ohioequineindustry.org

Instant Racing Called Quick Fix for Ohio

FROM: Blood Horse

BY: Tom LaMarra

A study released by Ohio State Racing Commission offers a short-term action plan and a long-term strategy for the struggling horseracing industry in the Buckeye State, but one racetrack official said the quickest fix lies with the pen of Gov. Ted Strickland.

The study, prepared by the Colorado-based Innovation Group on behalf of the OSRC, not surprisingly calls alternative forms of gaming “the most popular, less risky, and highest-impact approach” to improve the economics of racing and breeding in Ohio. Beulah Park owner Charles Ruma doesn’t disagree, but believes something must be done soon to at least repair the damage.

Ruma was one of several individuals who addressed the OSRC Nov. 21 when the report was presented. It was the same day the racing commission approved a reduction of more than 160 days of Thoroughbred racing at Beulah Park and River Downs in 2009 because of what the tracks call declines in pari-mutuel revenue and conflict with horsemen over advance deposit wagering models.

“Right now, if you want to fix racing immediately, get the governor to sign the Instant Racing bill,” Ruma told the racing commission. “It already passed the Senate, and the Speaker of the House has said he’ll put it up for a vote. If the governor signs it, we’ve got a fix, and (Beulah Park and River Downs) will be back to a full racing schedule.”

The legislation to authorize Instant Racing—the machines are pari-mutuel in nature because they use recycled races but resemble video slot machines—hasn’t been addressed since the 2007 Senate vote because Strickland, a Democrat, said he would veto it. Under the bill, the seven tracks in Ohio would be able to operate the machines, which are credited with providing purse increases at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

Efforts to amend the state constitution to authorize casino-style gambling in Ohio have failed repeatedly, including this year, when a referendum for a private casino was defeated. When Strickland earlier this year authorized the Ohio Lottery to operate Keno games around the state, racing industry officials hoped it would lead to track-based video lottery terminals.

“In this state, we have tried to amend the constitution, and that has failed,” Ruma said. “The simple and best way is to have the Lottery own all the equipment and proceeds (from video gambling), and pay the tracks a commission.”

The study by The Innovation Group makes the following short-term recommendations: allow all racetracks to offer simulcasts full-time; revise the law that has greatly limited the opening of off-track betting parlors in the state; pass ADW legislation that would “put the industry in the best position to benefit” from ADW; allow tracks to take tax credits against pari-mutuel wagering for approved marketing and promotional expenditures; and divert funds that go to a program for senior citizens back to horse racing.

The long-term strategy contained in the report is simply alternative forms of gaming. “With regard to racetrack casinos, The Innovation Group believes a tax rate structure that balances the needs of government with the need to maintain a healthy gaming and racing industry will maximize the benefits of gaming for Ohio,” the report states.

Pari-mutuel handle in Ohio is down 12% again this year, and purses are the lowest in the region. This year through Nov. 24, purses at Beulah Park have averaged $38,765. River Downs, usually well-supported by Kentucky-based horses seeking easy spots, offered $53,627 a day in purses for 102 days, while Thistledown purses averaged $67,481 per day for 121 days, according to The Jockey Club Information Systems.

With the exception of Northfield Park, the state’s harness tracks are trimming live racing dates again for 2009.

“Ohio has the most talented people you could ever want to meet,” OSRC chairman Willie Koester said after the study was presented. “Ohio has done nothing wrong; the other states have done something right. What we’re doing is selling cars without air conditioning. No one buys them anymore.”

As of Nov. 25, there was no indication of a resolution to the approved 2009 schedule that has Beulah Park shutting down in the winter and River Downs offering no Thoroughbred racing in the spring and summer. But no one has said the dates approved Nov. 21 are final.

The situation has ramifications beyond pari-mutuel handle. There are roughly 1,000 horses stabled at Beulah Park, which traditionally races from October through early May. Many of them may have nowhere to go, because barn areas at nearby tracks are full, and other tracks are closed for the winter.

