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General Equine
Industry News AQHA CONTINUES THEIR AGGRESSIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN AQHA NATIONAL NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE HELD IN LAS VEGAS AND MURFREESBORO, TENN Oct.
27, 2011 According to AQHA statistics, the number of mares bred in 2005 totaled 227,938, while in 2010 only 122,177 mares were bred, while the number of stallion reports received dropped from 37,441 to 21,210. The loss in revenue to the association has inspired the association’s leaders to find new sources and this has ranged from the new classes of Ranch Horse Pleasure, Ranch Horse Sorting and the Intermediate World Show Awards, as well as the Select World Show held in Amarillo, Texas. One of the latest is the inaugural AQHA National Novice Championship shows. The Western Novice Championship show, scheduled for Oct. 5-7, 2012 at the South Point Hotel & Casino Equestrian Center in Las Vegas, Nev., and the AQHA Eastern Novice Championship show, Oct. 5-7, 2012, at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tenn. There are two ways to qualify for these shows, including a top-10 placing at an AQHA Regional Championship Show in a Novice class or to show to 20 AQHA judges throughout the year. For this latter option, competitors may show to judges around the nation and there is no regional preference or requirement. The qualifying period for the Novice Championship shows is May 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. According to the AQHA, if a competitor nationally qualifies for Novice Championship show, his or her invitation to the event will not be for a specific class. As long as one of the two national qualifying options has been accomplished, an exhibitor will be able to enter any Novice championship class, provided that they are a Novice. If a competitor earns the required number of point to graduate out of a specific Novice class in 2011, the competitor will still be eligible to compete in that class at a 2012 Novice Championship show. Also there are no restrictions on which Novice championship show an exhibitor may attend. Obviously, since they are held on the same date, they can’t enter both of them. Methods of qualifying will vary by the AQHA affiliate – if a competitor is interested in state qualifying for a 2012 Novice Championship show, he or she should contact their state or provincial affiliate. The AQHA World Championship Show, scheduled for Nov. 5-19 in Oklahoma City, boasts of more than 3,500 entries this year, including 2,100 horses from 47 states and seven international countries. The total payout of $2,689.012 will go to owners and exhibitors from as far away as Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico and Venezuela. According to the AQHA, for
the second year in a row, Ranch Sorting will be the largest Open
performance class with 184 entries (92 teams) and has the largest
class purse: $105,330. The Amateur Ranch Sorting will sport 156
entries (78 teams) and a class purse of $69,705. Altogether there
are 2,023 Open entries and 1,549 Amateurs entered. Forty-six horses
will vie for the Farnam Superhorse award. The expected economic
impact for Oklahoma City is $32.8 million. TODD BERGEN RIDES SHINERS DUN JUAN TO OPEN NRCHA SNAFFLE BIT FUTURITY CHAMPIONSHIP AND $100,000 BOYD RICE FINISHES SECOND RIDING MOONSTRUCK PEPTO FOR $78,000 PAYDAY; ANNE REYNOLDS CLAIMS 7TH NON-PRO TITLE Oct. 3, 2011 - Reno, Nev. THE OPEN CHAMPIONS:
When it came time to find a trainer, the decision was an easy one. "I just thought he was a Todd Bergen horse because I could visualize Todd on him. I thank Todd for everything he does, my husband Bill, my son Dylan Potts for coming to watch, and my family for their support," she said. Many people wondered if Bergen would be able to even compete in the Futurity, having sustained a concussion and a cervical sprain the Sunday before the show began. "It was so tough to not be able to school or work my horses. I felt helpless - I just had to sit in the chair and watch. It's a good thing I had Erin Taormino here - she did everything. I also thank Phillip Ralls for working the flag on my horses," Bergen explained. "I felt a little better as the week went on, but I don't feel great yet." Despite drawing up last in the herd work, Bergen and "Dun Juan" managed to mark a 216, and followed that with an outstanding display of rein work with a 224.5. "Phillip Ralls and I just wrote down a ton of cows and tried to do something good. It wasn't the best in the world but we got through clean and this horse felt good." He added, "I knew he was a good reiner. Our herd work was respectable and we were in the hunt. He felt great tonight in the rein work and that big score got us back into it." While Bergen and Dun Juan had a two-point lead going into the rein work, the former Snaffle Bit Futurity Champion and NRCHA Million Dollar rider knew that it could all change with the cow work. "Going into the fence work you never know what will happen. I remembered the cow we drew because I liked him in the herd work. He acted like he had juice on the back fence. I might have stayed a little long because he was a good cow but a little soft down the fence," he said. "My horse did everything he was supposed to. I didn't know if it was going to be enough. There are always some big runs in this finals. We did all we could do so I just had to sit and wait." For Tointon, the wait was arduous. "I thought I was going to throw up waiting for it to wrap up. I started to cry because it's just amazing to be here. To be in the finals was enough - I had only imagined this in my dreams," she said. "To have Todd be hurt and ride through it - I was so worried he was going to hurt himself that I told him he did not have to ride. He is amazing to ride through all the pain." Tointon and her husband Bill had actually sold Dun Juan - but the buyer backed out the morning of the finals. "I was glad, because I knew he had a chance to win. Now I get to keep him!" she said prior to the awards ceremony. Bergen received a Bob's Custom Saddle sponsored by Jeffrey Matthews and One Time Pepto, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Lone Oak Veterinary Clinic - John Migliore, a Cinch vest from Bob's Custom Saddles and Platinum Performance. Tointon received an original CR Morrison bronze sponsored by Farnam Horse Products, a Bob's Custom Saddle sponsored by Lyle Lovett, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Hooker Creek Ranch - Matt and Lesley Day, a 100x hat from Shorty's Hattery, an ESP saddle pad from Classic Equine, custom designed boots from Rios of Mercedes, Platinum Performance, a Cinch vest from Bob's Custom Saddles, a Farnam Horse Products gift basket, a $100 gift certificate to Santa Cruz Biotechnologies, and a CR Morrison trophy and commemorative medallion. THE OPEN RESERVE CHAMPIONS
Rice, who won the Futurity in 2007 voiced the challenges of showing cow horses. "You have to have a horse be ready to cut like mine did. Then you have to get them to the point that Shawn Flarida could have prepared them in the reining, and then like Doug Williamson had them prepared in the fence work. This is the toughest event there is," he said. The bevy of prizes included a Bob's Custom Saddle sponsored by Canyon Horse Sales LLC, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Garth and Amanda Gardiner, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Ruby View Quarter Horses - Jim and Holly Gregory, two Cinch vests from Bob's Custom Saddles, Platinum Performance, a $100 gift certificate to Santa Cruz Biotechnologies, and a CR Morrison commemorative medallion. ANNE REYNOLDS TAKES SEVENTH
NON-PRO TITLE: Reynolds and Smart Magic Trick began the finals with a 212.5 in the herd work. "That first set of cattle were kind of hard to drive out. She wanted to be good. I had a miss on the second cow, but I cut the third cow with 30 seconds left. I thought it was going to be bad but it was really good. I was happy about that," the King Hill, Idaho, Non Pro explained. Reynolds and "Stacy" came back strong with a 217.5 in the rein work, and finished with a 210 in the fence work. "I was pleased in the reining. She had a super run. We had an underspin, but she was really showable and great." She added, "She wanted to be good down the fence, but then when the cow started to make its first turn it changed its mind and snuck under her neck. We were able to hold on to the lead though." The top side of Stacy's pedigree is equally impressive. She's by Reynold's stallion Very Smart Remedy, who also produced her 2010 and 2011 Futurity Champions. Reynolds won $17,480, an original CR Morrison bronze sponsored by Farnam Horse Products, a Bob's Custom Saddle sponsored by Holy Cow Performance Horses, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored by Jon and Jody Semper, a 100x hat from Shortys Hattery, an ESP pad from Classic Equine, Platinum Performance, a Cinch vest from Bob's Custom Saddles, and a CR Morrison trophy and commemorative medallion. Eric Freitas and One Time
Nic, sired by One Time Pepto out of Lady Reminic were the Non Pro
Futurity Reserve Champions with a score of 636. Freitas, of Santa
Maria, Calif., won $13,110, a Gist Silversmiths buckle sponsored
by Dominic Conicelli, Platinum Performance, a Cinch vest from Bob's
Custom Saddles and a CR Morrison commemorative medallion. RANCH SORTING - ANOTHER FUN AVENUE FOR YOUR CUTTING HORSE THAT WON’T “RUIN” HIM By
Glory Ann Kurtz While weekend cuttings seem to be disappearing in parts of the United States due to various reasons, Ranch Sorting has moved in to fill the “fun” gap for many cowhorse lovers. Events are being held from coast to coast and even the AQHA has gotten into the act, with the largest classes held at their 2010 AQHA World Show being Ranch Sorting. Open Ranch Sorting featured 170 entries (85 teams) while Amateur Ranch Sorting featured 112 entries (56 teams). In the past, Team Penning had previously been the largest classes; however in 2010 Ranch Sorting, with the most entries, paid out the most money - $98,411, compared with Team Penning, which paid out $78,150. According to one web site, Ranch Sorting is described as “becoming the No. 1 equine family sport, as it is a fun sport that any level of rider can compete in.” Ranch sorting has even made its way into Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia on the Internet. It describes Ranch Sort as “a Western-style equestrian sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring or transport. Ranch Sorting is an event that pits a team of two riders on horseback against the clock. Teamwork is the key with both riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to an adjoining pen while keeping the wrong-numbered cattle back. There are several variations of ranch sorting with one, two or three riders (for futurities) on the team, but all require sorting the cattle from one pen to the other in the correct order.” Ranch sorting is performed in two pens that are 50-feet long with a 12- to 16-foot opening between them. The corners of the pens are cut at 45 degrees. Sorting can take place from either pen to the other. RULES: LEVELS: RELATED
SPORTS: ASSOCIATIONS:
RSNC was established in the spring of 2007 by two horse enthusiasts –Dave Wolfe had been a roper and Don Goddard was a cutter. But they could see the potential of ranch sorting in the equine industry. With a goal of growing the sport to the largest equine sport membership in the nation, they exposed their association in national equine publications and media such as RFD-TV and Horse TV. In fact they will be featured on Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. MST and Oct. 16-18 at 6:30 a.m. MST during the “All Around Performance Horse” program on RFD-TV. Also, they will be featured on “The Ride with Aaron Ralston” on Oct. 24 and 31 at 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. MST, also on RFD-TV. According to Wolfe, 75 percent of all competitors coming to RSNC events are new to horse-sport competitions. “It’s so easy anyone who can throw a leg over a horse can have fun and compete,” said Wolfe. “This is the only equine sport in the nation that allows everyone in the family to compete, win and get the recognition and rewards that in most equine sports only the very top competitors receive.” To encourage membership, the first year is FREE. Simply sign up at their web site www.ranchsorting.com. Bring in a new member the next year and you will receive another FREE year of membership. Ranch sorting members are rated on a 9-point rating system, combined with the handicapping system, which levels the playing field. Ratings are based on statistical performance – not opinion. All participants will have a fair chance to win as the handicapping system encourages the teaming of skilled sorters with less-experienced partners – while the Masters classes feed the appetite of the mature and experienced competitor. Beginners, Youth and the Rookies all get a piece of the spotlight. Points are kept at both the State and National Level and awards are presented by RSNC. Last year, the winners in each division received trophy saddles and trophy buckles – as well as cash. Horse earnings are tracked for Quarter Horse News’ Equi-Stat, the APHA’s PAC and the RSNC Horse Hall of Fame. Entry fees start at $15 for a Beginner Ranch Hand and classes are jackpotted so contestants have an opportunity to win CASH. Even with thousands of dollars in cash and prizes at stake, everyone can ride for $50 or less – even at the National Finals. Along with the ability to compete in RSNC-approved events, your membership will also include a subscription to the Ranch Sorter magazine. If you have questions, e-mail info@nrsnc.com or call 970-897-2901 or fax: 970-897-2921. Their web site is http://www.rsnc.us. As Ranch Sorting grows, some of the major team penning associations are now adding a new Ranch Sorting Division – such as the largest one in Texas: the Southwest Team Penning Association that has added … and Ranch Sorting … to their name. A Google search for Ranch Sorting on the Internet will return a long list of associations from across the entire country. It is especially catching on fast in Texas, - the state with the largest horse population. With cutting being the elite Western equine sport in Texas, Wolfe emphasizes that Ranch Sorting can become a complimentary event, using the already-cut cattle in the Ranch Sorting event following the cutting classes. “We love to work with other associations,” said Wolfe, stressing that with the loss of cattle in Texas due to the severe drought, they can work together and “both make money.” Attempting to educate newcomers,
another association based in Farmington, Mo., the National Sorting
Cow Horse Association (NSCHA), is offering not only events, but
clinics and rules seminars prior to the sorting events. At Western
Sports Arena, normally a cutting horse facility located in Sulphur
Springs, Texas, co-owned by Tyler and Chris Fairbanks, NSCHA-approved
events, clinics and rules seminars are scheduled for the upcoming
months. The first such event will take place Friday and Saturday,
Sept. 30-Oct. 1, with a sorting clinic and rules seminar taking
place Friday from 2-4 p.m. with NSCHA national director Rick Gaston
and Non-Pro executive Director Gerry Stephens. The clinic is open
to all ages and levels for a $25 clinic fee. A full slate of SCHA
classes will follow the clinic. For more information call 1-866-656-0440
or email Sara Cummings at scummings@NSCHA.com. WINNERS NAMED AT AQHA SELECT WORLD SHOW BILLY EMERSON CAPTURES CUTTING TITLE Sept.
8, 2011 However, if cutting is your game, Billy Emerson, an attorney from Addison, Texas, who is involved in the music distribution business, won the 67-entry AQHA Select World Cutting, with a $13,400 total purse, held Aug. 28-Sept. 3 in Amarillo, Texas. Even though Emerson has been showing cutting horses for about 20 years, this was Emerson's first AQHA World Select championship and he did it on a borrowed horse: Stylish Lizzorro, a 2005 gelding by Lizzys Gotta Player out of Stylish Sharon by Docs Stylish Oak, owned by his son Cory Emerson and bred by Timothy Drummond, Pawhuska, Okla. He was helped by his trainer Josh Townsend, Gainesville, Texas, and Teddy Johnson, Rick Darling and Bill Perkins to his score of 221 and a $2,680 paycheck. Besides the paycheck, Emerson took home several other awards, including a custom-designed gold trophy and a Montana Silversmith sterling silver belt buckle with 14-karat gold overlay. In a quote to the Quarter Horse Journal, Emerson said that he appreciated the AQHA because it's such a family-oriented association and "allows us to share immediate family members' horses. He can show mine, and I can show his." In NCHA competition, family members are not allowed to do this.
