|
|
Q-TALK FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2005 American Quarter Horses took part in yesterday’s Presidential Inauguration. Q-TALK ARCHIVE To see the cavalry in action at yesterday’s parade, click here. Other Quarter Horses in the parade were from the Merced County Sheriff's Posse, which took 13 horses and riders to Washington, D.C. In a San Francisco Chronicle story, reporter Edward Epstein writes that “any true-blue Californian with horse sense would know that Thursday's weather in Washington, with a high in the mid-30s, was way too cold for a march up Pennsylvania Avenue. "‘Man, it's really cold,’ said Norman Silva, a retired Merced County sheriff's marshal who is captain of the volunteer mounted unit that serves as goodwill ambassadors and helps in searches and rescues. "‘I don't think they're enjoying it,’ he said as he sat atop his palomino Quarter Horse, 25-year-old Goose. The horse had a thick, wine-red blanket beneath his sterling silver saddle, and Silva wore black earmuffs beneath his white cowboy hat and warm long underwear under his blue cowboy riding outfit. To get to Washington, D.C., the posse raised $20,000 to truck the horses cross-country and fly their riders east for the parade. Gary Lynn Olson Works Out Hard
Gary Lynn Olson, who won the 2004 AQHA world championship title in amateur working cow, was featured in her hometown newspaper this week. In it, Great Falls (Montana) Tribune reporter Stacy Haslem writes how Olson hits the gym six days a week for weight training and about once a week for cardio training to prepare for showing. "‘But dragging manure through 3 feet of snow is quite cardiovascular — it's a lot like aerobics class,’ Olson said. “The 47-year-old needs to be strong and fit because as a pastime she likes to practice moving cows while riding a horse that outweighs her by more than 1,000 pounds. “And sometimes her hobby pays. Big. “After spending the year racking up points at horse shows to qualify, the Electric City cowgirl and her gray gelding, Justa Nutha Tucker, won the world championship for amateur working cow horse at the 2004 American Quarter Horse Association World Show on Nov. 12 in Oklahoma City. “In addition, she won the year-end high points in the same class but with a different horse, her chestnut gelding Smart Little Scamp. "‘That girl from Montana done pretty darn good,’ said her trainer, Benny Guitron of Merced, California. ‘She's had a banner year.’” To read more of the story, click on the link above. Iowa Horsemen’s Day at the Legislature Set Iowa horsemen have scheduled a second "Horsemen’s Day at the Legislature" for February 2. According to Scott Pope, lobbyist for the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, the purpose of the event, which is co-sponsored by the group, the Iowa Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and the Iowa Quarter Horse Association, is to encourage horsemen throughout the state to touch base with their legislators and to help establish a presence in state government for the horse industry. About 30 horsemen participated in last year’s inaugural event. Pope said he anticipates about 80 will attend this year. The horsemen will convene at the Iowa Motor Truck Association building in downtown Des Moines, where they will have lunch and receive a briefing from Pope and the lobbyists for the HBPA and the Iowa Quarter Horse Association. Then they will take a shuttle bus to the statehouse to meet with their legislators. "Last year we caught the worst weather day of the year," Pope said. "There was a blizzard, and a lot of the legislators couldn’t even make it in. But even so, we felt we had a lot of success in letting them know that we’re out here and we’re growing, and the horsemen who participated really felt empowered by the experience." The horsemen’s efforts were instrumental in the passage of the 2004 gambling bill, which designated a fixed percentage of total gambling revenues at Prairie Meadows Race Track for horse purses. This year the main issue on their agenda is to try to codify a minimum number of racing days. Horse Expo to Rein in Fine Art
Appreciation of fine art and a lifelong association with horses has inspired the creator of the Western States Horse Expo, Miki Cohen, to again include one of the largest exhibits in the United States of equine and western art at the seventh annual Horse Expo, June 10-12, at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California. Cohen, an avid fine art collector, believes the exhibit is an important venue for artists to present their work to the Horse Expo’s attendees. Also, the prestigious Hall of Fame award is chosen from the art presented at the Art Show. Awards are presented to artists in each art medium category, along with a Best of Show and People’s Choice Award. New this year is a Junior Division for artwork and photography. One Final Note for the Week On their first day of employment, every employee who comes to work for the AQHA receives a special present from Executive Vice President Bill Brewer: “Bill’s Bits on Life.” I have mine hanging on my office’s bulletin board, and I thought you would enjoy them as well.