Beulah Park has said the barn area will shut down at the end of December if there is no winter racing. One Ohio owner suggested if horses in fact have no place to go, the situation could bring unwanted publicity to Ohio given the recent national push by the industry to ensure the health and safety of Thoroughbreds.

Saving Horse Riding Trails

FROM: The Horse

BY: Back Country Horsemen of America

When the U.S. Forest Service began to make changes to the trail classification system that had been in place for nearly 100 years, Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) took notice. When they realized the huge impact it would have on horse users, they made every attempt to resolve the problem. Despite their efforts, they found in 2005 that litigation was their only choice.

Under the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed plan, as much as 50% of the Wilderness trail system may not have ultimately accommodated pack and saddle stock. Because of BCHA’s persistence, this trail use that has been an integral part of the history of the United States will still be available.

Background of the U.S. Forest Service Trail System

Through much of the 20th century, pack and saddle stock provided a primary means of transportation in our nation’s backcountry and wilderness. The historical three level system–mainline, secondary, and way–had evolved over the better part of 100 years and served backcountry travelers well.

In the mid to late 1980s, trail specialists from around the United States. determined that the three level system wasn’t “visitor friendly” and changed the classification to “easy, more difficult, and most difficult.” But the design standards remained unchanged until about 1999, when U.S. Forest Service personnel began overhauling the system.

Back Country Horsemen of America heard rumors of the change, but was unable to learn the specifics until late spring of 2004. After reviewing the information, BCHA determined that not only could the modifications have profound effects on traditional pack and saddle stock use, those changes were made without public input, as is required by the National Forest Management Act.

Proposed Changes and How They Would Have Affected Horse Use

This revision to a century-old trail system reflects a progression we see in today’s society. When first constructed, these trails served as transportation routes that would provide “(a) safe and unobstructed passage of loaded animals and foot travelers at a walking gait and in single file; and (b) durability designed to meet expected use and liability of damage from natural causes,” as stated in the U.S. Forest Service Trail Handbook, 1935.

Except in fairly rare instances, all U.S. Forest Service trails were originally designed to standards that would accommodate horses. Mainline (easiest) trails were designed for a loaded pack string, with an 8′ clearing width and 10′ clearing height. They were common throughout backcountry and in western wildernesses up through the 1990s, and comprised about a third of the entire system.

At the other end of the trail design spectrum, the standard for way (most difficult) trails was a clearing width of 3′ to 4′ and a clearing height of 8′. Although this is recognizably inadequate for fully packed animals, it would accommodate a saddle animal and rider. Not only do a number of people like to enjoy undeveloped land by horseback, hunters have also been known to use way trails to pack out game.

In our modern age, traveling in backcountry has become more of a pastime than a necessity. In an effort to make available the kind of leisure experiences the public seems to want, the U.S. Forest Service now views trails in an entirely different manner–as a recreational facility. Unfortunately, equestrians seemed to be almost completely disregarded as users of these trails under the revised plan.

The proposed trail classification system would have categorized trails into five different classes, trail class 5 being the most developed (sometimes including such things as interpretive and handicapped trails) and trail class 1 being the most primitive. When compared to the historic trail system, nearly all classes of trails would be maintained at a narrower width and tread, and a shorter clearing height, making it unreasonable and/or unsafe to take horses on those trails.

BCHA found that of the three trail classes that would occur in Wilderness areas, trail class 1 would not accommodate the use of horses; trail class 2 would marginally accommodate a horse and rider, but not loaded pack stock; and trail class 3 would marginally accommodate packers with one to a few pack animals, but they would be in jeopardy on steep side slopes. The historic tradition of traveling with a number of pack animals would have been eliminated with these lower trail standards.

This potentially would have meant that up to 50% of the trail system, which had historically been available to pack and saddle stock users, would have no longer been managed to standards that would accommodate that use.

Another concern BCHA had was the decision making power given to land managers. The proposed classification system gave them the ability to change a trail’s user status or maintenance standard, or even drop it from the system altogether, at their own discretion and without an appropriate decision process (including public involvement and effects analysis). There was also concern that the assignment of new trail classes might be based on current condition, use level, or budget rather than upon land management plans or history of use.

