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Q-TALK FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2005 Steve Simon’s Custom Crome is the National Reining Horse Association’s newest Million Dollar Sire.
Custom Crome was bred to be a winner in the show pen and a star in the breeding barn. He’s by Chrome Plated Jac by Hollywood Jac 86 and out of Another Greyhound by Greyhound Step. As a 3-year-old, Mike Flarida guided Custom Crome to the 1993 NRHA Futurity open division championship. With only five shows to his credit, Custom Crome’s NRHA Lifetime Earnings are $106,489.47. Currently, there are 65 Custom Crome NRHA money earners, and three have earned more than $100,000. Custom Red Berry, also ridden by Wright, was third in the 1999 NRHA Futurity, won the 2001 NRHA Derby open division and placed consistently in USEF competition. Custom Red Berry has NRHA Lifetime Earnings of more than $160,000. Custom Mahogany and Wright were the open reserve champions at the 2002 NRHA Futurity and part of the 2005 NRBC trio that put Custom Crome on the Million Dollar Sire list. Her NRHA Lifetime Earnings are about $160,000. The Million Dollar Sire list includes NRHA Hall of Fame members Hollywood Dun It, Topsail Whiz, Smart Chic Olena, Topsail Cody, Hollywood Jac 86, Be Aech Enterprise, Reminic, Gallo Del Cielo and Shining Spark. Pat Hubbert Fund Needs Your Help Reined cow horse trainer Pat Hubbert was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (bone cancer) late in 2003, and he is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. But the side-effects of the treatments have been so devastating that Hubbert has been disqualified as a candidate for a stem cell transplant. The Pat Hubbert Fund was started on March 17 at the Bank of Petaluma in Petaluma, California, to help him and his family. All monies in the account will be used to provide direct payment to Hubbert's health care providers for the staggering amounts that have not been covered by his medical insurance. Health care providers include doctors, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, the clinics where Pat receives radiation and chemotherapy, pharmacies, and medical supply companies. If you would like to send thoughts and prayers to Hubbert, you can e-mail thesmokesdude@aol.com. NRHA Derby Non-Pro Champion to be Decided Tonight Lance Griffin is coming in as the leader for tonight’s NRHA Derby non-pro event. Earlier this week, he scored a 221 on his Whiz N Tag Chex (Topsail Whiz x Tag Chex) to lead the NRHA $15,000 added non-pro qualifying go round. Whiz N Tag Chex, ridden by Duane Latimer, was a 2002 NRHA Futurity open division finalist and went on to win the 2003 and 2004 NRBC Derby non-pro division with Griffin in the driver’s seat. “Lance doesn’t like to lead the go-round,” Griffin’s wife, Terry, said. At last year’s non-pro Derby, he won the go-round and finished eighth overall in the finals. With that in mind, Griffin will definitely be gearing up to win a prize this year. There was a tie for second place between Mandy McCutcheon riding her Smart Great Dude (Smart Starbuck x Miss Great Dude) and Marc Wagman riding Best Stop (Custom Crome x Rest Stop) owned by Wagman Ranch Inc. Both riders scored a 220. As she explained that her husband, Tom, trained her horse and that she’s coached by her father, Tim McQuay, with an occasional assist from Bill Horn, McCutcheon said with a smile, “It takes a team to get me to the finals.” With almost $750,000 in NRHA lifetime earnings, McCutcheon is NRHA’s leading lifetime non-pro money earner. Marc Wagman was thrilled to score a 220 on Best Stop. He bred, raised and trained this 6-year-old mare. “She turned and circled beautifully. Everything flowed,” Wagman said of the pattern. “She was totally dialed in.” NRHA Derby non-pro finalists will advance to their clean slate divisional finals this evening. It took a 213 to make the finals, a 211 to make the intermediate non-pro and a 209 to move up to the limited non-pro finals. The $5,000 added NRHA Derby non-pro prime-time division, determined by the highest go-round score, was won by Lee Schild aboard Juiced Up Doc. He earned $2,096.58 for that victory. The NRHA Open Derby is Saturday evening with Todd Crawford and Lena Gallo (Gallo Del Cielo x Heavenly Doc) as the leaders. The pair scored a 226.5 in the preliminaries. In second are Shawn Flarida aboard Smart Spook (Smart Chic Olena x Sugarplum Spook) for Rosanne Sternberg and Cody Sapergia on JD Whizkey (Topsail Whiz x JD Milligan) for Lance Griffin. Both scored a 224. Viral Outbreak Hurts Horse Center The quarantine of Columbia Horse Center in North Laurel, Maryland, caused a lot of heartache for horse owners this spring. But the deaths of five horses at the center from equine herpesvirus, and the ensuing restrictions that state