Has the Maryland Horse Industry hit a Tipping Point? continued
mittee which could raise and dis- tribute campaign funds for politi- cal candidates. T is would likewise fulfi ll MHC’s mission of lobbying and representing the community’s interest in Annapolis. It is not easy to start raising money and giving it to candidates. T ere are all sorts of ethics rules and fi nancial disclosure requirements, and in short, MHC must set up yet another semi-inde- pendent organization to bring this idea to fruition. Former MHIB Executive Director Rob Burk has been tapped to lead this eff ort, and plans are moving forward to make this a reality before the next elec- tion cycle. Caveat: T e fact that MHC is fi - nally acting on many long-term goals should not in any way diminish the accomplishments of prior MHC ad- ministrations, which laid a strong foundation and make MHC’s cur- rent accomplishments possible.
Marketing Ross Peddicord reported on the
current marketing projects being conducted by the Maryland Horse Industry Board,
including De-
canter, the cleverly named “wine and horses” event hosted by the Maryland Wineries Association at Pimlico. Christy Clagett (Larking Hill Farm, Harwood) reported on how the original “Save Maryland Racing” ad hoc committee mor- phed into a passionate committee to promote all equine activities in Maryland. Leslie Diamond (Annapolis)
showed a draft version of a pub- lic awareness video she is creating to showcase the Maryland equine industry. Finally, Ellie Trueman gave a sneak peek of the 85-page mar- keting initiative she drafted for the ad hoc “Maryland Horse Industry Marketing Committee,” which, in addition to herself, includes Ross Peddicord, Steuart Pittman, Karin DeFrancis (T e Preakness), Carrie Everly (Maryland Jockey Club), Rob Burk and your publisher, Crystal Kimball. Ellie Trueman’s marketing agency, Trueman Communications, has helped to launch and/or develop many well-known brands in the horse industry such as Ariat, Dover, and Nutramax. In the mid-1990s, the national horse industry used her
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marketing plans to establish the Horse Industry Alliance, but the timing was not right for an all- industry eff ort. But maybe now, here, in one small geographic region, the timing IS right for a multipronged eff ort to unite and grow the horse industry. T e committee intends to set mea- surable growth goals for all indus- try sectors for the next fi ve years.
Save T e Horse Farms! Save T e Horse Farms! A dramatically named com-
mittee, one envisions armies of mounted equestrians charg- ing into municipal build- ings across the Free State to “free the horse farms” from the tyranny of zany zoning codes and perplexing per- mitting processes. Alas, the reality is much drier and more academic, and at times sput- teringly and astoundingly stupid. Nevertheless, some intrepid horse farm owners in each coun- ty are tackling
“city hall” with
aplomb, allowing themselves to be test cases to see how the process really works in each jurisdiction, sharing the experience with others in their particular communities, and then dedicating themselves to changing the process so that the others who come after them will have an easier time. Frederick County has led the way with their success story of 2010. After farm owner Elizabeth Win- ters, while trying to build a second indoor arena on a second farm, discovered quite by accident that some new (and by now renowned as being “wacky”) zoning codes had been enacted, the equestrian community in Frederick County got behind her and worked with various elected leaders and gov- ernment offi cials and got the zon- ing codes cleaned up. Likewise, inspired by the suc- cess of the horse farm owners in Frederick County, Debbie Sharp is dedicating her pursuit of per- mits for her “As Yet To Be Named Farm” in Baltimore County to bet- tering the process, and is keeping the members of MHC informed of the diff erent phases of her ad- venture. She is bound and deter- mined to improve the system. Both Chris Aist (a member of
the Annapolis Recreation Advi- sory Board) and Steuart Pittman (whose Dodon Farm is in Anne Arundel County) reported that Anne Arundel County is extreme- ly anti-horse in both its zoning codes and its permitting processes. T ey noted that indoor arenas are allowed in Anne Arundel County, but only if they are used for stor- ing equipment and not for riding. T ere are a lot of fancy equipment sheds in Anne Arundel County! Horse farm owners are expected to have something of a turning point with the county on June 15,
Tell us what you think some of the
ism; to add defi nitions for equine activities and equine facility, and to permit these uses in certain residential zones. Two salient pieces of advice came out of the various county reports: 1) Quite often, the permitting
important and positive “small changes” in the Maryland equestrian community have been in the last three decades!
editor@equiery.com
so stay tuned. Meanwhile, Montgomery
County offi cials have decided that their zoning codes are too com- plex, and so they have hired a fi rm from Austin, Texas to redraft and streamline its codes. To ensure local input into the process, the County Planning Board appoint- ed a group of community repre- sentatives,
offi ce and the zoning offi ce are not on the same page or are not using the same guidelines; 2) Many zoning offi ces and/or permitting offi ces establish regular (usually monthly) meetings with organized interest groups, such as builders or developers, to discuss issues of concern; rarely do they ever meet with farmers to discuss their concerns and issues, so the horse commu- nity should consider work- ing with the government to establish such routine meetings.
architects, developers,
and other land-use specialists to review, recommend, and provide feedback on new ideas and to pro- pose direction for the zoning code rewrite. MHC vice president Jane Seigler was asked to represent the farm interests, which she agreed to do, and she is working hard to ad- equately represent all farmers, not just horse farmers, in this process. Save T e Horse Farm Commit- tee chairman Valerie Orman val- iantly continues to fi ght the good fi ght in Prince George’s County to preserve the rural tier and to ensure that the county considers horses to be agricultural, just as the state does. Working with Val- erie in this eff ort and on the Task Force are Harry Ketts (At Last Farm, Acquasco), Dorothy Trout- man (Glenwood Farm,
Upper
Marlboro), and Erica Lancaster (Bowie). In October 2010, the Prince George’s County Equine Industry Task Force recommend- ed a Zoning Bill (CB-92-2010) which passed to amend the defi ni- tions of agriculture and agritour-
Healthy Pastures = Clean Waters Nutrient Management consul- tant George Maurer gave a de- tailed presentation on his proposal to collaborate with MHC to obtain federal grant monies for an out- reach eff ort for horse farm owners. T e 3-yr project will provide horse farm owners with information about conservation best manage- ment practices as well as provide help with conservation planning and installation of conservation practices (i.e. fence horses out of streams and maintaining a health grass stand). T e grant will be submitted to the Chesapeake Bay Small Watersheds Grant Program in early June.
More! Grace and Savannah Fulton and
Tate Shaw gave a presentation on behalf of a group of young eques- trians on how they thought they could help grow the Maryland horse industry. T e young riders were delighted to learn that youth are already included on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Horse Council, and pledged to be active on a variety of projects. T e young riders were encouraged to move forward on developing their own projects and initiatives. Ron McNab gave a truncated
trails report, after which the meet- ing adjourned. Attendees lingered for quite a while afterwards, net- working and socializing.
JUNE 2011 | THE EQUIERY | 35
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