Margie Smith
45 Robinson Dr.
New Oxford, PA 17350
(717) 624-4742
Donna Rowell
PO Box 542
Shady Grove, FL 32357
Dear RAA Riders,
> Happy holidays! As
2006 winds down, please remember these dates! Your logbooks are due
by 3rd Weekend in January. The annual Winter Meeting and
Pro-Trainers' Banquet will be held Feb 15-17 in
Huntsville, Alabama. Traditionally , you
have all known the Winter Meetings to be held in Decatur at the Holiday
Inn. This year, the weekend is the same (3rd weekend in
February) however, the location has changed. Most of you by this time,
should have received the notification of the banquet and Winter
Meetings’ location – it is to be held at the Holiday Inn in
Huntsville.
This is our awards’ night and we want to encourage your participation!
Some house keeping
news from the RHBAA. Some of you have been online and reading about all
the “politics/ lawsuit”, etc of the RHBAA. Here are some truths. Yes,
there is a law suit over the sale of 72 acres of the back lands that the
RHBAA owns. This is basically a swampy area. The law suit may be settled
and the land sold by the time this letter goes to print. This will NOT
shut down the RHBAA. Also, this is only a part of the property that the
RHBAA owns at this time. Some of you know that many of us have witnessed
the financial drag that owning real estate has had on the RHBAA. As a
result, the owners/membership voted some time ago to try to sell the
land – we are NOT in the real estate business, but are in the business
of a horse registry. By selling the land and buildings, the RHBAA can
concentrate on improving the breed and not worry about financial income
to support land, taxes and building improvements. So, yes, we are trying
to sell the land and buildings, not the RHBAA organization. Yes,
finances have been tight, but with a sale of the property, RHBAA will
once again be financially in better shape.
> Now, for the news you all have been waiting for – the input from
the RAA riders themselves. Thank you for all the messages and stories
you shared through many interesting e-mails! Many of us had an exciting
(good and not-so-good) 2006. Read on!
> Congratulations to Chris and Glen Mackey who moved into their new
home in Plainwell, MI on Thanksgiving Day - finally! Throughout the
summer, Christine sent us news of her selling their house and consequent
finding temporary living quarters. Christine wrote that the move was
long, tedious and seemed to go forever, but finally they are settled and
she and Dunkin plan to get back to riding.
Congratulations and best wishes to
Cindy (Withers) and Chris Tenney for their recent marriage and new home
as well! Chris and Cindy will be riding as the new year comes – they
were busy this past year putting together their family (Chris’ two boys
and Cindy’s animal menagerie!). We’ll be seeing Cindy on Rambo (if you
remember, he was the horse who used to take both Cindy and her deceased
husband, Paul around the Maryland
countryside). Now, Rambo has a pasture mate and will only be hauling one
person at a time!
> Randy Davisson is busy and successfully training Eli and Chester
to drive! You may all remember that Randy and Eli have been the first
man/ horse team to rack totally across all 50 states and the major
territories of Canada. He plans to drive a team across Michigan
from Empire to Oscoda! Randy Davisson's and Eli's feats appear in
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Check it out!
> Sue Schmidt in Michigan
enjoyed a lot of riding time this summer on Sam who is 18 years old, but
thinks he's only 4. They plan to close in on 1000 hrs this year! Best
of luck!
> Rosemarie and Chad McDannell of Pennsylvania spent a wonderful
Labor Day weekend in Elk county in western PA, putting tons of hours on
Dee, Liberty, and Splinter. They've started youngster Teenie. So far,
so good. They rode Black Moshannon State Forest,
Fowler's Hollow, Trough Creek and Sidling's Hill. Whew!
> Suzie Binns from West Virginia renewed her membership. She and
Axel Rose indulged in some judged pleasure rides, but when Axel’s back
got sore he was layed up for awhile. He’s fully recovered now, Suzie’s
added a few more racking horses to her family and she and her niece are
ready to ride. Welcome back Suzie!
After enduring a lot of naughty gelding behavior when living with Allstar, a mare, Debbie Farkas decided that Allstar would go to an adoption center where she will live out her life in a nice home. Debbie will miss her smooth ride, but is glad she was placed in a new home through an adoption program.
Welcome to new member Nancy Livengood
from San Antonio, TX. Nancy
is getting married later in December, and afterwards she and her new
husband, Fred Yanta, will be heading to Hill Country State Natural Area
for a trail riding honeymoon!
> Tracy Butler and her daughter Ashley (AKA Horse Nut), from West
Virginia, are rejoining RAA with their gentle racking mares Libby and
Terra. Glad to hear they have come away from the dark side that had
taken the form of a QH named Cherokee. Ashley was onboard when Cherokee
"bucked 5' in the air and started spinning circles. He reared, lunged,
then bolted off." Amazingly, Ashley managed to stay on until he tried
to jump a six foot fence! No good. He crashed through it instead.
Cherokee was left unhurt. Ashley went to the hospital where doctors
worked hard to put her arm back together! Best wishes and prayers for a
speedy and full recovery!
