Just a reminder that July 22-24th is the second annual Horse N Around benefit for the Appaloosa Museum and Latah County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse. Activities at the Pony Club Grounds in Deary, Idaho, include a fun ride (not supposed to call it a poker ride), amateur trail challenge and an ACTHA-approved competitive trail challenge. Check the Appaloosa Museum web site for details about the schedule and fees. Sign up for the ACTHA ride at the ACTHA web site. Dinner and music on Saturday night!
It is now possible for our members to check the GAP Eligibility Status of any horse within the Members Inquiry System. This option works much in the same way that the FPD Eligibility inquiry functions. There is no fee associated with this option so members can check a horse’s eligibility status without having to pay.
“Your horse is a mirror to your soul, and sometimes you may not like what you see. Sometimes, you will.” So says Buck Brannaman, a true American cowboy and sage on horseback who travels the country for nine grueling months a year helping horses with people problems. BUCK, a richly textured and visually stunning film, follows Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses. A real-life “horse whisperer,” he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. In this film, the animal-human relationship becomes a metaphor for facing the daily challenges of life. A truly American story about an unsung hero, BUCK is about an ordinary man who has made an extraordinary life despite tremendous odds. Opens nationwide today – June 24th. Watch the trailer at www.buckthefilm.com.
USDA yesterday released its “final” situation report on Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1). We like the way it reads: “There are no new cases and no new premises affected. Disease spread in connection with
this incident has been contained and no further situation reports will be generated.”
There will be several opportunities for folks attending the National Show in Tulsa to gallop across the parking lot to Fair Meadows Race Track and watch some great racing. Friday July 8th is a special night featuring the first running of “The National Appaloosa” stakes race (the 12th and final race on the card, so it might be cool by then). It is for two-year-olds going a distance of 330 yards. Added money from the Oklahoma Appaloosa Racing Association and the Appaloosa Horse Club helped boost the guaranteed purse to $14,000. Also that night is the “Spots and Dots” Stake for Appaloosas and Paints, three years-old and up, with $10,000 added money. You can visit the Fair Meadows Web site for more information or check out the full schedule on the EquiBase site. Hope to see you there.
From Lantz McLaren, Indian River, Ontario:
Well, I’m happy to report that Craig Cameron and the Extreme Cowboy Race program can motivate even the most diehard horse person to do things they would never imagine. Pushing for speed, overcoming long held phobias, even getting in on the act and putting on a show for the crowd, it rapidly all becomes part of the rush.
On June 10-11, Canada’s Outdoor Equine Expo presented the Extreme Cowboy Race and Craig for all who wished to try something just a little different. A sucker for a challenge, I bit and hauled Ima Patriotic Doc to give this YouTube sensation a try. Ima Patriotic Doc is an Appaloosa stallion that has earned 17 National titles, World Show placings and countless high-point awards in his “show pen” career. Cutting, sidesaddle, ranch trail and roping are all within our normal grasp of events, but this was a test beyond our expectations. As Craig explains, speed, horsemandship and the ability to “ride smart” are required to get around this program. The course included jumps, log gates, bridges, ground ties, roll backs, sliding stops, lead changes and a host of other demands, with a need for speed and entertainment.
Our log gate rolled off, jumping barrels we normally turn was a bit different, a single stride lope over a bridge is not a show norm and me on my hands and knees trying to wiggle through a straw tunnel seemed to please the crowd. “Smoke” and I saved the best to near last, with me the guy afraid of height scrambling up a 10′ ladder, egging on the crowd and Smoke throwing down huge stops and rollbacks, much to the delight of everyone. After the times were reviewed, judges’ score sheets tallied and the check endorsed, Ima Patriotic Doc and I were named Reserve Extreme Cowboy Race Champions and awarded a nice big ole check for $1,000!
So, it’s perfectly legal, a ton of fun, about the best entertainment going and just as easy as swinging your leg over your horse’s back to have a good time. Extreme Cowboy Racing is a “Smart Riders” way to bring fun times and fresh faces to horse related events.
Just a reminder that you can check to confirm your National Show/Youth World entries by logging into the members section of the website, then click on the “My National/World Show Pre-Show Entries” link on the left hand side of the ApHC Member Home Page.
Oklahoma horse owners should take great relief that the EHV-1 outbreak has been contained. The entire horse industry should be commended for cooperative response in alleviating the disease threat. Due in part to the good communication between horse owners, facility and show managers, veterinarians and state health officials people were made aware of the situation and facilities were appropriately quarantined if necessary. One premise in Oklahoma is under quarantine from a confirmed EHV-1 positive horse that attended the Utah event. The horse is now normal and all remaining horses on the premise are healthy. No horses from this premise have attended an event in Oklahoma during the past few weeks and movement will be restricted until the situation is completely resolved.
Since the initial outbreak of EHV-1 at the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western Nationals Show in Ogden, UT from April 29- May 8, 2011, the disease has been contained to the greatest extent possible. The numbers available indicate that the spread of the virus has been contained. During the first week there were 86 suspect/confirmed new cases, the second week showed 62 suspect/confirmed new cases, the third week showed 10 suspect/confirmed new cases and the fourth week after the occurrence showed 0 new cases.
Horse owners should still be cognizant of the situation but also be aware of the facts regarding the virus. The EHV outbreak has only affected horses attending two events and horses directly exposed to that group upon returning home. The two events are the NCHA Western National Championship in Utah and the Kern County Cutting Horse Event in California. Affected and exposed horses in all states are under state quarantine or movement restrictions.
Acting State Veterinarian, Dr. Michael Herrin recommends horse owners and event managers remain at a heightened level of awareness, consider the current facts of the situation, and make an informed decision based upon actual risk. Events in Oklahoma that host horses of an unrelated type have no increased risk of disease exposure now than before this incident began. There have been no changes in import regulations and no recommended event cancellations issued by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF).
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry encourages horse owners to implement and practice proper preventative measures. ODAFF also encourages horse owners to consult their local veterinarian for review and advice on an appropriate vaccination schedules for EHV.
National Show confirmation letters are in the mail. The packet includes biosecurity measures for the show, forms that you’ll need to fill out to help us document accommodations/hotel nights, an instructional letter and W-9′s and/or membership applications.
For those of you on our email list, you’ll be getting more details. We can announce that we’ve been able to add an extra move-in day (Friday 7/1). You’ll have access to stalls, but not the indoor arenas.
Another reminder: you can check your entries online and find all the other information you should need. And, in case you hadn’t heard, we will be accepting post entries at $25 per class (as opposed to the 1 1/2 fee) and late stall fee of an additional $25.
Regional Clubs and their relationship with the ApHC are on the list of strategy priorities. Assuming there’s no additional money to invest in “incentives,” what two or three things would be mutually beneficial to the partnership? Hint: Communication, workshops, approved classes, rules, schedules, online services, joint dues, deadlines, awards, co-sponsorships, territory shows, etc.
One of the tactics being used by the ApHC “strategy group” is to imagine that you’ve moved ahead 12 months in time and you’ve been asked to report to the membership on the ApHC’s three major achievements in the past year. What would you like for those to be?
Another hard question comes in the form of “What are we not going to do? What are you/we willing to live without because the organization doesn’t have the resources, the capabilities or the capacity to do it all?”
Priorities are different for individual members and membership segments. Sometimes it feels as if everyone is forced to make trade-offs or give up something. What can we all agree on as “essential” programs and services? What key areas of ApHC programs and services define value for you as a member?
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