Jerry Lee Barger rode Rattlien Pepper (04g Annies Little Pepper x Lenas Hickory Miss x Doc’s Hickory) to the championship of the Select World Working Cow Horse title, scoring a 425.5 and earning $1,120. The Reserve title went to Gary Lynn Olson riding Justa Nutha Tucker (94g Doc Tom Tucker x Justa Leo Bar x Leo Bar), scoring a 425 for $896. The Select World Reining title went to Michael Garnett riding Ashleys Great Kid (01g The Great Kid x Solanos Skip Brick x Boss Solano) to a 219, earning $2,360. Reserve, with a 215 went to Kenneth Banks riding Juarez Whiz (02s Topsail Whiz x Troubles Girl x Smart And Trouble), earning $1,888. Chris J Jensen took first
and second in the Select World Roping, riding Master Hot Chex (04g
ER Hot Chex x Debs Two ID Red x Two ID Bartender) to the top time
of 3.053, earning $920. He rode Playzorro (02s Playgun x Texzorra
x Texas Kicker) to the Reserve title with a 3.94 second time, earning
an additional $736. The Heading Champion was Phillip E Tearney riding
Probably A Colonel (04g With All Probability x X Sheza Colonels
Watch x Colonel Boots Bar) to a 222.5 score and a $1,760 paycheck.
The Select Heeling title was taken by Jon Hershberger riding Shining
Playboy (99g Shining Spark x Playboys Get x Freckles Playboy) to
a 224.5 score and a $1,920 paycheck. The Tie-down roping was won
by Sid Miller riding Big Wonder Ofa Gem (06m Big As I Am x Lucky
Smokin Jade x Lucky Captain Jess), scoring a 218 for $1,080. PROPOSED LEVELING SYSTEM FOR AQHA TO BE REVIEWED AT JULY 18-20 AQHA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE July
13, 2011 The proposal is setting points
and fine-tuning other guidelines to make AQHA competition as fair
as possible for exhibitors at every level. The proposed system includes
more and different divisions, including new Rookie and Intermediate
showing levels for exhibitors, as well as Green and Progressive
levels for horses, including a proposed Novice Championship show.
A final announcement is expected around the conclusion of the 2011
AQHYA World Championship Show held Aug. 5-13 at the State Fair Park
in Oklahoma City, Okla. 1099 REPORTING REPEAL AMENDMENT PASSES Courtesy
American Horse Council The 1099 paperwork mandate was a provision of the health care bill passed last year that imposes new tax reporting requirements, on every business in the U.S., including those in the horse industry, beginning in 2012. There were several attempts to repeal the 1099 requirement last Congress which failed. “We are glad the Senate has taken this step towards repeal of the new 1099 requirement,” said AHC president Jay Hickey. “There is wide agreement that this is a burdensome requirement for businesses. However, during the last Congress disagreement over details got in the way of repeal. We hope the overwhelming support of this amendment is proof that everyone is now on the same page.” The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Health Care Bill”) that was signed into law last year included a provision broadly-expanding 1099 IRS form reporting requirements starting in 2012. Currently the law requires 1099s to be sent to any independent contractor that receives $600 or more from a business in a year. The new requirement requires 1099s be sent not only to independent contractors but also to any individual or corporation from whom a business purchases a total of $600 or more in goods or services in any given year. Its stated purpose is to identify unreported taxable income, fraudulent tax deductions, and increase tax compliance. This new requirement will greatly increase the administrative burden on all businesses, particularly small businesses, including those in the horse industry. For example if a horse farm buys $600 worth of hay and grain from a particular retailer, or purchases buckets and bridles for a total of $600 from a tack shop, or an even buys office supplies of $600 from a supply store over the course of the year, or an individual buys a computer for $700 from a local store, they are required to issue each business a 1099 form that must be completed and returned to the IRS. This reporting mandate places an added burden on each business involved. The horse businesses would have to collect information and tax identification numbers for every entity they do $600 worth of business with and mail them forms and the business receiving the forms must complete them. The Stabenow amendment repeals only the new reporting requirements. Businesses would still have to send 1099s to independent contractors. The Senate must now approve the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act which will then be considered by the House. Repeal of the 1099 provision has broad bipartisan support. But the larger bill may or may not pass both the Senate and the House. Therefore, repeal at this juncture is not assured. Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Congressman Dan Lungren (R-CA), and Congressmen Steve Scalise (R-LA), have each introduced stand alone bills that would also repeal the 1099 provision. “The AHC will continue to work in support of repealing the new 1099 paperwork mandate,” said Hickey. “Repealing the 1099 mandate has broad bipartisan support and we are very optimistic that a fix will be in place before the new requirement goes into effect in 2012.”
NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED
FOR VETERINARY LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture has specific criteria for nominated areas and the state will not be able to forward a nomination unless all of the criteria has been met. Individual nominations may also be edited or combined with others from nearby communities by the TAHC when appropriate. • Type I Shortage situations involve 80 percent or greater private practice veterinary food supply work. • Type II Shortages involve 30 percent or greater private practice food supply veterinary medicine in a rural (remote or economically depressed) area. • Type III Shortage is defined as public practice, including work in public health, laboratory, local or state veterinary work, meat inspection or epidemiology.
Late applications will not be accepted by the TAHC. For help from the USDA on completing the nomination form, visit http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/animals/in_focus/an_health_if_vmlrp.html. In addition to newly nominated areas for 2011, there are four Texas areas that may be carried over from 2010 because they were not filled with a veterinarian this year. If you have comments about those areas, either in support of keeping them or with concerns about them, please send an email to comments@tahc.state.tx.us. It is also permissible to re-nominate an area into which a veterinarian has previously been placed if there is a need for more than one veterinarian in that area. BEEF DEMAND OUTPACES SUPPLY BLOOMBERG TELEVISION FILMS BUFFALO, TEXAS, SALE BARN By
Glory Ann Kurtz Have you noticed that the price of your cutting cattle is increasing? On Oct. 15, Bloomberg Television made a visit to a Buffalo, Texas, sale barn owned by Russ, Cody and Ty DeCordova, owners of Buffalo Livestock Marketing, Inc., to make a point that inflation is affecting the rancher by demand outpacing the supply of cattle. Russ and Cody DeCordova, Groesbeck, Texas, are cutters, and Russ and his wife Debbie’s daughter, Amie, is married to top non-pro cutter Chad Bushaw of Weatherford, Texas. According to Russ, Bloomberg Television contacted him one day last week, asking if they could come out to the sale barn so they could do a news segment showing how inflation was affecting the cattle rancher.
“They got my phone number from a reporter who works for them in New York,” said Russ, “and they wanted to interview us because we had a successful rural marketing company.” They arrived at the sale barn, armed with cameras and huge lenses, for the sale which was held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15-16. After two days of filming, the show could be viewed on Bloomberg Television throughout the day on Monday, Oct. 18. With the crux of the article being that beef demand outpaces the supply currently, although pork is down, and cattle prices have been higher at Texas auctions. In fact, television announcers also stressed that commodities as a whole “leave investing in gold in the dust.” Especially agriculture commodities have outperformed gold. The morale of the story:
This is good news for the cattle rancher – not so good for
show producers and cutters! NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND BYLAW CHANGES TAKE PLACE AT 2010 AQHA CONVENTION. Press release from
AQHA Orgeldinger, who along with his wife, Astrid, own and operate a gravel and stone company and JOMM Ranches in Grosswallstadt, as well as Main River Quarter Horses in Gainesville, Texas, has been involved with American Quarter Horses for more than a quarter of a century and has volunteered his time and talents to the AQHA Executive Committee forthe past four years. He was first elected to the AQHA Executive Committee in 2006. He divides his time between Germany and a ranch in the United States. As the international registry of the American Quarter Horse, AQHA is a world-wide organization, and Germany is the ninth-largest AQHA affiliate with 6,675 AQHA members – only seven other states and the Canadian province of Alberta have more members. Kansas ranked 10th with 6,567 members in 2009. After the United States and Canada, Germany ranks third on the list of countries by American Quarter Horse population. AQHA has many affiliate branches across the globe, and the total international population of American Quarter Horses was 136,198 in 2009. Orgeldinger has been very involved with AQHA. He has served on the affiliate council as well as the stud book and registration and nomination and credentials committees. He also served as the discipline manager of reining for the 2006 World Equestrian Games. Peter J. Cofrancesco III of Sparta, New Jersey, was named first vice president. Cofrancesco is chairman of the Grinnell Group of Companies, which includes several entities such as solid waste and recycling, real estate and concrete products manufacturing. He was American Quarter Horse Youth Association president in 1991 and is the first youth president to serve on the Executive Committee. Gene Graves of Grand Island, Nebraska, was elected second vice president. Graves is an auctioneer with Diamond G Auction Co. and is a Realtor for Century 21. Two new members – Johne Dobbs
of Champaign, Illinois, and Johnny Trotter of Hereford, Texas, –
were also named to the Executive Committee. Dobbs, a director from
Illinois, owns Johne Dobbs Equine Insurance. Trotter, a director
from Texas, is president and chief executive officer of Livestock
Investors Ltd. BYLAW
CHANGES The first change lowers the age for a director to be eligible to be elevated to director emeritus from 70 to 65. The second lowers the cumulative terms of service on the board of directors to be eligible to become a Director-at-Large from 20 years to 15 years. The five-member Executive Committee will meet in April in Amarillo to finalize the committee reports. At that time, the Executive Committee will review rule changes that were approved by the Board of Directors at Convention. The Executive Committee has the final word on all rule changes except changes to the Association’s bylaws and any rules and regulations pertaining to registration of horses, which are approved by the Stud Book and Registration Committee and finalized by the Board of Directors. Also at that time, all of the rule changes that were approved at the Convention will be available on www.aqha.com. MEMBER
RECOGNITION The 2009 AQHA Professional Horseman of the Year is Jeffrey Pait of Sparta, New Jersey. Pait has been involved with AQHA in many different aspects – from breeding and training, to teaching youth and judging world class events. He has shown in western pleasure, western riding and reining, before he decided to specialize in halter. An original member of the AQHA Professional Horseman Committee, he is passionate about the American Quarter Horse and has been a judge for the past 15 years. He holds judge’s cards with AQHA, NSBA and the new World Conformation Horse Association. He has judged at such prestigious events as the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Show, the AQHA World Championship Show and the European Youth World Cup. He’s been the trainer at Cofrancesco Farms for the past 25 years and has had 11 AQHA World Champions, three Congress grand champions and trained many youth and amateur world champions. The 2009 Professional Horsewoman of the Year is Dianne Eppers of Grayslake, Illinois. Eppers has been an active member of the American Quarter Horse Association her entire life. She won five high-point titles, including the All-Around Youth award. She has accumulated more than 15 AQHA World and Reserve World Championships and has coached six riders to All-Around and reserve All-Around titles. She helped to develop the National Snaffle Bit Association and is a past president of NSBA and also helped to form the Midwest Pleasure Horse Association and the Midwest Reining Horse Association. She currently serves on the AQHA judges committee and is the executive director for the NSBA. The AQHA Lifetime Achievement award
is presented to American Quarter Horse professionals whose life
work has had a great impact on the American Quarter Horse industry.
This year’s winners are Nancy Hughes of Damascus, Maryland;
Don Burt of Rancho Palos Verde, California, and Don Manuello of
Sterling, Colorado. The American Quarter Horse Foundation honored Laurel Walker Denton of Skull Valley, Arizona, as the recipient of the Merle Wood Humanitarian Award. The award annually recognizes an individual who exemplifies the humanitarian qualities most revered – one who is compassionate, charitable and giving – and who displays these qualities within the American Quarter Horse family and industry. The award is named after the late Merle Wood, a gentleman who distinguished himself both in the American Quarter Horse lifestyle and in his local community.
NCHA ADDED TO ASSOCIATIONS WHO ENDORSE NATIONAL WELFARE CODE OF PRACTICE Jan. 20, 2010 Welfare code link: NEW YEAR MEANS NEW REGULATION
FOR TEXAS CATTLE “For months, we have worked with the Texas cattle industry to inform producers and have participated in many meetings about cattle trichomoniasis and the regulations. More than 600 accredited private veterinarians in Texas have been certified to collect samples for trichomoniasis testing, and we are ready to implement the intrastate regulations for bulls undergoing a change of ownership in Texas,” said Dr. Ellis. Certify virgin bulls. A breeder
can certify the bull as a virgin, if the animal was raised away
from cows after weaning, and the bull is 24 months of age or younger.
A Texas-origin bull’s virgin status may be extended to 30
months, if the virgin certificate is signed also by the breeder’s
accredited veterinarian. Virgin bulls are not required to have a
trichomoniasis test prior to change of ownership. Virgin bull certificates
are available at no cost on the TAHC web page at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us.
Test older or non-virgin bulls.
Bulls older than 30 months or bulls that were maintained with cows
after weaning must have a negative trichomoniasis test within 30
days prior to change of ownership. A certified, accredited veterinarian
must collect the sample for testing at the Texas Veterinary Medical
Diagnostic Laboratory. While awaiting test results, which usually
takes about a week, the bulls must be kept away from cows. Upon
receipt of the negative test results, the animal is ready for change
of ownership. “Breeding bulls that haven’t been certified as virgins or tested are considered to be slaughter-only bulls,” said Dr. Ellis. “In some cases, however, buyers may want an untested bull, although they may be buying trouble. We have provisions under the regulations for untested bulls to be identified and moved under a TAHC-issued hold order and movement permit. The animal must be isolated from female cattle, and cannot be moved until it is tested within 30 days of purchase at the owner’s expense.”
