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Q-TALK Q-TALK ARCHIVE FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2005 More sad news today. Bob Perry, who owned the late, great Zippo Pine Bar, passed away March 4 after a long battle with lung disease. At the time of his death, he was living in Destin, Florida, where he and his wife, Ann, moved shortly after selling their Quarter Horse operation in Valley View, Texas, in 1999. Born in Pasadena, California, Perry attended grade and high school in Glendale, California. He graduated from Montana State University with degrees in forestry and accounting. He and his wife were married for 44 years and had two sons, Mark and Chris Perry. Bob raced boats for many years until he decided it was time to find a safer hobby the whole family could enjoy. The family attended the Pomona Fair in 1974 and went back every day to the different breed horse shows and decided they wanted Quarter Horses. Showing and breeding Quarter Horses for many years in California became the family hobby, and eventually led to a life-changing venture. In 1985, Bob bought a 15-year-old stallion over the phone, sight unseen with the contingency the vets at Colorado State University could do a breeding/soundness evaluation. The horse passed with flying colors, and Zippo Pine Bar gave the Perrys the ride of their lives. Bob designed and was instrumental in building the breeding/training operation in Valley View, which became known as Bob Perry Quarter Horses Inc. The ranch stood many top stallions, including Zips Chocolate Chip, for 15 years. From a backyard horse operation to the honor of the induction of Zippo Pine Bar to the AQHA Hall of Fame, the Perry family lived the dream of owning Quarter Horses. Judges Chosen for AQHYA World Show Judges for the 2005 American Quarter Horse Association Youth World Championship Show have been selected. They are:
These judges go through an extensive selection process to be chosen for this event. For the Youth World Show, youth advisers nominate potential judges. Then the AQHA Executive Committee reviews each nominee for various matters before approving the list and hiring the slate of judges. “Choosing judges for the Youth World is taken very seriously,” said AQHA President Frank Howell. “We want to be sure the best candidates are selected to judge this prestigious event.” The executive committee selects judges for each of the three World Shows. In most cases, judges will not be hired for more than one major show during the year. For example, a judge usually does not judge the All American Quarter Horse Congress in the same year as the AQHA World Championship Show. The 2005 Youth World is August 5-13 in Fort Worth, Texas. This year’s theme is “The Sky’s the Limit.” Last year’s show boasted more than 1,900 entries representing 46 states, Canada and Israel. For more information on AQHYA, visit www.aqhya.com. England to Allow Horse Cloning for Research Purposes The Guardian in London, England, reports that William "Twink" Allen, professor of the equine fertility unit at Cambridge University, has received permission from the English government to clone horses for research purposes, though he is prohibited from recreating champion Thoroughbreds. "I’m very pleased but disappointed they haven’t gone the whole hog and allowed us sensibly to clone for commercial reasons, where there is a real need for it," Allen told the Guardian. "The value of the cloning there would be to recreate the champion gelding, or at least his testicles." Allen’s team will use the same technique used to clone Dolly the sheep — a nuclear transfer in which the nucleus of one animal is placed inside the hollowed out egg of another. Allen, the father-in-law of current English champion jockey Frankie Dettori, must still apply for a license, which would allow him to implant embryos inside female horses and develop them to term. The world’s first cloned horse, Prometea, was produced in May 2003 by scientists in Cremona, Italy. THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2005
The Quarter Horse world has suffered a great loss today. The all-time leading sire in National Reining Horse Association history, Hollywood Dun It, was euthanized Wednesday. The beautiful 22-year-old buckskin stallion had been suffering from severe health problems escalated by his continuing battle with testicular cancer. According to Tim and Colleen McQuay, who owned Hollywood Dun It along with partner Jennifer Easton, the decision to put the horse down was a difficult one. “He’s been a part of our family and a part of our lives for a lot of years. None of us wanted him to suffer,” Tim said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to stand to put another horse in that stall,” Colleen added. Hollywood Dun It’s name has become synonymous with reining in the past 20 years, and he has broken every NRHA siring record. When the 2004 NRHA Futurity came to a close in December, his foals carried him past the $4 million siring pinnacle. “This is a loss we share with owners and riders who have believed in Hollywood Dun It and in our