1,391 Mile Journey by Horseback on Behalf of The International Council of

Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers

FORT RENO, Okla., (PRNewswire)  –  On June 1st, 2012, eight riders and a host of supporters are scheduled to set out from Fort Reno on a 1,391 mile journey in remembrance of the 1878 Cheyenne exodus.  The Ride Home was set in motion by Margaret Behan of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers and Cheyenne Elders Council who will be joining the riders for prayers and healing ceremonies at key locations along the journey which spans seven states.  From Oklahoma through Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, the ride culminates in Lame Deer, Montana on July 28, 2012 at the 11th gathering of the Grandmothers Council.

At sacrifice sites along the route, Earth skill educators will share the lost wisdom of caring for the earth through storytelling, land stewardship and wilderness survival training for families.  They will offer hands-on teachings of traditional skills such as fire making, shelter building, animal tracking, flint knapping, and more.  Check The Ride Home for schedule and updates.

Inspired by Cherokee rider Noqah Elisi who first envisioned the ride after receiving a message in a vision quest instructing her to follow in the footsteps of her grandmothers, Margaret asked Juan Villarreal to organize the ride.  Juan, a member of the Texas Lipan Apache and The Apache Language Preservation Committee, board member of the Tribal Native American Church and founder of Sacred Wind Earth Teachings, had never ridden a horse.

Juan immediately contacted Suzi Landolphi from Red Horse Nation, a Native American Horse program of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue to begin his horse training.  Lifesavers is supplying all of the horses for the ride and is also the fiscal sponsor.

“My prayer is to bring spirit back to my people.  So much has been lost.  We need to bring our Cheyenne identity and pride back to the young people, teach them the traditional ceremonies and language,” says Grandmother Margaret Behan.

A film crew will be documenting the journey with acclaimed native filmmaker Chris Eyre acting as key advisor.  Colin and Livia Firth are also associated with the journey and film.

About the Cheyenne Elders Council:
The Cheyenne Elders Council is dedicated to promoting self-healing through intergenerational training and our traditional ceremonies. We seek to reintroduce our own identity as Cheyenne people and break down the divisions between the Northern and Southern Cheyenne.

About the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers:
The International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers represents a global alliance of prayer, education and healing for Mother Earth, all Her inhabitants, and all the children for the next seven generations to come.  The Grandmothers Council  was brought together by a common vision, set in motion by the Center for Sacred Studies (CSS), a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining indigenous ways of life through cross-cultural spiritual practices, ministry, and education, and committed to peace and unity for all peoples.

About Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue:
Their mission is to prevent American mustangs and domestic horses from being abused, abandoned, neglected and ultimately sent to slaughter through rescue, adoption, sanctuary, education and horse inspired growth and healing programs. Lifesavers is the largest wild and domestic horse rescue in the world. Founded in 1997 their programs include horse inspired growth and healing for wounded veterans in their Wild Horse Warriors weekends and Native American programs thru Red Horse Nation.

Tonight on ABC News Nightline  - ABC News Brian Ross Investigates:

WASHINGTON, (HSUS) – An ABC News Brian Ross Investigation on Nightline tonight.  Inside the multi-million dollar sport of Tennessee walking horses. Investigators find that some of the seemingly graceful horses are subjected to incredible brutality and torture to make them perform in such a unique way, all in the pursuit of blue ribbons and championships worth tens of millions of dollars.

The story will feature an exclusive undercover video investigation by the HSUS and Brian’s encounter with Jackie McConnell – a top trainer who’s been indicted.

I hope you will make every effort to watch this important coverage if you are able…then take action by visiting our website at www.humanesociety.org.

Keith Dane
Director, Equine Protection
kdane@humanesociety.org
t 301-258-3076     f 301-258-3078

The Humane Society of the United States
700 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879
humanesociety.org

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NEW YORK, (Jockey Club) – The Jockey Club today released a copy of an eight-page letter it submitted to the New York State Racing and Wagering board on Monday, May 14, 2012.

The letter, signed by Ogden Mills Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club, describes the services The Jockey Club provides to the Thoroughbred industry and reiterates the organization’s longstanding belief that horses should compete only when free from the influence of medication.

The New York State Racing & Wagering Board had solicited “comments concerning the use and regulation of Lasix for racehorses and equine drug policy in general.” Included with the request were seven questions.

A copy of The Jockey Club’s letter, including responses to the state’s seven questions, is attached and is also available from The Jockey Club website (jockeyclub.com).

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms.

MEADOW FARMS, VA (Top Ten Real Estate Deals) – There may never be another horse like Secretariat. The 1973 Triple Crown winner that won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths was born and trained at Meadow Farms in Virginia. This is the place where Penny Chenery took over management of her ill father’s failing horse empire and engineered the Somethingroyal to Bold Ruler mating to produce the most famous horse of the 20th Century. The same farm that Disney brought to the movie screen in 2010. In 2003 the farm was purchased by the Virginia State Fair. However the economics never worked out and the property has foreclosed.  Meadow Farm and the Virginia State Fair are going to auction on May 22nd.

During the tenure of the Virginia State Fair, additional structures and improvements were added to the property. Included in the auction are four residences including the restored 12,850 square foot manor house. In addition there is a 76,130 square foot exhibition hall, a campground with RV hookups and the Meadow Pavilion at 9,735 square feet. The equestrian facility is comprised of a large new stable, arena and four riding rings. The original stables and training barn belonging to the manor house are where Secretariat was born and trained.

