With feedback from current slot owners and the Show Committee, the deadline for purchasing slots in the Sweepstakes and Futurities has been extended to May 1st. This is also the deadline for designating horses for each slot. There is a late fee of $125 in addition to the assigned purchase price.
Information about the Slot Futurities and Sweepstakes is included in the National Show Premium Book and forms are also available at appaloosa.com. Your contact at ApHC is Alexcia Livingstone at extension #244.
We have one slot owner that we know of who would like to lease their 2008 slot in the three-year-old western pleasure class. If you know of anyone who’d like to go in the class this year but not purchase a permanent slot, please ask them to contact Alexcia and she will put them in contact with the slot owner.
TRAIL END has been accepted to WORLDFEST HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!
Screening Details:
Sunday, April 13 – 3:00PM
Thursday, April 17 – 5:00PM
Sunday, April 20 – 3:00PM
The AMC Studio 30 – Westheimer at Dunvale
2949 Dunvale Rd
Houston, TX 77063
For more details and ticket info please visit: www.worldfest.org
TRAIL END has been accepted to the PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!
Screening Details:
Sunday, April 13 – 12:00PM
Florida Atlantic University, DeSantis Center
College of Business
777 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431
561-297-2980
For more details and ticket info please visit:www.pbifilmfest.org. Please come out and support these TRAIL END screenings.
Take care,
Shannan Keenan
www.justhank.com/trailend.htm
www.myspace.com/trailend
KLAMATH FALLS, OR – Cascade Magazines is once again offering scholarship awards for the 2008-2009 school year. Eligible applicants must be a college freshman, sophomore or junior at the start of the school year and pursuing a degree in the equine or livestock industry.
Applicants will be selected based on their career goals, education and civic achievements, commitment to the industry and their essay submission. Applicants will need to submit a completed application form, letters of recommendation, a photograph and a 300-word essay on “The Future of the Livestock/Equine Industry and How I Fit in That Career.” Applications must be postmarked by June 1, 2008. Late entries will not be considered.
Two scholarships of $300 each will be awarded. Each scholarship winner will also receive one complimentary ticket to the 2008 Ride the West event at the Running Y Ranch, Klamath Falls, OR, July 11-13.
Funding for the scholarships is provided by monies raised during the annual Poker Ride at Ride the West, as well as money donated by Cascade Magazines.
To receive an application, contact: 2008 Cascade Magazine Scholarship, P.O. Box 1390, Klamath Falls, OR 97601; (800) 275-0788 or email dsalstrom@heraldandnews.com.
Washington State University (WSU) received a $25-million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help construct a $35-million building that is to become the centerpiece of WSU’s new School for Global Animal Health. Research at the school will focus on discovering new vaccines, diagnostics and other strategies to control global infectious diseases that affect both animals and humans.
“WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine is a worldwide leader in research on animal health and its link to human health,” says WSU President Elson S. Floyd. “The generous support of the Gates Foundation is truly transformational. The work of WSU researchers will be dramatically enhanced, and the results of their work could impact countless lives in this country and around the globe.”
The school will focus on three interrelated approaches to global animal and public health, including: vaccine development and deployment, emerging pathogen and disease detection, and control of disease transmission from animals to humans.
To learn more, visit: www.globalhealth.wsu.edu
Rural residents have long had to deal with folks from the city dumping their unwanted dogs. Now you can add horses to the mix.
“The forced closure of the last horse killing facilities in the U.S., done at the urging of animal rights activists, has caused a herd of unwanted horses in animal shelters nationwide, according to breeders, ranchers and horse rescuers.”
That’s the lead sentence in an article from a recent USA Today that looks at the consequences of legislative and legal maneuverings that have made horse slaughter illegal in the U.S. What’s more, the article warns, “Although it remains legal to ship horses to Mexico or Canada for slaughter…there is a move in Congress to close that off as well.”
Paxton Ramsey, an East Texas cattleman and horse breeder, says the shutdown of slaughterhouses has led to stray horses showing up in higher numbers on public land and private property. If that continues, he told the paper, it won’t be long before the public has to foot the bill for a half-million horses at $2,400/horse/year.