“In Texas, two tests are accepted. One is the Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction test, or PCR, which looks for the DNA of the protozoa. Because only one PCR test is needed to detect infection, this may become the preferred method for producers who want to move cattle more quickly. The second acceptable test is the culture test, and it involves looking for the protozoa under a microscope. A series of three culture tests is needed, each conducted at least seven days apart,” said Dr. Ellis.
“Because cattle trichomoniasis is a reportable disease, we will be notified regarding test-positive animals,” explained Dr. Ellis. “Test-positive bulls may undergo a confirmation test, provided the owner or the accredited, certified veterinarian makes the request within five days of the positive results.”
Because there is no effective treatment, infected bulls must go to slaughter within 30 days of confirmation. The remaining bulls in the herd will be held, isolated from female cattle, until they undergo two consecutive negative RT-PCR tests, each conducted at least seven days apart, or three consecutive negative culture tests, with each of the tests conducted at least seven days apart. When they are confirmed negative for trichomoniasis, the bulls remaining in the herd are free to be moved or to be commingled with cows.
“The cattle trichomoniasis regulations can save cattle producers a lot of money in the long run, because this disease greatly affects calf production. If you are obtaining a breeding bull, make sure the animal has been certified as a virgin or was tested—for your herd’s sake,” said Dr. Ellis. “We will be reviewing the regulations on a yearly basis with an industry working group, to ensure that the rules remain timely and effective.”
Texas’ trichomoniasis entry requirements for breeding bulls is similar to the intrastate regulations, but allows out-of-state bulls to be certified as virgins only until 24 months of age. Exhibition or competition bulls may enter Texas without a trichomoniasis test, but must be kept away from female cattle. The TAHC must be contacted in advance of entry for a waiver of the test requirement to be issued on exhibition bulls.
For more information, contact Carla Everett, Texas Animal Health Commission information officer, at 1-800-550-8242, ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.usThe TAHC’s cattle trichomoniasis regulations and additional information are available on the TAHC web site at: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us . RACING NEWS Oct. 29, 2009 CHICKASAW
NATION BUYS LONE STAR PARK LICENSE FOR $47.8 MILLION Even though the company had won a $27 million bid for the track earlier in the month, Delaware bankruptcy judge Mary Walrath rescheduled an auction of the track after ruling that an affiliate of Penn National Gaming Inc. was wrongfully excluded from the bidding. Evidently Penn National Gaming complied with the rules for submitting a bid but was disqualified by Magna because the deposit was partially refundable. Penn National had submitted an original bid of $28 million and later advised Magna it was willing to bid $40 million for the track. Last week’s rescheduled auction opened with Penn National’s $40 million bid and was upped by Global Gaming’s $47.8 million. THOROUGHBRED
SALE PRICES “BIG FALL” SLOWS However, the good news is that the percent not sold declined from 35.6 percent in 2008 to 25.1 percent this year. Total sales rose 5.7 percent, from $7,471,900 in 2008 to $7,895,400 this year. The average jumped 3.2 percent from $13,512 in 2008 to $13,949 this year. But the biggest jump came in the median, which grew to 9.1 percent – from $5,500 in 2008 to $6,000 this year. Chief Executive Officer of Fasig-Tipton Dan Pride, called the sale "a victory for the sellers and buyers." Also, at the Tattersalls
Autumn four-day, horses-in-training sale, which ended on Thursday,
Oct. 29, the median price rose 12.5 percent while the total and
average prices experienced only moderate declines. A total of 903
horses sold from the 1,063 offered for a total of $30,020, which
was down 11.3 from last year when 935 of 1,180 horses were sold.
The average price of $33.245 was down 8.1 percent while the median
of $15,476 was up 12.5 percent. The buy-back rate was a very good
15 percent. NEWS FROM THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY Sept. 22, 2009 TOTAL
SALES DOWN 42.4 PERCENT AT KEENELAND YEARLING SALE LOUISIANA
YEARLING SALE EXTENDED TO TWO DAYS The sale company believes that their breeders' incentive program and the success of last year's sale contributed to the large number of yearlings entered in this year's sale. DNA
TYPING URGED IN SOUTH FLORIDA On Sept. 16, the Miami Police Department arrested Luis Miguel Cordero, an 18-year-old Mexican citizen who butchered a horse for its meat on Sept. 9, after receiving a tip that he was asking around for help in butchering a horse. DNA samples have been taken from the more recently butchered horses and are being given to Florida International University's Forensics DNA Profiling Facility in Miami. HAYTHORN RANCH CO. NAMED AQHA-BAYER BEST REMUDA WINNER Press
release from America’s Horse Howard Haythorn came to Maxwell on horseback at age 13, helping his father trail in a herd of cattle and horses to their new home. He stayed in the Nebraska Sandhills to raise his own family and continue the legacy started by his grandfather: raising cattle and well-conformed, cowy American Quarter Horses with which to work them. Today, Howard and his son, Harry Byron Haythorn, run a 1,500-head cow-calf operation on 20,000 acres. “The only way to handle cattle is on horseback,” Howard said, “and if you have horses, you may as well own good ones. We breed 20 to 30 mares a year. We don’t follow the whims of the market. We raise horses to suit our needs, which translates into horses that can be used by a wide variety of people for a wide variety of activities.” The ranch stallions are Rusty Gun 876, by AQHA World Show Superhorse Real Gun; Peppy San Kai, by a son of Senor George; Snickelfritz Mickey by Snickelfritz Chex; and Mickey 612, a 3-year-old by Snickelfritz Mickey. Most of the mares are homebred, and many of them trace back to horses owned by Howard’s father, Harry Jr., and his uncle, Walter. Walter’s grandson Craig and his sons run Haythorn Land and Cattle Co., which received the first Best Remuda Award in 1992. Both ranches share a common heritage. Howard’s grandfather was born Harry Haythornwaite in England in 1861, and he stowed away on a ship bound for America when he was 16. When he was discovered on board, he was put to work caring for a shipment of Hereford bulls. When the ship docked in Galveston, Texas, Harry went to work for the Texas rancher who owned them. He later shortened his name to Haythorn and became a hand on the boss’ ranch. He went to Nebraska on cattle drives and on his second trip there, he stayed and began building his holdings. From that foundation, Howard has built his own legacy, breeding American Quarter Horses for half a century. He’ll be featured in the October issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal with other 50-year consecutive breeders. The Best Remuda Award is presented each year by the American Quarter Horse Association and Bayer Animal Health (www.bayerequineconnection.com/getadvm/) to honor the contributions that ranch horses have made to the heritage of the American Quarter Horse. The term remuda means a group of working horses bred by the ranch specifically to work and pen cattle. Any ranch that has five or more American Quarter Horse mares used to produce horses for ranch work and is a member of AQHA is eligible for this award. For more information about the Best Remuda award or to request an application, visit AQHA’s Web site at www.aqha.com/association/benefits/awards.html. AQHA will be accepting applications for the 2010 AQHA-Bayer Best Remuda Award until Dec. 1, 2009. AQHA/Bayer Best Remuda Award Winners: 2009 Haythorn Ranch Co. – Maxwell, Nebraska NEWS FROM THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY By Glory Ann Kurtz It is the first time in the fund’s 34-year history that they have been unable to disburse the next batch of award checks. One executive said that New York City Off-Track Betting could not make the payments because it needs the money to operate; although others blame its problems on excessive operational expenses. OCALA
BREEDERS’S SALE GROSS LOWEST IN 18 YEARS Although the demand was still
strong for good horses, it was unkind on mediocre horses and even
average horses were harder to move. One buyer said the commercial
market for horses deemed average or below has almost “vanished.” PALOMINO HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES "GOOD AS GOLD" PROGRAM FOR "OTHER-COLORED" FOALS June 13, 2009 For the breeder, it creates an
alternative market in the unfortunate chance that the goal of getting
a Palomino foal is not met. For the owner that breeds one or two
mares a year and shows on the Palomino circuit, it will not force
them to show that foal somewhere else, they can continue showing
with the friends they have made over a lifetime. For the bigger
breeder concentrating on raising Palominos to supply the market
demand for palomino color, it expands the marketability of the non-palomino
colored foals. FIRST LEADERSHIP
SUMMIT PLANNED FOR JUNE 14 IN WASHINGTON, D.C. The American Horse League will hold its first fundraiser at the St. Onge Livestock's Horse Sale in St. Onge, S.D., Sunday, June 14, with an aggressive membership drive to follow. A horse rescued from neglect and starvation will be auctioned. "This horse typifies the need for a humane and responsible option for the marketing of unusable and unwanted horses," said Chase Adams of the American Horse League. The United Organizations of the Horse was formed in response to the growing number of public policy challenges facing American horses, their owners, and horse-related organizations. "Our main objective is to be a voice for horse owners at every level, and to every audience...we need a voice that is capable of coherently and articulately communicating to a misinformed and emotionally manipulated American public, and to policymakers," said Sue Wallis, a Wyoming state legislator and United Organizations of the Horse founder. The United Organizations of the Horse seeks to unify all like-minded equine associations and individuals in support of its mission-to promote the humane care and management of horses, and the continued viability of the equine community in the United States of America. Besides the American Horse League, the United Organizations of the Horse has recently teamed up with the United Horsemen's Front, the National Tribal Horse Coalition, and the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada. To learn more visit their website, http://www.UnitedOrgsoftheHorse.org, and subscribe to their free e-newsletter. During the June 14 Leadership
Summit, the United Organizations of the Horse look forward to communicating
their message to horsemen and women gathered for the American Horse
Council's annual meeting, as well as lobbying on Capitol Hill on
behalf of the horse owners of America. JUDGE APPROVES AUCTION SALE OF MAGNA ENTERTAINMENT’S INTEREST IN LONE STAR PARK AND OTHER TRACKS CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE OWNS TEXAS TRACK; MEC OWNS TRACK’S LICENSE AND LEASE May 5, 2009 The plan was approved by judge Mary Walrath includes Santa Anita Park in California, Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Thistledown in Ohio and Portland Meadows in Oregon. Magna also plans to offer the Shops at Santa Anita as well as property in Ocala and Dixon, Calif. The company may also seek approval to sell other assets including the Maryland Jockey Club racks or the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, home of the second jewel of the Triple Crown – even though last week they pulled that racetrack from the assets to be sold because the city of Baltimore and state of Maryland are fighting to keep Pimlico and the Preakness in Baltimore. Attorneys for the state and city have said that they reserve the right to object should MEC decide to put Pimlico up for sale. Magna’s attorney Brian Rosen said that MI Developments (MID), Inc., a property-management company that is Magna’s controlling shareholder and largest secured creditor, won’t participate in the bidding, except to prevent the “fire sale” of any asset subject to a low-ball bid. This is the address potential conflicts involving insiders, particularly Frank Stronach, the chairman of both MEC and MID. Magna Entertainment, based in Ontario, Canada, is the largest horse track owner in the U.S. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection n March. At that time they said they were unable to obtain new financing while supporting its existing debt. Miller Buckfire & Co.,
which is marketing the Magna properties reported 35 parties have
executed the first step in participating in the auction, signing
a confidentiality agreement. Another 35 have requested the agreement. IMPACT OF IRS ENFORCEMENT ON FARMERS AND RANCHERS By
John Alan Cohan, Attorney at Law Some people have contacted me because they have been assessed substantial deficiencies by the IRS after years of losses, despite the fact that they had never been audited in the past. Eventually, the IRS will want to take a look at your operations if there is a significant history of losses. Despite losses, the tax laws entitle
you to engage in any field of endeavor, however speculative, as
long as it is your intention to be engaged in a business. Without
the tax writeoffs, many people would not be able to carry on certain
ventures, particularly farming, horses and livestock. I find that
most people do have the intention to eventually make a profit, but
from the IRS standpoint it is the taxpayer’s burden of proof
to dispel the idea that the main motivation is to generate tax benefits
or to engage in a hobby. IRS Regulations state that if you don’t
have two profit years out of five for farming and livestock, or
two profit years in seven for horses, your activity is presumed
to be engaged in as a hobby, not a trade or business. Where a taxpayer with no prior experience enters into an activity, that taxpayer must show not only that advice was obtained in the particular area of endeavor but also that general business advice was obtained. In the Tax Court case Filios v.
