8:30               Opening – President Charles Kelly & Flag Presentation by River Run Drill Team

8:45               Tommy Garland – Subject: “Are you afraid to get on your horse??”

10:00             Drill Team – River Run Rapids

10:10             Craig Cameron – Subject: “Flexibility, Position & Control – Putting the handle on the Horse” –
                         Part 1

11:15             Drill Team – River Run Rockets

11:30             Tommy Garland – Subject:  “Overcoming Obstacles from the Ground & in the Saddle”

12:30             Lunch  –  Stick Horse Races – Recognition of State 4-H Winners  - Award AHC Scholarships

1:00               Randy Spiegel – Mustang Make-over Winner – Entertainer

2:00               Craig Cameron – Subject:  “Fun & New Patterns to Develop Horse & Rider”

3:00               Drill Team – River Run Rockets

3:15               Jason Wilds – Subject: “Colt Starting Issues”

4:15               Craig Cameron & Tommie Garland – Q & A

                        Set Up for Puissance Jumping Exhibition

4:45               Horse Bucks Auction – Auctioneer – Terry Denard

5:00               Puissance Jumping Exhibition

5:30               Co. Rep. Meeting

Schedule subject to change

FAIR SCHEDULE  -  SUNDAY – JANUARY 22nd

 8:30               Cowboy Church w/Heath Perry & children

9:00               Driving Demo – Betty Benjamin

9:15               Drill Team – River Run Rapids

9:30               Craig Cameron – Subject: “Flexibility, Position & Control – Putting the Handle on the Horse” –
                         Part 2

10:30             Dressage Demo

11:00             Tommie Garland – Subject:  “Is it me or the horse?  Developing a plan to deal with
                        the disrespectful or misunderstood horse.”

12:15             Lunch Break & AHC ANNUAL MEETING

12:30             Jason Wilds – Subject:  “Colt Starting Issues” – Part 2

1:30               Drill Team – River Run Rockets

1:45               Craig Cameron – Subject: “What NOT to Do with Your Horse”

3:00               Randy Spiegel – Mustang Make-over Winner – Entertainer

3:30               Drill Team – River Run Rockets

3:45               Tommy Garland – Subject:  “Single Biggest Riding Solution – Getting Control of the
                         Horse’s nose.”

4:00               Cowboy Shooters 

  Schedule subject to change

by Jennifer R. Cole

On Saturday May 14, 2011, the Unwanted Horse Coalition, the Alabama Horse Council, Auburn University, and the local equine community came out to show its support for solving the unwanted horse problem that is facing the country. A group of veterinarians, veterinary students, and volunteers gathered at a farm in Montgomery, Alabama to host one of the first Operation Gelding Clinics in the state.

The Operation Gelding program was created by the Unwanted Horse Coalition as a means to combat the increasing number of unwanted horses that has arisen in the nation. The program, funded in part by seed money from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, helps to provide funds and materials that are needed by event organizers to host clinics. Horse owners can bring their stallions to these clinics to be castrated. The motivation behind the program is that the castration of a stallion will help prevent overbreeding and create a gentler horse that can be used in a wider range of activities. As of April 18, 2011, the program had aided in the castration of 246 stallions across the country.

Gary Koepp, DVM, Alabama Horse Council Welfare Chairman and one of the organizers of Alabama’s Operation Gelding Clinics, called the Montgomery clinic a huge success. Seventeen stallions were castrated. Local veterinarians teamed with veterinarians from Auburn University to perform castrations and supervise teams of veterinary students who also performed castrations. Eight veterinary students from Auburn University and one veterinary student from Tuskegee University participated in the event. There were also several volunteers from the local equine community who came out to show their support for the initiative.
“It was a great opportunity to help the unwanted horse population in the state and allow the veterinary students to gain experience. The support from the local community has been overwhelming.” said Dr. Koepp.
In April, the Alabama Horse Council partnered with Tuskegee University to offer a low cost gelding clinic to Alabama residents.

The success of these events has prompted the organizers to begin plans for more gelding clinics this fall. For more information about upcoming clinics or to register your stallion for a fall clinic contact Alabama Horse Council Welfare Committee Chairman Dr. Gary Koepp at (334) 850-0335 or email drgkal@hotmail.com.

USDA Animal Health Monitoring & Surveillance: 2011 EHV-1 Incident Information

To limit the potential spread of EHV-1 and to alleviate horse owners’ fears of exposure, a number of events in many states have been postponed or canceled and two veterinary teaching hospitals have closed to non-emergency equine and camelid cases.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has developed resources about EHV-1, EHM and the current outbreak, including updates and a FAQ for veterinarians and FAQs and resources for horse owners.