BCHA’s Attempts to Save Trails for Equestrians

The goal of Back Country Horsemen of America was to get agency decision makers to step back and take another look at their proposed changes. They went to great effort to gain an audience with U.S. Forest Service national leadership, and despite their credibility as the nation’s experts in wilderness horse use, they were unsuccessful in having their voices heard.

BCHA also requested information and statistics from the U.S. Forest Service and were refused. Then they invoked the Freedom of Information Act at both the regional and the national level, but were again rebuffed.

After BCHA hired an attorney, U.S. Forest Service leaders did finally meet with them. They insisted that these changes were within their discretional authority and that there was no obligation to involve the public. They also dismissed the need to consider alternatives or analyze the effects of this change on historic uses.

But they did assure BCHA that their concerns would be addressed in the final draft of the proposed trail classification system. However, when that draft was released, BCHA found that none of their concerns had been incorporated. They had no alternative but to litigate.

BCHA Achieves Results

Back Country Horsemen of America prevailed in its claim that the U.S. Forest Service violated provisions of the National Forest Management Act requiring public involvement. Consequently, in October 2008, the U.S. Forest Service met in Clearwater National Forest in Idaho with BCHA and a number of other wilderness user groups to discuss the impact of their proposed changes.

Having many different user types involved (such as hikers, bikers, and off-road vehicle users) helped fulfill the U.S. Forest Service’s desire to avoid unfair bias to one user group. Many of these organizations thanked BCHA for bringing the changes to their attention and being persistent in seeking resolution.

To comply with the court’s order, the U.S. Forest Service also released an “interim final rule” in October 2008, and it has invited the public’s comments. Significant modifications were made to the original proposed classification system, and BCHA is pleased with the result.

As outlined in the interim final rule, the trail classification system will not result in fewer miles of trail being managed for pack and saddle stock, or trails being managed to a lower standard.

The U.S. Forest Service resolved that issue by increasing the parameters of trail class 2 to those of a secondary trail of the historic system, and the parameters of trail class 3 to approximate those of a mainline trail. Trail class 1 will not accommodate pack and saddle stock users, but under the interim final rule, a trail that already has pack and saddle stock use will be classified as trail class 2 or better. At this time, only about 5% of the national trail system is identified as trail class 1.

Instead of allowing land managers to make changes at their own discretion, the interim final rule specifically states, “Trail management and use [are] based on the management intent for the trail, as determined by the applicable land management plan, applicable travel management decisions, trail-specific decisions, and other related direction.”

BCHA is very happy to have been able to preserve their solid partnership with the U.S. Forest Service despite the differences. When they traveled to Washington, D.C., for a formal meeting with U.S. Forest Service leaders, they were welcomed and treated graciously. In fact, U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Joel Holtrop, USDA Forest Service Director RHVR Jim Bedwell, and RHWR Director of Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers Chris Brown have been attending BCHA’s board meetings.

Get Involved Locally, Regionally, and Nationally

Back Country Horsemen of America encourages horsemen and other public lands users to stand up and have their say. In an environment where increasingly more recreationists, and different types of recreationists, are competing for the same trail system and land base, it is essential we be fully engaged in the planning processes and in monitoring plan implementation to ensure that trail management decisions are consistent with those plans.

BCHA encourages horse users to volunteer for their local, regional, and national land management organizations. Getting your hands dirty doing trail maintenance and being present at meetings will enable you to stay current with proposals and potential changes. It’s far easier to prevent those changes than to try to revert them after the “No Horses” signs are posted at the trail head.

About Back Country Horsemen of America

BCHA is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, chapters, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes in regards to the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.

If you want to know more about Back Country Horsemen of America or become a member, visit their Web site www.backcountryhorse.com, call toll free 888/893-5161, or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367.

Mountaineer Cuts 93 Jobs from Payroll - Slot revenue down $4 million in 3rd quarter

FROM: Blood Horse

BY: Associated Press

Ninety-three employees are out of work at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.