IRS, the Tax Court said that Louis Filios of Springfield, Massachusetts
“did not have budgets, income statements, balance sheets,
income projections, or financial statements for the activity,”
other than those compiled annually by his accountant to prepare
annual Federal tax returns, and that he was not engaged in his activity
for profit. The lack of these kind of records could be a problem
for many ranchers whose overall business records often fall short
of this standard. Also, the IRS wants to see evidence
that favorably compares your activity to a profitable livestock,
horse or other farming venture, which means more careful strategic
planning. The IRS looks favorably on changes in procedure or looking
for other ways to make profits to attempt to override losses. The taxpayer signed all checks
relating to the activity. A bookkeeper kept his records. She prepared
annual summaries and spreadsheets showing disbursements by category,
and verified the accuracy of charges and statements charged to the
taxpayer. The court concluded that
“the sheer magnitude of petitioner’s losses, the consistency
with which they were incurred, and their steady and dramatic increase
over an extended period of time provided compelling evidence”
that he was not engaged in the activity for the purpose of earning
a profit. “A record of continued losses over an extended period
of time is plainly relevant in discerning a taxpayer’s true
motivation.” PLEASURE TRAINER CLEVE WELLS SUSPENDED FROM AQHA April 24, 2009 AQHA Rule 104 (a) states: "No person shall treat any horse in a cruel or inhumane manner, including, but not limited to, the prohibited conduct specified in the Show Rules and Regulations section of this Handbook. Cruelty to horses other than American Quarter Horses is included in this prohibition, as it indicates a general course of dealing with horses, that is unacceptable for AQHA membership qualification. For violation of this rule, an AQHA member may be disciplined, suspended, fined and/or expelled from AQHA, and a non-member may be denied AQHA privileges. This prohibition against cruelty includes, but is not limited to, AQHA members and/or owners of American Quarter Horses, their agents, representatives and employees, the actions for that a member or owner are also responsible." The Executive Committee action included suspending Wells’ full membership privileges pursuant to the terms of Rule 106(i) for a period of no less than one (1) year, at which time he is eligible to show cause for reinstatement; fined Wells $10,000 to be paid in full prior to any reinstatement of his membership privileges; and Placed Wells on indefinite probation to start if and when his membership privileges are reinstated pursuant to paragraph 1 above. “In my view, this Executive
Committee decision reflects AQHA’s commitment to the horse
and animal welfare as a top priority,” said Don Treadway Jr.,
AQHA Executive Vice President. “It is also consistent with
AQHA’s official statement of position that all horses are
to be treated humanely and with respect, and that breeders, owners,
trainers and exhibitors are continually responsible for the well-being
and humane treatment of any American Quarter Horse entrusted to
their care.” ECONOMIC STIMULUS ACT BENEFITS HORSE INDUSTRY From the American
Horse Council The first incentive continues the so-called $250,000 Section 179 expensing allowance for horses purchased and placed in service in 2009. This allowance also applies to farm equipment and most other property with a depreciable life of less than 20 years. Once total purchases of horses and other eligible depreciable property reach $800,000, the expense allowance goes down one dollar for each dollar spent on eligible property over $800,000. “The horse industry almost lost the Section 179 expense deduction in 1996. The House of Representatives passed legislation taking this deduction away from the horse industry,” said Hickey. “But we were able to convince the Senate to remove this restriction before passing the final bill and the deduction was preserved. It was worth $17,500 then. Over the years it has been increased and will be $250,000 for 2009. That is a real benefit to horse owners.” To illustrate the expensing allowance, assume a horse business purchases $750,000 of depreciable property in 2009, including $650,000 for horses. That business can write off $250,000 on its 2009 tax return and depreciate the balance. If instead, purchases were $900,000, the expense allowance would go down by $100,000. In addition, bonus depreciation
has also been reinstated for 2009 in the new Stimulus Bill. This
second incentive allows a horse owner to take first-year bonus depreciation
equal to 50% of the cost of horses and most other depreciable property
purchased and placed in service during 2009. It does not apply to
property that has a depreciation life of over 20 years. To illustrate bonus depreciation, assume that in 2009 a business pays $500,000 for a colt to be used for racing and $50,000 for other depreciable property, bringing total purchases to $550,000. The young colt had never been raced or used for any other purpose before the purchase. The business would be able to expense $250,000, deduct another $150,000 of bonus depreciation (50% of the $300,000 remaining balance), and take regular depreciation on the $150,000 balance. “The Stimulus Bill includes several other changes that may benefit horse owners, including allowing taxpayers a deduction for state and local sales and excises taxes paid on the purchase of new cars, light trucks, and recreational vehicles in 2009; a change in the net operating loss carryback period to five years for small businesses; and a reduction for 2009 in the required estimated tax payments for some small businesses,” said Hickey. FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW FACILITATES EXPORTS, INCLUDING HORSES Press release from
FW Stock Show This year’s event was no exception as sales of approximately $270,000 worth of American Quarter Horses are pending to buyers in Argentina and Japan as a result of efforts by the Stock Show’s International Committee. Led by committee member and Texas Department of Agriculture Livestock Marketing Specialist, Juan Hernandez, the delegations are winding up negotiations with area quarter horse breeders. The horses will be transported to Miami, Florida where they will be exported by charter aircraft. “Some of the nation’s best quarter horses are raised within a short driving distance from Fort Worth,” said International Committee Co-Chairmen Charles Lasater and Lionel Chambers. “We want to go the extra mile and extend our warm Fort Worth hospitality and ensure our foreign guests see the best livestock Texas has to offer.” The committee’s work was not isolated to the above mentioned countries as many others attended to meet with Stock Show exhibitors and explore potential purchases. Delegations from Great Britain, Germany, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Mexico also attended with interests in beef cattle, Gypsy Horses, Texas Longhorns, and Boer Goats. Although the Stock Show has completed its 24-day run, Hernandez is busy following up with guests providing additional assistance where needed. While some foreign visitors are at the Stock Show solely for recreational purposes, many others arrive for serious business. “Economic development is an important objective for the Stock Show, thus our International Committee’s efforts to facilitate trade play a very important function,” said Bradford S. Barnes, Stock Show executive vice president and general manager. “Having the nation’s best livestock gathered here for 24 days gives our foreign visitors a user-friendly place to meet U.S. producers and hopefully purchase livestock.” RYAN MOTES, WITH HIS FAMILY TIES IN THE CUTTING INDUSTRY, WINS SPEED WILLIAMS INVITATIONAL TEAM ROPING By Glory Ann Kurtz Photo by Kellie Carr
Ryan Motes, Weatherford, Texas, who is well known to use his family’s cutting-bred horses for rope horses, along with his partner Luke Brown, Rock Hill, S.C., recently won the Speed Williams Invitational Match Roping held during the World Series of Team Roping Finale. The huge team-roping event was held Dec. 10-1 at the South Point Equestrian Center, Las Vegas, Nev. With a total payoff of $156,500, the team won $50,000 plus they picked up extra bounty of $5,000 from wearing patches of sponsors and Motes received a trophy saddle from Coats Saddlery because he rides a Coats saddle. The division was a last-minute addition to the Thunder EquiGames, and was scheduled on Sunday to honor the PRCA agreement that prevents professionals from competing in outside events during the NFR. Second place and $30,000 went to Riley Minor and Brady Mintor, while third, worth $22,000) was won by Tee Woolman and Nano Garza. The World Series of Team Roping has grown astronomically from $1.1 to $2.7 million in the last 30 months. Motes had qualified for his first NFR in 2007. He was in the process of qualifying for the 2008 NFR when he lost his thumb during a steer roping the middle of October. No one thought he would ever rope again; however, a hand surgeon rebuilt the thumb and two weeks after the surgery, he was giving roping lessons and riding colts. “It’s a miracle,” said his mother Danny Motes. “It looks normal.” Motes, a third-generation qualifier for the NFR, followed in the footsteps of his dad, David, who qualified for the NFR more than 20 times and his grandfather, Glen, who qualified in 1960. Motes’ family ties also extend to the cutting community, as his mom and step dad are Danny Motes and NCHA trainer Winston Hansma, and his sister, Mica Motes, 20, a successful NCHA Non-Pro competitor and winner of more than $250,000 in cutting competition. Mica recently became engaged to 24-year-old R. L. Chartier, with a wedding planned at the ranch for May 30. Since 2007, Chartier has been an assistant trainer with top trainer and showman Clint Allen, who works for Julie Wrigley in Weatherford. The couple met during the 2007 NCHA Super Stakes and this year both made the NCHA Futurity Finals with two horses – he in the Open and she in the Non-Pro. Chartier also won the Limited Open Division. Chartier also comes from a family steeped in cutting horse tradition. His father Randy Chartier is a long-time NCHA member, judge, judge’s monitor and Executive committee member and his now-deceased grandfather, Mel Chartier, owned the famous stallion Dry Doc, a son of Doc Bar out of Poco Lena and a full brother to Doc O’Lena. Danny said that Mica had always said she wasn’t going to marry anyone until she found someone just like Ryan. One day cutter Freddie McGee called Danny and said, “I found Ryan.” Danny asked what he was talking about and he said that he found someone just as nice as Ryan for Mica. It wasn’t long before Mica agreed. In an article previously published in All About Cutting , Motes said, "All of my heel horses are something we’ve raised here and started as 2-year-olds as cutters.” His main mount, CD Starbucks, is a CD Olena gelding out of a Grays Starlight mare that he had since he was a 2-year-old – when it became evident that cutting was not going to be his game. For his Vegas win, he rode another cutting-bred horse - a gray Playgun gelding out of a Shorty Lena mare that he got midway through his 3-year-old year. He is a firm believer that a well-bred cutting horse can easily cross over into other arenas and many top ropers agree as they purchase his horses regularly for professional roping competition. “They’re bred really, really nice most of them, and they’re broke,” said Motes. “They have a good handle and a lot of what they do on cutting horses turns right over into the roping arena. They teach them to stop and turn over their hocks real well and that’s what you want in a good heel horse and a head horse too. They’re a good size and they seem to work real good. I’ve probably got six heel horses that I’ve turned over and made into rope horses.” After trying for the NFR in 2001, during his rookie year he roped with his dad. “We roped together for about three years and we were in the top 20 or 21, so we were always pretty close, but never got in (the NFR Finals).” After that, Motes took some time off and went back to working for his mom and Hansma and then with encourage from his new wife, Courtney, he decided to go for his dream again. “Courtney kind of pushed me a little bit to go back, trying to make the finals again,” said Motes. And this time he was roping with long-time friend Jimmy Edens and the pair qualified for the Finals following the Dallas qualifying show. Although Motes isn’t a cutter, he is involved in the family business, helping in the breeding barn and foaling out mares each spring. His mother and Winston own the up-and-coming, young stallion CD Lights, a 1999 son of CD Olena out of Delight Of My Life by Grays Starlight, with over $242,448 in lifetime earnings. His first measurable crop of colts made a successful showing in this year’s NCHA Futurity with Mica making the Non-Pro finals on two of them. Altogether, CD Lights offspring won close to $150,000 for the year. One 3-year-old, CD Rocks, owned by Robbie Humphreys, won the prestigious National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA) Snaffle Bit Futurity Intermediate Open on Oct. 3 with Ed Robertson, Paso Robles, Calif., in the saddle. Robertson was a friend of Brandon Staebler, who trained the stallion. Staebler broke his leg in July and asked Robertson to ride the horse, even though he had never made the finals of the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity before. According to announcer Bob
Tallman, the World Series of Team Roping paid an equivalent of 60
percent of the total 10-day NFR payout that took 50 years to create,
and also featured a Charmayne James Invitational Barrel Race, the
World Series of Mounted Shooting, and the Rob Smets Freestyle Bullfight.
This year’s event created the largest mid-range roping ever
with the Cactus Pro-Am that paid out $850,000, won by Jared Udy,
Newton, Utah and Ky Oberg, Ephrain, Utah, who won $150,000). The
Bloomer Trailers #10 Lo-Am was the largest roping in its category
ever produced at $944,000 (won by George Ortega, Marana, Ariz.,
and Gerardo Valenzuela, Sahuarita, Ariz., winning $160,000) and
the Priefert #11 (won by Daniel Nowlin, Casa Grande, Ariz., and
Bob Ferguson, Eloy, Ariz., winning $160,000) was the second largest
roping in the United States this year. TEAM ROPING ONLINE MAGAZINE AND WEB SITE OFFERS UNIQUE APPROACH TO CONNECTING ROPERS Holden, Utah - July
16, 2008 Matt Sherwood, the 2006 World Champion Header, seems to agree. “The American Roper is by far the best roping resource on the Web. The articles are great and the site is easy to use. It’s a great site to check out regularly to see what they’re going to come up with next,” said Sherwood. The site offers everything from a comprehensive Calendar of Events with a Winners Circle of results and photos, to a clever, well-thought-out "Find a Partner" tool, a member/partner directory, and a unique approach to classifieds. The online magazine has also been a huge draw with creative articles on team roping history, “young gun” ropers, personality spotlights and even roping trivia. The Online Magazine’s “You Asked” section brings together an impressive panel of roping experts available to answer readers’ questions. Greg Kesler, a lifelong roper, is the founder of The American Roper site and owner of Double Dollar Ranch and Livestock Beyond the magazine and the calendar of events, one of the more popular aspects of the site is the Profile Directory, where ropers can create a personalized roping profile which includes details about their association affiliations and number rankings, roping highlights and accomplishments, photos, years in roping, and more. Members can choose to include their roping profile in the Profile Directory where other members can search and view their profiles. The roping profiles are used in
the unique Find a Partner tool, which allows users to search for
a roping partner by a specific event, something not done in most
other partner finder tools. From one end, the user can select the
event they need a partner for and search the profiles of other ropers
who are also looking for a partner for that particular event. Members
can easily add their profile to the event partner list by viewing
the event in the calendar and simply adding their profile to that
list. As the site continues to
grow and evolve, Kesler plans on adding roping event Web casts,
horse auction Web casts, interactive roping games, and additional
Association web sites. CONGRESS OVERRIDES VETO OF FARM BILL; PROVISIONS BENEFICIAL TO HORSES BECOME LAW May 24, 2008 CONGRESS PASSES FARM BILL WITH PROVISIONS BENEFICIAL TO HORSES May 16, 2008 - Washington,
D.C. The House passed the bill on May 14 by a vote of 318 to 106.The Senate passed it a day later, May 15, by a vote of 81 to 15. President Bush has announced that he will veto the bill because of the overall cost, which approaches $300 billion. If he does, Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote of both chambers. Based on the votes for the bill, it appears likely that Congress will override a Bush veto for the second time in his presidency. DEPRECIATION
OF RACE HORSES SHORTENED Last year Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jim Bunning (R-KY) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) introduced the Equine Equity Act (EEA), which proposed to put all racehorses in the 3-year category for depreciation purposes and make horses eligible for capital gains tax treatment after being held for 12 months. “The EEA was included in the Senate version of the Farm Bill by an amendment offered by Senator McConnell,” said Jay Hickey president of the American Horse council. “Although the Equity Act was not in the House-passed Farm Bill, the depreciation provision was included in the final bill through the efforts of Senator McConnell who understood the inequity and worked overtime to ensure it was changed.” With the passage of this provision, horse owners will no longer have to decide whether to place their horse in service at the end of its yearling year, and depreciate it over seven years, or wait until the horse reaches 24 months and a day in order to use the three-year depreciation schedule. This period is often only a few months. “Beginning in 2009, all race horses will be depreciated over three years regardless of when placed in service. This amendment will end the inequitable situation of depreciating race horses over seven years, a period that is about twice as long as their actual racing time,” said Hickey. The second tax provision in the EEA, which would have shortened the capitol gains holding period for horses from two years to one year, was not included in the final conference version of the Farm Bill passed by Congress. HORSES
SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED AS LIVESTOCK IN DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The horse industry has been working for these last two changes for some time. The industry is now treated like other livestock producers with respect to federal emergency programs. Above information courtesy of the American Horse Council BILL BREWER ANNOUNCES HIS
RETIREMENT AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF AQHA By Glory Ann Kurtz In an article in the May 2008 issue of America’s Horse, Brewer said “it is the right thing to do and this is the right time, difficult as that might be. It’s been something I have been thinking about and have discussed with the Executive Committee on several occasions.” Brewer said the AQHA has hired a management consultant to help work through the process and have solicited independent and confidential input from the Executive Committee, past presidents, executive directors, legal counsel and staff members. Brewer said he is leaving the association with good fiscal management with a strong financial reserve, which is to be used during down times. He said that even though the AQHA increased membership slightly last year, there was d downturn in registrations and transfers – something that has never happened before. “Membership has always been tied to registration and transfers,” said Brewer. Brewer said they are expecting another decrease in registrations in 2008, based on the 207 stallion breeding reports, as there were 25,000 fewer mares bred in 2007 than in 2006. They have reduced the number employees at the association and at the Foundation by 20 and now have 300 employee positions. They are also reducing costs by reducing the number of issues of the American Quarter Horse Racing Journal to 10 and will begin publishing a twice-weekly racing e-newsletter in January. He said the bright spot for
the year, however, was that in 2007, total corporate partner income
for the fiscal year was nearly $8.7 million – the most ever
and represents a 5.25 percent increase of more than $443,000. AQHA PREMIERS APPROVED CLASSES AT OPEN SHOWS April 25, 2008 The AQHA classes can be held within other classes at the show. For example, AQHA members exhibiting in the Open show’s Western pleasure class can also receive points based off their placings against other AQHA members in that class. The shows are novice driven, but show management can choose to offer Open, Amateur and Youth classes. Even though classes will incorporate some relaxed rules to accommodate their new format, they will continue to uphold the core AQHA show standards and rules. Exhibitors will be able to earn AQHA points and Incentive Fund money as is the case for all other AQHA shows and all classes will be judged by AQHA judges. However, to make this as successful as possible, AQHA will be relaxing some of its current show rules. Show approval fees will be lowered and judges’ rules and show management rules will be relaxed. One of the most significant and anticipated rule adjustments will be the relaxing of mileage approval rules. This new lenience will allow AQHA-approved classes to be held at open shows, 4-H shows and county fairs within a short distance to approved AQHA shows, creating the increased show accessibility that promises to change the AQHA show world. The new shows will be premiering in 2008. For more information about
getting AQHA-approved classes at a show near you, contact Terrie
Lovelady or Lisa Pond in AQHA’s Show Department by calling
(806) 376-4811. To find a new AQHA-approved class at an open show
near you, visit www.aqha.com/showing/guidetoshowing/eventapproval.html.