And, last is the best of all: Drink champagne for no reason at all. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2005I hate those flimsy yellow pieces of paper you get with your horse’s Coggins results. They always get torn, smudged or lost. But Florida has come up with an easy solution: a wallet-sized card that is proof of a negative EIA (Coggins) test. Beginning January 1, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry, began offering a laminated card that contains the horse’s name, breed, sex, color and age along with three small color photos to verify his identity. The EIA test date, the lab accession and lab name are also on the card. On the back of the card is the horse owner’s name and contact information and the veterinarian’s contact information. The new cards are issued free of charge until June 30. Beginning July 1, the cards will cost $5. Owners must request these cards through their veterinarian. Within Florida, the cards will be fully accepted, and about a dozen neighboring states have plans for similar programs. Anyone participating in this new program, however, should call ahead to your state of destination to make sure they have heard of this new program and accept the Coggins cards. For more information on the cards, contact FDACS at (850) 410-0900 or e-mail ecards@docs.state.fl.us. You can also visit their Web site. Clint Haverty to Join NRHA Hall of Fame
AQHA Professional Horseman Clint Haverty will be formally inducted into the National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame at its annual awards banquet during the NRHA Convention, February 9-12, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Most everyone is aware of Clint’s expertise in the NRHA show pen. He earned his first NRHA paycheck in open competition 1981. He has been a consistent NRHA top-10 open finalist in NRHA’s annual divisional standings and has earned his share of paychecks in NRHA major events. In 1986 he was the limited open Derby champion on Billy Bar Flash, and in 1990 he won the NRHA Superstakes on Kelinds Taffy Jac. In 1996, Clint was the NRHA Futurity open division reserve champion on “Gunner,” who was inducted into the NRHA Hall of Fame in 2003. Clint’s NRHA Lifetime Earnings are approaching $450,000. Clint is also viewed as a mentor to many young trainers and an excellent coach. He’s also well known for his willingness to help his fellow reiners in their time of need. For instance, when Tim Lynch was struggling with a serious back injury, Clint went to his farm, picked up several of his horses and continued the training process at no cost to Lynch. “Other trainers followed Clint’s lead,” Lynch said. “And we were not only able to meet our obligations, but we were also given a peace of mind that helped my recovery.” Cuttin’ Up in Vegas The 2005 National Cutting Horse Association Annual Convention will be at the Suncoast Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 24-26. The NCHA Convention starts on Friday, June 24, with committee meetings that continue through Saturday, June 25. A cocktail reception is Saturday evening, followed by general membership and directors’ meetings on Sunday. All NCHA members are invited to attend the convention. For hotel reservations, contact the Suncoast Hotel and Casino or call (877) 677-7111. Be sure to mention code NCH0622 to guarantee the special NCHA Convention room rates. And Speaking of Cutting … Those of you heading to Amarillo next month can check out the draw for the 2004 NCHA World Finals, which is February 10-20. Here's also a list of recommended hotels in Amarillo. Georgia and David Husby's Flickacat, ridden by Chubby Turner, has an unbeatable lead with $75,167 in the 2004 open standings. Tim and Melissa Drummond's Lizzys Gotta Player, ridden by Robert Rust, heads to the World Finals in second place with $31,272. In the non-pro standings, six-time World Champion Mary Jo Milner has the lead over 1999 World Champion Joe Howard Williamson, $91,883 to $81,749. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2005 Sometimes it’s tough getting up the nerve to show your horse. You’ve done all the leg work like taking lessons, riding everyday to improve your skills and having a horse that does everything you ask of it, but still you can’t make yourself enter the show arena with all those other competitors who have so much more show experience than you. Well, here’s your opportunity to prove you and your horse have what it takes to bring home a blue ribbon. Beginning in June and continuing through August, AQHA and regional affiliates will offer the ultimate AQHA showing experience while introducing riders to the fun of an American Quarter Horse show. Each Regional Experience incorporates AQHA’s team of corporate partners providing trade shows, Professional Horsemen clinics, Nutrena Test Rides, judging sessions and educational seminars all designed around a fun and competitive AQHA "championship style" show. This is your chance to experience the competition, education and fun of an American Quarter Horse show in your area. Developed for people like you who have always wanted to try an AQHA show but might not have felt comfortable, these experiences will be offered throughout 10 regions of North America. Regional Show Experiences will be open to exhibitors and owners residing in the respective states or provinces comprising the region. Each exhibitor must be a current AQHA member and all horses must be AQHA registered. You or your horse cannot show the same class at a Regional Experience