officials placed on the facility in the hope of stemming its spread, have taken a toll not only on horse owners and other patrons of the center, but on the facility's financial health, general manager Nanci Steveson told Rick Adamczak of the Columbia (Maryland) Flier. “Soon after the outbreak of the virus was discovered at the center in late March, Maryland Department of Agriculture officials ordered that horses could not leave or enter the Columbia Association-owned facility. The order has forced officials to cancel all events and riding lessons at the center until veterinarians determine that the virus is no longer contagious, a move that has meant lost income for the center, Steveson said.” In the meantime, horse owners such as Ellie Gianni and her 14-year-old daughter, Stephanie, can visit their animals only on a limited basis and under tight restrictions. They own a Quarter Horse named Cash who is boarded at the center. "The biggest impact has been on the kids," Steveson told Adamczak of the quarantine. "It's not only their sport but their social life. Their families are all involved, and we've got all these teenage girls who can't see their horses and most of them consider their horse to be their best friend." The timing of the initial outbreak of the virus couldn't have been worse – just as the center's biggest show of the year was set to start. “Steveson didn’t disclose the exact amount of money the facility has lost during the eight weeks since the outbreak occurred, but said it collects an average of more than $30 per person for private and group lessons from more than 400 students each week. “In addition, more than 30 full- and part-time employees usually work at the facility, but since the outbreak that number has dwindled to 12. “However, things should soon improve for the Giannis and Steveson. This week, veterinarians cleared all but a dozen of the 80-plus horses at the facility for use, allowing the center to begin limited riding lessons. Some horses remain restricted to certain areas to prevent a possible spreading of the disease. Meanwhile, only a single horse continues to suffer from the illness and is expected to recover, Steveson said.” THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2005 Rugged Lark was a once in a lifetime horse. The 1981 bay stallion was a two-time AQHA Superhorse and an ambassador for AQHA, making special appearances at the AQHA World Championship Show, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 1999 Special Olympics World Games in Raleigh, North Carolina.
On Thursday, his owner Carol Harris dedicated a life-size bronze memorial of the stallion at his resting place on Harris’ Bo-Bett Farm in Reddick, Florida. The bronze is by artist Marrita McMillian, and is similar to her life-size work of Lark and Harris, which stands outside the entrance to the American Quarter Horse Heritage Center and Museum in Amarillo. AQHA Vice President Bill Brewer was present at the dedication and read the poem “A Million Bay Horses.” “Lark’s” trainer Lynn Palm was also part of the memorial program and brought along Mary Lisa, a special rider who helped promote the Rugged Lark Memorial Fund with America's Horse Care, which is through the American Quarter Horse Foundation. Funds in the program go to therapeutic riders. Harris told the audience everyone is welcome to visit the farm and see the Lark memorial. Visitors can even leave an apple or other mementoes at the bronze, which features a basket of apples on its pedestal. For more information on how to donate to the Rugged Lark Memorial Fund, call (806) 376-4811 or click here. Region 7 Regional Experience Entry Deadline Extended The deadline for entries for the Regional Experience has been extended to June 1. For show entry information, click here. AQHA is offering Regional Experiences in each of its 10 regions this year. These events will feature world-class Professional Horsemen clinics, American Quarter Horse test rides, judging sessions and educational seminars - all designed around the fun of an American Quarter Horse competition. For more information, click here. FEI Continues Ban of Tongue Ties Fédération Equestre Internationale was recently asked to relax the rules on tongue ties and allow them in competition if it was announced and checked by a veterinary official. Frits Sluyter, head of the FEI Veterinary Department, announced Thursday that the Veterinary Committee has decided there is no reason to allow tongue ties again or to make a rule change proposal to that effect. This means that tongue ties are not permitted in any of the FEI disciplines. WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2005The West Nile virus has been confirmed in a Burleigh County, North Dakota, horse. This the first case in North Dakota since 2003. There were no cases