pleasing to know that wherever I go, especially in the malls, people are aware of it," Jones said. "The adoption by the community has been excellent.” Entry to the championships is by donation with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Rotary Challenge for Allawah House. Proceeds from the timed events incorporating the Bundaberg Rum Super Challenge Barrel Race April 29 - May 1 will be donated to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. AHC 2005 Horse Industry Directory Now Available The American Horse Council’s 2005 Horse Industry Directory is now available for purchase. The publication includes listings, both national and international, covering every segment of the equine industry. Updated yearly, it is the definitive source that puts the equine industry at your fingertips. The cost of the 2005 Horse Industry Directory is 20, and it can be ordered by visiting the AHC Web site, by calling (202) 296-4031 or by sending a $20 check or money order to 1616 H St. N.W., Seventh Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006. The American Horse Council is the national trade association representing the horse industry before Congress and federal agencies monitoring legislation and federal regulations that would have an impact on the horse industry and working to create an environment that benefits horses and the people who depend on, care about and enjoy them. Virginia Quarter Horse Youth Association Sets New Fund-Raising Record The Virginia Quarter Horse Youth Association set a new fund-raising record during the East Coast Championship Show, which was last week at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. During a pie-throwing contest, the VQHYA raised more than $10,000 in less than 30 minutes. Steve Meadows, Brad Kearns, Bill Wharton and Sean Knowles were the top nominees for the pie throwing, each nominated for $250. The pies were then auctioned off to the highest bidder, who in turn threw the pie -- at the members. Glenda Babb bought the highest-priced pie toss for $5,200, with Cecelia Hylton buying a pie for $4,800. The grand total earned for the youth organization was $11,365. Participants included Erin Lubeshkoff; Leslie, Chase, and April Dyson; Sam and Cody Gonzales; Brennen Ralls; Jennifer, Jessica and Joseph Bettinger-Whetzel; Maggie Degroat; Kacie and Cort Collier; Noelle Najjar and Kendall Jennings. Youth member Kendall Jennings chaired the contest. In addition to the pie-throwing, the annual silent auction raised $2,500. Donations help send members to the AQHYA World Championship Show in August, the Youth Excellence Seminar and AQHYA Convention in June and to the All American Quarter Horse Congress in October. For more information about the championship show, log onto www.EastCoastChampionship.com or www.vaquarterhorse.com. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2005 A national steering committee is being formed to address the issues affecting unwanted horses. The idea for a committee came out of this week’s Unwanted Horse Summit, which was attended by more than 25 equine-industry organizations and one U.S. Congressman, in Washington, D.C. Presented by the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the summit served as a catalyst for identifying long-term solutions designed to improve the quality of life of unwanted horses. “While participants came to the table with divergent views on many aspects of the issue, they were able to reach a remarkable degree of consensus,” said Scott E. Palmer, 2005 AAEP president. “Everyone focused on the welfare of the horse.” Discussion surrounded the factors that contribute to unwanted horses as well as the approaches to addressing the problem. Summit participants recommended as the next step the formation of the committee. Working groups to tackle specific areas, such as horse owner education, also will be developed as part of this effort. A summary report of the summit’s discussions will be released by the AAEP by the end of April, and will be in the American Quarter Horse Journal’s June issue. Summit participants expressed their desire to remain committed to the process and the AAEP will help facilitate the group’s future work on the issue, Palmer said. “The unwanted horse problem cannot be solved by any one segment of the industry. The goal is to get as many people and organizations involved as possible.” In addition, an educational session as part of the American Horse Council’s annual meeting preceded the summit and provided an overview of issues affecting the unwanted horse population. Participants in the April 19 Summit represented breed groups, sport and discipline organizations, rescue and retirement facilities, veterinary associations and welfare groups. In addition to the AAEP, the following groups and individuals participated:
For more information on the summit, click here. Another Horse Shows Neurologic Signs in Maryland EHV-1 Situation Last week, another horse displayed acute neurologic signs consistent with the equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) disease situation at the Columbia Horse Center in Columbia, Maryland. The horse, which was euthanatized, was in the same barn as the others. Diagnostic tests are underway to confirm cause of illness. The three other horses that showed signs of illness are doing well. Authorities say there is no reason to believe the virus has moved beyond the single barn. The Maryland Department of Agriculture has extended its "hold order" on the facility to restrict horses from moving on or off the facility for at least another 21 days. All other preventative measures remain in place. "This situation is being handled with the utmost professionalism and cooperation among all parties," said James I. Fearer, D.V.M., acting state veterinarian. "We will continue to keep the equine and veterinary community abreast of the incident as information becomes available and ask that people respect the horse owners and facility managers by seeking first-hand information about the situation from our web site or by calling our offices. Speculation or dissemination of incorrect information, even if unintentional, is counter-productive." The MDA placed an initial "investigational animal hold order" on the facility on March 25. Even before that time, facility managers began making sure that no non-resident horses came in contact with the affected horses or the barn in which they are housed, and they cancelled shows and lessons. Personnel handling and caring for the horses are only working in that barn and are practicing strong sanitation and preventative protocols. EHV-1, which causes upper respiratory infection, can also cause neurological disease, which the three euthanatized horses in this situation experienced. There is currently no known method to reliably prevent the neurologic form of EHV-1 infection. It is recommended to maintain appropriate vaccination protocols in an attempt to reduce the incidence of the respiratory form of EHV-1 infection, which might help prevent the neurologic form. Transmission of the virus can occur via coughing or sneezing over a distance of up to 35 feet, as well as by direct contact with infected horses, feed, and equipment. All of the horses at the Columbia horse facility had current vaccinations. Why the neurologic form of EHV-1 occurs occasionally is not yet known. OQHA Proposes Change to Futurity The Ohio Quarter Horse Association is currently considering changing the Ohio Futurity from an “event” to an incentive fund program beginning in 2006. Show results from the three regional OQHA futurity shows would be used to determine points earned toward the incentive fund program. Participating exhibitors could choose to compete at one, two or all three futurities for the opportunity to earn incentive fund points, and in turn, additional incentive fund money. The OQHA created the futurity 45 years ago to recognize outstanding foals, their breeders and their bloodlines, and encouraged more Quarter Horse to be bred in Ohio. Once the only futurity in the state, it is now joined by three regional Quarter Horse association futurity shows and a number of open show futurity programs. The program was initially founded on the weanling halter horse, and in its early years reflected the versatility of the individual by allowing breeders to compete in its halter, western pleasure, barrel racing and reining divisions. The program reached its peak in the late 1970s and began to slowly decline in the 1980s. Golf Tournament to Benefit NRHA Futurity The Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau will be the host of a golf tournament benefitting the NRHA Futurity on May 12 at Willow Creek Golf & Country Club. To sign up, click here. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2005 It feels good to give to charity, and many of us in the business have donated horses to worthy causes. That’s what AQHA lifetime members Cindy and Gary Hallett of Monroe, Oregon, thought they were doing last year when they donated a 2-year-old Quarter Horse mare to a non-profit organization to help youths stay in school and out of trouble by teaching them to care for a horse. However, they were stunned to discover in February that the mare had been bred when they received a letter from AQHA needing a DNA sample of Leacos Ginger Gem so her upcoming foal could be registered. The Halletts now have “Ginger” and her 3-week-old foal back at their home. The couple told The Eugene (Oregon) Register-Guard that Ginger had not been properly wormed nor had her feet and teeth been cared for. We should all do as much as we can to help out charities, especially when they help young folks, but remember, before you donate a horse, check out the program to ensure it is legitimate and the horses in their possession are being properly cared for. 2005 NRBC to Offer Live Video Feed The 2005 National Reining Breeders Classic started today. But even if you couldn’t make it down to Katy, Texas, that doesn’t mean you have to miss all the action. Waltenberry is offering a