The first show to feature the new classes will be held at the NOQHA
Open Extravaganza/AQHA Introductory Show in Canfield, Ohio, on June
1. AHC’s CONGRESSIONAL CALVARY PROGRAM GROWS April 16, 2008 The Congressional Cavalry was formed last year by the AHC in an effort to better represent and serve the horse industry before Congress. All horse owners, breeders, veterinarians, trainers, competitors, recreational riders, service providers, and anyone who desires to be involved in grassroots efforts in Washington may join the Congressional Cavalry. “If we can involve just one person from a few of our member organizations in each Congressional district with an expressed desire to be involved in the grassroots effort, think of the potential effect that could have when contacting Representatives or Senators about issues important to the horse industry,” said Hickey. “That’s a lot of ‘Horse Power’.” “Just like the real Cavalry, the Congressional Cavalry will be called upon when needed. This will not be a lot of work. Last summer, when the appropriations bill for the Department of Agriculture surfaced with a misguided provision that could have shut down the interstate and international movement of horses, we activated the Congressional Cavalry and other organizations and were able to point out the problems the bill would have caused. We got a great response and the provision was changed before the House voted on it,” said Hickey. The AHC will provide participants with whatever information is required to take action. Participants will be contacted as necessary and activated quickly. “We hope the Cavalry will eventually provide the base for additional activities like visits with Members of Congress back home; invitations to Members of Congress to visit a facility or event; and regular reports to Congress about activities back in the district that illustrate the importance of the horse industry to the state and local economy, sport and recreational life,” said Hickey. Anyone who wants to enlist in the Cavalry or has additional questions about the program should contact the American Horse Council at 202-296-4031 or ahc@horsecouncil.org.
LMA ASKS SUPREME COURT TO
HEAR HORSE PROCESSING CASE According to a friend of the court
brief LMA filed Feb. 22, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals “failed
to address the adverse impact” on horse welfare when it upheld
an Illinois law that closed a plant in DeKalb, ILL., last year.
The brief suggested “tens of thousands” of horses that
have reached the end of useful lives will die of neglect or be slaughtered
outside the U.S., where plants are not subject to the Humane Slaughter
Act. FIRST AQHA VERSATILITY RANCH HORSE WORLD CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN DENVER Jan. 26, 2008 -
Denver, Colo. Sixes Pick is a 10-year-old sorrel stallion bred and owned by Burnett Ranches LTD of Fort Worth, Texas. The homebred stallion won the ranch trail and ranch conformation classes, placed second in ranch cutting, finished third in working ranch horse and was fourth in ranch riding to earn 44 points. That was 10 more than reserve world champion Smart Whiskey Doc, which was exhibited by owner Mike Majors of Fowler, Colo. Sixes Pick is by Tanquery Gin and out of the Tenino Badger mare Natural Pick. Peppy Chex Your Gun is owned by Clayton Cooper of Otis, Colo. The 8-year-old sorrel stallion won the ranch trail class, placed second in the working ranch horse, finished third in ranch cutting, ranch riding and ranch conformation. He earned 43 points, five more than reserve world champion Little Bell Pepper, which was shown by Betty Lou Valdez. Bred by Michael and Victoria Simmons of Parker, Colo, Peppy Chex Your Gun is by Young Gun and out of the Peppy San Chex mare La Osas Peppychex. The sorrel stallions are the first world champions crowned in versatility ranch horse competition.The versatility ranch horse competition demonstrates the versatility of the working ranch horse in five categories – ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch cutting, working ranch horse and ranch conformation. To learn more about the versatility ranch horse competition, visit www.aqha.com/showing/divisions/versatility.html. The above information was provided by the
AQHA.
|
RANCH HORSE CLASSES ON THE MOVE Oct.
24, 2011 RSNC
TO BE FEATURED ON RFD-TV According to RSNC, 75 percent of all the competitors coming to RSNC events are new to horse sport competitions, proving how easy it is for anyone who can throw a leg over a horse to have fun and compete. They tout it as a family sport with recognition and rewards that in most equine sports only the very top competitors receive. For more information about the RSNC, http://www.ranchsorting.com, e-mail them at info@RSNC.US or call them at 970-897-2901. AQHA
LAUNCHES RANCH HORSE PLEASURE CLASS: Points earned in the class are eligible for the AQHA Incentive Fund payout for horses. No horse may cross enter (i.e. a junior/senior Western pleasure horse shown at a show is not eligible to show in the Ranch Pleasure at the same show; youth Western pleasure horses may not show in Ranch Pleasure; amateur/Select amateur Western pleasure entries may not show in Ranch Pleasure). In the class, each horse will work individually and required movements will include the walk, jog and lope in both directions, the extended jog and lope in at least one direction, stops and a turn to change directions. Also, three of the following maneuvers must be included: side pass, turns of 360 degrees or more, change of lead – simple or flying, walk, jog or lope over a pole(s) or any other reasonable combination of maneuvers that a ranch horse would perform. Horses will be scored from 0 to 100 with 70 being the average performance. Primary judging considerations are overall manners and responsiveness of the horse while performing the maneuver requirements and the horse’s quality of movement. For more information on this class, go to http://www.aqha.com/showing. STOCK
HORSE OF TEXAS ASSOCIATION HOLDS CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP IN BRYAN,
TEXAS EAST
TEXAS FALL SPECTACULAR RANCH GELDING SALE INCLUDES COMPETITION NEWS FROM THE REINED COW HORSE INDUSTRY Sept.
14, 2011 Also, the American Quarter Horse Association has announced that the AQHA world Show Working Cow Horse finalists are now eligible for the NRCHA World Show, scheduled for Jan. 28-Feb. 5, 2012 in San Angelo, Texas. The AQHA World Show is held Nov. 5-19 in Oklahoma City. The NRCHA Board of Directors voted in August to extend an invitation to the AQHA World Championship Show finalists in the working cow horse class. This action follows a previous decision by the NRCHA Board to invite youth finalists from the 2011 Built Ford Tough American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship Show to compete at the NRCHA World Championship Show. NEWS FROM THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY Aug.
22, 2011 According to Thoroughbred Times Today, the Fasig-Tipton NY-bred Preferred Yearling Sale in Saratoga Springs, New York, posted “massive increases," with 124 of the 183 yearlings offered selling for a near-record $6,725,500 over the two sessions held following the races held at nearby Saratoga Race Course on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 13-14. Total sales were up a whopping 83 percent from 2010’s $3,676,000. The average was $54,238, up 38.7 percent from the $39,106 average in 2010 while the median was $35,000, up 16.7 percent from 2010’s $30,000. Ironically, the 214 cataloged horses was up 24.4 percent from the 172 consigned in 2010. The number that actually went through the sale ring was up 28.9 percent – from 142 in 2010 to 183 in 2011. Sale results could be headed upward, since the Jockey Club projected a 2012 North American registered Thoroughbred foal crop of 24,700, a decline of 8.5 percent from the estimate of 27,000 registered foals for 2011. Additional foal crop information is available in the Jockey Club’s Online Fact Book and in the state fact books. The not so up-beat news within the Thoroughbred industry is that the former Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Executive Director Mona Romero pleaded guilty in federal court in an election-rigging case. Romero admitted to mailing falsified ballots, paying the travel expenses of others to mail false ballots and using money from the HBPA to fund those expenses, as well as admitting to falsifying identities through the use of members’ social security numbers in order to cast ballots for Sean Alfortish, an attorney and former Louisiana HBPA President , as well as favored board members. Scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27, Romero will face up to five years in prison, three years probation and fines of $250,000. Romero and Alfortish allegedly
conspired to fix Alfortish’s 2008 re-election. Alfortish faces
charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, health care fraud, identification
fraud and other charges, with his trial scheduled for Sept. 6. AHC EXPECTS WASHINGTON'S REDUCED SPENDING TO AFFECT THE HORSE INDUSTRY Courtesy
American Horse council This year’s National Issues Forum will be held June 21 in Washington, DC during the AHC’s annual meeting. The annual meeting will run from June 19 to 22 at the Washington Court Hotel and also include an update on the national equine health initiative, the Congressional Reception and the annual Congressional Ride-In. This year’s meeting will also see the return of the AHC’s Breed Roundtable, a popular event that brings together leaders of horse associations to discus common issues of importance to the industry. The AHC’s various committees, including the Unwanted Horse Coalition, will also meet to discuss issues affecting the equine community. “The highlight of this year’s forum will be presentations from Members of Congress, staff and federal regulatory agencies on the new fiscal realities in Washington. They will discuss how Congress’s efforts to deal with the country’s deficits may result in cut-backs to federal programs and spending that could affect the horse industry,” said AHC president Jay Hickey. “There is a new paradigm in Washington that will affect all American industries, including the horse industry.” As part of this year’s annual meeting, the American Horse Council is hosting a Breed Roundtable. This event was an important part of previous AHC annual meetings and allowed leaders of horse organizations involved in various disciplines to visit with each other and discuss issues of common concern. The AHC Board of Trustees believes it is important to reinstitute the Breed Roundtable this year because of the important issues facing the horse industry. Welfare issues, disease outbreaks, unwanted horses, and public relations are all concerns. The number of people purchasing horses and participating in the industry is down. As the country emerges from the economic downturn, many horse associations are wrestling not only with how to bring back people who have left the industry but also how to attract new owners, new participants, and new members. The Breed Roundtable will provide an opportunity for industry executives to discuss these issues across breeds and disciplines and learn from each other. There will also be an update on the national equine health initiative. “This initiative resulted from the USDA-AHC hosted workshop at last year’s National Issues Forum, which provided an opportunity for the horse industry, key federal and state authorities, and others to discuss a coordinated approach to the handling of serious infectious equine diseases that threaten the health of our horses and the commercial health of the industry,” said Hickey. These outbreaks affect the interstate and international movement of horses, which is critical to the horse industry. When barriers to movement are raised by states and foreign countries concerned about the spread of infectious diseases, this affects sales, breeding, racing, competitions and recreation. The annual Congressional Ride-In will occur on Wednesday, June 22. The Ride-In allows members of the horse community to meet with their elected representatives and their federal officials to discuss important issues affecting them. All members of the horse community are encouraged to participate, even if you don’t attend the AHC convention. “The Ride-In puts a face on the $102 billion horse industry and the millions of Americans who are part of it,” said Hickey. “The most effective way to affect Congress is through the voters, the horse people from back home who can tell Congress first hand about the horse industry in their respective states and districts and the issues that impact them.” The AHC will conduct a free briefing for Ride-In participants. Anyone wishing to participate in the Ride-In should contact AHC Legislative Director Ben Pendergrass at bpendergrass@horsecouncil.org or 202-296-4031. More information on these Forums and the entire AHC annual meeting, including registration and hotel information can be found on the Events Page on the AHC’s website, http://horsecouncil.org/events.php or by contacting the AHC. AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL IS BI-PARTISON AS 112TH CONGRESS CONVENES IN JANUARY HICKEY SAYS ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THE HORSE INDUSTRY WILL BE ON THE TABLE Press
release from American Horse Council “Issues important to the horse industry will be on the table. Comprehensive immigration reform, internet wagering, tax reform, animal welfare, trails legislation, equine health, and the farm bill are important to the equine community,” noted Jay Hickey, president of the American Horse Council, which represents the horse industry in Washington.“Overriding all debate, however, is how existing programs can be paid for and whether new programs can be initiated in a Congress that will be focused on reducing spending and the size of government.”
EASTERN LIVESTOCK SWINDLES CATTLEMEN OUT OF $130 MILLION Dec.
