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April 25, 2005

TWHBEA^SM Executive Committee Holds April Meeting

LEWISBURG, Tenn. – The executive committee of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association^SM (TWHBEA^SM) held a regularly-scheduled monthly meeting on April 25, 2005.

Jeff Ray, a walking horse owner and exhibitor from Murfreesboro, Tenn., along with Dr. Dennis Geiser, Large Animal Department Head at the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine, opened the meeting with a presentation on the many medical benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. The school is seeking to purchase a new and improved Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber to replace its current model, which has been leased for the past two years.

The university is seeking donations to cover the new model’s $200,000 price tag, and has raised about half the funds thus far. Following the presentation, the executive committee agreed to contribute $10,000 toward the project. As part of the donation, TWHBEA^SM members utilizing this therapy for their horses will receive a 50% discount in treatment fees. Currently, the nearest hyperbaric chamber is located at the Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center in Versailles, Ky., and the nearest veterinary college possessing a chamber is Ohio State University.

In his report to the committee, Executive Director Charles Hulsey said first-time foal registrations in March were down 125 and transfers were down 116 for the month. He said March memberships rose by 12, bringing the year-to-date membership increase to 728.

Charles Wharton (TN), vice president of the administrative/fiscal/audit division, said March revenues were $406,000, compared to $377,000 in March of 2004. Expenses for the month were $325,000 versus $322,000 last year. The result is an $81,000 increase in revenue over expenses for the month. This compares to a $55,000 increase in March a year ago.

Year-to-date for the four months ending March 31, revenues were $1,488,000, up $71,000, and expenses were $1,420,000, up $108,000. For the year, net assets over expenses total $68,000, down $37,000 from a year ago.

Kathy Zeis (GA), vice president of the breeders’ division, presented three recommendations on behalf of her committee, all of which were approved by the executive committee. The recommendations are aimed at “cleaning up” the color choices in the existing registration process. The recommendations are as follows: (1) Exclude coat color choices that aren’t included in the present color chart; (2) use existing pattern choices (sabino, overo and tobiano), but remove them from the “Body Markings” section into a field of their own on the certificate; and (3) add DNA color gene information to existing registration certificates. In order to add this information, the animal must be DNA color gene tested by either Shelterwood Laboratories or the University of

Kentucky or their successors. Color gene tests currently available include tobiana homozygosity, agouti, chestnut, cream and lethal white overo. The fee is $35 per test and can be done using blood samples submitted for blood typing. For verification purposes, a new blood sample is required in order to color gene test a previously registered and blood typed horse.

Jamie Hankins (KY), vice president of the horse show division, said his committee planned to meet next month and would focus on two items – (1) Larry Lowman’s recent proposal to restructure the regional futurity system, and (2) the Triple Crown Classic Charity Horse Show, which is set for September in Chatsworth, Ga.

Larry Lowman (TN), vice president of the marketing division, said the Association had secured commercial time on RFD-TV’s The Best of America by Horseback™ program. This program will be aired from July through September as 13 half-hour programs. Each episode will run a minimum of four times per week in a variety of time slots.

Mr. Lowman introduced a new joint marketing venture between TWHBEA^SM, The Celebration and the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. The venture will allow for actual Tennessee Walking Horses to permanently graze in the pastures that line the entrance to the hotel. Storyboards outside the paddocks will “tell the story” of the breed, and plasma television screens located throughout the various lobbies within the hotel will show footage about the breed. TWHBEA^SM and the Celebration will also be allowed to place promotional literature in the hotel’s many brochure racks.

Nicole Carswell (KY), vice president of the owners/exhibitors division, updated the committee on her recent clinic appearances at the Hoosier Horse Fair in Indianapolis, Ind. She also appeared recently at a TWHBEA^SM Youth Jamboree in Jackson, Miss., and presented a two-day clinic for the Illinois Walking Horse Association.

Jane Meredith (GA), vice president of the performance show horse division, said the TWHBEA^SM Academy Championships held during the National Trainers’ Show drew 135 entries and has grown every year. She thanked Jamie Hankins for handling the judging duties. She also reported that TWHBEA’s Academy Program currently boasts 70 certified instructors.

Edie Wittenmyer (IL), pleasure horse division vice president, said she continues to work with TWHBEA^SM Pleasure Horse Coordinator Sis Osborne to secure sponsorships for the TWHBEA^SM World Versatility Show.

David Landrum (TN), vice president of the trainers’ division, said the Trainers’ Association recently hired Billy Thomas as its executive director and things were running smoother than ever at W.H.T.A. He praised the quality of the recently held Mississippi State Charity Horse Show and the Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show, and remarked that horses seemed to be selling well this spring.

Sid Baucom (UT), member at large-bylaws, introduced a recently proposed bylaw change submitted by Charles Wharton. The proposed amendment would require board approval for unbudgeted capital acquisitions or expenditures that exceed an amount greater than 5% of the revenue of the most recently audited fiscal year. The proposed amendment was unanimously approved by the executive committee and will be forwarded to the general membership for ratification.

On the youth front, Member-At-Large Dee Dee Sale (TN) said youth membership stands at 704, up 100 from the end of February. During her report, she presented two recommendations and both were approved by the executive committee. First, youth members can now subscribe to the Voice™ Magazine at the reduced rate of $15 per year, effective May 1. And second, the TWHBEA^SM Youth Board will now be called the Tennessee Walking Horse Youth Association^SM.

Under old business, the executive committee unanimously agreed to reduce TWHBEA’s sponsorship of the “What-A-Horse” television program by $1,000 per month. “What-A-Horse” appears on local access cable out of Tullahoma, Tenn., and focuses on the Tennessee Walking Horse breed. The show’s producer, Jerry Harris, had hoped to begin airing the show nationwide on RFD-TV by March. TWHBEA^SM will continue to sponsor the show at $3,000 per month as Mr. Harris attempts to get the show to satellite television.

Under new business, President Jerrold Pedigo (TN) introduced two research projects proposed by Middle Tennessee State University’s Horse Science Program. One project would utilize MTSU students to record and report sales information about Tennessee Walking Horse Yearlings sold at public auction during the 2005 National Celebration. The second project would determine the incidence and severity of gastric ulceration in Tennessee Walking Horses in training. No immediate action was taken by the executive committee on the proposed projects.

The next meeting of the TWHBEA^SM Executive Committee is scheduled for Saturday, May 28, 2005 at 8:00 a.m., prior to the semi-annual meeting of the International Board of Directors.