MTR Gaming Group president and chief executive officer Bob Griffin announced the layoffs at the Chester, W. Va., facility Nov. 21. They will reduce the work force by 4%, for a new total of 2,076 workers. A separate filing by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission said savings from the payroll move would total $4.5 million.

Griffin said it is critical to reduce operating expenses so Mountaineer can remain competitive in a tough economy. While its table game play is strong, revenues from slot machines fell by $4 million in the third quarter.

Kentucky Tracks Battle Economy, Slots (Has information on IN, PA and KY and relation to Ohio)

FROM: Blood Horse

BY: Associated Press

Ron Geary thought he’d made it through the worst of it. The owner of tiny Ellis Park in western Kentucky salvaged the racetrack’s summer 2008 meet with a bit of showmanship.

Nontraditional events like “Wiener dog” and ostrich racing turned Ellis Park into a modest success story, and brought a little buzz to the tidy dirt oval hard by the Ohio River in Henderson, about two hours west of Louisville.

While the handle at racetracks throughout the country fell almost 10% in the third quarter, the place with the small soybean field planted across the infield fell just 3%. As other operators struggled to bring people to the races, attendance rose slightly at the track Geary purchased from Churchill Downs Inc. two years ago.

All things considered, it was one of the better meets in the track’s storied 87-year history.

Geary fears it may also be one of the last.

“The summer of 2009 is going to be extremely bleak,” he said.

While Geary isn’t naive enough to think racing is immune to the global economic downturn, he knows racing as a whole will survive. Pictures of crowded grandstands at Ellis Park during the Great Depression tell him that. The question is which tracks will thrive and which ones won’t make it.

Geary’s biggest concern isn’t the economy but the growing chasm between states like Pennsylvania and Indiana where racing is subsidized by alternative gaming — such as slot machines and video lottery stations — and states like Kentucky that have to rely almost entirely on wagering for survival.

“Kentucky has allowed all of our surrounding states to use alternative gaming at racetracks to supplement their total operations as well as greatly improve their purses,” Geary said.

When the betting windows open at Ellis Park next summer, the track will have something Geary never anticipated: local competition.

Indiana Downs and Hoosier Downs, both within easy driving distance from Ellis Park, will expand their spring and fall meets after Indiana lawmakers approved a measure allowing alternative gaming at both tracks. Instead of having the summer pretty much to itself, Ellis Park will have only a two-week window in July to call its own.

Geary estimates the Indiana tracks will be able to offer $180,000 in daily purse money next summer thanks in part to revenue generated by alternative gaming. He expects to offer about only $135,000 in daily purse money in 2009 at Ellis Park, a figure largely based on how much money is wagered on races at the track and how much is bet on other races across the nation at the park’s simulcast facility.

“That’s going to be our death knell,” Geary said. “There’s no way any Kentucky track can survive that purse differential.”

There’s no easy way out.

The only way Geary can raise the purses at Ellis Park is to get the track’s handle up, and the best way to do that is to increase field sizes, which translates into more betting because there are more options to choose from.

The problem is that trainers who would consider bringing their horses to Ellis Park can now opt to go to tracks in states where the purses are bigger because of revenue from slot and video lottery machines.

It’s already happening.

Trainer Larry Jones, who spent more than two decades grinding out a living at Ellis Park, moved his operations to Delaware Park in 2005 because of the track’s lengthy seven-month meet and lucrative purses provided by tourists dumping their quarters into slot machines.

“Money is what you’ve got to chase in this game,” Jones said. “This is a business. Why run (at Ellis Park) for half the purse that you can run in up here and not have to run any harder here.”

Jones is hardly alone. Geary estimated more than 400 horses that would have normally run at Ellis Park this summer were sent elsewhere.

“I’ve had trainers tell me they love Ellis Park, but they have expenses they have to meet,” Geary said.

Kentucky isn’t the only state struggling to keep up. California and Texas, both major racing states, are slumping at the gate and the betting window.

Though Oak Tree’s meet at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., posted a modest increase in handle during its fall meet, most of it was due to a two-day visit from the Breeders’ Cup. Take away the money bet on the two richest days in horse racing and on-track handle was down 14% for the meet.