that you placed in the top 10 in the preceding calendar year’s FedEx Open, MBNA Amateur, Bayer Select or AQHYA World Championship Shows. Additionally, horses or people who might advance to another class because of age and have placed in the top 10 at one of AQHA’s World Shows cannot enter the same class at the regional level. So, here’s your chance. These new Regional Show Experiences are guaranteed to provide you the AQHA showing experience while introducing you to the fun of an American Quarter Horse show. For more information on the shows, click here. USDA to Conduct an Equine 2005 Study The USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) will be conducting an Equine 2005 study, which will examine equine events and on-farm health management factors as they relate to the control of equine infectious diseases. NAHMS conducts national studies on the health and management of America's domestic livestock populations. In 1998, it took its first in-depth look at the U.S. equine population with the Equine '98 study. The study included, but was not limited to, valuable information on the health and health management practices of the U.S. equine population, testing practices for equine infectious anemia, equine identification, infectious upper respiratory disease, colic, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, causes of equine death, vaccination practices, and biosecurity on equine operations. Multiple reports, information sheets, and scientific articles were generated from this study. For the Equine '98 reports and information sheets, click here. Twenty-eight States will participate in the Equine 2005 study. For more information on the study, click here. Junior High Rodeo Goes National For the first time in 2005, the nation’s top junior high cowboys and cowgirls will battle for national championships and more than $50,000 in college scholarships and prestigious prizes at a finals event. The National High School Rodeo Association partnered with AQHA Corporate Partner Wrangler Western Wear to create the NHSRA Wrangler Division for junior high school competitors. The association hopes this new division will help feed the high school ranks. “Finally, there is an opportunity for students to compete on the national level before they reach high school,” said Jared Higby, coordinator of the division. “This opportunity will help make these kids more competitive in high school, simply because they’ve been able to experience a national finals.” For more information, click here. TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2005 The AQHA Best of the Remuda Sale in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday made a strong showing.
The sale featured ranches, who have received the AQHA Best of the Remuda Award. They included:
The top seller was Roosters Senorita, a 2002 buckskin mare by Gallo Del Cielo and out of The Genuine Senorita by Genuine as Diamonds. Consigned by W.T. Waggoner Estate the filly brought $33,000. The other top sellers were:
Of the 190 consigned, 79 head sold for a total of $353,850. The average was $4,479. For more on the sale, read Art Chapman’s story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Also on Sunday was the Invitational Ranch Horse Show and Sale, which is an invitational sale. The ranches can bring only one horse each to the sale, and it must be an accomplished ranch horse that can complete a rigorous competition that includes roping cattle, cutting and sorting. Buyers watch the horses perform in the competition, pick their favorites and let the bidding begin. The top-selling horse was Leana Get Your Gun, a 1998 sorrel gelding by Playgun and out of My May Olena by Doc O’Lena, consigned by Rounsaville Cattle Co. in Olney, Texas. He brought $44,000. Winning the sale’s ranch rodeo was Dried Out Bill by Bill Cogdell and out of Dun Dryed by The Dry Hand. Consigned by Tongue River Ranch of Dumont, Texas, the 1999 chestnut gelding sold for $20,500. Help for Overcoming ‘Equinophobia’ The Denver Post recently posted a story on AQHA member Julie Goodnight of Salida, Colorado, and her fear-management workshops to help anxious riders overcome their fear. Reporter Jack Cox writes that Goodnight believes that as many as half of equestrians have a horse-related apprehension. “There’s the horseman who has become as skittish as a colt after being dumped backward on a trail ride. The cowgirl who has been slammed into the side of a horse trailer. The recreational rider who has taken a tumble and now has only one goal: to climb into the stirrups without throwing up. “‘It’s very prevalent, but not very talked about, because riding is a very macho sport,’ Goodnight says of the problem, which she addresses in special ‘fear-management’ workshops. Goodnight explains in the story she likes to combat fear in more conventional ways: deep abdominal breathing, keeping their eyes focused on the task at hand and visualizing a positive outcome. To read more of the story, click here. Embryo Transfer Lecture at NRHA Convention Edward L. Squires, Ph.D., will conduct a Breeding/Embryo Transfer lecture and panel discussion at the 2005 NRHA Convention in New Orleans in February. Squires is well-known for his expertise in the field of embryo transfer and other assisted reproduction techniques. For more on the upcoming convention, click here. MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2005 If you’re at the National Western Stock Show, or just anywhere near Colorado, head out to Steamboat Springs to watch some real cowboy skiing.
