|
The Board of Directors are proposing the attached bylaw changes which will be voted on by Organizational Members at the April 8th, 2025 Annual Meeting.
Trevor Walton Trevor Walton is seeking a second term on the Michigan Horse Council board of directors. He has been the Equine Activities and Nominations chair. Trevor is a lifelong professional in the equine world, specifically the show aspect of it. He is proud to be a part of the MHC commitment to all things horse. Julie Pooler Julie was born in Bozeman, Montana, so it’s no surprise that she loves the outdoors!
Julie and her husband, Vic are embarking on the adventure of owning a ranch and moving their herd and pups to wide open spaces. She was previously the Ranch Director at D Bar A Ranch in Metamora, MI where she helped bring equine programs and opportunities to the community and school districts in the area. Including partnerships that offered “birding on horseback!” Prior to her work at the ranch, Julie was the Program Director at the Equine Center for Learning (formerly known as Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center). She was able to build curriculum and programming to support students, pre-k through high school. The center became an equine assisted, experiential learning facility under her direction. She has also built extensive community partnerships, creating opportunities for work based learning, internships (including field work at the collegiate level), volunteer groups and projects relevant to need. Prior to her work at the Equine Center for Learning, she was a Learning and Education Specialist/Human Resources Manager and has experience in operations and facilities management. Her experience with horses began as a child on a Morgan horse farm. The owners of the farm allowed her to groom and ride their prize winning show horses, which is where her heart became attached to the equine world. Julie is also a Continuous Quality Improvement Academy graduate and certified trainer with Partners in Leadership. She currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Michigan Horse Council. She has also served as Vice President and Youth Chair. Julie’s interests include anything horse, family, cooking, exercise, gardening, and people! Terri DelbridgeTerri is a Regional and National Arabian judge and has judged Scottsdale, US Nationals, and the Mpumalanga Regional in Parys, South Africa. She also judges 4-H and High School. Having such a wide range of experience at many levels, she also enjoys sharing her knowledge offering lessons and coaching both at home and at shows. Terri is an experienced clinician and can offer her expertise in many areas from a judge’s perspective. She is happiest when she is working with someone sitting on a horse. Even if your goal is having a more enjoyable trail riding partner. She even offers yoga classes on horseback. She was recently voted back on the Arabian Horse Association of Michigan’s board where she is a past president. Terri looks forward to again serving the Arabian community. Angella ShermanMy first experiences riding horses were at Camp Ohiyesa in Holly and at my friend’s in our back yards, and around the neighborhood in Rose Center growing up. I was definitely bitten by the horse bug! I was active for many years in our local 4H club showing goats and rabbits. During my high school and early college years I was quite focused on my studies, but I rode at local stables whenever I could. I spent many long years schooling, raising a family, and starting a career at General Motors as a Diesel Development Engineer. Finally, at the age of 49, I was able to get my first horse, Cody. Wanting to learn more about horse care and ownership, I started taking barefoot trimming classes and have learned so much! These courses have taught me about not only hoof care, anatomy, and pathology, but also about the link between all the systems in the horse from skeletal, muscular, nervous and how they all relate to the feet! I have found over the last five years of horse ownership that I love trail riding and horse camping. Living in Southeast Michigan has made me realize how fortunate I am to have so many beautiful trail systems within an hour’s drive! In 2023 I was one of the Southeast Trails Representatives for the MHC Trails Committee and have made many new friends in this role. There are so many trails advocates in Michigan and we are so fortunate to have the resources and areas to ride that we do. I want to make sure these areas are preserved for the future. I look forward to advocating for trails and educating shared users on trail safety and etiquette for all users. I am also very interested in sustainable trail design and implementation and am taking steps to become more involved in the legislative area of the horse industry to support these efforts. Lora ThorsbyLora has been involved with horses for 48 years. Accomplishments included AHSA Horse of the Year, AHA Region Champion, PTHA World Champion, AHA Rider of Honor and various national and state titles. In her spare time Lora has served as MHSA secretary, AHAM director, EMAA youth director, Michigan Judges Advisory Committee, and a 4-H Leader. Additionally Lora has served as a Michigan 4-H judge for over 30 years. Melissa DeWittI am interested in your Trails Development spot in your association! I have experience doing this in Dalton Equestrian park, just north of Muskegon. I started riding when I was very young, took a 15 year hiatus and then got involved again. I primarily trail ride, nothing like it! I have two horses, Casey girl and Mustard. My husband, Wyatt, will occasionally join me on his horse for a ride, but mostly I ride with friends or solo.I have met so many amazing individuals through Michigan Horse Council and riding. When I am not riding, I am working. I work for the local Hospice company and for myself, doing in-home private duty caregiving. My passion for end-of-life care and horses came together when I started the annual “Horses for Harbor Hospice” fundraiser ride. My goal is to get a hippotherapy program up and going to add to the grief services we offer through the Scolnik Center for Grief and Healing. In the last two years, we have raised over $20,000 towards that goal. Happy Trails! Gail HilbrandBorn and raised in Hudsonville, Michigan I have enjoyed my horse passion in many different adventures such as 4-H, local showing, national showing, and training riding. Trail riding is the most exciting adventure of all. It has taken me up Mount Rushmore in the Ozark Mountains and across the state of Michigan. Trail riding in Michigan is talked about across the United States. Everyone asks about the Shore to Shore ride in Michigan. I wish to support the trail riding in Michigan. Sasha GloverI have had the privilege to serve the Michigan Horse Council for 3 years in the position of communications chair and board secretary. Additionally, I have served the Michigan Horse Expo committee as their communications director overseeing ticket sales, marketing, and answering general inquiries.
