PRESS RELEASE
For Release after Jan 16, 2010
Minnesota Horse Council Awards $ 47,100 in Grants
The Minnesota Horse Council uses the revenue from the Minnesota Horse Expo to offer "seed money grants" for new projects & capital improvements by Minnesota equine groups.
At the Annual Meeting held January 16, 2010 in Brooklyn Park, MN, the Minnesota Horse Council announced that $47,100 in grants had been awarded to the following projects:
Fairgrounds Facilities sub-total $18,977
1. Polk County 4-H McIntosh $5,000
The County Fair was reopening an entrance, and the road would go through the current horse arena location. This grant will help fund relocating the outdoor horse show arena, and expanding to an appropriate size.
2. Dakota County 4-H Apple Valley $4,122 match
This grounds is frequently used for horse shows, but is lacking an adequate and safe warm-up arena. This grant will fund construction of a new warm-up arena at the fairgrounds.
3. Todd County 4-H Browerville $3,880
Their county fairgrounds horse barn is suffering deterioration from years of frequent use. This grant will fund repairs to the stalls, and improving the footing in the stalls. Also included is funding for lights for the outdoor show arena, so that it can be safely used past sundown.
4. Traverse County 4-H Wheaton $3,500
In recent years, they have rebuilt and improved the outdoor show arena, but it is still lacking a workable announcer's stand. This grant will build one, including a secure storage space. It also includes buying a timer and PA system for the arena.
5. Rock County 4-H Luverne $2,475
The fairgrounds horse barn has become too small for the growing 4-H horse exhibitors. The fair board has offered to build a new addition to the horse barn, but has no money for stalls in it. This grant will buy stall panels for the barn--portable stalls that can be removed in winter so the barn can be rented out for storage.
Misc. Other facilities: sub-total $9,400
6. North Country Horsemen Saddle Club Karlstad $5,000
This saddle club show grounds lacks an announcer's stand. This grant provides materials to build one, with a storage space underneath. Materials only, the club members will do the construction work.
7. Red River Valley Arena Crookston $3,500 match
This regional show facility was once heavily used for horse shows in northwestern Minnesota, but has sat empty & unused for several years. This grant will help reopen the facility by purchasing fence panels for the arena. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
8. Bit & Spurs Saddle Club Buffalo $ 900
This saddle club has been steadily renovating & improving their show grounds for several years. One of the last remaining needs is a new PA system. Our grant will help purchase this. System only, installation & wiring will be done by club members.
Disabled Riding: sub-total $8,500
9. Changing Gaits Brook Park $3,000 match
This group works with 3 county human services departments to bring therapeutic riding events to people at convenient locations. This grant to help buy a trailer, saddle, tack, helmets, and pay mileage for their disabled riding program to travel to various locations so clients don't have to come to them. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
10. Freedom Farm Waverly $3,000 match
This therapeutic riding program is now including more disabled war veterans who are heavier adults and can't be safely lifted onto horses by volunteers. This grant will help purchase an electric lift to allow them and other to safely mount & dismount their horse.
11. Lee-Mar Ranch Center Granite Falls $2,500 match
For many years, under the ownership of Lee & Martha Mooney, this facility served as the center for horse activities in the area. After their death, the family sold it to a non-profit group, which will continue to use it in the same way, but various capital improvements & renovations are needed. This grant will help purchase materials for those improvements. Materials only, local volunteers will do most of the construction work.
Educational: sub-total $6,723
12. University of Minnesota St. Paul $6,723
Many horse owners in Minnesota are feeding their horses big round bales, and there are various types of feeders for these bales. A preliminary study showed that feeders vary greatly, with some wasting twice as much hay as others. This grant funds a year-long evaluation study of different types of round bale feeders, to see which has the least wasted hay. It also provides for wide publication of the results in horse magazines, newsletters, and a brochure.
Rescue Operations: sub-total $3,500
13. Animal Humane Society (Unwanted Horse Coalition) -Golden Valley $3,500 match
The Unwanted Horse Coalition is a umbrella group for various humane & rescue organizations in the area. In the current economy, people are financially unable to keep their horses, and are turning them over to humane facilities. Many of these groups are finding themselves temporarily overloaded, with more horses than they have space for them. This grant will help purchase 2 sets of a portable shelter & portable panels for fencing a paddock. These will be loaned to member organizations as needed, to construct temporary shelter space for horses. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
Total Grants $ 47,100
Over the past 18 years, the Minnesota Horse Council has awarded $757,556 in grants to equestrian projects in Minnesota. This is in addition to other charitable donations by the Horse Council, such as the Direct Funding awards, the Tony Gasser educational scholarships, and the Trails Funding program. The majority of the Horse Council budget goes back into the Minnesota horse industry in donations to various projects.
A downloadable copy of this press release is available online at http://www.mnhorsecouncil.org.