While the downturn in the economy can be attributed to some of the loss, California tracks now find themselves competing with Indian casinos for the wagering dollar. Texas, like Kentucky, is watching some of its horsemen head to places like Louisiana, where alternative gaming is available.

“Clearly tracks and jurisdictions that can take advantage of new revenues of alternative gaming have an advantage over tracks that don’t have access to those revenue sources,” said Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. “It remains to be seen if California, Kentucky and Texas can adjust.”

Some say a racing society of “haves” and “have-nots” is already here.

“I think you have that right now,” said Charles Hayward, president of the New York Racing Association. “The racing circuit in Maryland has been devastated because there’s gaming in West Virginia, gaming in Delaware and the purses there are substantially higher because of subsidies from the gaming.”

Maryland, however, finally received the boost it was looking for when voters approved a state constitutional amendment authorizing the General Assembly to place up to 15,000 slot machine terminals at five sites, one of them likely being Laurel Park. It’s a move Maryland Jockey Club president and CEO Tom Chuckas said would keep the state’s horse industry “strong for years to come.”

Even New York, which boasts Saratoga and Belmont Park and has made alternative gaming available at some harness tracks, is getting more involved. State lawmakers have approved a plan that would allow video lottery terminals to come online at Aqueduct in the second quarter of 2010.

“(NYRA) will be profitable in 2009, but in 2010 the VLTs will provide a substantial increase in capital improvements,” Hayward said.

The proof lies a few hours to the east in Pennsylvania, which has become a racing hotbed after lawmakers approved alternative gaming in 2004.

The measure stipulated that casinos put a portion of their revenue into the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund. The majority of the money the fund receives is then put into things like purses and sire stakes.

Two years after the first casino opened, Pennsylvania has more than 13,000 alternative gaming machines spread out over six tracks, two of which — Presque Isle Downs in Erie and Harrah’s Chester just south of Philadelphia — opened after alternative gaming became available.

The machines have turned into ATMs for the state’s racing industry. The amount of purse money at Pennsylvania tracks nearly doubled from $63 million to $121 million between 2006 and 2007, the first year alternative gaming was widely available. The number will be significantly higher in 2008 despite total handle actually declining over the same period.

The owners of winning horses aren’t the only ones benefiting from alternative gaming. The gaming measure in Pennsylvania also required tracks to reinvest some of the money from the gaming subsidy back into the track. Philadelphia Park has already committed $25 million toward the renovation of 36 barns and 12 dormitory facilities located on the track’s backside area.

“It’s helped the industry tremendously,” said Melinda Tucker, director of racetrack gaming for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. “There’s a lot of money being spent on the backside. It’s not just about the purses.”

That makes racing in Kentucky an even tougher sell. While purse levels in Pennsylvania have doubled, Kentucky’s have remained stagnant at about $80 million paid out each year since 2004.

Even Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, was forced to reduce purse levels during its current fall meet because of a number of factors, including the economic downturn and an ongoing dispute with horsemen on how to split money bet through advance deposit wagering accounts.

“It’s a concern for us because horses are going to run where the purses are,” said Churchill Downs president Steve Sexton. “In states where there is no alternative gaming, purses will stay flat and costs will continue to escalate.”

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear won election in 2006 based partly on a platform to offer voters a constitutional amendment that would allow casinos in the state. It never got off the ground and looks like a long shot to gain any traction in next year’s General Assembly.

“It’s going to be a very difficult task for us to be in a position to survive,” Geary said. “We might have our meet, but we might not have any horses show up.”

EPA Comments on Methane/Greenhouse Gas Emmissions due this Friday (11/28)

EPA Regulation on Air Emissions of Livestock and Crops

The Environmental Protection Agency issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking earlier this year seeking public comment on whether it is appropriate to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from automobiles under the Clean Air Act. GHGs are those alleged to contribute to global warming. The major GHGs are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides, while hydroflorocarbons comprise a smaller amount.

Comments are due Friday, November 28, 2008.

