King County Executive Horse Council

Transcription

1 King County Executive Horse Council Preserving The Equestrian Way Of Life May 2007 KCEHC PO Box 2904, Woodinville, WA Tel.: web: Officers President- Open Vice President Kelly Boyd Woodinville, Wa Director Joan Fleming Woodinville, Wa Tel: Introductions From the Director KCEHC Annual Meeting March 31, 2007 Opening Comments Joan Fleming Secretary Jennifer Duncan Kirkland, Wa Treasurer Isabella Schober Redmond, WA Legislative Analyst Judy Willman Redmond, WA net Newsletter Editor Kelly Boyd Woodinville, Wa ο Joan Fleming Director and Trails Chair ο Kelly Boyd Interim Vice President and Newsletter Editor ο Judy Willman Legislative Analyst (not able to attend) ο Treasurer Isabell Schober ο Secretary Jennifer Duncan The KCEHC is an umbrella organization representing all equine activities in King County. Its primary focus is to preserve the equestrian way of life in King County and beyond by working with State, County and local officials. (cont. on page 2) Meeting Schedule Meetings are on the second Monday of the month. Meetings start at 7:00pm and end at 9:00pm. The June meeting is June 11 at Lorraine Trosper s ( th Ave NE, Kirkland) Directions: Please call Lorraine at for directions. She lives in Silver Spurs near Bridle Trails Park..

2 (cont. from page 1) Our organization is well known by County as well as officials in many cities and towns within the County. We are frequently called on by these officials to help with land-use and park issues. Our organization has been experiencing a declining membership over the past couple of years. As a result, we have had to eliminate some of our donations to local and national organizations that preserve trails and the equestrian lifestyle. If you are not currently a member, please join today. Also, please tell your other horsey friends that they need to join and support the work that we do. Elections we will be electing officers at this meeting. Every two years, the Board of Directors is reelected. The President and Vice-President positions are currently open. Anyone interested in running for any of the Board positions, please nominate yourself (or have someone nominate you) when we have elections at the end of our business meeting today. Isabell Schober will be conducting elections. (Election results: Vice President Kelly Boyd, Director Joan Fleming, Treasurer Isabell Schober, Secretary Jennifer Duncan, Legislative Analyst Judy Willman.) Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of the month, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Simpatico Stables in Redmond. All members are welcome to attend these meetings. Before heading out to a meeting, please check with a Board member (listed in your newsletter) ahead of time to confirm the date and place for the current month. Elections we will be electing officers at this meeting. Every two years, the Board of Directors is reelected. The President and Vice-President positions are currently open. Anyone interested in running for any of the Board positions, please nominate yourself (or have someone nominate you) when we have elections at the end of our business meeting today. Isabell Schober will be conducting elections. (Election results: Vice President Kelly Boyd, Director Joan Fleming, Treasurer Isabell Schober, Secretary Jennifer Duncan, Legislative Analyst Judy Willman.) Meetings are usually held on the second Monday of the month, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Simpatico Stables in Redmond. All members are welcome to attend these meetings. Before heading out to a meeting, please check with a Board member (listed in your newsletter) ahead of time to confirm the date and place for the current month. We had Dr. Toby Ewing of Equine Vet Associates scheduled to speak on West Nile Virus updates and supplements. Unfortunately, a required conference at WSU snagged him and many other vets in the area leaving a very limited number of vets left to cover for the rest of them this weekend. He was very apologetic. His office pointed me to information on West Nile at the PreveNile website ( Bridlecrest Trail crossing at Marymoor Park recent changes to the light at this trail crossing have made this crossing unsafe for horses. This threatens access to the Sammamish River Trail from the Bridlecrest Trail. Jennifer Duncan and Lorraine Trosper have been working with Redmond Parks and King County staff to resolve this problem. Marymoor Park has not been supportive as they do not want horses in the park itself. However, things are slowly coming around and there are promises of improvements for equestrians including mounting blocks at the crossing and better connectivity to the Sammamish River Trail. This is a reminder to all equestrians that we all need to be ever watchful and proactive in our goal to save trails for equestrian use. (cont. on page 3) 2