program,” Tim said. Hollywood Dun It stood at McQuay Stables in Tioga, Texas. His 13 foal crops have won the NRHA Futurity, NRHA Derby and Superstakes, the National Reining Breeders Classic, All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity, Southwest Reining Horse Association Futurity, the Tradition Futurity and numerous others. They've qualified and won gold medals in United States Equestrian Team competition and earned AQHA world championships, as well. They've also excelled in reined cow horse and cutting events. Hollywood Dun It was selected as the first Breyer Animal Creations reining horse in 1998, and in 2002 his son, Dun Gotta Gun, was also similarly honored as a Breyer collectible. Condolences may be sent to McQuay Stables Inc., 15135 E. FM 922, Tioga, TX 76271. Newspaper Reveals How Chubby Turner Got His Nickname The Fort Worth Star-Telegram featured cutting horse trainer Chubby Turner in Wednesday’s newspaper. Sports reporter Brett Hoffman writes, “it doesn't matter where Turner and his horses are working. He thrives on his consummate love for the sport. "’I would cut on a sidewalk if that's where they were holding a cutting [event],’ said Turner, 57, the National Cutting Horse Association's defending world open division champion rider. ‘I've had great years in cutting and I have had mediocre years and bad years. But it's a sport that gets in your blood. It's probably the only equine sport that pays good money that a man can do for a long time.’” Hoffman also reveals how Turner got his nickname. “Turner, whose legal name is Harold Eugene, is one jovial competitor on the circuit, always answering to his lifelong nickname in an upbeat manner. The nickname was placed on him shortly after he was born in rural southeast Oklahoma in 1948. "’After I was born at my grandmother's home, the doctor came out of the room and said to my dad, 'Harold, it's a boy and he's a chubby little thing,'’ Turner said. ‘I was Chubby from then on.” To read more about Turner or the NCHA event, click on the link above. Thoroughbred Racing Industry Hires Lobbyist The Washington Post reports today the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, based in Lexington, Kentucky, has opened a lobbying office in Washington, D.C. Gregory C. Avioli, who had been president of NTRA, is the group's lobbyist. He's sharing space with the American Horse Council, which has focused on agriculture and equine issues. NTRA also relies on lobbying by the Alpine Group and Thomas A. "Tad" Davis of Davis & Harman. It gets help for its Horse PAC from fundraiser Rachel Pearson. But the thoroughbred racing industry decided it needed to bolster its presence here because of threats to its industry. The industry represents more than 480,000 jobs and has a $34 billion impact. The group's big interests are on curbing illegal Internet gambling, which cuts into on-site wagering on the ponies, capital gains issues, immigration and visas, and the capability to simulcast races overseas. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2005The National Reining Horse Association has a snazzy new Web site. NRHA’s Web Designer/Developer Haley Carmen has been more than busy making her presence known. The new look is a definite hit with NRHA membership as the office has received positive remarks about the new look. As Haley continues to update the look and functionality of the website you’ll begin to see her touch even more, so be sure and cruise through the site every once in a while to see what’s new. The new look of the website is just one of the exciting things happening in NRHA’s IT Department. Rick Hall, director of information technology, couldn’t be more excited about the changes taking place. There are so many modifications and improvements that it is hard to digest everything. Along with the telephone upgrade, another improvement to the computer systems took place last week. In keeping with the 2005 commitment to Priority One, these improvements will allow the staff to serve members more efficiently and timely. But all of these enhancements sometimes cause temporary frustration, so NRHA staff ask members to please bear with them as they create a better environment for meeting the needs of an every increasing membership and workload. NCHA 2005 Super Stakes Starts Today The National Cutting Horse Association 2005 Super Stakes and Classic kicks off its 19-day run today at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. This second leg of cutting's Triple Crown Series features 1,554 entries, topping last year's 1,459. The purse is more than $2.3 million. The show is divided into two parts: the Super Stakes Classic for 5- and 6-year-old horses (second- and third-year competitors) and the Super Stakes for 4-year-old horses (first-year competitors). The majority of the 4-year-olds competed in the 2003 NCHA Futurity in December, the first jewel of the Triple Crown. The Super Stakes' 4-year-old open division final on April 17 is the crown's second jewel. The third jewel is the July NCHA Summer Spectacular Derby, also in Fort Worth. Wesley Galyean and Spots Hot (Chula