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Q-TALK
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2005 Earlier this week I wrote about Fort Dodge Animal Health getting federal license of its West Nile DNA vaccine. This new commercial vaccine is so evolutionary because it is the world’s first DNA vaccine for any species. TheHorse.com has posted an analysis article of the vaccine on its Web site. News Editor Stephanie Church writes that “in a conventional vaccine, killed or weakened viral proteins are put in a product as an antigen, and the animal that receives the vaccine creates an immune response to the protein antigens to become protected. In a DNA vaccine, carefully selected small pieces of the virus' genetic material are given to the animal, and they are taken up by the animal's cells. Inside the cells they are processed into RNA, then into proteins, which are used to stimulate antibodies and a white blood cell immune response.” The vaccine, which should be on the market in early 2006, will be marketed as an additional tool in the Fort Dodge WNV vaccine line rather than a replacement for WNV Innovator or the WNV combination vaccines. Region Three Regional Experience Happening Now American Quarter Horse Racing Journal Field Editor Andrea Caudill is in Minnesota this week reporting on the Region Three Regional Experience. Besides a daily photo page, Andrea wrote a very interesting story on Iowa couple Bob and Becky Smith, who went to the Twin Cities to try their hand at AQHA showing for the first time. “I haven’t felt like a little person at a big show at all,” Becky told Andrea. “We have had people bending over backwards to help us. Everyone has been really helpful and friendly.” Andrea reports that the couple left happy, as their horse, Whata Pizzazz, took second in amateur aged geldings and third in open aged geldings. Becky earned a set of three Weatherbeeta blankets for her second place finish and Bob earned a new pair of Justin Boots for his third place finish. Check back this weekend for more photos and stories from Region Three. Also, if your region’s Regional Experience hasn’t happened yet, click here to see how you can take part in AQHA’s newest event. ‘Angel’ Watches Over NCHA Non-Pro Rider National Cutting Horse Association non-pro rider Michelle Mowery believes her mare’s former owner may have helped her win the Classic/Challenge non-pro limited finals on Thursday. Mowery and 5-year-old Billie The Kit (Kit Dual x Billies Short Lena by Shorty Lena) marked a 218, two points higher than second place finisher Nick Karanges, to take the NCHA event. “I missed the finals in the non-pro by two points and I was frustrated with myelf,” Mowery told The Chatter. “Tonight, I just wanted to present my horse.” Mowery bought the bay mare last year from Woody Bartlett, whose wife, Kelley, had ridden as a semi-finalist in the NCHA Non-Pro Futurity and the Non-Pro Super Stakes. However, shortly after the Super Stakes, Kelley was diagnosed with cancer and died right before the NCHA Derby. “Kelley was a special lady,” Mowery told The Chatter. “Billie The Kit was her mare and she dearly loved her. I feel like I’ve got Kelley watching and smiling down on me every time I ride. I think she would be pleased that we’ve got the mare.” In the NCHA Non-Pro Classic/Challenge, Candace Barwick and Dual Rey Me (Dual Pep x Miss Smart Rey Jay by Smart Little Lena) took the title with a score of 221 points. On July 15, Candace’s husband, Jeremy, was reserve champion of the open Classic/Challenge on the same horse. Leadership AQHA Application Deadline Approaching You can help lead the largest equine breed association in the world, the American Quarter Horse Association, by applying for Leadership AQHA, the Association’s training program to identify and train future leaders. AQHA is accepting applications for the 2006 leadership class. The 12-month program begins October 1, 2005, and provides 100 participants with a unique opportunity to gain more knowledge about various aspects of the industry, as well as maximize their leadership talents. AQHA will choose one program participant from each of its 10 regions and the additional 90 participants will be determined through AQHA’s state and provincial affiliates. AQHA is accepting applications for the 10 AQHA regional positions until August 1. Each AQHA Affiliate will be submitting their program participants to AQHA on August 15. Anyone interested in representing an AQHA Affiliate is encouraged to contact his or her local affiliate representatives. Selected participants will be notified by September 1. The program curriculum includes a training session in October 2005 at AQHA headquarters in Amarillo. Hotel and travel expenses will be covered by AQHA. To further their educational experience, participants are expected to attend the 2006 AQHA Convention held in Seattle, Washington, March 3-7. This trip, however, is at the participant’s expense. In addition, each class member will be required to attend one industry event, at AQHA’s expense, such as the AQHA Affiliate Management Workshop, Youth Excellence Seminar, AQHA Youth World Show, American Horse Council Convention, AQHA Racing Conference or the AQHA World Show. Online training also will be available to program participants to further their knowledge and understanding of AQHA. Applicants need to be current AQHA members in good standing. Due to travel requirements, participants should not be enrolled in an institution of higher learning. After participating in the leadership training program, members will be more aware of industry involvement options within AQHA including affiliates, standing committees, task forces and national directorships. For more information and to download an application for