Hoofcare & Lameness received word today that Michael J. Nolan, acting executive director of the American Farrier's Association in Lexington, KY, has resigned.
"I have submitted my resignation effective January 15," was Nolan's only comment when contacted today.
He later added by email, "There is a critical need for an AFA, since no other organizations can offer what AFA can. However, there is so much animosity, so little trust, and so many structural problems that it is going to be very difficult to get back on the right track.
"Still, the AFA has been through very bad situations in the past and survived, and I hope it can do so again. The AFA is very important for the welfare of all farriers, and I regret that there was so little progress during my brief time in the office."
No news yet on how his departure will affect the AFA or who will assume administrative leadership. AFA President Dave Ferguson has been contacted for a statement, but we have no comment from him as yet.
Nolan took the reins of the AFA office last spring on a temporary assignment, and then extended the agreement until the AFA Convention in February, when the organization hoped to have a permanent executive director in place.
Presumably more details will be announced by the AFA next week, when the office re-opens.
Let's hope 2007 is a better year for the AFA. Hoofcare & Lameness wishes Mike Nolan the best for his future endeavors.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Friday, December 29, 2006
Who Pushed the Ejector Button? Matt Goins Wins 2006 Eclipse Award for Photography
Matthew Goins, freelance photographer for the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky, snapped this Harry Potter moment at Keeneland last spring; the NTRA just announced that it was the Eclipse award-winning photo for the year. The photo is the December 2007 image on the big 2007 Thoroughbred racing wall calendar from ST Publishing (which I was delighted to receive in the mail the other day). If you don't already have a wall calendar for 2007, and you like racing photographer or racehorses, this calendar is stunning. It's just a shame that so few of the horses in it will be back to race in 2007.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
American Hoof Association: New Organization Will Require Proof of Skill and Philosophy of Healing, not Hurting
Meet the American Hoof Association. The newly-formed organization of professional hoofcare providers states that its primary goal is the maintenance of sound, useable barefoot horses. Membership will only be offered to applicants who submit proof of work that demonstrates the quality and parameters of sound trimming principles outlined by the founding members.
According to information released by the group on December 27, trimmers who seek membership in the organization will believe firmly in the concept that horses must not be harmed in the trimming process and will strive to improve the health of the horses in their care and to improve their skill for the benefit of all trimmers and their horses. They will also need to submit proof of their professional skill via case studies in photographs and on videotape.
The organization’s catalyst was author and trimmer Pete Ramey of Georgia; he invited trimming professionals with whom he was well-acquainted to join him in a new qualifications-based organization.
In October, 15 founding members became the incorporators of the American Hoof Association, Inc. (AHA). Cliff Mortimer of Highland, Michigan was elected president. Credentials of some of the founding members includes certification by the American Association of Natural Hoof Care Practitioners (AANHCP) and membership in the American Farrier’s Association (AFA).
In addition to Pete and Cliff, other incorporators include: Vice President Linda Cowles (California), Secretary Kay Stowers (Oregon), Treasurer Gil Goodin (Texas), Communications Facilitator Kim Cassidy (New York), Member at Large Paige Poss (Virginia) and Member at Large Alex Sperandeo (Georgia).
Additional members are Chad Bembenek (Wisconsin), Janet Hagen (Minnesota), Mark Jeldness (New Mexico), Sue Mellen (Vermont), Cindy Meyer (Colorado), Ivy Ramey (Georgia), and Bruce Smith (North Carolina),
Beginning in 2007, the group will consider applications from trimmers who wish to join. The official list of materials required to be submitted with an application has been posted on the AHA web site, which will include an interactive portal for the upload of all materials except a video that is required and must be sent via mail.
From among the incorporators, a team of seven evaluators was selected. Their job will be to carefully and thoughtfully consider all applicant materials against the standards of the American Hoof Association.
In their introduction letter, the AHA states, “We ask for your patience as we address the myriad of issues before us and work to produce the most smooth-running application process we can. It is our fervent desire that all like-minded trimmers have full opportunity to successfully complete this process and become members of the American Hoof Association.”
According to information released by the group on December 27, trimmers who seek membership in the organization will believe firmly in the concept that horses must not be harmed in the trimming process and will strive to improve the health of the horses in their care and to improve their skill for the benefit of all trimmers and their horses. They will also need to submit proof of their professional skill via case studies in photographs and on videotape.
The organization’s catalyst was author and trimmer Pete Ramey of Georgia; he invited trimming professionals with whom he was well-acquainted to join him in a new qualifications-based organization.
In October, 15 founding members became the incorporators of the American Hoof Association, Inc. (AHA). Cliff Mortimer of Highland, Michigan was elected president. Credentials of some of the founding members includes certification by the American Association of Natural Hoof Care Practitioners (AANHCP) and membership in the American Farrier’s Association (AFA).
In addition to Pete and Cliff, other incorporators include: Vice President Linda Cowles (California), Secretary Kay Stowers (Oregon), Treasurer Gil Goodin (Texas), Communications Facilitator Kim Cassidy (New York), Member at Large Paige Poss (Virginia) and Member at Large Alex Sperandeo (Georgia).
Additional members are Chad Bembenek (Wisconsin), Janet Hagen (Minnesota), Mark Jeldness (New Mexico), Sue Mellen (Vermont), Cindy Meyer (Colorado), Ivy Ramey (Georgia), and Bruce Smith (North Carolina),
Beginning in 2007, the group will consider applications from trimmers who wish to join. The official list of materials required to be submitted with an application has been posted on the AHA web site, which will include an interactive portal for the upload of all materials except a video that is required and must be sent via mail.