Veterinarians are urged to contact their state veterinarian or state/provincial animal health department to report suspect cases of EHV-1 or EHM. On May 19, the AAEP announced that it is working with the American Horse Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collect data on affected horses and to coordinate communications about the outbreak.

For more information, please contact the State Veterinarian’s office at 334/240-7253, or e-mail stvet@agi.alabama.gov.

The course is suitable for humane officers/agents, dog wardens, animal control officers, local animal shelters/humane societies, sheriff deputies and county commissioners.

Continuing Education Credits are available!

Three Dates and Venues to Choose From:

October 25, 2011      Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center
9494 Experimental Loop, Madison, AL 35756

October 27, 2011     Lauderdale County Extension Office
802 Veterans Drive, Florence, AL 35630

November 1, 2011     Law Enforcement Academy at Tuscaloosa
7601 Robert Cardinal Airport Rd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

**Fully interactive Video Conference technology available for your computer if you cannot physically attend.**

To Register go to www.alvma.com and click on the Animal Ag 101 Logo

Currently we are not aware of any Alabama horses that were at the event. We are also currently unaware of any Alabama horses that have been exposed to the virus. However, the Office of the State Veterinarian would remind equine owners to be aware of potential threats that exist when comingling horses at shows, competitions, and other events. Please consult your veterinarian about possible disease threats and measures to prevent or minimize risk. The measures include keeping vaccinations current and following biosecurity steps such as not sharing tack and equipment or common feed and water troughs. It is important to closely monitor horses for signs of illness while at the event and the following ten days to two weeks after returning home.

Equine Herpes Virus 1 is a strain of the virus commonly referred to as Equine Rhinopneumonitis or Rhino. EHV 1 can cause neurological disease, respiratory disease, and abortions in horses. There is no method such as vaccination that reliably prevents the neurological form of the disease. As always, we recommend that all horses with neurological signs be reported to your local veterinarian or the State Veterinarian at 334-240-7253.

Tony Frazier, DVM
State Veterinarian
334-240-7253

The Alabama Horse Council wants to extend its deepest sympathies to everyone affected by the tragedy of April 27, 2011.
Though there is no way to make up for such overwhelming loss, the Alabama Horse Council would like to offer its support to the relief effort. We at the Alabama Horse Council know that the needs of those in our horse community that were harmed by these events will be ongoing.

In order to help we are organizing information that can be distributed to people who need assistance with their horses due to this disaster.
We are compiling lists of people who can assist with housing displaced horses, provide feed and/or hay, rehab, etc. Many caring people in this state and surrounding states have already begun to offer their help to people with horses in need. If you need assistance or can offer assistance in some way please contact The Alabama Horse Council Welfare Committee Chairman Dr. Gary Koepp at (334)850-0335 or email drgkal@hotmail.com.

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Emergency Operations Center (ADAI EOC) is activated.
Farmers/integrators should call 334-240-7278 for ADAI EOC assistance/guidance regarding storm damage at animal operations resulting in animal mortality.  ADAI EOC will coordinate with ADAI field staff and ADEM as needed to assist farmers/integrators to ensure established procedures are followed to separate out mortality from storm debris to the extent possible considering safety concerns prior to any mortality burial onsite at an NRCS approved on-farm location. Farmers/integrators should call their LOCAL NRCS office first for assistance in identifying a suitable on-farm burial site if they do not have a pre-identified NRCS approved site suitable for burial.  If they are not able to get hold of their local NRCS office for assistance, they can call Bill Prince at the Oxford NRCS office at 256-835-0685.

Federal disaster assistance is also available for farmers from USDA’s Farm Service Agency.  USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Administrator Val Dolcini reminded crop and livestock producers throughout states that have recently seen severe damage from flooding, wildfires and tornados that FSA programs may be available to assist with recovery. “Severe weather this spring is making things very difficult for many ranchers and farmers. Whether it’s wildfires in the Southwest, flooding or tornados in the Midwest, Plains, and Southeast, learning about our FSA disaster programs is an important first step for producers in the recovery process,” said Dolcini.

FSA administers several important programs that help producers recover from disaster damage and livestock deaths.

Among the key programs available to address impacts from disasters are the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.

Fact sheets for all of these programs can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov; click on Newsroom, then Fact Sheets. Or click directly to this link: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsReleases?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=pfs&newstype=prfactsheet

“We encourage all who have suffered a disaster due to the recent severe weather conditions to read the fact sheets and visit their local FSA county office so they get a quick start in the recovery process,” added Dolcini.