a Tipping Point?
and breeding farms have relocated. Meanwhile, the fl at-track world of the mighty T oroughbred, our offi - cial state breed, has had more than its share of hard times (some self-in- fl icted), and in some ways is the new horse industry’s hard-luck cousin struggling to keep up while the rest of the horse industry trots on. While the racing world has kept the attention of the mainstream media and the politicians, the rest of the equestrian community in Maryland has just been doing “it’s thang,” taking lessons, leas- ing horses, fi nding that perfect horse for the next level of eventing or dressage or jumpers, or to get them more blue ribbons in hunt- ers, or pack them safely around the hunt fi eld. More often than not these days, for the vast majority of the weekend warriors, that horse is something other than a T or- oughbred. Meanwhile, T orough- bred breeding farms are planting grapes, trying to fi nd a way to pay the bills, or dabbling in standing stallions of other breeds. T is is not to diminish the critical cornerstone that the racing indus- try continues to play in Maryland. T is is not to dismiss the negative impact of the reduction or loss of racing on the horse community in general. It’s just that the rest of the Mary- land horse world is no longer as de- pendent upon the once plentiful off - the-track T oroughbred as it once was, and that the face of the eques- trian community is much diff erent today than it was twenty years ago. Meanwhile, for at least the last
two decades, this evolving Mary- land equestrian community has
New State Stable Inspector?
We know our Equiery community is anxious for an update on the process for selecting a new State Stable inspector, as there were over 100 applicants for the job! Many of you are nervously awaiting word of the status of your application, and are hoping that someone has an “inside scoop.” As of press time, the process is not only out of the hands of the Maryland Horse Industry Board (which
oversees the Stable Licensing program), the process is out of the hands of the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Currently, all the applications are at the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, which is grading the list and verifying the information on the 93 candidates who meet the basic qualifi ca- tions. T en the applications will be returned to the Department of Agriculture, which will begin the process of setting up interviews. Remember, folks, this IS government, and it takes time to get anything through a bureaucracy! So, at this point, no news is good news and you should keep the faith. Meanwhile, if you are still looking for a job, keep an eye on the help wanteds in both T e Equiery and on
equiery.com (updated daily) or consider posting your own “available” or “in search of” classifi ed today! Just email classifi
eds@equiery.com or call 1-800-244-9580.
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580
struggled to defi ne and promote itself, to grow, and to be recognized for the economic powerhouse that it truly is. While some wailed about the horse community not getting the respect it deserves, and asked “why can’t we get someone to pay for all these great marketing campaigns, grand horse parks, in-depth eco- nomic research, expanded aca- demic and scientifi c opportunities,” a small group of dedicated horse people buckled down, dug in and laid the foundation so that these great things could happen. T eir names will probably be lost to his- tory (or to the archives on equiery. com), but their hard work has made it possible for the Maryland horse industry to gallop into the 21st Century–and galloping we are! T is is probably one of the most exciting times to be in the Mary- land horse industry, to be a part of the Maryland equestrian com- munity. T e two state-wide orga- nizations, the Maryland Horse Council and the Maryland Horse Industry Board, have really hit their stride, and things are really starting to happen! Yes, like the rest of the world, our industry has been hit–and hit hard–by the recession. Here at T e Equiery, we see it every month, as another stable or shop goes out of business. And over 100 people applied for the job of the State Stable Inspector, a job that barely pays above minimum wage! But as most economists will at-
test, sometimes that shakeout and reorganization is necessary,
like
hard pruning a shrub that has become sprawling. After the hard
MHC vs. MHIB – What’s the diff? • MHC is a private umbrella association for all horse organizations,
farms, businesses and horse people in Maryland; MHC can lobby and is funded by dues, sponsorship, and fundraisers. • MHIB is a public entity, created by statute (that was lobbied for
by MHC), housed at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and funded through a the feed fund, a refundable assessment on every ton of processed feed sold in Maryland, which works out to 15 cents for each bag of feed. MHIB oversees the Stable Licensing program.
prune, the shrub may look des- sicated, but within a year or so it comes back better than ever, with dense, green, healthy growth. And if you look closely, you can see the buds on our horse industry shrub!
Ross Peddicord: His First 100 Days
On January 1, 2011, Ross Peddi-
cord assumed the responsibilities of the Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board, and boy, did he hit the ground running! In his fi rst “100 days in offi ce,” Ross attended 55 meet- ings! Specifi cally he attended: • 19 government meetings • 30 horse industry meetings • 5 MHIB meetings • 1 MHIB Health Advisory Committee Meeting Just weeks into his new job, he
staff ed the MHIB booth at Horse World Expo. In between meetings and govi-work, he could be seen out and about at a wide variety of public events in the horse world, including the Maryland Horse Council Horseman of the Year dinner on January 29 at Camden Yards, the Maryland Ag Dinner on February 3 in Glen Burnie, two Hunt Balls, the Baltimore County Horse Seminar, the Grand Na- tional, the Maryland Hunt Cup,
Lady Legends Day at the Black- Eyed Susan, and–of course–the Preakness.
Ross also staff ed the MHIB booth at the Decanter event at Pimlico (after making the ar- rangements for the horse indus- try to partner with the Mary- land Wineries Association for an equestrian-themed wine tasting) and was one of the leaders for the LEAD Maryland fellowship pro- gram equine industry tour. He could also be seen squiring about Chinese Exchange Students at Merryland Farm, has acted as part of the Governor’s advance team for equine-related appearanc- es by O’Malley, and organized the Governor’s press conference at Fair Hill the day before the Preakness. In his fi rst 100 days, Ross stepped in to Bev Raymond’s shoes and conducted stable inspections (Bev retired in December, and the job has not yet been fi lled), given one TV interview (FOX) and three radio interviews (two for WYPR and one for Annapolis Radio). And if all this running around
were not enough, he has provided the fuel for the engine to power and/ or relaunch several major initiatives, including but not limited to • T e Maryland Horse Park • A fi ve-year marketing plan to grow the entire industry • A state-wide awareness cam- paign for the 2010 Equine Cen- sus results • Revamping of the MHIB web- site and collateral materials • T e Licensed Stable Resource Guide for Maryland’s 600 li- censed stables • A new, revamped MHIB Grant Program for 2012 • A monthly awards program to recognize the ongoing accom- plishments of Maryland eques- trians, Maryland horses,
and
Maryland business owners Ross is working with a vibrant and engaged Board of Directors,
continued on page 34 JUNE 2011 | THE EQUIERY | 13
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