of West Nle virus confirmed in horses in North Dakota in 2004, according to state veterinarian Susan Keller, D.V.M. "The confirmation of WNV reinforces the need for horse owners to get their animals vaccinated or boostered," Keller said. Keller said horse owners who have not had their horses immunized or who have not yet arranged to have booster shots for their animals, should contact their veterinary practitioner. The initial immunization consists of two injections three to six weeks apart. Immunized horses need annual boosters to maintain immunity. "It takes several weeks for the immunizations to take full effect, so the sooner any non-immunized horse is vaccinated, the better chance it has of resisting the disease," Keller said. In 2002, more than 15,250 equine cases were reported in the United States with most in the central portion of the country from Texas to Minnesota. In 2003, 5,181 equine cases were reported, and in 2004, only 1,341 equines cases of WNV were reported, fewer than 10 percent of the 2002 totals, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture reported. According to the North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory reports, North Dakota reported 40 positive cases of equine WNV in 2003 and none in 2004. The first case in North Dakota west of the Mississippi River was confirmed in July 2002 in Grand Forks County. More than 500 cases of WNV were confirmed in North Dakota horses in 2002. Take ‘Chip’ With You on Your Travels
Zips Chocolate Chip’s owner Ann Myers is perhaps one of the most brilliant marketers out there (if you don’t believe me, just check out her story in this month’s American Quarter Horse Journal). She is best known for promoting her stallion with chocolate chip cookies. But she also created a “Chip the Toy,” which is a plush horse toy that is colored like “Chip.” Myers is now offering a Chip the Toy photo/adventure contest to encourage kids and adults alike to have some fun this summer. Just take pictures while you travel with Chip the Toy, and submit up to five photos of your adventures for a chance to win prizes and get your story on ZipsChocolateChip.com. First place is an autographed Breyer Model of Zips Chocolate Chip. To see the adventures of Chip the Toy, click here. Don’t have a Chip the Toy? Click here to see how you can order one. TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2005More than 830 team penners showed up this past weekend for the Wrangler Cowtown Roundup, shattering its previous record of 640 teams. The teams competed for nearly $100,000 in prize money, along with a series of specially designated trophy buckles. Louis Saggione III of Mokena, Illinois, celebrated his 23rd birthday by capturing the open high money-earning win with more than $3,400 in earnings. Fifteen-year-old Trent Field of Springtown Texas, managed to outshine the adults by capturing the high money-earning amateur buckles with more than $4,000 in earnings. Taking the high money-earning novice buckle was Perrin Ivey of Frostproof, Florida, with Reece Stanfill of Lexington, Tennessee, earning the high money-earning open incentive rider buckle. The eighth annual Murdoch’s Montana Challenge also saw record entries during its event May 6-8 in Kalispell, Montana. The U.S. Team Penning Association-sanctioned event had 791 teams chasing $97,000 in winnings. This was a 41.6 percent increase over 2004, when 672 teams competed. Riders from 17 states and provinces competed for $32,037 in the Purina All-Star Ranch Sorting and for an additional $64,437 in the Kari Dodge All-Star Team Penning, in addition to 18 novice and youth trophy buckles. A total of $20,000 actual money from the Northwest Montana Team Penning Association-produced event was procured from community sponsors. The only larger team penning event in the continental West remains the Canadian National Finals, which is annually in Calgary. The next USTPA-sanctioned event at Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell is the third annual CanAm Cup, scheduled for August 5-7. The USTPA Productions event is slated for an estimated $10,000 added money plus nearly 40 Gist trophy buckles. For more information on these and other team penning events, click here. Wrangler Gets Close and Personal with Consumers AQHA Corporate Partner Wrangler is known for its commitment to understanding consumers, and its newest research program, “Project Bodacious,” is no different. Though it may sound like a California surf expedition, this program combines western values with innovative concepts to help Wrangler get up-close and personal with the changing lifestyle of today’s western consumer. Wrangler Western Wear President Phil McAdams said his company recognized the lives of their core consumers were changing and the brand wanted to meet those needs