In order to regulate automobile emissions in this fashion, EPA would first have to make a finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and safety and should be classified as a “pollutant.” The problem with this approach is that once an endangerment finding is made, other provisions of the Clean Air Act are automatically triggered, creating much broader regulation of other sectors of the economy, including agriculture. One such unintended consequence for agriculture is the imposition fees that, for all practical purposes, will function like a tax on cows and hogs.

GHG regulation under the Clean Air Act will adversely impact all farmers and ranchers. Crop production emits nitrous oxide from fertilizer and methane from rice production. Fields that emit 100 tons of carbon would be subject to Title V permitting requirements as well. Emissions from farm machinery and energy used in production might also be added. Regulation of other economic sectors will result in increased fuel, fertilizer and energy costs for all farmers and ranchers.

EPA Regulations on Air Emission of Livestock

Thanks for learning more. Here are some additional details on why the cow and pig tax should be opposed!

Once an endangerment finding is made, Title V of the Clean Air Act is automatically triggered. Title V requires that any entity emitting more than 100 tons per year of a regulated pollutant must obtain a permit in order to continue to operate. EPA has no choice but to require these permits once an endangerment finding is made.

For previously regulated pollutants, 100 tons is a large enough threshold that only the large emitters are covered. For GHGs, the situation is different. There are hundreds of thousands of entities that emit more than 100 tons of GHGs that would be required to obtain permits. Virtually all segments of the economy would be required to obtain permits.

Unlike other sectors, agriculture emits relatively more methane and nitrous oxide GHG than carbon dioxide. Both are more potent than carbon dioxide, so less emission of both will produce the equivalent of 1 ton of carbon dioxide.

USDA has stated that any operation with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs emits more than 100 tons of carbon and would have to obtain permits under Title V in order to continue to operate if GHG are regulated. According to USDA statistics, this would cover about 99 percent of dairy production, more than 90 percent of beef production, and more than 95 percent of all hog production in the United States.

Title V is administered by the states, and permit fees vary from state to state. EPA sets a “presumptive minimum rate” for permits, and that rate is $43.75 per ton for 2008-2009. For states charging that rate, the tax for dairy cows would be $175 per cow, for beef $87.50 per head, and the tax on hogs would be a little more than $20 per hog.

You can make comments in writing by fax or US mail. Talking points are at the link below to learn more and help you craft your unique message.
Fax them to:
202-566-9744
US postal mail to:
Air and Radiation Docket and InformationCenter
Environmental Protection Agency
Mailcode: 2822T
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington , DC20460
Please designate your comments to: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0318.

OEIC in the news

FROM: WOUB

WOUB News

NEWARK, OH (2008-11-14) A Licking County man will help Ohio come up with a plan to promote and strengthen Ohio’s horse industry.

Brock Schmaltz is a member of the newly-formed Ohio Equine Industry Advisory Task Force.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture says the Ohio horse industry employs more than 16-thousand people and produces a total economic impact of two-point-two billion dollars a year.

Schmaltz says one thing the 11 member group will not do is discuss the issue of casinos and expanded gaming at race tracks.

Schmaltz and the other members of the Task Force met for the first time last week.

His background is that he’s with the Ohio Equine Industry Coalition.

– Editor’s Note: Schmaltz actually resides in Franklin County, just over the border from Licking County.

Guelph Rolls Out Biosecurity Risk Calculator, New Blogs

FROM: The Horse

BY: Edited Press Release

Horse owners will be able to determine the risk of their animals catching an infectious disease and gather information about infection control thanks to two new online initiatives from the University of Guelph.

The first is an online calculator that allows horse owners to punch in their management practices and learn their animals’ risk levels. The second initiative is a blog by Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) researchers that provides information about various equine infectious diseases, along with practical tips on disease prevention and control.

The Biosecurity Risk Calculator will be launched this week at the Ontario Equestrian Federation Conference. Developed by Equine Guelph in partnership with Vétoquinol Canada, the online tool measures both risk and prevention.

“The calculator gives horse owners a good starting point by showing the potential risks currently present on their farm and the most practical ways to decrease that risk,” said Gayle Ecker, MSc, senior manager of Equine Guelph.