3 (cont. from page 2). On the other hand, this experience shows that King County Parks and other local parks departments are willing to work with us. Farrel McWhirter link to Redmond Watershed Trail this missing link connection along the PSE easement has been in the works for years, but seems to be making progress. King County Parks and Puget Sound Energy have signed a contract for KC to lease the easement right of way. KC is in the process of trying to acquire a segment of the Puget Power Trail that is privately owned. Watch the newsletter for progress. Kathryn Taylor Equestrian Park this project got official County funding put into the 2006 and 2007 budgets after members of the KCEHC spoke at Fall budget hearings. This is the classic squeaky wheel method of getting things done. Although there were many human services budget requests that seemed more needy than trails, the King County Council was willing to fund this park because we were willing to make the effort to get out and ask for the funds. The process of developing the park has been in the works for most of 2006 and current year It is a laborious process that KCEHC is heavily involved with along with staff from King County, NW Parks and Quadrant. The KCEHC members of the park s development committee are: Judy Westall, Jennifer Duncan, Suzanne Kagen, Kelly Boyd and Joan Fleming. Washington State Horse Park the KCEHC has been active in promoting the development and budgeting process for this long awaited park. The state budget process is currently in progress and funding has made it through the House of Reps and is now before the Senate. The Governor is supportive, possibly because she is a horse woman herself. Enumclaw Equestrian Facility the KCEHC has been supportive of this new facility which will be housed in the old King County Fairgrounds. As many of you may be aware, Enumclaw has also turned itself into an equestrian community and expects to attract tourism dollars based on this concept. They are funding horse fencing for the community in order to present a consistent equestrian look and feel. Acheson Property this property across, the street from Bridle Trails State Park, was donated to the State as part of the estate of the Mrs. Lois Acheson. It was stipulated in Mrs. Acheson s will that the property be maintained as part of Bridle Trails State Park for the use of pedestrians and equestrians. There was a fund raising tack sale for the property held in conjunction with the KCEHC annual meeting. Fall City Arena this arena and adjoining parking area is used heavily by various equestrian groups, as well as trail users for access to the Snoqualmie Valley trails. The Snoqualmie Indian tribe is petitioning King County for possession of this property. Loss of this arena and parking will be a tremendous loss to local equestrians. A group of concerned equestrians has developed a vision statement to be presented to King County to ensure that these types of takings are prevented by strengthening the relationship of the equestrian community with King County. If you are interested in learning more about this, contact Lee Moderow. 3

4 Vet s Corner Travel Requirements As summer months approach, many horse owners will be preparing to travel with their horses for shows, competitions and vacations. If your travel plans include traveling outside of the state of Washington, there are a couple of additional items to add to your preparation check list to help ensure a hassle free trip. In accordance with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, any horse being transported out of state is required to have a brand inspection prior to travel to verify ownership. Brand inspections can be done by the state brand inspectors or by veterinarians certified to perform the inspection. Yearly or lifetime inspections are available to owners who frequently travel with their horses out of state. With a lifetime inspection, a permanent ID card is made and given to the owner. Fines of $500 or more may be charged for out-ofstate movement of livestock without a brand inspection. In efforts to protect, promote and enhance animal health and well being, there are regulations in place with regard to interstate as well as international transport of animals. Most states require all entering equidae to have an official health certificate issued within 30 days prior to entry in addition to a confirmed negative Coggin s test (to diagnose equine infectious anemia) performed within 6 months prior to entry. Washington resident horses entering Oregon and foals under six months of age accompanied by a Coggin s test negative dam are not required to have a Coggin s test. Six-Month Equine Certificates or Pass-ports are available and valid for travel to California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Washington. Once issued by a veterinarian, the certificate cannot be altered, meaning you need to know which states you plan on traveling to prior to obtaining the pass-port. Horse owners must keep an itinerary or log of each trip during that six month period on the certificate. At the end of the six month period a copy of the trip record must be sent to each state that was originally marked on the certificate. The Six-Month Equine Certificate is ideal for horse owners planning frequent travel between the for-mentioned states during a six month time frame. Travel to Canada is similar to interstate travel, except that an international health certificate, endorsed by a USDA representative must be obtained prior to travel. Requirements for travel may vary from state to state as well as during times of disease outbreak or disaster/emergency states. Additional disease testing may be necessary prior to travel depending on the purpose for travel (e.g. transporting horses for breeding purposes). Ideally your veterinarian will contact the destination state s department of agriculture to determine the requirements for transporting horses into that state. It takes time to perform the necessary tests and fill out or obtain papers and permits for interstate travel as well as international travel to Canada. To avoid unwanted delays in your travel plans, contact your veterinarian a minimum of 2-3 weeks prior to the intended date of travel. For more information on Six-Month Equine Certificates, contact your veterinarian or the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Division. For information on international travel to Mexico, South America or overseas, contact your veterinarian. Permit, testing and quarantine requirements will vary between countries. Happy and safe travels! Veeda Angell, DVM 4