In addition to the Michigan Horse Council I had the privilege to serve the Michigan Quarter Horse Association for over 10 years along with volunteer through Webberville High School as a FFA co-advisor. I have always been impressed with how Michigan Horse Council has the ability to connect with all disciplines, economies, and passion of the equine industry across the state of Michigan. I look forward to the opportunity to serve Michigan Horse Council further. At the 2023 Michigan Horse Council Annual Meeting hosted at the MSU Pavilion on April 11th the organizational members voted to approve the following additions of board members which included Brittany Bennett, Renee Evoy, and Kallie Meyers. Bennett and Evoy were elected to their first two-year term and Kallie Meyers will continue in her position on the board with her second two-year term. “It is truly a privilege to be working alongside such talented equine enthusiasts” said Michigan Horse Council President, Inger Lanese. The mission of the Michigan Horse Council is to provide individuals and organizations with a central authority that will support, encourage, supplement, and coordinate the efforts of those presently engaged in the constructive conservation, development, and promotion of the horse industry and horse community in the state of Michigan along with educate and inform individuals and organizations through all available media, educational programs, cooperation, and advocate the conservation and promotion of the horse industry and community.  While there are several surveys conducted in the equine industry, the American Horse Council’s (AHC) National Economic Impact Study is the most comprehensive and widely used study of the industry’s contributions to GDP including employment, volunteers, equid population, acreage, etc. broken by sectors (Recreation, Racing, Competitions, and Working Horses).
An economic impact study is a critical tool to create an awareness of and an interest in the equine industry; provide positive relationships, including congressional and media relations; identifying the industry as a player in the local, state & national economy and allowing the industry to advertise itself by first identifying its contributions. There are roughly two million horse owners in the United States, and we need your help reaching as many of them as possible to get the most robust picture as we can of the industry’s contributions. To encourage participation, the AHC has partnered with several sponsors to offer 15 incentive prizes, including:
In addition, all participants completing the survey will be eligible for 15% discount on purchases at horseandriderbooks.com (discount code is provided at the end of the survey). Prize winners will be announced in the fall 2023 when the study results are announced. See AHC website to review all the prize drawing rules. (Economic Impact Study - American Horse Council) We would like to emphasis that this is first, and foremost, a national study, however there are several states/communities that have commissioned breakout reports including California, Florida, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Texas for state studies, along with Marion County, Florida and Long Island, New York for community studies. New this year is a specialty report focusing on Standardbreds, sponsored by the United States Trotting Association. Thank you for participating and sharing this survey with all your horse owning friends! The survey will be available from April 3, 2023, through September 29, 2023. Please click on the following links; Horse Owner Survey Horse Industry Supplier Survey PRESS RELEASE
December 29, 2022 CONTACT INFORMATION: Michigan Horse Council Mr. Sasha Glover – Communications Director Phone: 517-920-0136 Email: [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Michigan Horse Council to Celebrate 50th Anniversary in 2023 The Michigan Horse Council (MHC) will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2023. Founded in 1973 with the mission to “Promote and Protect the Horse Industry”, the Michigan Horse Council has been doing just that through a variety of events, legislative actions, and financial investments into Michigan equine organizations. “As we approach the Golden Anniversary of the Michigan Horse Council, let us celebrate the health and strength of this organization. Only the Horse could lead such a diverse and dedicated group of humans for over 5 decades” said current Michigan Horse Council President, Inger Lanese. Since 1973 the Michigan Horse Council has built a wide variety of events that advocate, positively impact, and engage individuals to participate in the equine industry. Some of these events include Equine Legislative Day, Michigan Horse Expo, Statewide Trail Ride, and monthly Virtual Equine Coffee Hours. Most recently, Michigan Horse Council partnered with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help execute the first Michigan Shoreline Ride. The Michigan Horse Council has also been very active on the legislative front to ensure that the Michigan equine industry is supported and protected by state, regional, and national leaders. Financial support of the Michigan equine industry is another vital part to the Council’s success over these 50 years. Since 2017 Michigan Horse Council has awarded $29,000 in scholarships, $20,086 in education and youth development, $7,089 to various associations and partner groups, $7,750.00 to Michigan trails, and $24,620 to promote the Michigan horse industry to Michigan legislators. “What a pleasure to see how this organization has progressed, the Michigan Horse Expo, the support to all organizations, and the fiercely loyal professionals that lead this organization” said Past President and 50th Anniversary Chair, Colonel Don Packard. This committee is also being chaired by Past President, Mike Foote. At the 2023 Michigan Horse Expo being hosted on March 10-12 at the Michigan State University Livestock Pavilion is where the Michigan Horse Expo will host many of its celebrations to commemorate this golden anniversary. Not only will the 2023 Michigan Horse Expo celebrate the Council’s 50th anniversary, it also marks the 40th Anniversary of the Michigan Horse Expo. # # #  PRESS RELEASE
