NEWS&VIEWS You Can Use


PVDA Suspends Ride for Life After 2023


T e PVDA Board of Directors issued the fol-


lowing statement concerning its annual Ride for Life benefi t show. "On June 24-25, 2023, PVDA will host the


20th Annual PVDA Ride for Life at the Show- place Arena in Prince George’s County, MD. We are pleased to share that since its incep- tion in 2004, the Ride for Life has raised nearly $975,000 for Johns Hopkins Breast Center. Our goal for 2023 is to reach $1 million raised. Unfortunately, a fundraiser of this size com- bined with a large horse show requires enor- mous time and eff ort from an organization that is run 100% by volunteers. T erefore, al- though PVDA will continue to host a summer recognized/licensed show in June at the Show- place Arena, 2023 will be the fi nale for Ride for Life. We understand that this will disappoint many people, this was not an easy decision to make. However, PVDA is not a professional fundraising organization and simply no lon- ger has the volunteer manpower to continue. T e fundraiser part of the show required co- ordinators for rider donations, sponsorships, vendors, awards, and the raffl e, plus a chair- person to coordinate the coordinators. T is is in addition to the many volunteers who make the show itself happen. T e Ride for Life show has become smaller over the years, and because we can’t hold the Fundraiser Freestyle in the manner which we have previously, as USDF has deemed it outside of the offi cial rules, the amounts raised each year have been signifi - cantly decreasing. T erefore, we would like to have one last, big


show! T e 20th Annual PVDA Ride for Life with a goal of $1 million raised. We hope you will join us, either by participating in the free- style exhibition or showing and raising funds to reach this goal. Our gratitude goes out to all Ride for Life


participants over the years: riders, volunteers, and/or donors, without whom this accomplish- ment would have not been possible. We espe- cially want to recognize Pat Artimovich who had the vision and the passion to bring about the Ride for Life. She is an inspiration to all, and proof that it only takes one person to start something big. We would like to invite everyone to join the challenge of reaching the one-million-dollar goal


at the fi nal PVDA Ride for Life in 2023. Let us celebrate the success that we have achieved as an organization. Riders, volunteers, donors – it will take everyone to meet this challenge!"


CHA Scholarships T e Certifi cation Scholarship through the


Certifi ed Horsemanship Association is accept- ing applications through February 28. T ese scholarships are for individuals in critical fi - nancial need seeking to develop career oppor- tunities or program credibility through CHA certifi cation. Scholarship criteria and applica- tion form can be found at https://cha.horse/ how-to-host-a-cha-certification/#clinic- scholarships.


New Quarter Horse State Program T e American Quarter Horse Association


(AQHA) and National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) have teamed up to ex- pand their Horse of the Year program in which the top Quarter Horses in high school and junior high school rodeo events can work to- wards year-end awards and prize money. Previously, the awards and prize money would


be presented to the top AQHA horse from each state competing at the National Junior High Finals and National High School Finals. New for 2023, the program has expanded to the state and provincial level in both male and female divisions. Horses must be nominated through the


NHSRA membership profi le and points will be tracked by the name of the horse and the con- testant riding that horse. In order to be nomi- nated, the following criteria must be fulfi lled: • rider must have a current AQHYA member- ship • rider must compete on a registered AQHA horse at NHSRA-sanctioned rodeos • NHRSA rider does not have to be the AQHA horse’s owner • horses must be nominated before competing for points to count • riders must note which horse they will be rid- ing for each event they qualify for


For more information, go to nhsra.com.


Entries Open for Art of Racing T e second annual Art of Racing contest is


now accepting entries from artists nationwide.


Produced by 1/ST, the Maryland Jockey Club and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), the contest highlights the Preakness Stakes. T e winning work will be displayed at Pimlico Racecourse during the Preakness meet as well as on select merchandise. T e winner also receives a $4,000 stipend and two tickets to the Preakness Stakes. Submissions must be made by March 10 at


Preakness.com/the-art-of-racing. Online vot- ing will begin March 13 with the winner an- nounced in mid-April.


HISA Updates


From the Maryland T oroughbred Horsemen’s Association Language designed to bolster the Federal


Trade Commission’s oversight of the Horserac- ing Integrity and Safety Authority was includ- ed in a federal $1.7 trillion omnibus bill passed by the Senate and House of Representatives just before Christmas and signed Dec. 29 by President Joe Biden. T e short amendment states that it allows the


FTC to “abrogate, add to, and modify the rules of (HISA) promulgated in accordance with this Act as the commission fi nds necessary or appropriate.” T e language was added to the omnibus bill


in direct response to a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that delayed implementation of the HISA Anti-Doping and Medication Con- trol Program scheduled to go into eff ect Jan. 1, 2023. T e ruling called HISA unconstitutional because the HISA law—also part of an omni- bus spending bill in late 2020—doesn’t provide enough power to the FTC over the authority, which is a private entity. T e 2022 omnibus bill passed the Senate 68- 29 and the House by a vote of 225-201. T e Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling


was scheduled to take eff ect Jan. 10, 2023; as of early January there had been no response from the court on the status of its ruling or whether the language in the omnibus bill is suffi cient in making the legislation constitutional. HISA was expected to submit a motion for recon- sideration. Other lawsuits challenging various aspects of the HISA legislation remain in play. T e FTC earlier rejected HISA’s entire set of


Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program rules, which means the rules will have to be re- submitted by HISA at some point pending le- continued...


IF YOU HAVE NEWS, VIEWS OR UPDATES TO CONTRIBUTE, PLEASE SEND THEM TO THE EDITOR at


The Equiery, P.O. Box 610, Lisbon, MD 21765 • FAX: 410-489-7828 • email editor@equiery.com. Be sure to include your full name, phone number and address. All submissions become the property of The Equiery.


www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION | FEBRUARY 2023 | 9


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60