5 King County Parks Backcountry Trails Project By Joan Fleming King County Parks Department staffers met with KCEHC members recently to discuss the County s backcountry trails project. King County considers backcountry trails as all trails within the county that are not regional trails. Examples of regional trails are the Tolt Pipeline Trail, Cedar River Trail, Green River Trail, etc. Examples of backcountry trails are Soaring Eagle, Redmond Watershed, Bridle Crest Trail, Klahanie Trail, Sammamish River Trail, Fall City Trails and Soos Creek Trail. King County staffers are developing a 2008 budget proposal for the development of County trail maps equestrian and other users and the placement of these maps on the King County website. A preliminary budget proposal needs to be completed by June They are asking the equestrian community to help them develop a list of equestrian backcountry trails, their amenities, needed improvements and linkages to other trails in the area. Here is a statement from the King County staff of the purpose, expected outcomes and what they need from us: The purpose of this process is to increase access and visibility of the backcountry trail system and open spaces. We will accomplish this by developing a common vision among stakeholders for maintaining, growing and connecting the backcountry trail system. This common vision will allow us to increase awareness among decision-makers about the need and popularity of the existing system and leverage more capital dollars for future expansions. Outcomes of this process will include - a trail guidebook and inventory list, GIS based site maps, site-specific capital improvements, continued clear communication with stakeholders, human and capital resources and thoughtful and deliberate development of a backcountry trail system for citizens to enjoy. What we need from Stakeholders: User groups are a key element in helping define the future needs of this system. We would like site-specific information on: 1. What existing trail systems need improvements or upgrades 2. What new amenities would you like at specific sites to increase accessibility (parking, crosswalks, boardwalks, bridges etc). Can these amenities be prioritized in any way? 3. What trail systems are most used by equestrians? Are there any systems that equestrians would like to gain better access/use of? Using the large map to identify key existing sites and critical links or missing links is a really helpful process for us. Having data (even if it is preliminary) by early May would be very helpful. We would incorporate it into the large plan that needs to be ready by June for inclusion into the 2008 budget process. (cont. on page 6) 5

6 (cont. from page 5) A preliminary list of trails based on the KCEHC Trails Guide was provided to King County staff in April. This list needs to be expanded on with the help of all KCEHC members. Included in this issue of the newsletter is a form that needs to be completed for all King County trails that you use. Don t assume that someone else will complete this form for you. Any duplication of maps may have unique information that you can share about your own experience with your trail(s). If you want your trail(s) included in this King County backcountry trails map, complete a form for each trail and send to: KCEHC Trails Committee P.O. Box 2904 Woodinville, WA Thank you to the following businesses and organizations for generously donating door prizes for our annual meeting!! Kathryn Taylor Park Update DeYoungs Farm and Garden Rocking E Feeds Lake Washington Saddle Club Dri-Z-Air By the time you receive this newsletter, work will already have been started on the Kathryn Taylor Horse Park arena and parking area east of Woodinville off the Tolt pipeline. NW Dirt works is the contractor. Watch for information about the dedication event this fall 2007! 6