live video feed for FREE on their Web site. The reining event continues through Sunday. One of the most successful stallion incentive programs in reining competition, the NRBC event steadily climbed toward the million dollar payoff mark, with the 2004 event paying more than $900,000. This year, the competition will award a record payout of more than $1 million. The event, which is at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas, boasts a record number of entries, with 174 in the open classic, and 100 in the non-pro division. The open champion will receive a check for $60,000 while the non-pro champion will take home more than $30,000. Just making it to the open finals ensures a check of $2,000, while non-pro finalists receive at least $1,000. Classic finals are Friday afternoon and Saturday evening. A U.S. Equestrian Federation and International Equestrian Federation qualifier is Friday evening. The NRBC event will wrap up with ancillary classes on Sunday. Making Iowa Horse Country Des Moines Register columnist Richard Doak wrote on Monday about how Iowa is trying to become more equestrian-friendly. “Horses are a big deal in Iowa, probably much bigger than is generally realized. Embracing the possibilities of equestrian recreation could be one of many ways to make our state the wonderful, livable place it needs to be to attract more people and businesses. “Making Iowa more equestrian-friendly certainly won't cure the state's economic woes, but, as part of a broad push to enhance all kinds of recreational opportunities, it might deserve to be near the top of the list (along with bike trails and cleaning up the rivers). Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge recently appointed a task force that is attempting a census of horse ownership in Iowa and assessing the economic impact. “The hope is that the numbers will impress policy-makers with the importance of horses to the Iowa economy and lead to more support for development of equestrian trails, show parks and other venues,” Doak wrote. “In addition to its value in enhancing Iowa's quality of life, consider its potential in helping to stem the depopulation of rural Iowa. A few thousand more families living on equestrian acreages could make a difference in whether some rural school districts and small towns survive. Speaking of Iowa ...
The American Quarter Horse took center stage during the breed demonstrations at the Iowa Horse Fair April 8-10 in Des Moines. Sue Voss, director for District 1 of the Iowa Quarter Horse Association, was the chairperson for the IQHA Horse Fair Committee and put together a special performance for their appearance. Voss put together a choreographed demonstration to John Philip Sousa march music for some really outstanding horses and their volunteer exhibitors:
The crowd cheered and applauded loudly for Davis when he reached forward to remove the bridle from Olena Lite and performed reining maneuvers bridleless, really showing off the American Quarter Horse's mind and ability. The Iowa Quarter Horse and the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing associations had a booth in the horse fair’s trade show to provide information to the attending public on their activities and the American Quarter Horse. Both associations wanted to send out a “big thank you” to everyone who helped with this year's horse fair. These volunteers are true ambassadors for our breed and our organization. Trainers Reject Cloning of Horses Italian scientists last week said they have created their second cloned horse -- produced from the DNA of a Thoroughbred-Arabian gelding race champion. The foal named Pieraz-Cryozootech-Stallion was born Feb. 25, weighed 42 kg and was "in excellent health," said scientists at the Laboratory of Reproductive Technology in the northern Italian city Cremona. It took 226 genetic transfer attempts to produce the horse. The colt was cloned from Pieraz, retired to a stable in the United States after winning world endurance championships in 1994 and 1996. The lab said the new cloned horse would not compete, but as a stallion would be able to pass on its genes. However, horse trainers told The Herald Sun in Victoria, Australia, that they are against the cloning of horses, even if it meant preserving champion horse bloodstock that may have been gelding or was no longer available for breeding purposes. “You have to protect the industry,” horse trainer Lee Freedman told reporter Milanda Rout. “Otherwise you will have a flood of cloned horses.” Trainer Rick Hore-Lacey also expressed reservations about cloning. “If you wanted to completely stuff the racing industry and breeding industry, I couldn’t imagine a better scheme,” he told Rout. “But then why stop at horses? Why not breed super humans?” Alex Trebek Sued Over Missing Horse CNN reports that a woman has sued "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek in connection with the disappearance of a $100,000 broodmare she delivered to his central California horse breeding farm./ According