Meanwhile, neglected horses are showing up in shelters across the nation. While some shelters say they have room for more horses, shelters in Virginia, Tennessee and Illinois are full, according to the article. Donna Ewing, founder of Hoofed Animal Rescue and Protection Society in Barrington Hills, IL, told the paper, “I’ve seen a tremendous increase in the number of people pleading with us to take their horses and we absolutely cannot.”
– Burt Rutherford, BEEF Magazine
You’ll notice an addition to the appaloosa.com home page menu on the left side. A button called “Wallpaper Download” will take you to a rendition of the Journal cover and calendar for the current month. It can be downloaded for use as a background for your computer monitor. You’ll have options for size to best fit the resolution of your screen. Another good idea we’ve stolen, but we like it. The April calendar is posted now.
There has been plenty of discussion about ApHC “national point fees” including questions about why they are considered necessary or if they can be adjusted downward or even eliminated.
Many of you seem to remember being told that the fees were designated for the purchase of computers and to establish a record-keeping system, then somehow the fees would become unnecessary and might go away. Frankly, that’s not how it works.
In many respects, point fees can and probably should be classified as “user fees.” There are permanent costs associated with recording, maintaining, tracking and reporting the points earned by horses at ApHC-approved events.
Some of the expense items for the Club include staff time, wages, benefits, equipment, etc. There are always costs related to computer programming, upgrades, periodic replacement and service. Normal operating expenses, sometimes generically referred to as “overhead,” also come into play. Part of the money is used to provide testing and continuing education for judges.
Another huge expense that’s covered by the point fee is the full range of year-end awards for open, youth and non-pro exhibitors who place in the Top 10. Those awards include buckles, medallions, plaques, production plaques, non-pro medals, certificates and mailing costs for awards sent to folks who don’t attend the banquets. Awards represent nearly one- fourth of the Performance Department’s budget!
In general terms, the fees pay for the infrastructure that supports all aspects of ApHC competition. We would love to provide ApHC services without charging anyone anything, but that’s not possible. In fact, the point fees are practically the only revenue stream that directly supports the ApHC Performance Department. In the past, other income was realized from fees charged for various reports that are now available from the ApHC Web site at no cost to members.
Some people tell us they don’t care about the points and shouldn’t be required to pay a fee. That doesn’t relieve the ApHC of a responsibility to document the performance of horses registered with us, and it probably wouldn’t be convincing for someone who might be the next owner of a particular horse.
Yes, it’s an “added” cost for members who show their horses, but it’s also a fee-for-service that is not unique. The ability to maintain performance records on registered horses is important to the Appaloosa community, both today and in the future.
We’ve also been told that point fees are budget busters for regional clubs. And, we’re told that exhibitors are being pinched by the fees and are responding by showing in fewer classes, fewer shows, or not at all. Let’s be sure we’re talking about the same thing. Point fees shouldn’t be viewed as lost revenue for regional clubs. The fees are pass-through payments from exhibitors to ApHC.
Exhibitors pay the fees and they may need help understanding how the money is used and why the fees are necessary for the integrity of their records and ours. That might be an important opportunity for regional clubs to talk about all the costs associated with putting on a horse show. We’ve seen more and more examples of regional groups working together, experimenting with new formats, reaching out to non-traditional audiences and addressing specific needs in their part of the country. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
Some of these items may have already been mentioned in earlier posts, but we wanted to take one more stab at providing an overview of board action. We’re working on unofficial minutes and will post them on the website as soon as possible.
Among the agenda items considered but NOT approved:
The Board did not approve a proposal for Novice Youth to accrue points whether they own the horse or not and to become ineligible for novice after accumulating 50 points.
The Board did not approve a proposal to add foster family as part of the extended definition of youth horse ownership.
The Board did not approve a proposal to prohibit leased horses from being shown in youth classes (they do not currently qualify for points, but can be shown).
The Board did not approve a proposal to eliminate the minimum height requirement for mature Appaloosas.