April 17, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Michigan Horse Council Elects New Directors and Officers at 2022 Annual Meeting At the 2022 Michigan Horse Council Annual Meeting hosted at the MSU Pavilion on April 12th the organizational members voted to approve the following additions of board members which included Penny Wilson, Julie Vruggink, and Trevor Walton. Additionally, the Michigan Horse Council Board of Directors voted to elect Julie Vruggink as Vice President for the upcoming year. For the upcoming year Inger Lenese will serve as President, Bruce Deur as President Elect, and Julie Vruggink at Vice President. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer had no nominations, so the Council Board of Directors motioned to appoint Director and Communication Chair, Sasha Glover, to act as interim Secretary until the May 2022 meeting. Term-limited Treasurer, Sue Armstrong, will hold the position until the May 2022 meeting. Nominations for the offices of Secretary and Treasurer will be accepted/voted upon May 3, 2022, during the Board Member Meeting (7:00pm via Zoom). The mission of the Michigan Horse Council is to provide individuals and organizations with a central authority that will support, encourage, supplement, and coordinate the efforts of those presently engaged in the constructive conservation, development, and promotion of the horse industry and horse community in the state of Michigan along with educate and inform individuals and organizations through all available media, educational programs, cooperation, and advocate the conservation and promotion of the horse industry and community. ###  Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, retrain and re-home at risk equines. We assist law enforcement agencies and accept surrendered horses from owners displaying a clear need for help (we are not a retirement facility). Our goal is to find every horse in our care a forever home through adoption. This is accomplished through medical rehabilitation and training to ensure each horse, rideable or not, has the skills needed to be a good equine citizen. Established in 1995, the farm is run by our Board of Directors, a small staff of 5 employees and over 100 volunteers helping care for 70 horses at any given time! Our programs include 2 volunteer shifts per day seven days a week, the groom team, the rehabilitation and training team and the maintenance team. Our property of 22 acres holds 23 pastures, a small indoor arena, the Madi Memorial Arena (outdoor) and the Rehabilitation and Obstacle Training Course.
Even with the challenges of this last year, 2020 saw 63 adoptions! 20 companion horses and 43 rideable horses were placed in appropriate, loving homes. So far in 2021, we have welcomed 56 intakes and placed 41 horses. We have started installation of an automatic watering system and need your help to complete it. This will save on chore time year-round, allowing more time spent with the horses, reduce heating bills by $1,400/month 6 months out of the year, reduce water waste and make volunteering at Horses’ Haven in the winter a much easier task. We have raised $26,000 for this project and need $24,000 to complete. Horses’ Haven has partnered with the ASPCA to remove geographical barriers in adoption. Early 2020 we made 5 trips to KY bringing 19 horses to Michigan which were quickly adopted into wonderful homes. New this year is the Horse Adoption Express, organized and funded by the ASPCA/Right Horse. Addressing the problem of geography is a large scale effort that needs to have the industry coming together, problem solving, evaluating resources and acting. Through the Horse Adoption Express Program this year, we have welcomed and adopted 6 horses from FL rescues and 10 horses form MN. We are excited to see what we can accomplish in the future with this large collaboration both helping at risk equines, utilizing what our wonderful programs have to offer and fulfilling the demand for adoption in our horse community. 2021 Open House and Haven Hoedown Fundraiser We will be holding our annual Open House on September 18th from 12-4. This is a family friendly day of meeting the horses, kids activities and touring the farm. RSVP’s are appreciated via Facebook Event post, Facebook messenger or through our website “contact us” form found at horseshaven.org. In addition, we are continuing the night with our first Haven Hoedown!! This will be a night of music, dancing and food. Tickets will be available for purchase on our website or at our onsite Tack Store. MHC is proud to release the first show of the Michigan Horse Council News. In this show MHC highlights Michigan trails, MHC events, State Representative, Julie Alexander, and therapeutic riding. We hope you enjoy! Eleven outstanding Michigan State University (MSU) students pursuing livestock industry-related programs of study for the 2021-22 academic year were recently awarded $30,000 in scholarships by the Michigan Livestock Industry Scholarship Foundation (MLISF). Foundation President, Pete Blauwiekel said, “simply getting good grades is not enough to be recognized with one of these scholarships”. In addition to academic achievement, the scholarship’s criteria include extracurricular leadership and involvement, written and oral communication skills, and enthusiasm in pursuing a livestock (beef cattle, sheep, swine, equine or meat products) industry career. “Those individuals selected for this honor have a clear passion and demonstrated involvement in the Michigan animal industry and a commitment to its future improvement”, said Blauwiekel.
|