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NewsMember Insurance News Releases: Horse Monsters at Prairie Heart Riding Center EquiFest of Kansas 2008: Another Successful Year! Posted: April 7, 2008 Action Request from the American Recreation Coalition To: AHC Member Organizations American Horse Council - AHC Comments on USDA Proposal for Permanent Privately-Owned Quarantine Facilities Dr. Freeda Isaac, Staff Veterinarian To: AHC Recreational Organizations and State Horse Councils To: AHC Member Organizations Keeping abreast of national legislation and regulations that affect all members of the horse industry just got a little easier. The American Horse Council’s newly improved web site provides timely and educational information on any issues in Washington, D.C., that relate to horses. Now, www.horsecouncil.org is a true reflection of the important work the American Horse Council does every day in Washington representing all segments of the horse industry. With a clean and easy-to-navigate design, the American Horse Council’s web site is a user-friendly wealth of resources. Learn about how bills introduced in this new 110th Congress may impact your business or activities. Educate yourself by learning what bills happened with the last Congress, what actions Congress took and which bills passed. Stay knowledgeable about what federal regulations there are and those being developed that directly affect the horse industry. There are also many equine health-related government resources and issues discussed on the web site. For those looking to become more actively involved, www.horsecouncil.org is the place to learn who your senators and representatives are and how to contact them, along with tips on getting your message across. Additional resources include pertinent information on the bills and how to join the American Horse Council’s Congressional Cavalry grassroots program. In addition to all of the new features and resources on www.horsecouncil.org, soon American Horse Council members will have their own section of the web site where they can find even more information and features. Be sure to visit www.horsecouncil.org to see our new look and find out more about the work of the American Horse Council. To: AHC Member Organizations To: AHC State Horse Councils To: AHC Member Organizations To: AHC Member Organizations From: American Horse Council Re: Slaughter Bills Introduced Date: January 18, 2007 American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Yesterday, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), along with Representatives Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Nick Rahall (D-WV), John Spratt (D-SC) and 58 co-sponsors reintroduced federal legislation to prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption (H.R. 503). Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and 12 other Senators introduced similar legislation in the Senate. “The Virgie S. Arden American Horse Slaughter Prevention,” Act (S. 311) would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption H.R. 503 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Agriculture. S. 311 was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The bill would amend the Horse Protection Act (HPA), which was enacted in 1970 to prohibit the showing, transport or sale of horses that have been subjected to any painful process to accentuate their gate. The Animal & Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture enforces the HPA. The bill would prohibit the shipping, transporting, or sale of horses for slaughter for human consumption. Such activities would be a violation of the HPA and subject any person who knowingly violates the Act to penalties of up to $3,000 and/or one year in jail for the first offense and up to $5,000 and/or two years in jail for a second offense. An offender may also be subject to civil penalties of $2,000 for each violation. The bill authorizes $5 million for enforcement. Both bills are identical to legislation introduced last Congress. The House version passed last year, while the Senate version was never considered. Wild Horse and Burro Slaughter Ban Earlier this month, Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) introduced H.R. 249, which would restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros. This bill amends the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971(Public Law 92-195). The bill was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. For texts of the bills, visit http://thomas.loc.gov. Please feel free to contact the American Horse Council if you have any questions on either bill.Equine Species Working Group Press Release Contact: info@equinespeciesworkinggroup.comwww.equinespeciesworkinggroup.