13, 2010 According to their web site, “Eastern Livestock is a long-time, trusted company doing business in every cattle-producing state in the country. The site continues, saying that “Eastern Livestock is a name cattlemen know and a name they know they can trust.” The trouble began on Nov. 3 when a livestock seller complained to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration that a check received for livestock sold to Eastern had been returned due to insufficient funds. The USDA said unpaid sellers m ay contact it for information on filing bond claims. However, according to an Associated Press article, Eastern Livestock is not only accused of bouncing checks for livestock purchases but also for failing to maintain an adequate bond to cover its debts. Their bond was only $875,000 even though the USDA had ordered them to increase its bond to $1.15 million earlier this year. However, the company ignored the order and the USDA doesn’t have the authority to suspend companies’ operations when they don’t have adequate bonds. David Scott, president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association says that the government needs greater enforcement power. Eastern mainly bought calves
throughout the South and sold them to feed lots in big cattle states,
including Texas and Oklahoma, where they were fattened for slaughter.
The bad checks have created financial hardship for many ranchers
and could push some toward bankruptcy. In early November, attorneys
representing Friona Industries L.P., a feedlot in Amarillo, Texas,
filed a federal lawsuit to ensure that Friona and others who bought
cattle from Eastern don’t have to pay twice – to the
producers and to a bank with which Eastern had a loan.
Press
release from the American Horse Council The first incentive allows an owner who purchases a horse or other business property used in a horse business and places it in service in 2010 or 2011 to expense up to $500,000 of the cost. This so-called “Section 179” expensing allowance applies to horses, farm equipment and most other depreciable property. Once total purchases of horses and other eligible property reach $2 million, the expense allowance goes down one dollar for each dollar spent over $2 million. Without the bill the expensing allowance would have been $250,000 in 2010 and gone down to $25,000 for later years. “Let’s assume a horse business purchases $750,000 of depreciable property in 2010, including $650,000 for horses, and places it all in service. That business can write off $500,000 on its 2010 tax return and depreciate the balance,” explained American Horse Council President Jay Hickey. This provision will benefit any business involved in the horse industry that purchases and places depreciable property in service in 2010 or 2011. The second incentive reinstitutes the 50% first-year bonus depreciation for horses and most other depreciable property purchased and placed in service during 2010. Bonus depreciation had expired at the end of 2009.This benefit applies to any property that has a depreciable life of 20 years or less. Also, the property must be new, meaning that the original use of the horse or other property must commence with the taxpayer. For a horse to be eligible, it cannot have been used for any purpose before it is purchased. “The tax benefits in this bill are great for any horse business that has or is planning on making major purchases,” said Hickey. “The expensing and bonus depreciation provisions can be used together in 2010.For example, let’s assume an owner pays $1,000,000 for a colt to be used for racing and $100,000 for other depreciable property, bringing total purchases to $1,100,000 in 2010. If the colt had never been raced or used for any other purpose before the purchase and is placed into service, the owner would be able to expense $500,000, deduct another $300,000 of bonus depreciation (50% of the $600,000 remaining balance), and take regular depreciation on the $300,000 balance.” “We hope the horse industry will take full advantage of these two tax benefits while they last,” said Hickey. AQHA SPONSORS THE NEW RANCH RODEO TOP HORSE AWARDS AT WRHA RODEOS Press release from
AQHA Recognizing the American Quarter Horse's legacy on the ranches of the American West and as the chosen mount for generations of cowboys, the AQHA Top Horse Award will recognize the top registered American Quarter Horse at each WRCA-sanctioned rodeo. AQHA has been a strong supporter of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association and the World Championship Ranch Rodeo since its inception 14 years ago. Recognizing the horse, the owner and the cowboy cements the American Quarter Horse's spot on today's ranches, while encouraging ranches and cowboys to maintain AQHA membership and up-to-date horse transfers. The AQHA Top Horse Award
will consist of a $250 cash prize to the rider of the top American
Quarter Horse at each WRCA-sanctioned rodeo and an AQHA bronze trophy
to the owner of the top American Quarter Horse at each of those
rodeos. The winning horse must be registered, and its AQHA paperwork
must be up to date. RACHEL ALEXANDRA EDGES OUT ZENYATTA FOR HORSE OF THE YEAR AWARD Jan. 20, 2010 This was also the third year that Jess Jackson, Rachel Alexandra’s owner, went home with Horse of the Year honors. He received back-to-back titles in 2007-2008 for Curlin. Curlin and Rachel Alexandra also shared the same trainer, Steve Asmussen, who received the award for Leading Trainer for the second year in a row. Lookin At Lucky dominated as 2-year-old male, receiving 209 first-place votes, Glo Ponti took the titles for Champion Turf Male and Older Male. Informed Decision was named Champion Female Sprinter and Summer Bird was the Champion 3-Year-Old Male. Other winners included She Be Wild taking the 2-Year-Old Filly award, Kodiak Kowboy named Male Sprinter, Goldikova theTurf Female and Mixed Up - Steeplechaser. The leading owner was Godolphin Racing, Breeder was Juddmonte Farms, Jokey, Julien Leparoux and Apprentice Jockey Christian Santiago Reyes. HAVE MULTIPLE EMBRYOS HAD AN IMPACT ON THE CUTTING INDUSTRY? Sept.
27,2009 According to the article, it had an immediate effect, with a 41 percent increase in embryo transfer enrollments - from 1,849 in 2002 to 2,614 in 2003. In 2008, 3,821 mares had embryo transfer enrollments filed with the AQHA in 2007. The article has many other interesting
facts and figures and I urge you to look at them - and you can even
give your comments at the end of the article. AQHA OFFERS REDUCED RATE ON REGISTRATIONS FOR AMERICAN QUARTER HORSES 3 AND OLDER Reprint from America’s
Horse The American Quarter Horse Association
is offering reduced registration fees for horses 3 and older. Normally
the 3-year-old fee is $550 and the fee for horses 4 and older is
$1,000. But for a limited time, AQHA is offering a reduced rate
of $300. If the application is complicated, AQHA might have to charge a nonrefundable $100 complex transaction fee in addition to the registration fee. This will typically be done when AQHA’s registration department must deal with multiple generations of horses to get the horse registered or if a DNA type has to be built for horses that are no longer available for DNA typing. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis, but if your horse’s paperwork is ready – send it in and become a proud owner of a properly papered American Quarter Horse. Get your paperwork done quicker
by bringing it all to one of the remaining AQHA events near you
this year. AQHA offers on-site services at all of the AQHA Regional
Experiences held around the United States and Europe; the Ford Youth,
Bank of America Amateur and FedEx Open World Shows in Oklahoma City;
the Bayer Select World Show in Amarillo; and the Wrangler National
Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Check AQHA’s online calendar at
www.aqha.com/association/calendar.html for more information. NEWS FROM THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY By Glory Ann Kurtz NEW
YORK CITY OTB FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY: It is the first time in the fund’s 34-year history that the New York Thoroughbred Breeders have been unable to disburse the next batch of award checks. One executive said that New York City OTB could not make the payments because it needs the money to operate; although others blame its problems on excessive operational expenses. However, since New York City OTB has filed for bankruptcy, that will allow it to reorganize, cut jobs and get out of burdensome leases without liquidating. New York City OTB also owes the New York Racing Association $14 million – besides the $1.5 million owed the New York Breeding & Development Fund. Obviously breeders’ checks will be delayed. The New York City OTB handles nearly $1-billion in wagers annually and is one of six regional off-track wagering corporations in the state. They operate independently of each other and compete for the state’s Thoroughbred and harness tracks – which is one of their major shortfalls. The bankruptcy proposal calls for presenting the plan to a federal bankruptcy court in the next few months. With its approval, the package then would be sent to the state legislature, whose approval is required to alter burdensome statutory payments that OTB says hurt is bottom line. There have been rumors of a possible merger or even a joint operation between the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and the New York City OTB. Thoroughbred Times Today also reported that the state took over New York City OTB last July when the entity was running out of money even though Mayor Michael Bloomberg threatened to close the organization rather than bail it out. However, shut-down costs alone would have cost $600 million and it still would have been responsible for nearly 40 years of pension benefits. FASIG-TIPTON
TEXAS SUMMER YEARLING SALE DECLINES EXCEPT FOR MEDIAN The sale, held Monday, Aug. 31, at Arlington, Texas’ Lone Star Park, was expected to be down following the national trend, which mirrors the national economy. The number offered (319) was down 28 percent from 2008, while the gross of $1,889,400 was down 43.9 percent. The average dropped 14.8 percent to $10,213. The 42 percent of horses not sold was up from last year’s 36.6 percent. TWO HORSES IN EAST TEXAS DIE FROM EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS (EEE) July
16, 2009 VESICULAR STOMATITIS OUTBREAK REQUIRES SPECIAL HEALTH PAPERS FOR AQHA YOUTH WORLD July 7, 2009 All horses from those states must have a health certificate from their veterinarian which states that the horse did not come from an area with cases of vesicular stomatitis and that the animals do not exchibit any sign of the disease. According to the AQHA, they will continue to check with the Oklahoma State Veterinarian and post updates on the Ford AQHYA Ford World Championship Show page at www.aqha.com/youth/activities/yws/index.html. For more information on the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture's policies, visit www.oda.state.ok.us/ais.htm. CATTLE TUBERULOSIS CONFIRMED IN TEXAS June 13, 2009 In early June, Nebraska,
confirmed TB infection in a beef herd. Currently, California and
Minnesota are not cattle TB-free, and areas in Michigan and New
Mexico have specified zones that are not TB-free. When TB-free status
is lost, breeding cattle and bison moved out of a state need a negative
TB test within 60 days prior to shipment, or animals must originate
from a herd that has accredited TB-free status, achieved through
a formal testing and retesting program. The minimum amount each in-state bred mare that owners will contribute is $30 with the final amount still to be determined by each breed. Stallions and mares can opt out if they do not wish to participate. This is a voluntary program with nomination fees paid into a fund similar to the American Quarter Horse Association Incentive Fund, American Paint Horse Association Breeders Trust or Appaloosa Horse Club of America Breeders Trust. Payouts will occur for foals of nominated stallions and mares when they compete in Texas equine events and earn points in their respective breed association shows. This program in anticipated to motivate more Texas-bred horses that are sold to other locations, to return to Texas for events, thus growing our in-state events. This is start of widespread legislation
to retain horses in the state of Texas. The program in Kentucky
started with only 8 stallions and has become an exciting program
that motivates horse owners to move their horses to Kentucky during
breeding season so they may participate in the incentives once that
foal is old enough to show. This bill is the first step to breathe
new life into the Texas horse industry, and the program really has
unlimited potential. Already, there are plans under development
to enhance the program. Once the bill has Governor Rick Perry’s
signature, it will become law on Sept. 9, 2009. In the Senate, the bill was sponsored
by Senator Craig Estes of Wichita Falls (R). Senator Estes is the
Chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Senator Estes was
joined on the bill by co-sponsors Senator Glenn Hegar (R) of Katy,
Senator Carlos Uresti (D) of San Antonio. The bill was also supported
by Rob Werstler of Texas Quarter Horse Association. Plans are being
made for the 2011 legislative session. RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM
UP FOR REAUTHORIZATION “The RTP is one of
the few sources for federal funding of trail projects that are not
on federal land. The program is a great resource for equestrians
to fund projects in their state and local parks,” said AHC
Legislative Director Ben Pendergrass. In the coming months Congress
is expected to begin work on the next 5-year highway bill. The AHC,
in conjunction with a broad coalition of recreational trail users
is requesting that Congress not only re-authorized the RTP, but
also increase funding for the program to $555 million to be spent
over the five years of the bill. MONTANA HORSE SLAUGHTER BECOMES LAW May 2, 2009 The law, which was originally introduced by state Representative Ed Butcher (R-Winfred), offers the new horse-slaughter facility legal protection from anyone challenging the legality of the plant, including forcing anyone challenging the construction of the plant to post a bond equal to 20 percent of the estimated construction costs. The law would also prohibit a court from issuing an injunction based on a challenge brought from the public. According to Butcher, the plan will accepted out-of-state horses and all breeds. He said that the selling of horse meat would be determined by export certificates from the United States Department of Agriculture. Twelve states are currently considering or encouraging horse slaughter plants; however should Congress pass a law that would ban horse slaughter anywhere in the United States by preventing the transport or export of horses for human consumption (HR 503), that would trump any state law.. Currently there are no equine
slaughter facilities in the United States, but there are facilities
in Canada and Mexico. The last horse slaughter facility in the U.S.