more effectively. In Project Bodacious, Wrangler interviewed more than 100 people in Sacramento, California; Casper, Wyoming; and Lubbock, Texas. The research focused primarily on male consumers and used four noteworthy techniques to get acquainted with participants: in-depth interviews and closet tours, in-store intercepts, multiday shadowing and the wildly popular barbecue nights, which enabled Wrangler to get a front-row seat at the rodeo of consumers’ lives. Forget surveys. Wrangler got its information straight from the horse’s mouth, McAdams said. “Focus groups and surveys are great, don’t get me wrong,” he said. “But Wrangler is committed to knowing our consumers not only on paper but in real life as well. To that end, we wanted a method that was groundbreaking, yet reliable and all-encompassing to help us develop a clearer picture of who our core consumer is and how they use and make decisions about clothing. We felt the best, most innovative way to do that was to insert ourselves into their everyday lives and get a firsthand look at their needs, personalities and lifestyles.” Project Bodacious revealed extensive information on the changing lifestyles and needs of the Wrangler core consumer. The information gleaned will help Wrangler continue to meet the needs of its customers. Another Use for the “Little Blue Pill” Another thing worth of news of the weird. FoxSports.com reports that Italian police have discovered a mob-linked racetrack where horses were pumped full of Viagra and other drugs to fix races. The track is on the outskirts of Naples City. "We are able to ascertain the use of the famous (drug) Viagra to increase the performance of these horses," police commander Mario Pantano reportedly told television. Reports say Viagra can improve a horse's cardiorespiratory functions and its performance if taken before races. The track and its horses are reportedly worth an estimated $6.4 million. They were seized by authorities investigating the illegal doping of horses. The investigation started in 2004, focusing in particular on the illegal use of drugs and secret betting. MONDAY, MAY 16, 2005The National Reining Horse Association Derby started today, but even if you can’t make it to Oklahoma City this week, you don’t have to miss a thing. Waltenberry has set up a live Web cast where you can watch all the action live. Just click here. This is a free Web cast but if you would like a larger view at a higher speed, Waltenberry offers this for a fee. It’s $25 for eight hours or $125 for unlimited viewing. For more information, click here. The Derby concludes Saturday evening. Click here for the full schedule. NRHYA.com Online Today The National Reining Horse Youth Association now has its very own Web site now at www.NRHYA.com. The new site offers a message board, event calendar and soon, an interactive photo album. NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Tickets on Sale Tickets for the 36th Annual National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity are on sale. Slated for September 20-October 2 in Reno, Nevada, the futurity is the premier event of the NRCHA. As in recent years, the Snaffle Bit Futurity open champion will receive a paycheck of $100,000 at the end of competition at the Reno Livestock Events Center. Call (775) 787-8497 for tickets. For more information, click here. Seminar to Help with Understanding of NRCHA Scoring The innovative NRCHA is offering “Understanding the Score” seminar on June 21, the evening before the NRCHA Derby begins. This exhibitor judging seminar is geared to educate riders, prospective riders and anyone who wants to understand how cow work is judged according to NRCHA rules. "The purpose of the seminar is to give exhibitors a guide to the judging process, so they know how they are being judged on the fence work. We want to help exhibitors who aren't judges learn how the cow work is scored,” said AQHA Professional Horseman Todd Crawford, chairman of the NRCHA Judges Committee. The seminar is 5-8 p.m. in The Barn at the California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles. There is no charge. FOSH Publishes HIO Meeting Summaries Friends of Sound Horses will publish meeting summaries of the monthly Horse Industry Organization meetings it attends on the FOSH Web site. Regular participants include representatives of the nine inspection programs certified by the United States Department of Agriculture and USDA officials who are invited to attend. The summaries will also be available in FOSH’s bimonthly membership newsletter. The meetings were established to facilitate the working relationship between the various HIOs and the USDA in the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act. Although the organization is mostly geared toward Tennessee Walkers, the summary