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/20/2006 National Animal Identification System to be Voluntary Equine Species Working Group Recommends No Movement Reporting The U.S. Department of Agriculture is emphasizing that the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will be a voluntary program and that no plans are in place to make the program mandatory. The NAIS has been a hot topic of discussion for the past few years concerning livestock - including horses. It is a system intended to control the spread of disease and to minimize the negative impact of a disease outbreak on the livestock industry. This would be done through the identification of premises that hold or manage livestock, animal identification and the recording of animal movements. Some states are mandating parts of the system within their state, for example mandatory premises registration in Wisconsin, but the NAIS as a national comprehensive program is not mandatory. “I've been taking a hard look at the program, basically took it all the way down to the frame and rebuilding, trying to make it simpler, make it more evident of what it's all about, trying to dispel some of the misinformation and rumor and innuendo that's been associated with it," said Bruce Knight, the new under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs at USDA in an article that appeared on October 20, 2006 on the Brownfield Ag Network. "I think the most important thing for everybody to recognize is this is a voluntary program,” continued Knight. “So that means that we’ve got to have a program that a rancher can look at and say, ‘this is worth the extra cost on my operation.’” One of the key recommendations made by the Equine Species Working Group (ESWG), the task force developed to evaluate the NAIS and develop recommendations as to how the horse industry might be able to participate in such a system, is that no equine movements should be reported. In their recommendations submitted to the USDA in August, the ESWG proposed that horses that move to a premises where a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), Brand Inspection, VS-127 permit or International CVI are required should be officially identified and that the records maintained through those currently existing and utilized movement permits capture the high risk movements that pose the largest threat of spreading disease. Animal health officials would be able to query the state databases in the event of a disease emergency to obtain the necessary records. Other recommendations submitted to the USDA by the ESWG include the standardization of requirements for CVIs, that the equine-related components of the NAIS should provide definitive benefits to the horse industry that exceed the cost to stakeholders, that when practical, the NAIS should be compatible with other nations, especially Canada and Mexico, and that USDA-approved identification and movement databases must be exempt from FOIA requirements. If horse owners choose to utilize microchips for the purpose of official identification, the ESWG recommends use of the ISO/ANSI compatible RFID chip (11784/85, 134.2 kHz) and that RFID reader and scanner manufacturers and suppliers should make an immediate effort to provide readers and scanners that can read ISO/ANSI 11784/11785 microchips, and read or at least detect all 125 kHz frequency companion animal microchips. For further information on the NAIS, please visit www.usda.gov/nais. If you have any comments of questions, contact your state Animal Health Official or the USDA. For information on the ESWG and their recommendations, please visit their website, www.equinespeciesworkinggroup.com.
To: AHC Member Organizations The American Recreation Coalition (ARC) and the National Forest Foundation have announced that they will be holding a series of Recreation Issues Forums around the country early next year. I have been asked to serve on the National Steering Committee for the Forums. The regional meetings will be held in Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, a location in the Pacific Northwest and Chicago. There will be a national meeting in Washington, DC in April 2007. According to ARC, the forums will “solicit recommendations and challenges regarding recreational activities on national forests and other public lands, and to collect suggestions for addressing these concerns.” One main area of discussion at the forums will be access to public lands. These forums will provide a great opportunity for the Horse community to show up and voice our concerns. We should try to have equestrians at these meetings so they are not dominated by other users. The American Horse Council will provide the dates/times of the forums when they are announced. MEMORANDUM Today the House passed by voice vote the “Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act” (S. 3880). Sponsored by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), this bill amends the Animal Enterprise Act of 1992. The Senate passed this bill by unanimous consent in September, just prior to the Congressional recess. A similar bill, H.R. 4239, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Tom Petri (R-WI). The Senate version of the bill will now be sent to the President. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act clarifies that it is a crime to damage or interfere with a legitimate, legal animal enterprise. As defined by the bill, “animal enterprise” includes commercial and academic enterprises that use or sell animals or animal products for profit, food, agriculture, education, research and testing. This definition also includes equine activities such as rodeo, horse shows and similar lawful equine events. The bill expands the monetary and criminal penalties for these crimes and requires restitution for certain economic losses. The bill contains a provision noting that this bill does not prohibit expressive conduct (including picketing or other peaceful demonstration), which is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. If you have any additional questions, please contact the American Horse Council at 202-296-4031. To read the full text of the bill, visit http://thomas.loc.gov and enter the bill number, S. 3880 MEMORANDUM [Please fax to your Senators.] Date The Honorable…. . .United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator . . . The Right to Ride Livestock on Federal Lands Act of 2005 has been passed by the House of representatives (H.R. 586) and referred to the Senate for action. A companion Senate bill (S. 781) has been introduced by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID). The legislation is now before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. [We or Your Organization] ask that you support and co-sponsor this legislation. Millions of Americans enjoy trail riding because of the pleasure, exercise and family-time that it provides. In addition, [please personalize the letter to your state, situation or interests, if you wish.] The purpose of this legislation is to preserve the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands. The legislation would require that public lands be managed by the various federal agencies to recognize and preserve the continued use of horses, pack and saddle stock on lands where there is an historical tradition of such use. But the legislation would not diminish any Agencies’ ability to implement emergency closures or permanent reductions in the use and access of these animals, after complying with the full public review process required by law. The [insert organization] is concerned that too often public lands and trails are closed and access denied to recreational riders. We are concerned that some closures are effected without sufficient consideration of the long-standing use of horses and pack animals on these federal lands. This country was settled by people on horse back. Please preserve this important American heritage by supporting this legislation and passing it in the Senate in this Congress. If you have any questions about riding in [insert your state], please contact us. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Your Organization and/or Name
Talking Points in Support of Ride-to-Ride Bill (H.R. 586 and S. 781)
SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE Member Fax Republicans Pete V. Domenici (NM), Chairman 202-228-3261Larry E. Craig (ID) 202-228-1067 Craig Thomas (WY) 202-224-1724 Lamar Alexander (TN) 202-228-3398 Lisa Murkowski (AK) 202-224-5301 Richard Burr (NC) 202-228-2981 Mel Martinez (FL) 202-228-5171 James M. Talent (MO) 202-228-1518 Conrad Burns (MT) 202-224-8594 George Allen (VA) 202-224-5432 Gordon Smith (OR) 202-228-3997 Jim Bunning (KY) 202-228-1373 Democrats Jeff Bingaman (NM) 202-224-2852 Daniel K. Akaka (HI) 202-224-2126 Byron L. Dorgan (ND) 202-224-1193 Ron Wyden (OR) 202-228-2717 Tim Johnson (SD) 202-228-5765 Mary L. Landrieu (LA) 202-224-9735 Dianne Feinstein (CA) 202-228-3954 Maria Cantwell (WA) 202-228-0514 Ken Salazar (CO) 202-228-5036 Robert Menendez (NJ) 202-228-2197 June 9, 2006 Diane Sharp, Director Production, Emergencies and Compliance Division Farm Service Agency U.S. Department of Agriculture STOP 0517 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250-0517 Re: 2005 Section 32 Hurricane Disaster Programs – Interim Final Rule with Request for Comment Dear Ms. Sharp: Introduction The American Horse Council (AHC) appreciates this opportunity to comment on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA or Department) proposed interim final rules regarding how an initial wave of federal emergency funds will be distributed to agricultural producers who suffered losses caused by the five 2005 hurricanes, including Katrina. The AHC is a Washington-based association that represents the horse industry before Congress and the federal regulatory agencies. The AHC includes individual members and 180 equine organizations representing all horse breeds and virtually every facet of the horse industry, including owners, breeders, veterinarians, race tracks, horse shows, rodeos, farriers, breed registries, horsemen's associations, commercial suppliers, recreational riders and state horse councils. Interim Rule – Comment Period The AHC supports the proposed interim rules, but appreciates the opportunity to recommend several clarifications. We understand that the Department has started accepting applications from eligible producers pursuant to these rules. While the amount of funds made available under these programs is limited and the application of the programs to the horse industry may need some refining, it is important to note that this is the first time that horse owners have been eligible to participate in such federal programs on a par with other eligible livestock. We appreciate that. This has occurred because of changes in the underlying laws regarding federal disaster assistance programs that were enacted last fall. Those changes included horses within the scope of livestock eligible for various federal emergency programs. The effective