The calculator will be available through the Equine Guelph Web site. Founded in 2003, Equine Guelph is the horse owner’s center at the University of Guelph. Supported and overseen by equine industry groups, it’s dedicated to improving the health and well-being of horses and helps connect members of the equine industry with expertise at OVC.

Meanwhile, “Equidblog” aims to provide information and insight about equine infectious diseases to horse owners and veterinarians. The site is coordinated by Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM, and Maureen Anderson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of OVC’s Department of Pathobiology.

“The average horse owner commonly encounters infectious disease questions and problems, ranging from decisions about vaccination and deworming to serious illnesses in their horses,” Weese said. “We wanted to design a Web site where we could provide balanced and unbiased information in various forms, ranging from short updates about current issues to detailed information sheets about diseases or descriptions of infection control protocols.”

Weese and Anderson create blog posts every few days about timely topics related to infectious disease topics, including items in the news, outbreaks that are occurring internationally, and general commentary about infectious diseases and infection control. Recent posts have included diverse topics ranging from vaccination and deworming to equine herpesvirus in the United States, to the use of honey for treating infections. All the information is written and reviewed by experts in the field.

Last spring, Weese and Anderson started a similar blog, “Worms and Germs,” to educate people about zoonotic diseases–those that can be transmitted between animals and humans–as well as to provide general information about topics related to animal health and pet care.

After the race

FROM: The Boston Globe

BY: Rich Fahey

To the people who love them, thoroughbred horses are true athletes: strong, fast, brave, possessing great stamina. But every athlete retires at some point. And for thoroughbreds, there is no pension plan, no Social Security, no guarantee of survival.

For many horses past their prime or those never quite fast enough to succeed on the racetrack, a second career is viable in the show ring, or as a training horse at a riding school. But some horses face euthanization or even the slaughterhouse.

A local group is dedicated to providing retiring racehorses with opportunities for new careers after the finish line: The Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses of New England (Canter NE) is the local arm of a nonprofit group called Canter USA.

On a recent Sunday, Canter NE, which operates from private donations, held its annual Suffolk Downs Showcase in the stable area of the racetrack on the Revere-East Boston line. Trainers were making plans for races in the mid-Atlantic states or Florida after the Suffolk meet closed for the season on Nov. 8, and were facing some tough decisions about which horses to take with them.

Canter NE acts as the bridge between trainers looking to sell horses and those who might be interested in buying. Throughout the Suffolk Downs racing season, volunteers from the group visit the stable area to talk with trainers looking for new careers for their horses. These horses are then put on the organization’s website, where buyers review pictures and descriptions before personally seeing the horses. Many are priced at $1,000 or less.

Horses sold through the group go directly from their trainers to new homes, eliminating the cost of caring for them at foster facilities. The organization does not benefit financially from these sales.

Anne Hezzey of Ipswich bought her horse through Canter NE, and she uses it for eventing - the equine version of a triathlon that includes field jumping, show jumping, and dressage - and casual riding. She likes to take it for gallops on Crane Beach, where the thoroughbred can recall its racing past.

“The process of teaching this beautiful animal to trust completely, and to reschool her athleticism into a balanced, responsive, and quite successful competitor, has been fascinating and challenging,” said Hezzey in an e-mail. “It’s not for every horse owner, but I find it richly rewarding emotionally and intellectually. And it’s just plain fun.”

Hezzey was instrumental in assembling a group of mares from Suffolk Downs for a recent breeding program. Most of them were found through Canter, and they are now enjoying big grassy pastures and excellent care.

The image some people in the horse world have of thoroughbreds is that they are temperamental and difficult to train, said Ellen O’Brien of Reading, executive director of Canter NE. But she said in reality, those with patience will be rewarded. Many people, she said, have obtained one horse and then come back for a second.

“These are sound, healthy, well-adjusted horses,” she said. “People who give them a chance are pleasantly surprised.”

O’Brien said Suffolk Downs has not only given the group financial support, but has offered moral support in taking a stand against the slaughter of retired racehorses.

“We are happy to facilitate Canter’s efforts to provide second careers for our retiring equine athletes,” said Chip Tuttle, Suffolk Downs chief operating officer.