was shut down in DeKalb, Illinois by court order in 2007. FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW ELECTS
NEW BOARD MEMBERS; REPORTS YEAR-END RESULTS New board members elected include: Roy Eaton, retired publisher of the Wise County Messenger; Mike Lansford, Vice President/Regional Manager of JP Moran Chase Farm & Ranch Division; John L. (Rusty) Lewis of John L. Lewis & Co.; Bill Poteet, a self employed health care consultant and executive coach and Charlie Royer, account executive for Royer and Schutts Commercial Interiors. Elevated to the position of Honorary Vice President was Anne W. Marion who was elected to the board in 1978. All other directors and officers were re-elected. Bradford S. Barnes, Stock Show executive vice president and general manager, reported the Show had another successful year, with livestock entries totaling 22,149, including hosting a record six national cattle shows. He said livestock show participants came from 41 states as well as three foreign countries; junior show entries totaled 9,642. Also, ross receipts from 17 auctions totaled $5,660,416. The Stock Show awarded $325,960 in scholarships and educational grants during the fiscal year ending March 31. The Show’s PRCA rodeo hosted a record 1,190 professional athletes competing for $572,720 in purse money. Estimated grounds attendance was 926,200, up 3 percent from last year The 114th Southwestern Exposition and Livestock
Show is scheduled for Jan. 15-Feb. 7, 2010. For additional information
call (817) 877-2400 or visit www.fwssr.com CLONING FORUM WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HIGHLIGHT AQHA CONVENTION HOWEVER, MEMBERS FEAR THAT ALL INFORMATION AVAILABLE MAY NOT BE PRESENTED Article and photo
by Glory Ann Kurtz
The AQHA Convention, scheduled for March 5-9 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, was going to be just another “ho-hum” convention, until the AQHA reported that there would be a Cloning Forum during the Stud Book & Registration Committee meeting, from 2-4:30 p.m., Friday, March 6. However, a group of members are concerned that the registration of clones may violate Article I of the AQHA Bylaws, which states, “The purpose of AQHA shall be to collect, record and preserve the pedigrees of American Quarter Horses.” At the 2008 Convention, the Stud Book and Registration Committee (SBRC) was, for the first time, presented with a proposed change to Rule 227(a) that would allow a live foal produced via a “particular type of cloning” to be registered if its DNA matches that of a registered American Quarter Horse. At that time, the SBRC recommended that any decision regarding the proposed change be postponed pending further study by the SBRC. As a result, on Oct. 15, 2008, representatives from Colorado State University, Texas A&M University and ViaGen, a cloning company, met with the SBRC in Amarillo to discuss the topic of equine cloning. As a result, the proposed change to Rule 227(a) will again be on the SBRC agenda at the 2009 Convention in San Antonio and in an effort to make the most recent information on equine cloning available to AQHA members, AQHA has not only scheduled the Open Forum on March 6, but they have also decided to web cast the meeting. Since it would cost a registration fee of $135 to attend the meeting, many members will more than likely listen in via the web cast, which begins at 2 p.m. March 6. To listen to the web cast, you must be an AQHA member and have a personal Identification Number to login to www.aqhamembers.com and access the Web cast. Forum panelists will include Katrin
Hinrichs, a veterinarian involved in equine cloning at Texas A&M
University; Sharon Spier, an epidemiologist at the University of
California-Davis; George Seidel, a professor specializing in biomedical
sciences at Colorado State University and Blake Russell of ViaGen,
a well-known cloning company located in Canada. Following the forum,
AQHA members will have the opportunity to leave online comments
on the information presented. Comments will be limited to 100 words
and need to be related to the topics presented during the forum. Nena Winand, DVM, PhD, a genetic researcher at Cornell University’s College Of Veterinary Medicine, who developed a DNA test to detect carrier status for HERDA (hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia), stated that “not enough research has been done to give any indication of the immediate or long-term impact that variation in genes encoded by the mitochondrial DNA may have on the makeup of cloned horses.” The mitochondrial DNA ties the individual to specific MATERNAL bloodlines through the oocyte. Some members are concerned since the mitochondrial DNA comes from the MATERNAL bloodlines through the oocyte, and ViaGen, uses slaughterhouse mares as their primary source of ovaries and oocytes used in cloning. Because the slaughterhouses were closed down in the USA, ViaGen built an equine cloning laboratory in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada , in 2007 and transferred the team that produced the company’s first clones to that facility – which is located 60 miles east of a horse-processing plant in Fort MacLeod, Alberta, which provides a supply of equine ovaries for clones. Obviously slaughterhouse mares are horses with “unknown” pedigrees or breeds, and their mitochondrial DNA now represents part of the maternal lineage in the pedigrees of clones of Smart Little Lena, the cutting industry’s leading sire; Doc’s Serendipity, Reserve Champion of the 1977 NCHA Futurity, and Charmayne James great barrel racing horse Scamper. WHAT
CAN BE DONE: “We know equine mitochondrial
DNA genes encode proteins that are equivalent to their human counterparts,”
says Dr. Winand. “Impact of genetic variation on human mitochondrial
function is well established and the attached references are reviews
that address this. While the functional impact of variation in equine
mtDNA on metabolism or other traits hasn’t been systematically
studied, mtDNA sequence variation between breeds and within breeds
have been documented. This raises concern about the impact of mitochondrial
DNA differences from random source oocytes (unfertilized eggs).”
Some members feel that until further study and evidence is provided to the members of the Association, it would not seem to be prudent to proceed with registration of clones from “unknown” maternal parentage or to allow registration without knowing the effects the mitochondrial DNA variants have on the equine metabolism and feel that minimally, registration papers of clones derived from random source oocytes (unfertilized eggs) should state that the maternal mtDNA lineage is unknown. Another member has suggested
that if clones are registered, they should be registered as “appendix
cloned” horses since the source of the original oocyte is
of an unknown origin (horse). In any case, the lineage of the mitochondrial
DNA should either be shown on the registration papers or be stated
as “unknown.” Given the information, or lack thereof,
regarding the mitochondrial DNA (maternal and issues of paternal
leakage), we have no idea what type of “can of worms”
(possible mutations) we are opening and just because the cost is
enormous, cloning horses does not obligate the American Quarter
Horse Association to register horses of “unknown” origin. COLORADO HORSEMEN'S BILL PASSES AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE Feb. 9, 2009 The bill will now go to the House
Finance Committee and then hopefully on to the full House. Passage
of the bill can be attributed to the many horsemen and women that
stayed over nine hours to show support and those that testified.
The following horsemen gave testimony: The group of horsemen showed what a true grassroots effort by the horsemen of Colorado can do; however, their next step is to prepare for many more opportunities to explain and sell the horse industry economic development that is contained in HB 1152. BOYD RICE HITS A DOUBLE AT AQHA WORLD SHOW By Glory Ann Kurtz
Boyd Rice is the most versatile horseman in the performance horse industry. He can beat you in ranch horse competition, the reined cow horse classes and most of all in the cutting horse classes. His latest titles came from the AQHA World Show, being held Nov. 7-22 in Oklahoma City, Okla., where he won World Championship titles in both the Junior and Senior Cutting. Rice, 42, Spearman, Texas, won the Senior Cutting by scoring a 222 riding Sophisticated Catt, a stallion sired by High Brow Cat out of NCHA Futurity Champion Shania Cee by Peppys Boy 895, owned by Keither Feister and Dale Koller, Gainesville, Texas.
In AQHA rules, when there is a tie, the officials add all five scores together, then if there is a tie, they go to Judge No. 1’s high score to find the winner. However, both Boyd and Andy had the same high score of 74 – so a work-off was held –much to the delight of the spectators. Following Rice’s 224 score in the work-off, Boyd – who has close to $2.2 million in NCHA lifetime earnings – collected the $18,697 first-place paycheck. He also picked up $14,957 in the Senior cutting, for a total of $33,857. SENIOR CUTTING: The Reserve Champion of the Senior Cutting was Catty Starlight, a 2001 son of Grays Starlight out of Cats Bobby Sox by High Brow Cat, owned by Tom Mason’s TCM Equine Ventures, Canton, Mich., ridden by Wayne Czisny. Catty Starlight was bred by the Polo Ranch, Marietta, Okla., and Czisny trains out of the Polo Ranch facility. JUNIOR CUTTING: The Reserve Champions, Tanga Rey and Andy Sherrard, collected $12,128. The 2004 mare suffered an early injury during her career and, therefore, only won a total of $2,366.13 prior to the World Show. The mare, which placed sixth in The Non-Pro 4-Year-Old Open class, was bred by Gail Holmes’ Double Dove Ranch, Longmont, Colo. The mare currently has $15,229 in lifetime earnings. For full World Show results, go to: http://www.aqha.com/showing/shows/worldshow/results.html AQHA WORLD SHOW AMATEUR FINALS BILL COWAN TAKES CUTTING TITLE RIDING SPOOKS BLUESTEM; WORKING COW HORSE TAKEN BY KAREN STALLINGS AND NMSU TRUCKIN CHEX By Glory Ann Kurtz Bred by the Polo Ranch, Marietta, Okla., Spooks Bluestem is a 6-year-old son of Grays Starlight out of the great producing mare Crab Grass by Smart Little Lena. The mare, with $50,914 in lifetime earnings, recently sold during the Oct. 17 Polo Ranch Dispersal Sale for $38,500 to Andrew Grant. Three of her offspring also sold for $90,000. With lifetime earnings of $51,348, Spooks Bluestem was a finalist in the 2005 NCHA Limited Non-Pro Futurity and a money-earner in the Non-Pro Division. He was also a finalist in the Memphis Open Futurity and split fourth in the Non-Pro, as well as being a finalist in the Open Bonanza and NCHA Open Super Stakes. His largest single paycheck of $9,072.88 came from a fifth place in the 2006 Cotton Classic Non-Pro Derby. Cowan has been to the AQHA World Show several times, but this was his first championship. The couple also have two daughters ages 4 and 2. The Reserve title went to Ben Herman, Colorado Springs, Colo., riding Smart Chuka Lena, a 6-year-old daughter of Smart Chic Olena out of Chukas Misty by Shorty Lena. Bred by Lynn and Larry Baber, the mare has over $18,277 in lifetime earnings; however, this was her first big win. The pair scored a 215.5. Judges for the cutting included Robert Ingersoll, Rod Kelley, Billy Cochrane, Ian Chisholm and David Holtsford. WORKING
COW HORSE: The Reserve title went to Smokescreen Image, a 7-year-old daughter of The Smart Smoke out of Freckles K Lena by Freckle Image, bred to Gary and Sandra Fishko. She was ridden by her owner Kayla Irby, Wheatland, Wyo., to a grand total of 435. Smokescreen Image currently has over $6,000 in lifetime earnings, including a fifth place in the 2007 AQHA World Show in the Amateur Working Cow Horse. Judges for the Working Cow Horse were Robert Ingersoll, Rod Kelley, Billy Cochrane, Ian Chisholm and Chris Kozlowski. According to the AQHA, the 2008 entries in the World Show increased by 191 over 2007, with 3,494 entries being received this year from 48 states, eight Canadian provinces, Brazil, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The Amateur Cutting featured 75 entries while the Amateur Working Cow Horse had 49 entries. Click here for Link to results>> AQHA JOINS FORCES WITH RANCH HORSE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA May 29, 2008 - Amarillo,
Texas As part of the agreement, Ranch Horse Association of America performance records and earnings by American Quarter Horses will become part of the horse’s permanent AQHA record. This information will be available to the public through AQHA’s Internet record search and will help owners promote their horse’s performance history. Also, AQHA will recognize the highest-placing American Quarter Horse in each of the four RHAA National Finals classes as AQHA/RHAA Horses of the Year and present their owners a specially designed AQHA bronze trophy and a $500 cash bonus. The RHAA was formed in 1998 to promote the qualities and characteristics of the ultimate working ranch horse, while providing a means of competition to show these ranch horses. The RHAA sanctions local working ranch horse competitions, provides a uniform set of rules, qualifies working ranch horse competition judges, and promotes uniformity and consistency in judging. The association works to accomplish these goals while maintaining traditional western influence with historic western sportsmanship and a cowboy ethic. AQHA also has strategic marketing alliances with the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA), National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA), National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), National Snaffle Bit Associatio (NSBA), Palomino Horse Breeders of America (PHBA), International Buckskin Horse Assoication (IBHA) and the United States Team Penning Assoication (USTPA). The AQHA also has marketing agreements with the Barrel Futurities of America (BFA) and the American Buckskin Registry Association (ABRA). To learn more about RHAA, visit their official Web site at www.rhaa.org. AQHA ANNOUNCES 2009 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
The three horses include: Make It Do, nicknamed "Peanuts," was a 1964 gelding that was a PRCA steer wrestling horse that became a rodeo legend and was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. Scotch Bar Time was a 1974 stallion sired by Hall of Fame inductee Sonny Dee Bar. He sired two Supreme amateur champions and six Supreme youth champions. His foals have earned $136,394 in NSBA competition and earned more than 11,000 points in Open performance classes, more than 15,000 in amateur and more than 12,000 in youth classes. Altogether, they have earned 38,405.5 performance points and 4,493 halter points. The five individuals include: Charles Graham, D.V.M., Elgin, Texas, is an AQHA life member and AQHA Director at Large from Texas. He has been the owner and operator of Southwest Stallion Station in Elgin since 1961 and has been breeding Quarter Horses for over 40 years. Horses bred by Graham have earned over $1,160,705, including six stakes winners. R. D. Hubbard, Palm Desert, Calif., is an AQHA life member and has owned horses that have earned a combined 14 championships. He has campaigned more than 70 stakes winners, including Denim N Diamonds, Super Sound Charge, Prissy Fein and Stoli. Horses he bred earned $1.9 million. He owns Ruidoso Downs Race Track, home to the All American Futurity. Jerry Nicodemus, El Paso, Texas,was a legendary jockey, nicknamed the "Golden Greek" and the "Ice Man." Even though he rode before AQHA kept official records, he still ranks among the top of the all-time leaders. With 6,317 starts, Nicodemus won 1,252 races on horses who earned $18,887,342. His champions included Dash For Cash, Denim N Diamonds and Lady Juno and he won the All American Futurity three times. Steve Stevens, Houston, Texas,
an AQHA life member, served as AQHA President in 2003 and has been
a director since 1987. He has been involved with the Houston Livestock
Show & Rodeo since 1970 and serves as a lifetime vice president
and as a member of the board of directors today. He also served
on the Board of Regents at Texas A&M University (his alma mater)
for seven years. These three horses and five individuals will join 135 people and 79 horses already inducted into the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1975 to honor people and horses instrumental in the development of the breed and the American Quarter Horse Association. Induction into the Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors bestowed by AQHA. AQHA LOWERS 2008 WORLD AND SELECT WORLD QUALIFYING POINTS May 1, 2008 - Amarillo,
Texas For some, fewer points might mean fewer hours spent on the road during the show season and fewer stops at expensive fuel pumps, something every horse exhibitor can appreciate. “In these days of increased prices for nearly everything, we want to serve our members in the best ways possible,” said Ken Mumy, AQHA President. “With today’s rising fuel costs, exhibitors are feeling the pinch, and by lowering the points, our hope is that members will be able to qualify more economically. We always look forward to seeing the best competitors at the World Show and want to help people who are World Show bound.” Building on the excitement and improvements of last year’s shows, qualifiers are already up compared to 2007. In amateur competition, World Show qualifiers are up 143 from 604 in 2007 through March to 747 this year compared to the same period. There are 184 more qualifiers for the 2008 FedEx Open World Show compared to the same period in 2007. Last year, there were 639 qualifiers compared to 823 this year. The majority of the increase in