one of the 10 regional positions, e-mail leadership@aqha.org or call AQHA at (806) 376-4811. For information on participation through an AQHA Affiliate and a complete listing of AQHA Affiliates, click here. USTPA Develops Online Entry Process The United States Team Penning Association now offers an online entry process for all USTPA sanctioned and affiliate shows. "This certainly brings added value for all producers who choose to sanction or affiliate their shows with USTPA," said USTPA Executive Director Cody Weirich. "Producers simply need to have a valid e-mail account to be added to this service and make sure they apply for their shows 60 days in advance of the first show date." Weirich also noted that online entry will provide more efficient and accurate service to USTPA members. "Through the on-line service, members will be able to build their teams, with the system checking to make sure the team hasn’t already been entered by another team member across the country, and submit their entries directly to show management," he said. "From there, show management can accurately confirm the team, rating status and membership and advise the member well before the competition if their team is confirmed or if adjustments need to be made." Members will also be able to add horse names as well as enroll their horses in the USTPA HorseTrak program via the on line process. THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 Last week, America’s Horse magazine staff traveled to Colorado to volunteer their time with ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” crew as they refurbish AQHA members Billy Jack and Anne Barrett’s home. While the Barretts and their six kids relaxed in Hawaii, more than 2,000 construction workers and volunteers scurried to build the family a new house. Ty Pennington and his crew of energetic designers built the Barretts a new 3,000-plus-square-foot home east of Colorado Springs, Colorado. And the America’s Horse crew not only helped build it, but they’ll also bring you the story in an upcoming issue of America’s Horse. In the meantime, you can check out the coverage from the Colorado Springs Gazette and Keller Homes, the construction company that’s building the house. Mounted Police to Offer Sensory Training Clinic School your horse with techniques used by police officers to promote confidence and employ strategies for desensitizing your horse to noise, crowds, and obstacles. The all-day clinic at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 2. It will provide a combination of equitation training to develop solid horsemanship skills, ground work, and introduction to obstacles and crowds. The clinic is appropriate for riders from any discipline, but does require previous riding experience. The proceeds from the clinic will be used to benefit the Lexington Mounted Police Unit. Six instructors representing the Lexington Police Mounted Unit, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the London Metropolitan Police will work with riders in three groups that will rotate throughout the day. The final session allows riders free-choice of working with the RCMP on equitation/basic jumping, the London Police on introduction to large crowds, noises, and parade-type settings, or with Lexington's officers, who will work (from the ground and mounted) with introducing your horse to obstacles such as bridges, mattresses, and tarps. Boarding should be arranged directly through the Kentucky Horse Park, at additional cost. Enrollment is strictly limited on a first-come basis. For more information, call (859) 351-8448. AQHA to Offer On-Site Services at TQHA Yearling Sale On-site services at the Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale will offer a fast, accurate and convenient way of doing business. AQHA representatives will be on hand to handle transfers, membership renewals, subscriptions, MBNA America® Challenge enrollments and more throughout the July 29-30 event at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston. “The on-site services booth gives members the opportunity to work one-on-one with AQHA representatives,” said AQHA Senior Director of Racing Trey Buck. “Visitors can complete transactions, ask questions and get more information on AQHA programs and services without having to pick up a phone or sit down at a computer. This convenience helps visitors spend more time enjoying their horses and less time doing paperwork.” The TQHA Yearling Sale is racehorse-oriented, however AQHA welcomes all members to stop by and take advantage of the on-site services regardless of discipline. AQHA on-site services will be available at the following 2005 events:
In addition, Spanish-speaking AQHA representatives will be available at each location to provide customer service to those needing assistance in Spanish. For more information, please call (806) 376-4888. Madonna’s New Passion is Horseback Riding The Daily Mirror reports that pop diva Madonna's new obsession is horseback riding. The singer has started taking hour-long lessons in horse riding at the Stag Lodge Stables, in Richmond Park, London. According to the London newspaper, Madonna has booked the entire venue so that no one, apart from her instructor, could see her ride in the arena. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2005The Bridle & Bit Web site has an interesting column written by AQHA Judge Laurel Denton on why she judges horse shows. She writes that although it is an honor to judge a large Quarter Horse show like the World Show or Congress, she most enjoys judging weekend shows. “In my first year as a judge, I traveled to a large show in North Carolina,” she writes. “While judging a youth gelding class, I asked a very cute, little girl if I could see her horse’s teeth. She just looked at me and smiled. Getting no reaction, I asked the same question again. She proceeded to smile bigger and longer. I soon realized she had misunderstood me and thought I wanted to see HER teeth. I explained that a judge needed to see the horse’s bite, and I wanted to see her horse’s teeth. Poor girl was so embarrassed, and I tried to put her at ease saying my job would be really hard if I had to judge all the darling little girls’ smiles.” She continues the column with several other good stories from her role as a judge in weekend shows. But what I loved best is her closing: “In my opinion these stories are the backbone of AQHA. Good people enjoying their wonderful horses.” I wholeheartedly agree. Fort Dodge Receives Approval of West Nile Virus DNA Vaccine AQHA Corporate Partner Fort Dodge Animal Health has received federal approval of its West Nile DNA vaccine for horses to aid in the prevention of viremia caused by the West Nile virus. Fort Dodge's development of this product, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, represents a milestone in DNA science and technology, as it is believed to be the first DNA vaccine in the world to be approved by a veterinary or human medicine regulatory agency for commercial sale. Administered intramuscularly, the vaccine causes the horse's cells at the vaccine site to begin manufacturing proteins from the raw virus DNA that has encoded into the cells. Those proteins trigger a protective immune response. West Nile-Innovator DNA will be added to Fort Dodge's line of equine products in early 2006 and will be available through licensed veterinarians. Trail of Painted Ponies Offers National Art Competition In an effort to give today's artists the opportunity to rediscover a uniquely American art form, The Trail of Painted Ponies is sponsoring "The Native Art of Horse Painting," a national art competition. Artists are invited to submit designs that express the unique history, experience and traditions of Native Americans on the form of a horse, as Native warriors once did. Ten winners will be selected by a panel of judges. Judging will be based on creativity, originality and the inspired use of a horse sculpture as a "canvas." The top-10 artists will each be sent a 2-foot-by-2½-foot marble-cast horse sculpture, and given three months to paint their ponies. Upon successful completion of their design, they will receive a $1,500 honorarium and various marketing benefits, including a promotional page on The Trail of Painted Ponies Web site, and a page in the book, "The Native Art of Horse Painting," that will be published in conjunction with the competition. Deadline for submissions is December 1, and winners will be announced on January 2. An application for the competition, accompanied by an outline of the horse for design purposes, is available online or by calling (480) 459-5700. The Trail of Painted Ponies began in Santa Fe in 2001 as a public art exhibition that invited the very best artists in the Southwest to imaginatively transform life-size horses into original works of art. The results enchanted thousands of people, and at auction generated close to $1 million for philanthropic organizations. Since that time The Trail of Painted Ponies has put on special art exhibitions around the country, and produced a collectors edition of Painted Pony reproductions, inspired by the original works of art, that are one of today's most popular collectibles. These reproductions may be found for sale at the Quarter Horse Outfitters store. ‘Seabiscuit’ Star Moving to Thoroughbred Retirement Farm An organization devoted to saving retired Thoroughbreds has purchased one of the 10 horses that portrayed Seabiscuit in the 2003 film about the famed horse. Popcorn Deelites is now in quarantine at a farm in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and should arrive at Hurstland Farm in Midway, Kentucky, early next week, said Michael Blowen, the founder and president of Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement group that uses the farm. Blowen said Old Friends bought the gelding for $1,500 from his previous owner, David Hoffman of Las Vegas. Blowen said Popcorn Deelites appeared in starting-gate scenes in the movie. However, the gelding is a real racehorse and won 11 times in 58 career starts, earning $56,880. Hoffman raced the 7-year-old gelding until this summer, Blowen said. The son of Afternoon Deelites will be the second "Seabiscuit" horse to have spent time at the Old Friends farm. Rich In Dallas, who appeared in the autumn riding scene in the movie, came to Old Friends in March 2004 after being claimed following a race at Los Alamitos racetrack in California. The 10-year-old Arkansas-bred gelding, now lives at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Horse Park also was home to yet another "Seabiscuit" horse, I Two Step Too, until that horse died in March at age 11. I Two Step Too, purchased by the Horse Park in July 2003, was euthanized because of a rare tumor in his nasal cavity. Among the other horses living at Old Friends are Sunshine Forever, Ruhlmann, Creator and Taylor's Special. Old Friends also has acquired 22-year-old Ogygian from Japanese breeders, Blowen said. TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2005