date of those changes, July 28, 2005, was set specifically to include losses caused by hurricane Katrina. The change also repealed the language in the Agricultural Act of 1949 limiting emergency funds to horses “used for food or the production of food.” The amendments to federal law were appropriate because the horse industry is affected by natural disasters, such as hurricanes, droughts, ice storms and tornadoes, just like other livestock and crops industries. If a breeding farm or ranch loses its stallions or mares and the foals, colts or fillies it produces and raises for sale because of a disaster, it has lost its means of production and crop and has nothing to sell. When pastures or grazing lands are lost and feed must be purchased for these horses, a breeder might have to sell his breeding stock and horses at distressed prices because he could no longer afford to provide for them. When fences, barns, roofs, pastures, wells and equipment are lost in a disaster, such horse producers are impacted just like other livestock producers. Program Provisions in Rule The application process has been put in place as an interim rule and it became effective immediately upon publication. Nonetheless, as the Department notes, the Administrative Procedure Act requires that there be a comment period and that USDA consider comments submitted by June 9. The rule provides for the distribution of funds pursuant to four hurricane disaster programs and one grant program using an estimated $250 million in funds presently available. Horses are eligible for funds under the two programs applicable to livestock, but not under those programs that apply to crops, trees and aquaculture. The programs are administered by the Farm Service Agency and “provide funds to eligible producers who suffered eligible losses.” The funds are being made available under Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, which provides the Secretary of Agriculture with discretionary authority to use the funds “to reestablish farmers’ purchasing power by making payments to them in connection with the normal production of agricultural commodities produced for domestic consumption.” The funds will be made available to eligible producers in those counties that received a Presidential or USDA Secretarial Designation as a primary affected county. Just like other livestock producers, eligible horse owners and breeders in the affected areas are in need of hay, feed, tack and veterinary services/supplies and funds to replace animals, rebuild and repair barns, roofs, fences and other damaged property. The programs encompassed by the interim rules that are available to horse owners and breeders who are livestock producers include: • The Feed Indemnity Program (FIP), which provides payments for feed losses or increased feed costs to eligible owners. Payments will be based on per-day feed needs for each type of eligible livestock. • The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), which provides payments to eligible livestock owners who suffered livestock deaths in an affected county. Payments will be based on 75% of an average market value of the eligible livestock and 75% of the determined loss of income from eligible livestock for contract growers. The AHC supports the eligibility of horse owners under these programs and this process. Specific Comments Threshold Definitions. Payments from these programs are available to “agricultural producers” involved in “commercial farming.” Section 760.104 of the interim rule includes various definitions for purposes of the funding programs announced. Two are important for the horse industry: • Commercial use means used in the operation of a business activity engaged in as a means of livelihood for profit by the eligible producer. • Farming operation means a business enterprise engaged in the production of agricultural products. These definitions provide that to be eligible an individual or entity must produce agricultural products with the intent to profit. We read the definitions to conclude that an individual or entity that is engaged in the business of breeding and raising equines would satisfy these initial definitional tests for the enumerated programs, even if he were not involved in producing other livestock or crops in addition to equines. Clearly, an equine is an “agricultural product” of a farming operation, regardless of the activity in which it may ultimately be used once sold or placed in service. The initial breeding and raising of the horses should be deemed part of “agricultural production.” Since this is the first time that equines have been covered, we propose that the rules and their intent be as clear as possible. Either in the rules themselves or in some additional document to be used by various FSA offices, it should be made clear that a commercial equine breeding operation, by itself, without any other livestock or crop production should satisfy the initial threshold definitional requirements for these programs. Specific Program Definitions. Feed Indemnity Program (FIP). Under the FIP, eligible owners can receive funds for feed losses or increased feed costs that occurred in affected counties. Section 760.302 defines equines covered by FIP as follows: Horses means domesticated