7 Free! 2007 Farm Tour Schedule Have the winter storms done you in? Are you tired of wading through mud & muck to care for your horses? Would you like to find some chore-efficient ways to set up your horse property? Then join the King Conservation District and Horses for Clean Water for these guided educational presentations at horse properties. Educators and resource professionals as well as fellow horse owners will conduct tours with the purpose of providing a first-hand look at environmentally friendly ways to manage horses. Discover great ways to manage manure, banish mud, get rid of weeds and grow more grass! HOBART, WA June 9th Beyond Where the Blacktop Ends Tour the Three Sisters Mule Farm, a private 10-acre equine property that lies above Hobart & is surrounded by Seattle s Cedar River Watershed. This pristine property is superbly managed for benefit of the mules & their humans -- as well as for the environment. See a group sacrifice area, a composting shed, rotational grazing and more management techniques that reduce mud and help with chore efficiency. BONUS: Learn about our unique Cedar River Watershed. Saturday, June 9 th, 10am to noon. FALL CITY, WA July 18th The Chore Efficient Horse Farm This small farm is big on economizing. The horse portion of this property was carefully designed & built by the owners to maximize space and chore efficiency. Everything for 3 horses has been neatly arranged on 1 acre including barn, mud-free paddocks, arena, compost bins and pasture. Hear about cooperative arrangements with neighbors that results in sharing equipment. This farm enjoys a picturesque view of the Snoqualmie River Valley -- & helps keep the waters clean, too! BONUS: Learn about King County Parks equestrian trails which are accessible nearby! Wednesday, July 18 th, 6:30pm to 8:30pm. FALL CITY, WA September 22 nd Living Without Horse Pasture This 6 acre mini-farm had lots of challenges in the horse pasture department -- rocks, no topsoil, lots of big trees. Not having much pasture led to creative thinking & alternatives. Tour this farm to see good use of turn-out areas, mud-free paddocks, different footing choices, a large all-season riding arena, attractive wood fences -- plus ducks, chickens & goats, fruit trees & garden. Saturday, September 22 nd, 10am to noon. FALL CITY, WA November 17 th Preparing Your Horse Farm for Winter This large-scale reining horse breeding operation is beautifully set-up and managed. Tour this 20-horse facility with the owners to hear & see how they designed & built it from the ground up. Learn what works for chore efficiency and what doesn t. See winter pasture management techniques in place, tour a covered arena which doubles as turnout, hear about dust control, see gates designed for tractor access, and learn about green alder shavings which composts beautifully in their cement compost bins. Saturday, November 17 th, 10am to noon. To register and receive directions contact the King Conservation District at , ext. 125 or Roseanne.Campagna@kingcd.org 7

8 Bridle Trails Park Foundation s Party in the Park Bridle Trails Park Foundation s annual fund raising event will be held Saturday, June 23rd this year and it just keeps getting better and better. This year the kids activities area will include a bouncy slide in addition to the pony rides, face painting and other kids games. The Fun Run this year is expanding to include a 30K race in addition to the usual 5K and 10K. The demonstrations will include Frisbee dogs this year in addition to the popular Flyball dogs. There will be equestrian drill teams and don t forget the delicious pancake breakfast. This has become a not to be missed event so mark your calendar for June 23rd. Events begin around 9:00 and end around 12:30pm. Be sure to use the shuttle at Houghton Park and Ride that leaves every 10 minutes. Usefull Websites Here is a wonderful website about Disaster Preparedness for horses. Check it out! disaster_preparedness_for_horses.html You can now place your classified ad in the KCEHC newsletter. Classified Ads: Member - Free Non-Member - $10.00 ¼ page Ads: Member - $10.00 Non-Member - $15.00 Commercial - $20.00 ½ page Ads: Member - $15.00 Non-Member - $25.00 Commercial - $30.00 Full Page Ads: Member - $20.00 Non-Member - $35.00 Commercial - $40.00 To place an ad please contact the editor at kboyd@grayservices.com. 8

9 Horse Show News Lake Washington Saddle Club 2007 Show Series USEF C Rated Hunter/Jumper: Hunter Fun Shows: Jumper Fun Shows: Dressage Shows: PlayDay & Western Fun Shows: May & July May 6, July 8, August 5 May 5, July 7, August 4 June 10, July 29, Aug. 26, Sept. 16 May 20, Sept. 23 Shows are held at the Bridle Trails State Park using the new judge s stand/ bleachers. For information: Morgan Horse Club of Washington C-Fair Charity Horse Show August 2-5, 2007 Evergreen Equestrian Park, Monroe, WA C-Fair is an A rated multi breed show and benefits Children s Hospital. More information will be posted on our website: Donida Farms show schedule for 2007 can be accessed at the following website! 9

10 Membership Dues Individual Family $15 Club/Organization $25 Membership is based on a calendar year of January 1 through December 31. After October 1, new membership will be applied to the following year. Please make check payable to KCEHC and mail to: King County Executive Horse Council, P.O. Box 2904, Woodinville, WA Name/Organization Telephone FAX Mailing Address address City State Zip Code Date 1. Do you want your name excluded from the membership directory? Yes No 2. Do you want to receive your newsletter by ? Yes No * Please make sure that you have provided us with your correct/current address * Education Committee Kathryn Taylor Horse Park Maintenance committee Publicity Committee Membership Committee Newsletter Committee Trails Committee Equestrian Issues Committee Watchdog Committee At this time I can only support the KCEHC with my membership Comments: King County Executive Horse Council PO Box 2904 Woodinville, WA Mailing Label 10