From among the incorporators, a team of seven evaluators was selected. Their job will be to carefully and thoughtfully consider all applicant materials against the standards of the American Hoof Association.
In their introduction letter, the AHA states, “We ask for your patience as we address the myriad of issues before us and work to produce the most smooth-running application process we can. It is our fervent desire that all like-minded trimmers have full opportunity to successfully complete this process and become members of the American Hoof Association.”
How It's Done: New Zealand Farrier's Global Career Climb
I'll never forget my one and only trip to New Zealand, more than ten years ago. Everyone I met, it seemed. had a global network of friends made during carefree world adventures. It's as if a new generation of the Kiwis swarms out each year to explore the world and make friends. So when you are a visitor in their country, they are extremely welcome and sympathetic to travelers.
An article forwarded to me from the Taranaki Daily News in New Zealand tells the tale of a very focused farrier from New Zealand who set forth to learn his trade from the best in the world, and seems to be succeeding.
Click the link and enjoy the global adventures of Andrew Reader-Smith AWCF:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/print/3912078a6551.html
An article forwarded to me from the Taranaki Daily News in New Zealand tells the tale of a very focused farrier from New Zealand who set forth to learn his trade from the best in the world, and seems to be succeeding.
Click the link and enjoy the global adventures of Andrew Reader-Smith AWCF:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/print/3912078a6551.html
Friday, December 22, 2006
Rural Scotland Farriers Must Comply with British Law Beginning in March 2007
Mr Ross Finnie, Scottish Minister for Environment and Rural Development has announced that from 30 March 2007 all those practising farriery in Scotland will need to be registered with the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) of Great Britain.
The new requirement ends a previous exemption which allowed unregistered persons to practise farriery in the Highlands and Islands areas of Scotland which comprises of: Highland Region, Western Isles Islands Area, Orkney Islands Area, Shetland Islands Area and all other Scottish Islands (including those in the Firth of Clyde).
Persons failing to register, and who continue to practise farriery anywhere in Scotland, could be fined up to £1,000.
Minister Ross Finnie said: “This measure will ensure that the practise of farriery is uniformly controlled throughout the whole of Scotland. Horses and their owners in the Highlands and Islands will have the same degree of protection as that currently enjoyed by those elsewhere in Scotland.”
The FRC was established under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 as the statutory body responsible for the administration of the “Register of Farriers”. The register records the details of all those farriers who have satisfied the prescribed registration conditions.
The Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 was introduced to prevent and avoid suffering by, and cruelty to horses, arising from shoeing by unskilled persons; to promote the shoeing of horses and the training of farriers; to establish the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) to register persons engaged in farriery and to prohibit the shoeing of horses by unqualified persons.
The Act came fully into effect in England and Wales in 1980.
The requirement to be registered came into force in Scotland on 1 November 1981, but specifically excluded rural areas and islands because of fears that there might not be enough farriers eligible for registration to cover these remote areas and carry out all necessary farriery work.
The Acts do not apply in Northern Ireland.
The new requirement ends a previous exemption which allowed unregistered persons to practise farriery in the Highlands and Islands areas of Scotland which comprises of: Highland Region, Western Isles Islands Area, Orkney Islands Area, Shetland Islands Area and all other Scottish Islands (including those in the Firth of Clyde).
Persons failing to register, and who continue to practise farriery anywhere in Scotland, could be fined up to £1,000.
Minister Ross Finnie said: “This measure will ensure that the practise of farriery is uniformly controlled throughout the whole of Scotland. Horses and their owners in the Highlands and Islands will have the same degree of protection as that currently enjoyed by those elsewhere in Scotland.”
The FRC was established under the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 as the statutory body responsible for the administration of the “Register of Farriers”. The register records the details of all those farriers who have satisfied the prescribed registration conditions.
The Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 was introduced to prevent and avoid suffering by, and cruelty to horses, arising from shoeing by unskilled persons; to promote the shoeing of horses and the training of farriers; to establish the Farriers Registration Council (FRC) to register persons engaged in farriery and to prohibit the shoeing of horses by unqualified persons.
The Act came fully into effect in England and Wales in 1980.
The requirement to be registered came into force in Scotland on 1 November 1981, but specifically excluded rural areas and islands because of fears that there might not be enough farriers eligible for registration to cover these remote areas and carry out all necessary farriery work.
The Acts do not apply in Northern Ireland.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Barbaro Meets Morrison; Photo Shows Feet
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro met Dr. Scott Morrison from Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on Tuesday, December 20. Not much has been publicly said about what Morrison may have recommended, although the owners are now hinting to the press that the horse may be moved to Kentucky as early as next week.
Barbaro may be on the Good Morning , America television show on Thursday December 21, at approximately 7:30 a.m. Presumably you'd be able to watch the segment on the GMA / ABC News web site .
New Bolton Center released a new set of photos of Barbaro today; we are posting a closeup of his feet, since this is all our readers see of a horse anyway, and hopefully a second photo, showing his overall condition. Note: if you double-click on an image, it will open in a new window and you may be able to see a larger version, depending on resolution.
Please note that the horse is wearing a Sigafoos glue-on shoe on his right hind (the leg that was broken) and a Soft Ride hoof boot on the left hind (foundered foot).
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