horses, and does not include donkeys, mules or other large solid-hoofed herbivorous mammals. We do not see why donkeys or mules should be excluded from eligibility under this program. It was not the intent of Congress to exclude these important parts of the horse industry from the disaster relief programs and it certainly is not the intent of the horse industry to exclude them. In addition, this limiting definition conflicts with the broader definition of equines that appears later in Section 760.402. We suggest that the definition of the genus equine in Section 760.302 be as follows: Equine animal means a domesticated horse, mule or donkey. This will make it parallel to Section 760.402. Section 760.303(a) sets forth several factors that must be met by eligible livestock and producers. To be considered eligible, livestock must meet several requirements, including: • (1) Be horses; • (3) Have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation during the applicable periods; • (4) Not have been produced and maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation. Such excluded uses include, but are not limited to wild free roaming animals or animals used for recreational purposes, such as pleasure, hunting, pets or for show. We respectfully recommend that this section be clarified in connection with its application to the horse industry. If the Department is attempting to limit this program to those involved in “commercial farming” or breeding of equines, such as producers of horses, as opposed to anyone who owns a horse, we cannot disagree. The overall programs are limited to those involved in production agriculture. They are not available to anyone who simply owns, uses, shows or exhibits livestock, whether the animal be a cow, pig or horse. But a strict reading of this section could lead one to a far different result; one that first includes equine producers and then immediately excludes almost all of them. If one reads Section 760.303(a)(4) above to provide that a horse would not be eligible if it were “produced” for “reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation,” and that would include “animals used for recreational purposes, such as pleasure, hunting, pets or for show” and by implication racing, then almost no horses would be eligible for the federal programs. Since the overwhelming number of horses are bred and raised for these purposes, the Department would be including horses in Section 760.303(a)(1) and (3) and then excluding 99% of them in part (4). Indeed this could be read to conclude that only horses bred for breeding could be eligible, which would be an anomaly in the commercial horse industry. The industry would find itself back in the pre-2005 amendment period when only “horses used for food or fiber or the production of food or fiber were eligible.” That is a real Catch -22 and certainly not what Congress intended when it changed the law. We believe this can be clarified by deleting “produced and” from Section 760.303(a)(4) so that it would read as follows: Not have been maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation….. If this amendment needs to be limited to equines, that is fine. Payment Calculation. The rules provides for calculations for FIP which represents the cost of the amount of corn needed to maintain one animal for a specified period. USDA has determined that the per-head payment for horses is $5.04. We simply wonder how that figure was arrived at. Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). Under the LIP, the application process is the same, but the definitions are slightly different. Section 760.402 provides that an Equine animal means a domesticated horse, mule or donkey. Our comments on the different definitions of horses and equines are set out above. We support the broader definition immediately above and recommend that it be the same in both Sections 760.302 and 402. Again, to be considered eligible under LIP, an owner must have had legal ownership of the animal, including the equine, on the day it died; it must have perished as a result of the applicable disaster in an eligible county during the applicable period; been maintained for “commercial use as part of a farming operation on the date of death;” and “not have been produced or maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation, including but not limited to wild free roaming animals or animals used for recreational purposes, such as pleasure, hunting, pets or for show.” We reiterate our comments set out above regarding the Catch-22 language requiring the equine to have been maintained for “commercial use as part of a farming operation” and “not have been produced or maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation, including but not limited to wild free roaming animals or animals used for recreational purposes, such as pleasure, hunting, pets or for show.” Again, a strict reading of these requirements would make equines eligible and then ineligible. We offer the same recommendation as above to solve this problem. Payment Calculation. The interim rule provides that indemnity payments are calculated by multiplying the national payment rate, by the number of eligible livestock. The LIP payment rate for eligible owners is based on 75% of