information is informative and can be applied to all horse breeds. British Government May Tax Horse Manure The British government will soon tax composted horse manure, forcing stables and other equestrian business to pay up to £482 for an annual license, the Web site This is London reports. Reporter Guy Dresser writes that government officials said the new manure tax was needed to curb pollution from composted horse manure. But critics of the move, which starts in July, say the new charges are a “stealth tax” and are being introduced without proper consultation. But some government officials do not support the tax and are calling on the government to justify the proposals after widespread protests. Shadow agriculture minister Jim Paice wants ministers to release documents relating to the decision to require new permits. “The government must justify this tax before equestrian businesses suffer the consequences,” he told Dresser. “Horses have been around for thousands of years -- where is the evidence that horse manure causes harm?” Failure to obtain a license can result in a fine of up to £20,000, and the tax is expected to hit small businesses the hardest. “The FPB's equine members are telling us the first they heard about this new legislation was when they read about it in the Horse And Hound magazine last week,” Nick Golding, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, told Dresser. “This is totally unacceptable. Moreover, the government still cannot give a clear answer on what kind of muck will be taxed and what will be exempt.” Dresser writes “manure from privately kept horses is classified as household waste and will be exempt from the law. But manure from businesses is classified as industrial waste, so the way it is kept, treated and disposed of is currently subject to the Waste Management and Licensing Regulations (1994). Teen Unexpectedly Wins Crown Sarah Grundahl took her American Quarter Horse to Wisconsin’s 25th Annual Midwest Horse Fair in April just for fun. Little did the 18-year-old high school student expect to beat 62 other women to be crowned Miss Midwest Horse Fair Pageant. Carla McCann of the Janesville Gazette reports Grundahl’s brown gelding, Stop And Go Crazy, or “Turner,” became an instant star. “But Grundahl had the lead role. She won the competition. For Grundahl, being named the Midwest Horse Fair queen was an unexpected bonus during a weekend of fun. Turner has four points in AQHA reining and is also enrolled in the AQHA Horseback Riding Program. As the horse fair queen, Grundahl will represent the equestrian organization at such events as the Great Circus Parade in Baraboo and the Wisconsin State Fair. "I love horses," Grundahl told McCann. "It's my escape from stress. When I go out and ride, nothing else matters. I'm riding for fun." Appalachian Quarter Horse Youth to Offer Fund-Raiser The Appalachian Quarter Horse Youth Association will have a car, truck and horse trailer wash along with a baked goods sale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11 at Tractor Supply in the Frontier Shopping Center, Marietta, Ohio. All proceeds will help sponsor the group at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in October. But Will He Be Master of his Domain? George Costanza was a lovable loser on the television show "Seinfeld” but a Thoroughbred horse owner hopes the name will carry a little more luck on the racetrack. Scot Waterman, executive director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, will call his new colt "Summer of George," after a "Seinfeld" episode of the same name. In that episode, George leaves the Yankees front office but receives a hefty severance package. He decides to take the next three months off and deems them the Summer of George. "My wife, Amy, and I have watched Seinfeld for the last two or three years with possible horse names in mind," Waterman told The Associated Press. "We didn't have a horse to name until now." Other Thoroughbred horses referencing the TV show include Vandalay, Hello Newman and Serenity Now. Nosupeforyou, a gelding named after an episode's ornery soup chef, has won $223,414. "Pop culture is the impetus behind many thoroughbred names," Rick Bailey of The Jockey Club told AP. "The Seinfeld-related names are especially entertaining because of the continued widespread popularity of the show." It’s no different here at AQHA. I checked our system to see what “Seinfeld” names I could come up with. I found Cosmo Kramer, a 1999 gray stallion in Riverton, Utah, and Hello Newman, a 1996 sorrel gelding in Keithsburg, Illinois. I did find a mare named Vandalay, but she was foaled in 1979, so I’m sure she wasn’t named after the “Seinfeld” show. Maybe that’s where George came up with his pseudo name?
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