Dual x Sweet Shorty Lena by Shorty Lena) won the Futurity open title and earned $200,000. If they win the Super Stakes open, they will earn $100,000. Q-Talk will keep an eye on the event and post final results as they happen. For more information, call (817) 244-6188 or click here. NRCHA Stakes Also Begins Today The National Reined Cow Horse Association 2005 Stakes begins its 5-day run today at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona. The 2005 show is sponsored by Don and Suzanne Rogers’ Heaven Sent Ranch of Tucson. “We’re thrilled that the Rogers have now made the commitment to sponsor this event,” she said. “They themselves are owners and non-pro exhibitors, and have been interested in having an NRCHA Major Event in Pima County for quite a while.” Check back with Q-Talk on Monday for final results. For more information on the event, click here. Kyle Lockett Finally Wins Timed-Event Title Kyle Lockett has been the runner-up at the Wrangler Timed-Event Championship twice. However, on March 13, he finally claimed his first title at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. Lockett surpassed Trevor Brazile on the final run of the final event. Brazile was the two-time defending Wrangler timed-event champion as well as the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association's three-time world all-around title holder. Brazile entered the final round of the three-day competition with a one-tenth-of-a-second lead. But the two exchanged leads three times during team roping and steer wrestling runs. It came down to steer roping. Lockett came through with a clean run while Brazile struggled. Lockett won the overall aggregate title with a time of 305.2 seconds on 25 head and $55,000. The Wrangler Timed-Event Championship, which is sanctioned by the PRCA as a special event, was developed by the Lazy E in 1985 to determine the best all-around timed event cowboy in the world — the person who could stand out not only in his specialty event, but also in all five timed events. Irish Jumper May Lose Olympic Medal Irish show jumper Cian O'Connor told the Associated Press on Monday he's done nothing wrong even though the sport's governing body ruled he should be stripped of his Olympic gold medal following his horse's positive drug test. The International Equestrian Federation ruled Sunday that O'Connor should lose his title because his horse, Waterford Crystal, tested positive for traces of two prohibited drugs. O'Connor won the individual show jumping event for Ireland's only medal at the 2004 Athens Games. "I have done nothing wrong," he added. "It is a huge disappointment not only to me, to my friends and colleagues, to my staff but also to the country." O'Connor said Waterford Crystal received two sedatives about a month before the Olympics to prevent further injury while the horse was receiving treatment to recover from an injury. The International Equestrian Federation announced in October – six weeks after O'Connor's victory – that a urine sample from Waterford Crystal tested positive to two drugs, fluphenazine and zuclopenthixol, that usually are used in humans as anti-psychotics. In November, the federation said a second blood sample confirmed the finding. MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2005Equine researchers will gather this summer for the sixth International Equine Genome Workshop in Dublin, Ireland, in the hopes of moving one step closer to cracking the equine genetic code. The workshop, coordinated by Ernest Bailey, Ph.D., will help researchers add pieces to a genetic puzzle that, when completed, promises to unlock many mysteries of the horse. The first meeting of the International Equine Genome Workshop was in 1995 in Lexington, Kentucky. "The original goal of the workshop was to develop a gene map that would be useful for identifying genes that cause hereditary diseases in horses," said Bailey, who is a geneticist and professor of veterinary science at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center Since that initial workshop, significant progress has been made. Researchers have successfully pinpointed the genetics responsible for several equine diseases, including hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) in Quarter Horses. Although progress is being made toward the completion of the horse genome project, the pace is frustratingly slow. It isn't a lack of intellectual talent or technology that's holding the researchers back: Gene mapping became a matter of basic science during the 13-year quest to crack the human genetic code. Rallie McAllister, M.D., writes on TheHorse.com that it is the lack of financial support that has hindered the genetic research. Compared to the $3 billion in funding that was consumed by the human genome effort, the price tag of the horse genome project is relatively modest, estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 million to $50 million. Nonetheless, it's money that's hard to come by for equine researchers. The American Quarter Horse Foundation, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Morris Animal