the average fair market value of the livestock. USDA has determined that the per-head payment for horses is $562.50. Again, we would appreciate how the Department arrived at this figure. This is the first time that horses have been included in these calculations. New approaches may have to be explored to determine an appropriate figure. We suggest that it may be possible to compile national sales figures and arrive at a fair estimate of the “national payment rate” with respect to horses. Clearly, many sales figures would have to be excluded to arrive at a justifiable, reasonable and defensible figure. The industry would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with USDA. Overall Payment Limitations The interim rule provides that the amount of payments per program that a person may receive cannot exceed $80,000. Since an upper limit of $80,000 is applicable to all eligible producers, regardless of the agricultural product, the horse industry cannot object to that limitation. There is also a second limitation referenced in the interim rule that provides that persons with adjusted gross income over $2.5 million are ineligible for payments, unless 75% or more of their income is derived from farming or ranching. That limitation may be in place for all livestock to deny payments to individuals who have other non-farming or ranching income not affected by a particular disaster. But it is not a simple restriction based only on adjusted gross income of $2.5 million since farming or ranching income of that amount by itself does not disqualify one. We are concerned that some eligible producers in the horse industry may be affected unjustifiably by this limitation without some clarification. For purposes of this limitation, exactly what activities would USDA deem to be “farming or ranching?” For example, many horse owners who would be considered eligible producers because they breed horses, an agricultural product, may be involved in other commercial aspects of the horse industry, such as racing, showing, boarding, training, selling or leasing horses. While these other activities may not fit four-square with the traditional concept of “farming or ranching” that USDA is familiar with in connection with these federal programs, individuals in the horse industry who are involved in them are still deemed “farmers” for various federal purposes, such as tax requirements and labor classifications. We recommend that USDA clarify that if an individual producer breeds horses and also participates in these other activities which increase his adjusted gross income to $2.5 million, these “other” normal, accompanying commercial equine activities should not disqualify him from receiving federal assistance with respect to his eligible production activities. This could be done by providing that for purposes of the percentage limitation as applied to equine farming or ranching, other equine activities, such as racing, showing, boarding, training, selling or leasing horses, would not disqualify an otherwise eligible producer. This is particularly important since a federal disaster, such as a hurricane, storm, etc. would likely have affected his other livestock and entire facility and could have wiped out his complete livelihood. Several years ago a specific federal program was enacted to provide federal loans for horse breeders who had suffered losses because of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome. That program recognized the uniqueness of the horse industry by making horse breeders who derived a stated percent of their gross income from the horse industry eligible. Qualified horse breeders were deemed to be individuals who derived substantially all of their net income from breeding, boarding, raising, training or selling horses. We suggest that USDA adopt a standard like that with respect to eligible producers in the equine category. Conclusion The horse industry appreciates this opportunity to provide our comments to the Department on this interim rule. This is particularly important to the horse industry. We are all plowing new ground, and for our part, we want to do so in a reasonable manner. We look forward to working with the Department on this rule and others in this area. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions. Sincerely, James J. Hickey, Jr., President (Back to top)
To: AHC Recreation Organizations “Perhaps no other activity is more synonymous with the exploration of our vast open lands than that of the use of pack and saddle stock. Who could forget those images of President Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir on horseback at what was to become the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks? While some claim that this bill singles out pack and saddle use and affords it greater consideration than other forms of recreation or commercial use, I would argue that pack and saddle use has played a far greater historic role on our public lands, particularly in our western states, than simply recreation. What may be perceived by some today as recreation was once a vital part of everyday living throughout our Nation’s history.” To: State Horse Council Members The American Horse Council will hold its Spring Meeting April 2-5th in Washington DC. The