Industry Info
AHC’s Annual Meeting and National Issues
Forum Provides Different Perspectives
The Amer-
ican Horse
Council (AHC)
Annual Meet-
ing and Na-
tional Issues
Forum, held
June 9-12,
2019 provided
a wealth of information and ideas
from different perspectives on
how we can grow the industry and
continue to work together. Attend-
ees were treated to insights ranging
from cutting-edge topics to help
our equine athletes, to how we can
encourage the next generation to
get involved, as well as how we can
partner with other organizations to
work together for the benefit of the
industry.
Committee highlights:
• Coalition of State Horse Coun-
cil’s (CSHC)- The coalition
reviewed federal and state
legislation and regulations, and
then turned its attention to the
results of a recent question-
naire to identify ideas and best
practices that might be useful to
state councils.
• United Horse Coalition- UHC
gave a presentation on where
we were, where we are current-
ly, and our goals for the future.
New website is live, with a focus
on our Resource Database.
Currently working in the back-
ground to develop a Searchable
Resource Database, as well as
6 • Walking On
identify those Resources avail-
able across the Nation for horse
at-risk or in transition. We
are also updating and working
on identifying a need for new
Educational Materials. Held a
kickoff meeting to discuss the
re-grouping of Executive Com-
mittee and Sub Committee’s
as well as growing the UHC
Ambassador program to help
promote the new mission and
good works of the United Horse
Coalition. Services Update from Dr.
Angela Pelzel-McCluskey and
USDA-APHIS-National Import
Export Service Update from Dr.
Amber Headen. Bailey McCal-
lum provided a review of new
features, including the database,
on the Equine Disease Commu-
nication Center (EDCC), and
Dr. Nat White discussed the
financial needs of the program
and requested fundraising sup-
port to maintain and preserve
the EDCC for the future.
• Marketing Alliance – The Time
To Ride Program Manager re-
viewed the 2019 Time To Ride
pilot program, which focuses
on working with local lesson
facilities to offer a series of
riding and horse care lessons to
school-age children. Instructor
and facility requirements and
industry support were dis-
cussed. A total of 62 facilities
were accepted into the pilot,
representing a broad cross-sec-
tion of breeds and disciplines
across the country. These
facilities are being given mar-
keting materials and support to
introduce themselves to schools
and youth groups in their local
areas, helping put horseback
riding on a level footing with
other sports activities available
to young people. • Recreation, Trails & Land Use-
Guest speaker, Michelle Lane,
a Professional Staff Member at
the Senate Energy and Nat-
ural Resources Committee
recapped passage of the S. 47,
the so-called “Lands Package,”
in February, and pointed out
that the law’s most important
provision was the permanent
re-authorization of the Land
Water Conservation Fund.
Bryan Brendle, AHC Director
of Policy & Legislative Affairs
highlighted that AHC continues
to lobby for the Restore Our
Parks Act (H.R. 1225/ S. 500),
which adopts a creative ap-
proach to fund trails initiatives
by establishing a new revenue
stream to move forward with
deferred maintenance projects.
AHC grassroots efforts have
generated 129 letters to support
ROPA, which has gained more
than 220 cosponsors in the
House and 37 in the Senate.
• Health & Regulatory- The
Committee was provided with
USDA-APHIS-Surveillance,
Preparedness and Response