Foundation and the Dorothy Russell Havemeyer Foundation, provide financial support of genome projects. But limited funding has put the equine genome project far behind the gene mapping efforts of other agricultural species. "Genomics was deemed very important to animals like cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens because you can use this science to increase the production of food, and that makes it easier to assign a dollar value to it,” Bailey said. “You can't do that with horses, because increased production isn't the real issue." But Bailey pointed out that the economic impact of horses should not be taken lightly. The horse industry contributes about $112.1 billion to the nation's gross domestic product. Representing nearly 70 million horses and 7 million people in the United States, the horse industry provides Americans with around 1.5 million jobs annually, more than the number of jobs provided by the railroad industry, radio and television broadcasting and the tobacco industry. When it comes to the allocation of resources for gene mapping projects for agricultural animals, "the horse is at the bottom of the barnyard pile," said Doug Antczak, V.D.M., Ph.D., director of the James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell University. "If there were more money available, we'd be able to complete the project in about a year. As it stands, we'll probably finish it in three or four years." Horse geneticists expect by the end of 2005, they'll have mapped about 4,000 of the estimated 25,000 equine genes. "Right now the appearance of the horse genome is comparable to a map of the Earth generated by a satellite,” Antczak said. “We can see a broad outline, but we don't have the fine details. When the project is finished, we'll have a better picture, like a roadmap. We'll be able to see the individual street signs." Dates for Region 7’s Regional Experience Change The dates for the first Regional Experience, which is in Region 7 in Hurricane, Utah, have changed. The event is now June 15-19. For more information on AQHA’s Regional Experiences, click here. Tim McQuay, Dun It Gotta Gun Win USEF Qualifier
AQHA Professional Horseman Tim McQuay and Jerry Kimmel’s Dun It Gotta Gun won the United States Equestrian Federation open reining championship qualifier at the Gordyville Breeders Cup in Gifford, Illinois, on March 19. The 1998 stallion, whose National Reining Horse Association name is Dun Gotta Gun, and McQuay bested a field of 14 in the CRI-B FEI International Reining Competition with a 228.5. “It is never easy to win one of these,” McQuay said. “I knew I had enough horse, I just needed to do everything right.” McQuay did have an easier time competing this year as compared to last year’s qualifier. In 2004, McQuay became ill prior to the class and made a trip to the hospital, but he was able to return in time to ride. There were no problems this year. “Everything was great this time around,” McQuay added. “I was much more relaxed. My horse was great; he was more than great. Now I just need to win the big one.” The “big one” is the USEF Open Reining Championship, which is August 23-28 in Lexington, Kentucky. McQuay has won almost every major reining event in the United States with the exception of a USEF championship. The USEF Gordyville qualifier read like a “who’s who” of reiners with two of the four Gold medal winning riders of the U.S. Reining Team that competed at the World Equestrian Games in 2002 taking part along with many NRHA and AQHA champion riders. The gold medal winner of the 2004 FEI World Reining Masters, AQHA Professional Horseman Todd Crawford was second with a score of 225.5 on Cowboy Smarts, owned by Jim Babcock. AQHA Professional Horseman Casey Hinton was third with a 224.5 aboard Sunrise Enterprise, owned by Bob and Curtice McCloy. The USEF qualifying season culminates with the National Reining Breeders Classic in Katy, Texas, April 21-24. Unknown Illness Causes Euthanization of Three Maryland Horses Maryland Department of Agriculture veterinarians are responding to concerns regarding three horses euthanized due to illness in Columbia, Maryland. Private veterinarians contacted MDA's veterinarians and are working closely with MDA animal health labs as necropsy results are analyzed. Facility managers and horse owners are fully cooperating. "Our veterinarians are diligently working with private veterinarians on these unfortunate horse deaths to determine the cause," said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture John R. Brooks, D.V.M. "We do not yet know if this is a contagious disease issue. However, as in all cases which involve undetermined animal deaths, we encourage owners to avoid allowing contact with possibly infected horses." Horse owners with concerns should contact their private equine veterinarian. For more information from the MDA, call (301) 334-2185 or click here. Neurologic EHV-1 in New York State Three horses have died or were euthanized following infection with equine herpesvirus type-1 at a boarding facility in Tioga County, New York. The first case was detected