SHCAC will hold its welcome reception Sunday April 2, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. The State Horse Council Advisory Committee and subcommittees will meet MONDAY April 3rd from 8:30a.m-4:30 p.m. The AHC educational session and Congressional Reception will be held on Tuesday April 4th. I will be forwarding you a more detailed agenda in the next few days. In the past, individual State Horse Councils have supported this meeting with sponsorships ranging from $100-$1,000 to help us remain within our budget. I would like to invite you to become a sponsor of this informational and exciting meeting. With the help of your fellow State Horse Council members we will be following up on this request with a phone call in the next week or so. Please respond via e-mail to nlamoureux@horsecouncil.org or phone 202-296-4031 if your organization plans on sponsoring the meeting, we need all funds by March 22nd. All checks should be mailed to: We hope you will be able to be involved with our meeting this year. If you have any questions regarding sponsorship opportunities or the meeting itself, please feel free to contact me directly. I look forward to hearing from you soon. I thank you in advance for your help. Nicole FILM TO HIGHLIGHT TRAIL RIDING IN KANSAS The short film TRAIL END, about an old man and his faithful horse completing their final trail ride, will be filmed entirely on location in Kansas this summer. Writer and director Shannan Keenan, a Wichita native, and producer Charles Miller, a Coffeyville/Independence native, have teamed together to produce TRAIL END. Emmy Nominated TV and film star Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure, War Games, Lonesome Dove, One Tree Hill) is slated to play the lead role. TRAIL END follows the poignant story of Hank Crow as he completes a personal mission of riding every state with his loyal companion, Eli, an old Appaloosa horse. Hank has saved his home state of Kansas for his last ride. Hank and Eli embark on their journey, spanning from the Gypsum Hills to Monument Rocks, finally ending in Hank’s childhood town of Dighton where the trail ends at his wife’s grave. Keenan, an avid rider and horse owner, wrote TRAIL END after meeting an older gentleman on a trail ride in Montana and was inspired by his personal story of wanting to ride every state with his horse. She combined this with her Kansas background and her own relationship with her horses to create the story of TRAIL END. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University, Keenan moved to Los Angeles to form her production company, Just Hank Productions (named after her national champion cutting horse). Through Just Hank Productions, Keenan wrote, directed and produced the critically acclaimed feature film, LOAVES, a comedy about bumbling cousins attempting an ill-fated murder plot. LOAVES continues to screen at independent film venues across the country, most recently winning the Best Feature award in the Kansas City International Film Festival. Showcasing rarely filmed Kansas locations such as the Gypsum Hills, The Nature Conservancy’s Smoky Valley Ranch, Lake Scott and Monument Rocks, Keenan hopes to give the world a different view of Kansas. “Kansas scenery is underrated. People tend to believe that Kansas is the boring flat pancake you merely drive through on your way to somewhere else. This film will challenge that perception.” TRAIL END has been awarded a fiscal sponsorship by The Kansas Connection, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that promotes Kansas professionals in the entertainment industry. The Kansas Connection is able to receive charitable donations on behalf of the TRAIL END project, and as a result, all contributions toward the production of TRAIL END are tax deductible. Keenan and Miller have mounted a state-wide fundraising effort and have high expectations for the short film, including screenings at the most prestigious film festivals in the world and cable distribution. Miller, a Washburn University graduate and producer of several award winning short films, is confident that their expectations will be met. “Shannan is a talented writer with a rare gift for understanding and capturing the nuances of characters. Her work highlights the hearty spirit of the people of our home state. TRAIL END will be a warm tribute to those people and places that constitute the landscape of Kansas.” You can learn more about the film at the Just Hank Productions TRAIL END web page. # # # |
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To be watchful of the things that could potentially spook your horse and be prepared with the tools to help your horse through those moments with a clear head and a safe response. For me, and my students it's all about being safe!
The day was a great success other than the severe weather that shortened our fun. All of the participants walked away with a greater understanding of how their horses may react to a new and scary object never before encountered. And the riders ALL had a super day filled with all kinds of positive moments that encouraged them to go out and face their dragons in a safe manner. And God, kept all of us safe, and gave each of us greater wisdom and love for our horses. It was a great day!