Real estate is never boring at TopTenRealEstateDeals. Check out the Secretariat auction details and today’s most entertaining and unusual real estate news stories of the week at: www.toptenrealestatedeals.com/

NEW YORK, (Equibase) – Equibase Company LLC today unveiled the Equibase iPPs™ Past Performance app for the iPad, the company’s first product specifically customized for Apple’s popular tablet.

The Equibase iPPs app, which can be downloaded free from the App Store on an iPad, enables customers to download past performances to their iPad and then “mark-up” the program as if handicapping with a traditional pen and paper.

“The Equibase iPPs app displays past performance information in a format that can be easily personalized simply by touching the iPad screen,” said Hank Zeitlin, president and COO of Equibase. “Whatever marks you make while handicapping using a traditional print program or Daily Racing Form – whether it’s circling, highlighting or making specific notes – you can now make and save right on your iPad.”

Users can select from a variety of past performance program formats for every North American racetrack for as little as $2. In addition to Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse programs, Harness past performances are also available for download to the app.

Equibase Company is a partnership between subsidiaries of The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America and serves as the Thoroughbred industry’s official database. Through its website, mobile platform and mobile applications, Equibase offers a comprehensive menu of wagering products, statistical information and video race replays in support of the North American Thoroughbred racing industry. Additional information is available at equibase.com.

WASHINGTON, (American Horse Council) – If you are competing in a horse show this weekend, you might not realize it, but decisions   made in Washington, D.C. impact you and your ability to show your horse.  The American Horse Council (AHC) believes it is important everyone involved in showing horses at any level or in any discipline understands that federal legislation and regulations affect them.

A notable example of federal policy directly impacting horse shows is the amount of funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) receives to prepare for and respond to contagious equine disease outbreaks. Contagious diseases are a major concern for every segment of the horse community, but they can really negatively affect horse shows. “Remember the recent equine herpes outbreak at a reining event in Ogden, Utah,” said AHC Director of Health and Regulatory Affairs, Dudley Hoskins. “State and federal vets and organizations responded quickly to the outbreak.  Even with quick action, horse shows and events were canceled in 36 states and it could have been worse.  That incident was the most recent reminder that there is not a comprehensive federal plan, sufficient funding, or personnel to deal with contagious equine disease outbreaks. The AHC is working to change that and make sure USDA has the resources it needs to safeguard the horse industry.”

Federal policy also impacts competitors and horse shows in numerous other ways.  For example, many trainers, barns, and breeders depend on temporary foreign workers for grooms and farm hands and need the H-2B (non-agricultural) and H-2A (agricultural) foreign worker programs to work efficiently.

“Many people who participate in horse shows don’t understand how important foreign guest workers are to the showing community.” said AHC president Jay Hickey. “Without these workers, who often have years of experience caring for horses, there would be a major shortage of skilled labor in the showing industry. Unfortunately, right now we are fighting new H-2B rules that could make the program too difficult and expensive to use.”

Additionally, quarantine regulations impact equestrians who compete internationally. In January, the AHC requested the USDA allow U.S. horses to travel to CEM-affected regions for up to 90 days before more burdensome re-entry requirements kick in; currently it is 60 days. “Making this change would reduce the stress on U.S. competition horses, reduce the expenses for owners, and provide a more level playing field against our international competitors without increasing the risk of future incursions of CEM,” said Hoskins.

The AHC encourages members of the horse show community to visit its website at www.horsecouncil.org to learn how federal legislation and regulations impact them, and how they can get involved and support the AHC by becoming a member.

“Everyday we are here in Washington talking to Congress and the regulators to make sure they are aware of the concerns and needs of the $ 102 billion horse community. This is the only way to make sure equestrians will continue to have the ability to compete in their chosen equine discipline now and in the future,” said Hickey.

FORT WORTH, (National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame) – The newest exhibition at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is Hard Twist: Western Ranch Women by Master Photographer Barbara Van Cleve, a 1995 Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honoree.  This exhibit of over 60 stunning black and white photographs will run from May 18-October 28, 2012.

Van Cleve is nationally known for her photographs of the American West.  Van Cleve’s own heritage is rich with firsthand experience ranch life. She grew up on her family’s ranch, the Lazy K Bar, in Montana.  At the young age of 11, her parents gave her a camera and a home developing kit.

Barbara went on to teach English Literature and Photography at DePaul University in Chicago, and then became the youngest Dean of Women in the United States.  She retired from academia to pursue photography full time, and has gained international acclaim.

“Hard Twist” refers to the old manila hemp lariat rope that is tightly twisted – Hard Twist.  The term can also refer to a small, compact, physically strong person with resilience.  This person, like rawhide which expands and stretches when wet and shrinks and tightens when dry, rarely breaks.  The ranch women in these photographs are the embodiment of “Hard Twist” – tough and resilient, rarely breaking but above all else an integral part of ranch life.

With this exhibit, the Cowgirl Museum will unveil the use of mobile technology.  Visitors will be able to call a number on their cell phones and listen to the photographer explain more about selected photographs.  Certain items in the permanent collection will also be included in this new technology.  “We hope this new technology will help provide our guests with a more intimate and in-depth experience with these photographs and our permanent collection” said Dr. Diana Vela, Associate Executive Director for Exhibits and Education.