The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine has issued two notices that are of special interest to horse owners. The first is a warning about horse deaths due to the unapproved use of generic Clenbuterol in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD.) Clenbuterol is the active ingredient in Ventipulmin Syrup, a medication that is approved for horses in very specific doses over a specified time. Treatment is closely monitored to make sure the horse is responding properly. Unapproved use is dangerous!
For more info check out http://www.fda.gov/cvm/horsedeath.htm
The second notice warns against feeding corn or corn by-products that could contain fumonisins, a group of toxins from an endophytic mold found within the corn kernel. The mold can be produced while the corn plants are still in the field or during improper storage after harvest. Fumonisins can produce serious neurological disease and death. Ask your feed dealer if the corn you are buying has been tested for fumonisins. Check this site for more info http://www.fda.gov/cvm/horsefumonisin.htm. Some of you may remember that about 10 years ago, there were deaths in horses from the corn toxin – this is always a concern and possibility whenever feeding untreated corn or corn products to your horses. Usually, a wet season can set off the toxin – so beware, this in an ongoing issue, not just one for this year.
For those of you in the southern part of the USA – here is a group you may or may not know about. They are called SEDRA - South Eastern Distance Riders Association You can find out more about their association and scheduled rides at: www.DistanceRiding.com. Their scheduled rides are listed at the end of this newsletter. Since we are not planning a national ride at this time – we still don’t have enough riders interested in meeting at one designated place, then maybe SEDRA will interest you.
Finally, here is one last item for
our newsletter. I have been the RAA coordinator for the RAA program
since its inception. Between moving two years ago, projects to get our
sheep and Topper happy, time is at a premium. I will be starting to take
classes next fall and will continue to teach full-time. As a result, one
of the RAA riders, Donna Rowell, has offered her time to help publish
the newsletters a few times a year as well as help with other
organizational items with the RAA. I am not retiring from RHBAA or the
Pleasure Association, however, the reality is that one never lives
forever. By being the only person to coordinate a program, we always
have stood the chance that if something should ever happen to me, the
RAA program could suffer – since for those of you who know my dear
hubby, Lynn or “Les” to others, know he is NOT computer savvy. He isn’t
even computer literate! Since most of the information for the RAA
program is on computer (some is on hard copy also – so don’t fret), I
felt it was time to get some help when it was offered. So, please
welcome Donna Rowell as an associate coordinator. Donna is from Florida
and has been a member of the RHBAA for two years. Her main riding horse
is Princess (AKA Mighty Mouse.).
> Thank you to everyone who shared their news with us this year! We
hope to be able to put out a newsletter 2 or 3 times a year. RAA riders
are an interesting bunch and it's a great way to stay connected! Please
send us your stories and news, horsey thoughts and plans. Keep in touch
and have a great and safe riding holiday season!
Sincerely,
Margie Smith and Donna Rowell,
RAA Coordinators
SEDRA
SCHEDULED RIDES - 2007
Feb. 16 and 17, Far Out Forest Endurance, 25/50/100 miles at Ocala National Forest, Altoona, FL Contact Ed Oathout at 352-669-7798 or Faroutfarmfl@aol.com. SANCTIONING NOT RECEIVED.
Mar. 3 and 4, Indian Hammock CTR and 10 mile Fun Ride, 25 miles at Indian Hammock Hunt and Riding Club, Okeechobee, FL. Contact Jean Basinais @ 863-357-3712 or ShowManBob@isp.com
Mar. 8, 9, 10 and 11, Fun in the Sun Pioneer (FITS), (FEI), 25/50 - 55/100 miles, at Goethe State Forest, Dunnellon, FL. Contact Jan Stevens @ 406-784-2469 or circlebarranch@rangeweb.net. www.FITSEnduranceRide.com
March 16, 17 and 18, Sand Hills Stampede Endurance, 30/55, 2-days, H Cooper Black Field Trial and Recreation Area, Patrick, SC. Contact Patsy Gowen @ 803-329-0077 or FireFoxRun@Comporium.net.
April 13 and 14, (Tentative) Line of Pines Competitive Trail Ride, 25 miles at Etoniah Creek State Forest, Florahome, FL. Contact LuAnn Wilson @386-659-1782 or Wilsonrd@bellsouth.net , Hope Binkley @352-669-1819 or cowgirlup88@clicksouth.net
April 20 and 21, Million Pines Classic Elevator, 25/50 miles in Soperton, GA. Contact Wesley Crowe 912-529-3956 or soppharm@planttel.net.
May 4, and 5, Biltmore Challenge (FEI), 50/100 miles at the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC. Contact Cheryl Newman @ 828-665-1531 or cherylnewman@charter.net.
October 20 and 21, FHA 25 Competitive Trail, 25 miles at Withlacoochee State Forest, Lecanto, FL. Contact Chrissy Poole , 352-621-0215 or cpool@tampabay.rr.com .
Tina Tippett on Shadow Tippett Family