What’s New?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Equine Rescue Ambulance, Inc.
Training for all interested volunteers SUNDAY January 11,2009 10 am Rain or Shine
at Tranquility Manor Farm on Stansbury Mill Road — the home of the MCTA Jenny Camp Horse Trials
Food and tee shirts for all attendees. Come learn about opportunities to assist in Equine Rescue operations.
Dr. Rachael Westerland
Maryland Equine
310-771-4800

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USEA Introduces Eventing Medal Program

At the Annual Meeting and Convention in December, the USEA announced an exciting new medal program, which will provide members with recognition through a goal-oriented program within the various levels of eventing.

There are several goals of this new program, the most important will be changing the dominant culture from focusing on moving up the levels, to focusing on mastering the skills demanded by each level. Also, USEA will provide a goal to members who, for various reasons, do not consider moving up the levels a goal. This new program will also allow the horse to achieve a medal separately from the rider, which provides owners an additional sales tool.

Each individual member may earn a Bronze, Silver, and/or Gold medal at the Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, and Preliminary levels. A separate medal will be awarded for a horse registered with the USEA, based on the same scores. The goal is to begin the program on February 1, 2009 and results from that point forward may be put toward earning a medal, with results being cumulative.

Members will submit their scores for verification once the requirements of a medal have been met. The form will be available online or at events and there will be no fee associated with the submission of this document. Once the scores have been verified the member or horse owner will be provided with the associated awards for the medal achieved. Should there be a discrepancy with the scores or required membership status, the rider or owner will be contacted via email.

Individual medal winners will earn a pin (at the level won) and certificate. The person's name will also be published on the USEA website, and possibly the magazine. Also, Gold medal winners will be recognized in person at the USEA Convention for their achievements.

Visit USEA for new updates on this exciting program – including general requirements, scores, and submission forms for all levels.

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Horse World Expo
Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD, January 15 - 18, 2009

Once again, we need your help hosting the MCTA booth at this year’s Horse World Expo!

Thursday: 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

Contact Lexa Hubbard at lhubbard@comcast.net or (410) 340-1769 if you can volunteer.
Volunteers get FREE entry to the Horse World Expo and get to use their volunteer hours towards 2009 year end awards!

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Join the MCTA at our Annual Banquet
January 10, 2009 — Summit Manor in Monkton

Incredible Silent Auction and Cash Bar opens at 4:30 pm
Yummy Buffet Dinner at 6:30pm
Family Friendly Entertainment at 7pm
Year End Awards Presentation at 7:45pm

Send $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12 to:
Gayle Curtiss
3610 Elton Farm Road,
Brookeville MD 20833
Info: peache1038@aol.com or 301-570-5810

Directions: 83 North to Mt Carmel Rd. Turn right off the exit.  Turn right at the light, York Road. Turn left at first light, Monkton Road. Turn left at first drive – Summit Manor sign. 

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Finding My Distance: A Year in the Life of a Three-Day Event Rider
A Memoir by Julia Wendell


The Galileo Press, Ltd. Is pleased to announce that all profits from sales of Julia Wendell's memoir, Finding My Distance: A Year in the Life of a Three-Day Event Rider, will be donated to Kim Meier.

“Julia Wendell writes of her year in search of a connection with her horses. As humor, sadness, life, and death gallop across the pages, we find she is writing about other connections as well. Her connection to her world, her family, and to life itself intrigues us, and her honesty and thoughtfulness resonate throughout her work. Wendell takes us on a ride through her world, yet we find at the end of it that she has been describing our own world as well.”
– Jim Wofford, Eventing coach and former Olympian
read more>>        

To order: www.galileobooks.net, or www.amazon.com

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Technical Assistance Available for Horse Farm Management

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has received grant funds to help owners and operators of small-sized equine operations with pasture and manure management. There are four regional equine specialists to provide assistance in Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Prince George’s counties through the county soil conservation districts.

Small-sized horse operations often are outside the traditional agricultural outreach efforts and many of our financial assistance programs,” said Agriculture Secretary Roger Richardson. “The grant will help us bridge this information gap.  We’ll be able to offer technical and financial assistance to horse owners who may not know how to tap into the expertise available with the goal of further protecting soil and water quality.” Soil Conservation Districts have knowledge and expertise to address pasture and manure management issues that are prevalent on horse operations.

The recreational segment of the state’s horse industry is growing quickly. Examples of best management practices include watering troughs, manure storage structures, sacrifice lots, pasture renovation / establishment, and roof runoff. With more than 87,000 animals, the Maryland horse industry ranks second in livestock population behind poultry. Maryland has twice as many horses per square mile as Virginia, Texas, California, or Kentucky.

Partners in the project are the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension and Equine Studies Program, the Horse Outreach Workgroup, Maryland Department of the Environment, soil conservation districts, the Maryland Horse Industry Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For more information, contact: Beth Horsey

Photos by Leslie Bertram

SEE MORE JENNY CAMP PHOTOS >>

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Year-end Awards: New trophy form that includes all the new awards... more

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Have you tried the USEA Ride Share Program?

USEA is experimenting with a database that can assist horsemen with the sometimes frustrating and often expensive options of travel. The cost of fuel and rising expenses of showing have curtailed many riders' plans, forcing them to choose closer venues or fewer at distance.
 
USEA's Ride Share Program offers horsemen an option. Is someone hauling where you need to go? Need to ship a horse, and someone has a space on their trailer? Going to a competition? Clinic? Lesson? One-way or two-, people and/or horses? The system is flexible, and easy to use.
 
USEA Ride Share is equally useful for carpooling. If you simply want to share a ride with others who are going to the same venue, with or without horses, to volunteer or to watch an event or a clinic, USEA Ride Share offers a place to search for and connect with ride buddies. It's up to you to make the connections and share the expenses.
 
Need a ride? Share a ride. Someone may be going your way. Have a look.
http://www.useventing.com/competitions.php?section=rideshare
Investigate it. Try it. Use it. Send feedback to USEA.

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Do you have news to share? Met a milestone? Have you had a horse holiday someplace different? Interesting or funny photos? Let us know, and you might even make it to the News page! Contact Leslie at 410-282-9313 or LJBertramart@hotmail.com for details.

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Correspondence to Kim Meier...can still be sent via CarePages or mail to Corsica Hills Center, PO Box 50, Centreville, MD 21617 or email the Carepage manager, Molly Sorge at sasorge@crosslink.net.
All future donations for Kim Meier should be directed to: Maryland Network for Injured Equestrians, Box 296, Jarrettsville, Maryland 21084-0296. Do not write Kim's name directly on the check but include a note that states the money is for her. All donations are tax-deductible.

Kim Meier awarded USEA Ironman Trophy... During its annual conference in Colorado Springs in December 2007, Kim Meier was presented the Ironmaster Trophy by the USEA. Kim and her daughter Kelly flew to Colorado Springs to accept the award. Check out the USEA website for the presentation introduction. [permission USEA]

Ralph Hill Recovery Fund...Tax deductible contributions to Ralph can be made to the Equestrian Aid Foundation to assist with medical and rehabilitation expenses. Send checks to: Janise Gray, Equestrian Aid Foundation, 228 Phillips Terrace, Union, NJ 07083. *Please write "Ralph Hill" in the memo section of the check to ensure your donation directly helps Ralph. Please send mail for Ralph to: Ralph Hill, P.O. Box 974, Paris, Kentucky 40362.