about two weeks ago, said officials at the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Clinical signs included fevers, respiratory signs (nasal discharge and increased breathing effort), anorexia (not eating), and neurological problems ranging from weakness and stumbling to an inability to rise. Three of the affected horses to date have died or were euthanized. Three additional horses appear to have made a full recovery and no others appear to be convalescing. At this time, remaining horses and the facility remain under N.Y. State quarantine. Diagnostic testing at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine determined that this outbreak is associated with EHV-1 infection. The virus was isolated from tissues submitted from affected horses that succumbed. In addition, pathologists have determined that microscopic lesions visible in tissues are typical for this infection. The virus can cause respiratory disease, neurologic disease, abortion, and combinations of these problems. A variety of control measures for EHV-1 are routinely used. In the face of an outbreak, it is important to control movement of horses until 21 days after the last clinical signs are seen in a facility. Routine vaccination of horses will aid in the control of the respiratory and reproductive disease. Vaccines for EHV-1 are not labeled to protect against neurologic form of the disease. For more information on EHV-1, click here. 2005 NSBA Breeders Championship Futurity For all you National Snaffle Bit Association members, the 2005 Breeders Championship Futurity is August 25-28 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A one-payment entry is due July 15, and entry books will be mailed in late April. The estimated added money for 2005 foals is expected to be $254,000. The Breeders Futurity is intended to be a user-friendly program that will appeal to all pleasure horse breeders, owners, trainers, exhibitors and enthusiasts by offering a full slate of classes, and paybacks to a large number of placers. The futurity is set apart from other futurities with the addition of gold and silver divisions. Creating an additional competition for the Silver Division progeny was the vision of late horseman Jerry Stanford. His idea was to give the offspring of young stallions a level playing field on which to compete at a premier event. For more information on the Breeders Championship Futurity, e-mail nsbaoffice@aol.com or call (918) 270-1469. New Rules May Affect Massachusetts Horseowners The Boston Globe reports that stable regulations proposed by Middleborough, Massachusetts, Health Department have area horse owners upset. They will be speaking out against the plans at a meeting at 7 tonight in the town hall. Globe correspondent Christine Wallgren writes that the town's Agricultural Commission was asked to work with the Health Department to develop new stable regulations. “Commission chairwoman Darlene Anastas said her panel appointed a subcommittee that included some of its members, horse owners and a veterinarian. After several months of work, the subcommittee produced some general regulations on a single page, accompanied by a packet of guidelines outlining good management practices for horse and stable owners. “The proposal was forwarded to the Health Department. “But by the time the Agricultural Commission's proposed regulations arrived, Animal Health Inspector Bart Harrison was finishing his own draft, which was more detailed and restrictive. For example, the commission's proposal has no minimum lot size, while Harrison's requires 4,000 square feet per horse. Harrison's regulations also set minimum stall sizes, ceiling heights in barns, fence heights, and size requirements for lean-to structures. “The Health Department ‘never contacted us so we weren't aware they were doing their own regulations,’ Anastas said. “She also called Harrison's package punitive. ''’If it's a permitting process, I think it should be friendly and helpful, to encourage agriculture to remain in this town,’ she said. ‘Every planning decision that's been made specifies it's a priority that the town retain its agricultural character.’ “Some horse owners have voiced support for the Agricultural Commission's version. ''I don't want to fight with anybody in the town, but I do want [officials] to understand the horse owners' point of view," said Robert Yunits, who described Harrison's proposed regulations as ''ridiculous." “Health Inspector Jeanne Spalding said the Health Department's proposal is simply a draft, intended to be fine-tuned at meetings. “The Agricultural Commission's proposal ‘has a lot of good information in it, and shows they did a lot of hard work,’ she said. ‘'Our job is to educate people, and the handouts they did will be helpful.’” I bring this story to your attention because I believe we’ll continue to see more and more cases such as this as urbanization continues to encroach into rural areas. Hopefully, as this becomes more of a problem, we’ll all be able to work it out for the best interest of both parties.
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