The Board did not approve a proposal to allow running the right rein through the left ring in a legal snaffle bit in English Showmanship.
The Board did not approve a proposal to require open exhibitors at the ApHC World Show to have qualified by earning one point in any open class.
Among agenda items that were approved:
On a trial basis at the 2008 National and World Shows, the top 16 horses/exhibitors will be recognized. Placings 11-16 will receive finalist ribbons and be announced. Top ten will receive place ribbons and be announced. This trial does not affect youth or non-pro classes.
Masters Cutting Class will be managed by the Appaloosa Cutting Horse Association and not ApHC.
ApHC will affiliate with the Unwanted Horse Coalition.
A draft of articles of incorporation for an Appaloosa Horse Club Foundation will be considered at the July Board meeting.
The Board will review the existing (but inactive) breed standard and make appropriate adjustments for publication.
World qualifying points will be calculated and adjusted annually to reflect the level of participation in each class, the percentage of qualifiers, number of points earned by the top twenty from the previous year and other factors.
Correction to earlier post:
HYPP – a proposed added rule will read: All foals born from AQHA stallions or mares registered as descendants of Impressive, born after January 1, 2007 (this date refers to the AQHA stallions or mares), that have HYPP status of N/H or H/H will be required to be tested for HYPP at the time they are parentage verified and have their HYPP status marked on their registration papers. Future descendants of N/H or H/H horses will also be required to be HYPP/parentage verified and have that status designated on their papers.
The Museum Committee was “dissolved.”
News from writer and filmmaker Shannan Keenan: TRAIL END has been accepted to the Method Fest Film Festival!
Screening Details:
Shorts Program 5 Choose Your Own Adventure
Sunday, March 30 – 12:30PM
Carlson Family Theatre
Viewpoint School
23630 Mulholland Hwy.
Calabasas, CA 91302
(Los Angeles area)
For more details and ticket info please visit: www.methodfest.com
TRAIL END A HIT IN RED ROCK COUNTRY
TRAIL END had two sold-out screenings as part of the Shorts Program 1 at the Sedona International Film Festival. Due to tremendous support from the audience, TRAIL END tied for 3rd Place out of 60 shorts in the Audience Choice votes. For more information about the festival please visit: www.sedonafilmfestival.com
www.justhank.com/trailend.htm
www.myspace.com/trailend
Ever dreamed of being a real cowgirl? Can you picture yourself horseback riding through the open countryside? If so, then Cowgirl University’s Kindle the Cowgirl Spirit Retreat on May 8-11, 2008, in the Texas Hill Country, is perfect for you. This annual weekend adventure, made possible by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, is not just another themed girl’s-getaway with a cowgirl twist.
Cowgirl U’s Kindle the Cowgirl Spirit Retreat is the real-deal, bringing National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Honorees together for one benefit – to share with you their stories and teach you skills needed for Western life. Whether or not you have extensive experience in the saddle, this retreat is for beginners and seasoned horsewomen alike. Retreat-goers are welcome to bring their own horse or rent one for the weekend.
Set on the Simmons’ Ranch, a sprawling 2,000 acre working ranch in Burnet, Texas – located approximately one hour northwest of Austin, Texas; one-and-a-half hours north of San Antonio, Texas – Cowgirl U’s Kindle the Cowgirl Spirit centers on horsemanship skills taught by the Honorees who embody that Cowgirl Spirit. As this is a working-cowgirl retreat, women will learn inside tips on how to assess, handle and care for a horse firsthand from some of the nation’s top horsewomen. Retreat-goers will dine on gourmet-ranch cuisine and sleep in comfortable guest homes on the ranch conveniently located to activity and meal areas.
This year’s Honorees include Sherri Mell, 2004 National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honoree – 2006 Appaloosa Horse Club Hall of Fame. The photo shows Sherri with her parents Suzanne and Hennig Koch, both of whom are also ApHC Hall of Famers. The picture doesn’t necessarily go along with the story, but we always like an excuse to brag about our Hall of Fame folks.