I just got back from Skowhegan, Maine, for the Region Six Regional Experience, and what a good time it was. I met some very wonderful people and everyone was just so welcoming. When the folks in Region Six decided to do this special AQHA event in the Northeast, they were just hoping to get 300 entries. When the show started on Friday last week, they had around 700 but by the end of the show, there were more than 860 entries. Everyone seemed to have a great time. For Carl Reilly of Pemaquid, Maine, the Regional Experience was only his second show. Carl bought a young reining horse, Jameenalenas Target, in December last year and has been taking lessons with trainer Toby Tyler of Pepperell, Massachusetts. Carl told me even though he didn’t place well in his two reining classes at the Regional Experience, he was glad he came. He said it was an excellent atmosphere for someone just getting into showing. And that’s what the Regional Experiences are really all about: Getting people to show their Quarter Horses who might be just a little intimidated by the experience. Matter of fact, the novice classes were the largest at the show, with even a few having to be split to accommodate all of the participants. If you would like to see more of the Region Six Experience, there are photo pages online. The Region Four Experience was also this past weekend and Journal Editor Jim Bret Campbell also posted some photos online. If your region hasn’t had their Regional Experience yet, you should seriously think about attending. Even if you don’t bring a horse, there are plenty of other things to do, including clinics, seminars and trade shows. Go online to get more information on what your region is doing. Region Six Clinician Tips Here are some of the top tips from the clinics at the Region Six Regional Experience: Showmanship with Sherrye Trafton: Even if you think your pattern was a total loss, keep showing. You might actually be the best horse that day. The most important thing to remember is that 20 percent is what happens to you when you’re showing and 80 percent is how you deal with it. Horsemanship/Equitation with Carolyn Johnson: You need to focus on your patterns, but what you really need to focus on are your transitions. Don’t get too stiff in your classes, stay relaxed. Also, keep your off hand bent at the elbow. If you keep the off-hand on your leg or at your side, you will tend to ride with it back and it will affect your position. If you ride with your off-hand bent at the elbow, you have a better chance of sitting square. Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle with Leslie Lange: Through the class, you need to have the horse presented in a similar position each time the judge looks at you. Also, don’t make aggressive adjustments when the judge is not looking because it might call attention back to you. Trail with Leslie Lange: First thing you need to do is look at the trail course and focus on where the problem areas might be. Also, read the words because sometimes the words specify something different than the dotted lines on the page do. If you have questions about the course, find the designer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions prior to the start because it might be something that is wrong and needs to be fixed. However, once the class starts, that option is gone. Barrel Racing with Doug Leasor: If you’re worried about dropping the horse’s shoulder into the barrel, don’t pull the head away from the barrel as this will just push the shoulder into it even more. Instead, pull the head with the inside rein toward the barrel, and it will lift the horse’s inside shoulder up and away from the barrel. 2005 NHSFR This Week in Wyoming The 2005 National High School Finals Rodeo started Monday at CAM-PLEX in Gillette, Wyoming. “This is what everyone works so hard for all year long,” Kent Sturman, executive director of the NHSRA, said. The finals rodeo, which ends on Sunday, will feature a total of 1,542 contestants and 13 rodeos. For results or more information on NHSFR, click here. Boon San Kitty Wins NCHA Classic/Challenge Boon San Kitty (High Brow Cat x Boon San Sally by Boon Bar) and Eddie Flynn won the National Cutting Horse Association Classic/Challenge Finals on Friday at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth. The pair scored 224 in the 5-year-old mare’s first show since winning the Western Horseman Cup in Augusta, Georgia, in February. Alice Walton of Mineral Wells owns the mare and this win was especially poignant for her as her brother, John, was killed June 27 in a plane crash near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “She knew something was the matter,” Walton told The Chatter of Boon San Kitty. “She has such a big heart.” Flynn told The Chatter that although the cattle had been tough for the event, he wasn’t worried. “It seems like it really doesn’t matter what you cut on her. She just takes control and does her job,” he said. “I think I’ve only lost one cow on her the whole time I’ve been showing her.” But the mare comes by it honestly. Her dam, Boon San Sally, has lifetime earnings of $60,000 and is one of NCHA’s all-time leading producers with offspring that have earned more than $700,000. The youth champions were also named on Friday. Sixteen-year-old Clint Pooley and Gun Smokes Wimpy (Gun Smokes Pistol x Lacy Jo Wipple by Davey Wipple) took the senior youth title with a mark of 222. Pooley, who is the son of trainer Don Pooley, and the 21-year-old gelding scored 220 at the same event last year and took fourth place. But Gun Smokes Wimpy nearly didn’t make it to this year’s event. Last winter, he underwent emergency surgery to remove 33 feet of his small intestine and his owner Debbie Patterson of Weatherford, Texas, prayed she wouldn’t lose him. “They had never taken out that much before,” Patterson told The Chatter. “They didn’t know if he had enough small intestine left to absorb the nutrients he needed.” But the gelding, who is NCHA’s No. 4 all-time leading money earner with $675,332, survived with the help of Jeff Foland, D.V.M. Patterson said the gelding is now officially retired. “This way, he goes out a winner,” she said.
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