Canter NE has helped arrange the private sale of at least 1,500 horses since 2002, including some 150 this year. The group also helps provide for about 20 horses in temporary homes, where those stabling the horses pay for the feed and Canter NE for the veterinarians and shoeing.

Canter NE has six full-time volunteers and board members, and another 20 to 30 volunteers who work with the group from time to time.

The recent showcase at Suffolk Downs attracted about 50 possible buyers and there have been about 30 sales out of the event to date.

The economy is making the group’s work even more urgent. Christian Teja, vice president of marketing and communications for Suffolk Downs, estimated that it costs about $20,000 a year to properly feed and train a thoroughbred at the track. He added in veterinary bills and the cost of shipping a horse from track to track.

To put that in perspective, many of the horses that raced at Suffolk Downs have earned less than $10,000 this year.

Michael Benson is a horse breeder and owner who has a farm in Saugus with 15 to 18 horses, including brood mares, foals, and a string of racing thoroughbreds. He has listed horses for sale on Canter NE’s website.

“The cost of caring for horses has doubled in three years,” he said, citing costs of hay and grain.

On the Canter national website, a quote from the late John Hettinger, a former trustee of the New York Racing Association, gives the raison d’etre for the group: “At the end of his life, [the thoroughbred] should be retired, adopted, or humanely euthanized if no better solution can be found. Anything else makes a mockery of the words which for centuries have been used to describe our game . . . Sport of Kings.”

Legislature OKs $90 million for horse-racing industry

FROM: Chicago Sun-Times

BY: Dave McKinney

Illinois’ horse-racing industry will get to keep a multimillion dollar subsidy from the state’s most profitable casinos for three more years under legislation now headed to Gov. Blagojevich.

The House and Senate approved a plan to skim 3 percent of revenues off the four richest casinos and divert that money to racing — a subsidy worth at least $30 million annually for the next three years.

The plan passed the Senate 37-13, with five voting present. The House approved it 88-16, with one present vote.

Backers said the plan is necessary to save tens of thousands of racing-related jobs and keep the industry on equal footing with other states.

“This keeps the business viable and jobs in Illinois,” said Rep. Robert Molaro (D-Chicago). “And there couldn’t be a better time to keep these 30,000 to 50,000 jobs than now.”

Casino supporters and other critics questioned the logic of one business being asked by the state to prop up a rival business.

“I do have fundamental problems with taking from one industry and giving to another when they haven’t been able to connect with the public,” said Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Westchester) who voted against the plan.

Court Upholds Soring Decision

FROM: The Horse

BY: Press Release

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently upheld a U.S. Department of Agriculture ruling that Herbert and Jill Derickson of Tennessee violated the Horse Protection Act when they transported and entered a sored Tennessee Walking Horse, Just American Magic, in a 2002 horse show.

Soring is the deliberate infliction of pain on the legs and feet of a horse, in order to create severe pain and force an exaggerated, high-stepping gait.

“This decision sends a clear message to anyone who abuses a Tennessee Walking Horse that the U.S. Department of Agriculture can and will strictly enforce the Horse Protection Act,” said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The HSUS. “We commend the court for its decision and hope this case signals a renewed USDA resolve to protect Tennessee Walking Horses and other victims of soring.”

According to court documents, Herbert Derickson presented Just American Magic for pre-show inspection at the 34th Annual National Walking Horse Trainer’s Show. Two industry inspectors determined that Just American Magic was sore because he had bilateral scarring and thus did not comply with the Horse Protection Act. The horse was disqualified, and USDA initiated enforcement action.

In their appeal, the Dericksons claimed that there was insufficient evidence to show a violation of the Horse Protection Act, and that USDA lacked authority to pursue legal action once the Dericksons had been sanctioned by an industry self-regulatory organization.

The court rejected both claims, and upheld the USDA’s decision in full. According to the decision, this was not Herbert Derickson’s first soring offense. He had been issued an eight-month suspension and $600 fine for a bilateral soring violation involving Just American Magic the previous year.