On Tuesday, past and present rodeo champions will be in “Ski Town USA” for the 31st Annual Bud Light Cowboy Downhill. Cowboys will be strapping on chaps and skis, many for the very first time, to compete in a dual slalom race. After negotiating the slalom course, the cowboys will then lasso a person, saddle a horse and cross the finish line in the fastest time and all in one piece. The grand finale of the event is the western stampede on skis, a mass competition that pits cowboy against cowboy in a winner-take-all race downhill. The greatest challenge of this challenge is avoiding the hundreds of cowboys hurtling down hill in hot pursuit of the title. The Cowboy Downhill started back in 1974 when six-time All-Around World Champion cowboy Larry Mahan decided it would be fun to invite a few of the ProRodeo stars from the Denver Stock show up to Steamboat for a day of skiing and racing fun. But besides the fun and excitement of the event, it is also for a good cause. Each year, the Cowboy Downhill makes a generous donation to The Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, created in 1990 to provide financial support for cowboys and cowgirls unable to compete due to injuries sustained while competing in or traveling to or from rodeo competitions. Since its inception, the fund has provided $3.1 million in assistance to nearly 500 individuals and their families. "An important fact separates the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund from the vast majority of charitable organizations. One hundred percent of every dollar contributed to the fund is used to assist recipients get back on their feet," said Don Andrews, the fund’s vice president and Justin Sportsmedicine program director. For more information on the fund, click here. The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo continues through Sunday at the Denver Coliseum. For a complete schedule of events, click here. Zans Living Legend Tops Tattersall’s Winter Sale At $20,000, Zans Living Legend was the top seller at the 2005 Winter Tattersall Sale on Saturday in Springfield, Ohio. The 1990 bay stallion is by Zips Chocolate Chip and out of Zans Tiffany Ann by Zan Parr Bar. Other top five selling horses included The Only Invitation, a 1999 bay gelding by Invitation Only and out of Cash Royale by Cash Commander) for $15,000; Lukin Like A Leader, a 2000 chestnut gelding by Luke At Me and out of Sheza Sassy Leader by Leaders Pride; Time of Revenge, a 2001 sorrel stallion by A Star In Time and out of Just In Story by Story Man; and Be My Version, a 2002 bay stallion by Good Version and out of Southern Strut N Zip by Simply Southern. Out of 210 horses consigned, 194 sold with the overall average at $3,549.74. Total sales were $688,650. For the complete sale results, click here. Kentucky Removes Embargo on New Mexico New Mexico has been removed from the Kentucky list of vesicular stomatitis-embargoed states. In a letter to New Mexico’s state veterinarian, Kentucky state veterinarian Robert Stout, D.V.M., wrote: "Our removal of New Mexico from the list of embargoed states is based on information received from your office and the USDA's Veterinary Service that New Mexico is no longer experiencing active cases of vesicular stomatitis, and there are no premises currently under quarantine as a result of past infection. In addition, our conversations with veterinary officials in New Mexico during the recent past indicate there are no premises being investigated for infection that are described as probable based on clinical findings." New Mexico's first 2004 VS case was confirmed on June 4, at which time quarantines and embargoes were established. Colorado is the only state remaining under Kentucky's VS embargo. However, Stout believes that embargo will also be lifted within the next few days. Cases in Colorado began showing up in late June 2004, with quarantines beginning in early July. In light of this development, Arizona and Texas will no longer be considered VS "bordering states," and will no longer be required to meet additional shipping requirements dealing with VS. Texas had VS quarantines beginning May 19 and stretching until October 18. Horses entering Kentucky from New Mexico must be examined during the five-day period prior to the animal's arrival in Kentucky with a certificate of veterinary inspection completed by the examining veterinarian. Horses entering Kentucky from a state that has a common border with affected states shall be accompanied upon their entry into Kentucky with a negative test for VS. States sending equine animals into Kentucky that are currently required to be accompanied with a negative VS test are Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming. Fort Dodge Animal Health Becomes AQHA Corporate Partner Fort Dodge Animal Health is joining the AQHA Corporate Partners team. As an official health care manufacturer for AQHA, Fort Dodge Animal Health will produce the official vaccines for AQHA. As an AQHA Corporate Partner, Fort Dodge Animal Health will be a presenting sponsor of AQHA’s new Regional Shows, as well as a participating sponsor of the AQHA Ride Program. For more information, click here. Don’t Forget … Remember to send me your thoughts, tidbits and other interesting information to tonyag@aqha.org.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 
|