While many cowgirls specialize in just one or two key rodeo events, Mell enters and often wins an array of rodeo and horse show competitions. However, she is best known for her success as a calf roper. Mell is the only woman to win a championship at the National and World shows in calf roping – an event dominated by men. Since 1990 she has led the nation in non-pro calf roping. She is the first woman to win a National Finals Rodeo Championship title riding an Appaloosa, her only mount, and has won more than 100 world and national rodeo and horse titles throughout her career.
We should have more committee reports and discussion summaries posted later this week. Some of the motions voted on at the ApHC Board of Directors meeting in Albuquerque will need a second approval, while others don’t require a specific rule change. I’ve tried to identify which is which, but I’m assuming additional review and edits are required before anything gets the “official” stamp.
Rules Committee Recommendations to the Board
The Board gave approval to a rule adjustment allowing members to enroll in Appaloosa Competitive All-Breed Activities Program (ACAAP) on-site, the day of the event.
Directed staff to conduct an analysis (financial and program) for an ACAAP “Premium Promotion” Awards program.
The Board approved the “Asociacion del Caballo Appaloosa de Mexico” as an approved International Association Registry for the purpose of incorporating it into the International Registration Incentive Program (IRIP).
Modified the wording of an earlier motion to read that the “main registry” of AHBSSA (South Africa Appaloosas) would be part of the IRIP.
The Board adopted a revision to rule 236 which outlines percentages required for “FPD” designation. Beginning in 2009, the FPD percentage requirement increases to 77% and will remain at that level until 2019 (at which time an additional horse in the preceding four generations will be required – 23 out of 30).
A motion failed that would have added registered half-Arabs with AQHA or TB parents to the list of approved outcrosses for registration with ApHC.
The Board approved the addition of Omeprazole (Gastro Guard and Ulcer Guard) to the conditionally permitted medications list.
The Board also added Firocoxib (Equioxx) to the list of conditionally permitted medications. Equioxx is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory oral paste for horses for the control of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in horses.
Finance Committee Recommendations to the Board
The Board approved a process whereby horses earning the titles of World or National champions or reserve may have the award listed on registration papers for a fee of $100.
The Board approved a four-year agreement with IEG, Inc., a sponsorship valuation, research and analysis company.
Approved: A plaque will (also) be awarded to any horse that completes 13 non-consecutive Chief Joseph Trail Rides.
Approved: A renewal of leases with the Appaloosa Museum for both the building and land for a five-year period.
The Board approved a supplement to the APEX program to be known as the APEX Color Program, which will pay an additional prize for eligible Appaloosa horses winning any of the events listed in the APEX category.
The Board approved the proposed FY 2009 ApHC budget of $5,394,260.
From the “Approval/Disapproval” Motions
The one-time transported semen fee of $100 for stallions was eliminated. *(In my original post, it only mentioned approved outcross stallions. The fee has been eliminated for all stallion owners).
From the ApHC Board of Directors meeting in Albuquerque, March 10-12, 2008.
Show Related
National/Youth Show Dates – We’ll be gathering information to determine if it would be helpful to switch the Youth World Show and have it after the open/non-pro National Show. There are some schedule conflicts with at least some states and their mandatory testing for high school students.
Class Line-Ups – On a TRIAL basis at this year’s National and World Shows (Open classes only – this will not apply to youth or non-pro classes) we will eliminate the line-ups under each judge and recognize (announce horse, exhibitor, and owner) the overall Top 16 exhibitors. Those placing 11th – 16th will receive finalist ribbons and the Top Ten will receive Top Ten ribbons.
Masters Cutting – The Appaloosa Cutting Horse Association will conduct the Masters Class rather than ApHC.
World Show Qualifying – In July, the board will consider a formula being developed to re-design the points system for qualifying for the ApHC World Show. The numbers would be adjusted annually based on the number of point earners, points earned, and other factors from the previous show year.
Non-Pro Age Divisions were discussed extensively. Directors and staff will be gathering information and comments from non-pro exhibitors to see if we need to re-align the age divisions for non-pro exhibitors. One suggestion is to have two divisions – 19-44 and 45-and-over, with no cross-entries.