to court papers, Marion Warner sent her mare, BeBe Trando, to Trebek’s 700-acre Creston Farms in Paso Robles on January 21 to be bred to his Thoroughbred Iron Cat. On February 24, Creston Farms staff called her to say her horse would be bred the next day. But on March 2, the farm’s manager informed her that the mare had become ill and was euthanized. But in the suit, which was filed March 16 in San Luis Obispo Superior Court, says Warner believes "that the defendants ... sold, traded, gifted or otherwise disposed of BeBe." The court papers say Warner later learned that the veterinarian who had supposedly put down the horse had not euthanized any horses at Creston Farms the day that BeBe Trando was said to have died, or in the previous week. A horse listed as "BeBe" was euthanized on February 17, but the animal's description did not match that of Warner's horse, the lawsuit says. MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2005 The National Institute of Animal Agriculture is recommending that microchips be the required form of equine identification to best provide for disease tracking, TheHorse.com reports. “The National Animal Identification System intended to establish a standardized, alpha-numeric system for animal identification. The purpose of such a system is to permit ‘trace back' within 48 hours of a confirmed diagnosis of an animal disease,” said Amy Mann, director of health and regulatory affairs for the American Horse Council and vice chair of the NIAA equine health committee, at the annual NIAA conference April 3-7 in St. Paul, Minnesota, It is a misconception that there are no equine diseases of significance that require tracking, Mann said. Occurrences of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in the western United States in 2004 might have been controlled better if there had been a tracking system in place. More recently, several problems with neurologic equine herpesvirus type-1 could have been contained more thoroughly. Both situations prove the need to track animal movement to better prevent the spread of sometimes deadly infectious diseases. Mann said an equine identification system would involve an identification number for each premises involved, a number for each horse that is part of the system, and a location, time, and date stamp of where horses are so they could be traced in the event of a major disease outbreak. Record-Selling Horse Wins NCHA Super Stakes Under the guidance of Matt Gaines, One Time Pepto captured his first championship on Sunday with a 224-point win in the National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes. The 2001 red roan stallion set an all-time record at the 2002 NCHA Futurity Sales when he sold to Jeffrey Matthews of Warsaw, North Carolina, for $380,000. Gaines told the Daily Chatter that his first cow wasn't good and didn't test his horse well. “But my second cow was tough and that's what we needed,” he said. “This horse is so smart and stops so hard and gets around so good, you need a cow to show him off.” One Time Pepto is by Peptoboonsmal and out of One Time Soon by Smart Little Lena. He earned $100,000 for the championship, plus $30,000 as the Super Stallions Incentive Fund sired entry. “He's really a phenomenal horse,” Gaines told the Daily Chatter. “It just feels good to get him shown so people can see what he is.” Rockin By Choice, ridden by Paul Hansma for Elizabeth Queen, was the reserve open champion at 223.5 points. Paula Wood and Chita Cash Cat scored 219 points to take the non-pro title. The 2001 mare by High Brow Cat and out of Chita Cash by Cash Quixote Rio is owned by Wood's husband, Kobie. Wood told the Daily Chatter that the cattle made her nervous. “Everybody had good horses and had gone out,” she said. “Kobie said, 'We've go three cows and you'd better cut them.' So, I did.” Sandy Bonelli was the reserve non-pro champion aboard Midnight Rondeevous with 217.5 points. Rolex Kentucky to Feature Educational Event Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation will offer an educational seminar from 4-6 p.m. April 28 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, during the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event. Cost is $5, and the program will offer information on the latest veterinary technology specifically pertaining to competing the sport horse. The presentations include:
Photo Ideal Equine Sought in Photography Contest All professional and amateur photographers who seek to capture the ideal image of the horse are invited to enter the Online Photography Contest sponsored by the Equine Photographers' Network. The deadline for entries is May 15, and winners will be announced on July 1. Images are to be submitted in a digital format as per guidelines found on the contest's Web site. Images will be judged by a panel of professional equine photographers based on impact, equipment expertise, technical/artistic expertise, light and color, subject matter and creativity.
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