qualifiers can be attributed to the popularity of AQHA’s two
newest classes: ranch sorting and performance halter. Points will
not be reduced for these classes because this is the first full-year
exhibitors have been able to qualify for these events. The 6th Annual Bayer Select World Championship Show takes place Aug. 25-31 in Amarillo. The 35th Annual Bank of America Amateur and FedEx Open World Championship Shows take place Nov. 8-22 at the newly remodeled State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. IPHD HOLDS "VIRTUAL" COMPETITIONS AND CLINICS April
25, 2008 Jim McCutcheon, who successfully shows reiners, cutters, and cow horses, judged competitors from the US and Canada. Exhibitors were competing for cash awards, and a high-point buckle by Silversmith. IPHDA will continue holding virtual competitions every six weeks, to allow members to compete for great prizes without ever leaving home. The entries for the next v-show close June 1, 2008. Entry details can be found at www.iphda.com. IPHDA has also developed an interactive website loaded with information to help members that seek better horsemanship skills. At www.iphda.com,members will find: Critiques of all virtual show entries - exhibitors can read what judges thought of their ride; Clinician critiques - V show exhibitors can read suggestions from IPHDA clinicians for improving their performance, and trainer tips. Along with on-line competitions,
there are also IPHDA clinics and competitions. If you can’t
find a competition in your area, you can organize your own. For
more information on this new educational association visit the IPHDA
website www.iphda.com. TEXAS CLASSIC TO HOST FIRST-EVER WCHA CLASSES April 15, 2008 - Fort Worth, Texas The Texas Classic bills itself as “Not Just Another Horse Show” and never has that been more true for the mammoth event than in 2008. With over 11,000 entries expected and half a dozen different discipline specific association co-approvals, the event is much more than your everyday American Quarter Horse Association event. Slated for May 23-June 1, the Texas Quarter Horse Association’s signature show expands in 2008 to include its first-ever World Conformation Horse Association (WCHA) events. According to WCHA Officials, Executive Committee member and Chairman of the Judges Committee, Tim Finkenbinder initiated discussions about holding WCHA classes at the Texas Classic. Region 3 Director Jason Smith helped with the negotiations, along with Dick Donnelly, Chairman of the WCHA Executive Committee and Jodi Sullivan, also an Executive Committee member. Val Clark, Show Manager for the Texas Classic, is enthusiastic about the World Conformation Horse having a presence at the show. “I’m thrilled that the Texas Classic can host the WCHA clinic and classes! We look forward to supporting and promoting the vision and goals of the WCHA and I know that this first show is just the beginning of a very bright future for the new Association. It’s an honor to be a part of it.” WCHA Professionals, including Mike McMillian, Jason Smith, Ted Turner, and Dewey Smith, will conduct a special clinic on Saturday, May 31, in conjunction with the Texas Classic Greenhand halter program. The clinic, led by McMillian, culminates with one-on-one help for people who want to try their hand at halter but don’t have the know-how, is free for anyone entered in the show and will cover grooming, attire and other showing topics. Attendees will also have an opportunity to learn about the World Conformation Horse Association. WCHA Executive Committee member
Tim Finkenbinder will serve as the judge for the WCHA Amateur classes
and Youth classes which will be held Sunday, June 1, following the
AQHA halter classes. In both classes the exhibitor or horse cannot
have been in the top ten in the AQHA World Show or at the Congress
and both owner and exhibitor must be a WCHA member. The WCHA classes
are open to all western performance breeds with presentation of
a copy of the horse’s registration papers being a requirement
for entry. For the $25 entry fee, exhibitors will win $250, $100
and $50 for first, second and third in each class. The World Conformation Horse Association is dedicated to the belief that correct conformation is the foundation of the horse’s ability to successfully perform in any discipline. The organization was created to encourage interest in and competitive opportunities for conformation horse enthusiasts and its members are committed to preserving, protecting and promoting the conformation standard of the horse. For information on the World Conformation Horse Association visit the web site at www.conformationhorse.com or contact the office at 580-759-3959, M-F from 8 am to 6 pm CST. OKLAHOMA ON VERGE OF ELIMINATING ALL AGRICULTURAL TAX EXEMPTIONS Feb. 28, 2008 This bill does not strictly focus on agricultural tax exemptions, but virtually all tax exemptions offered by the state. This would include 4H programs, educational institutions, religious institutions, and/or any other non-profit organizations. This could effectively adding 8 percent more to the expenses of Oklahoma. A copy of the full 233-page bill can be found by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page. You can find information regarding agricultural production starting at Line 20, Page 212 through Line 2, Page 219. Should you wish to comment on this, contact your local Senator and ask them not to vote for Senate Bill 2024. If you do not know your local senator, to to http://www.capitolconnect.com/oklahoma/
BENEFITS IN THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS ACT FOR HORSE INDUSTRY Feb. 14, 2008 -
Washington, D.C. “The new law includes two tax incentives that would allow a much bigger write-off for horses and other depreciable property purchased and placed in service during 2008,” said Jay Hickey, President of the American Horse Council. “This should provide an additional incentive for people to invest in more horses for racing, showing and breeding as part of their business activities.” The first incentive would increase the so-called Section 179 expensing allowance for horses purchased and placed into service in 2008 from $128,000 to $250,000. This expensing allowance also applies to farm equipment and most other depreciable property. Once total purchases of horses, and other eligible depreciable property, during 2008 reach $800,000, the expense allowance goes down one dollar for each dollar spent on eligible property over $800,000. “The horse industry almost lost the Section 179 expense deduction in 1996. The House of Representatives passed legislation taking this deduction away from the horse industry,” said Hickey. “But we were able to convince the Senate to remove this restriction before passing the final bill and the deduction was preserved. It was worth $17,500 then. Over the years it has been increased and will now go up to $250,000 for 2008. That is a real benefit to horse owners.” To illustrate the expensing allowance, assume a horse business purchases $750,000 of depreciable property in 2008, including $650,000 for horses. That business can write off $250,000 on its 2008 tax return and depreciate the balance. If instead, purchases were $900,000, the expense allowance would go down by $100,000. In either case, the amount of the purchases not expensed may also be eligible for bonus depreciation, which is reinstated for 2008 in the new tax stimulus package. The second incentive brings back 50 percent first-year bonus depreciation for horses and most other depreciable property purchased and placed in service during 2008. “Bonus depreciation was first passed in 2002 as a way to stimulate the economy. It phased out at the end of 2004,” noted Hickey. “It was a benefit for the industry then and it should be again.” It does not apply to property that has a depreciation life of over 20 years. Also, as was the case when bonus depreciation was available in 2003 and 2004, the property must be new, meaning that the original use of the horse or other property must begin with the purchaser for the property to be eligible. “Original use” means the first use to which the property is put, whether or not that use corresponds to the use of the property by the purchaser. “There is no limit on the amount of bonus depreciation that can be taken, as there is with the expense deduction,” noted Hickey. To illustrate bonus depreciation, assume that in 2008 a business pays $500,000 for a colt to be used for racing and $50,000 for other depreciable property, bringing total purchases to $550,000. The young colt had never been raced or used for any other purpose before the purchase. The business would be able to expense $250,000, deduct another $150,000 of bonus depreciation (50 percent of the $300,000 remaining balance), and take regular depreciation on the $150,000 balance. The above article is courtesy of the American Horse Council.
KENTUCKY BREDERS INCENTIVE FUND PAYS OUT MORE THAN $2,700 PER AQHA INCENTIVE POINT LAST YEAR Feb.
16, 2008 The primary goal of the KyQHA Breeders Incentive Fund (BIF) is to increase equine economic activity related to the Quarter Horse breed, by enhancing profit opportunities for both new and existing owners and breeders. Mike and Libby Bowman, Walton, Ky., have started a breeding farm at Mike's family farm, where they are standing 17 stallions. That's why Mike hasn't been seen at many cuttings lately. After I published the information about the Thoroughbreds receiving incentive money, Libby let me know about the Quarter Horse incentive money. For more information on the Kentucky BIF, go to www.kyqha.com. For Bowman's web site go to www.bowmanranch.net. FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW KICKS OFF WITH RANCHING HERITAGE WEEKEND Jan. 4, 2008 –
Fort Worth, Texas A major attraction for Stock Show visitors Ranching Heritage Weekend, features the “Best of the West” Ranch Rodeo, Chris Cox Horsemanship Clinic, Invitational Ranch Horse Sale and special events of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) generating lots of excitement during the event. This year’s Stock Show will run through Feb.3 and perhaps the marquee event of the weekend is the “Best of the West” Ranch Rodeo with performances Jan. 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. Eight outstanding ranches will compete in events likened to traditional ranching chores such as: branding, sorting, bronc riding and the always entertaining wild cow milking. Providing attendees with his keen insights on training, Chris Cox stresses the development of a willing, working partnership between horse and human. Cox’s clinic will be held in Will Rogers Coliseum on Jan. 13 at 10:30 a.m. At 1 p.m. that same day the Stock Show’s annual Invitational Ranch Horse Show and Sale will also be held in the Coliseum featuring 17 outstanding ranch geldings from some of the most noted ranch horse programs in the Southwest. Selling horses from nine ranches who have won the coveted Best of the Remuda Award, the AQHA Best of the Remuda Sale will be held at noon on Jan. 12. Approximately, 70 yearlings, 2-year-olds, stallions, mares and saddle horses will be available in this one of a kind sale. Ranches consigning horses include: 6666 Ranch – Texas; Bar-B Ranch – Okla.; Bogle Ltd. – N.M.; Haythorn Land and Cattle Co. – Neb.; Pitchfork Land and Cattle Co. – Texas; R.A. Brown Ranch – Texas; Tule Ranch – Texas; W.H. Green Cattle Co. – Texas. The Versatility Ranch Horse Class, which debuted at the Stock Show in 2002, will be held Friday, Jan. 11. The legendary Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo will be held Jan. 11-Feb. 3 and will include the “Best of the West” Ranch Rodeo, “Best of Mexico Celebración,” “Bulls Night Out” PRCA Extreme Bull Riding and the PRCA Rodeo. DEC. 31 IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ITEMS FOR AQHA CONVENTION Dec. 20, 2007 AQHA's standing committees are: 1) Amateur Committee, 2) Equine Research Committee, 3) Finance Committee, 4) Foundation Committee, 5) Hall of Fame Committee, 6) International Committee, 7) Judges Committee, 8) Marketing and Public Information Committee, 9) Membership Services Committee, 10) Nominations & Credentials Committee, 10) Professional Horsemen's Committee, 11) Public Policy Committee, 12) Racing Committee, 13) Recreational Riding Committee, 14) Show Committee, 15) Stud Book and Registration Committee To submit items by e-mail, click here and select 2008 Convention as the subject. Items may also be submitted by mail at: AQHA, ATTN: (Committee Name), P.O. Box 200, Amarillo, Texas 79168 AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE
ASSOCIATION NAMES DON TREADWAY SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Don Treadway has been promoted to Senior Executive Director of Marketing and Membership Services for the AQHA. In his new position, Treadway will begin working more closely with AQHA’s Executive Committee and legal counsel, as well as have greater involvement in the development of long-range objectives, policies, budgets and operating plans for registrations, racing, shows, judges, publications and the American Quarter Horse Foundation. He also will work with AQHA consultant Alvarez and Marsal to analyze AQHA’s management structure and evaluate potential realignments as the Association grows and changes. “Don is well qualified to take on this new assignment,” said AQHA Executive Vice President Bill Brewer. “He has tremendous knowledge about the business, has worked with countless people in our industry over the years and is highly respected. I congratulate Don on this promotion and look forward to working with him to help AQHA achieve it goals and objectives.” Treadway joined AQHA in 1974 as Public Relations Assistant. In 1977 he was promoted to Director of Public Relations and in 1992 to Senior Director of Marketing. In 1997 Membership Services were added to his responsibilities and in 2001 he was promoted to Executive Director of Marketing and Membership Services. Treadway is a native of Newkirk, Okla., and graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Agriculture Journalism. He has held numerous industry board positions and contributed to the overall growth of the horse industry on a worldwide basis. He and his wife, Robbyn, live in Amarillo and have two children. Son, Jeff, and his wife, Melissa, live in Houston, and daughter, Stacey, is a student at Texas A & M University in College Station.
October 12, 2007 A preliminary injunction was issued by United States District Judge Charles Breyer on Oct. 10. The rule had been sought by the Department of Homeland Security and President George W. Bush to combat illegal immigration. The American Horse Council opposes the ruling and has been joined by numerous other organizations in opposing it. The feeling is that the rule would leave employers unable to fill the vacated jobs. No estimates have been made as to how many illegal workers are employed by the horse industry. PCCHA FUTURITY ENTRIES CLOSE OCT.15 Oct. 10, 2007 – Paso Robles, Calif. With $150,000 in added money for the Futurity, it will remain second only in added money to the big NCHA Futurity held in Fort Worth. Horses that show at the PCCHA Futurity will be ineligible to enter the NCHA Futurity, as 3-year-olds in the NCHA Futurity must never have been shown prior to the event. The event also features an estimated $60,000-added 3-year-old Gelding Stakes (offspring of subscribed stallions); $160,000 added 4-year-old Cutting States (offspring of subscribed stallions); $50-added 5/6-Year-Old Classic/Challenge and a $3,000 added Amateur divisions, which will include a $200,000 Limited Non-Pro, Gelding and Senior Divisions. Rounding out the event will be a $10,000-added Pro-Am and the $3,000-added $100,000 Purina Mills Any-Age Amateur Series. There will also be a Ranch Invitational Cutting, open to residents of the “tri-counties.” The Courtyard by Marriott Paso Robles recently opened and is offering a special rate of $199 to PCCHA members. Call 1-800-321-221 to reserve a room or go online at courtyard.com/sbppr. The PCCHA Group Code is PCHPCHA and must be provided to get the group rate. For entry information, stall and RV forms, go to pccha.com or contact the PCCHA office at 209-727-5779.
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Rice,
who previously won the 2004 World title in Junior Cutting, also
won this year’s Junior Cutting title, but not without a fight.
Riding ARC Cat Her Please, a daughter of Chic Please out of Moonstruck
Cat by High Brow Cat, owned by Kurt and Angie Harris, Whitesboro,
Texas, he scored a 220. However, Andy Sherrerd, riding Tanga Rey,
a daughter of Dual Rey out of Cristy Merada by Freckles Merada,
owned by Cowan Select Horses LLC, Havre, Mont., also scored a 220
– with a chance of a work-off.