Planning & Review Committee recommendations
ApHC will become part of the Unwanted Horse Coalition, to at least promote the concept of “responsible ownership.”
The board approved the development of guidelines to establish an ApHC Foundation. Contributions could be directed toward equine research, the existing AYA Foundation and the Museum Foundation, and money could support education programs, special awards and other activities within the scope of the tax code for charitable organizations.
Canadian Registration Window – will be open for a 12-month period, effective July 1, 2008. Horses with ApHCC (Canadian) registration are eligible for ApHC registration under this “window.”
Breed Standard – the board will review the present (but inactive) breed standard and make a recommendation for an updated version to be included in ApHC handbook and other literature.
Regional Club Workshop – will be planned for the 2009 National Show. This gathering would involve show managers, regional club leadership and others.
Endurance Ride – It was approved to move the ApHC National Championship Endurance Ride to a different region of the country each year.
Stay tuned for more updates from the board meeting.
The Rules Committee, chaired by Debby Letham, is another of the “major” ApHC board committees that met today. I’m still working through the list of proposals that went through this group, but many of the issues can be found in posted minutes from the July meeting.
We can start with a proposal that didn’t get passed along to the board. It was a suggestion that youth novice points should be determined by actual competitions of the exhibitor, whether or not they own the horse they exhibit. I suspect the general issue of novice points, requirements for advancement out of novice and other parts of the record-keeping system will continue to be analyzed.
Among the proposals that will be voted on by the board on Wednesday:
ACAAP Rules and Requirements
Allow ACAAP enrollments to be made at the same time they enter a show (open shows or specialty organization events). In other words, don’t force people who have an interest in the program to delay (or even forget about) their decision to enroll. An application, enrollment fee and show/event entry could all be submitted to ApHC at the same time. If the person is a non-member, they could also become a member that day as well.
ACAAP Premium Promotion Awards
The intent of this agenda item is to reward exemplary performance by Appaloosa horses at accredited open events. This refers in particular to Appaloosa folks who venture out and participate in NRHA, NCHA, NSBA, USEF events and other competitions.
An amended motion asked that a financial impact study, additional information and proposed rule additions be presented at the July board meeting. This motion passed and will move forward.
Other show and registration rules were debated. Some of them dealt with potential new countries as participants in the International Registration Incentive Program, more discussion of the “excessive white” guidelines for registration – especially as they might relate to suggested expansion of approved outcrosses (more on this later). Actually, the more I think about the wide range of topics, the more dangerous it becomes for me to pick a few to mention here. I’ll round up the specific motions at the end of the day and include a few of those that haven’t already been published.
Dr. Frank Hurtig, Director of Large Animal Veterinary Services with Merial gave presentations to the Appaloosa Horse Club Board of Directors at its meeting in Albuquerque. Dr. Hurtig explained the purposes, profiles and effectiveness of GastroGuard, Ulcer Guard and Equioxx. The “Gastro” and “Ulcer” products are government-approved for the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers in horses. The Equioxx product is considered a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug used to treat pain and other symptoms associated with equine osteoarthritis.
Dr. Hurtig was invited to speak with the ApHC BOD because of member concerns about changes that were made last year to the list of ApHC conditionally permitted medications. Their is a specific proposal for tomorrow’s meeting that would add Omeprazole to the ApHC list of approved medications.
Among Appaloosa Horse Club members “observing” the Board of Directors meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico this week are Stan and Janice Dobson of Auburntown, Tennessee. The Dobsons are long-time Appaloosa folks and dedicated breeders of Foundation horses. Besides that, as with many of you out there, they are committed to regional club activity and to the general promotion of the Appaloosa breed.
In the background (left) is Mark Pozzi of Sandia Park, New Mexico, and (right – the serious looking bearded guy) Robert Swick, trail professional from Lebanon, Missouri. We’ve had a few visitors come and go, including a representative of the Albuquerque Mayor’s office and of Congressman Tom Udall’s office.
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