PRESS RELEASE
For Release after Jan 15, 2011
Minnesota Horse Council Awards $ 59,981 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 15, 2011 in Brooklyn Park, MN, the Minnesota Horse Council announced that $59,981 in grants had been awarded to the following non-profit projects:
Disabled Riding:
1. North Country Ride Esko, MN $3,500
This therapeutic riding program has been working for years with their office in a beat-up old trailer house. They have now built a building holding office, classroom, & meeting space, but do not have the funds to complete the interior of the building (drywall, flooring, plumbing & electrical). This grant will help purchase the materials needed for that. Materials only; their volunteers will provide the labor to install them.
2. TruHaven Ranch Winsted, MN $2,625 (panels) match
This group works with at risk teens & equines and needs a safe outdoor arena for their events. This matching grant will pay for the fence panels for their arena. Materials only; their volunteers will build the arena. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
Other facilities:
3. Flying Lead Saddle Club Iron, MN $3,500
This revived saddle club is building an outdoor show arena on the Community Center land. This grant will help purchase panels & footing work for the new outdoor ring
4. Silver Spur Saddle Club Minneota, MN $3,204
This 45-year-old saddle club has a show arena on their club grounds, but no announcers stand, so show announcers have to work in the open or under a tent that blows in the wind and scares horses. This grant will allow them to purchase materials to build an announcers stand & entry office. Materials only, their members will build the building.
5. Twin Valley Riders Club Ada, MN $2,500 match
This club wants to install electricity for a trailer/camping area at their show grounds, with security lights and electrical hookups for campers, for use by their exhibitors and users of the adjoining trails. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
Fairgrounds Facilities
6. Aitkin County 4-H Aitkin, MN $4,500
Last year, the unsafe old horse barn at this county fairgrounds had to be demolished. Since then, horse exhibitors have to trailer in each day & show from their trailers, and no horses were on display for fairgoers. This grant will help fund building a new horse barn on the fairgrounds.
7. Anoka County Fair Anoka, MN $3,500
In recent years, this county fairgrounds has made several improvements to their horse facilities: 2 new horse barns & a re-done show arena. The remaining item is replacing a decrepit 30-year-old announcers booth. This grant will help fund construction of a new announcers booth & office building.
8. Beltrami County Fair Bemidji, MN $2,152
The main horse barn at this county fairgrounds needs improved ventilation for horses. This grant will fund purchase and installation of circulator fans in the horse barn
9. Blue Earth County 4-H Mankato, MN $3,500
Growing 4-H horse exhibitors at the county fair have required them to rent extra portable stalls, at great expense. This grant will help purchase their own stalls to use at the county fair.
10. Chippewa County 4-H Montevideo, MN $3,500
This 4-H horse project has 2 projects going at their county fairgrounds: adding extra stalls in the horse barn, and building a new announcers booth/storage building. This grant will help fund these projects.
11. Crow Wing County Fair Brainerd, MN $3,500
This fairgrounds has several projects planned: stalls of varied & irregular size, and unused tie stalls, are to be rebuilt with metal front panels; leveling the arena to provide a safer entrance & better drainage, & a warm-up area, and adding windows, counters, & signs to make the announcers booth/office more useable. This grant will help to fund additional work on these projects.
12. Grant County Fair Herman, MN $2,000
This grant will help fund materials to convert unused tie stalls into box stalls. Materials only, labor donated.
13. Meeker County 4-H Litchfield, MN $3,000
Because of increased 4-H horse projects,, they need to purchase more portable stalls, and materials to convert unused tie stalls to box stalls. This grant will help fund these. Materials only, volunteer labor.
14. Pine County 4-H Pine City, MN $2,000 match
This grant will fund purchase of a timer, sound system and equipment (poles, jumps, barrels, etc.) for use in horse events. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
15. Roseau County 4-H Badger, MN $3,000
The outdoor show ring at this county fairgrounds is in desperate need of repairs, and the announcers stand has not had any repair in at least 10 years, it needs paint, replaced steps & railing. This grant will help fund the costs to do these repairs and refurbishments.
16. Sherburne County 4-H Horse Project Elk River, MN $3,500
The announcers booth at this county fairgrounds is old and small. This grant will fund materials for replacing it with a new, enlarged building, including office facilities and storage space for equipment.
17. Traverse County Fair Wheaton, MN $2,000 match
This grant will help the Fair Board make greatly needed repairs & upgrades to thee horse barns at this county fairgrounds. Matching grant, we will match the funds they raise locally up to this amount.
18. Waska Riders Saddle Club Glenwood, MN $3,500
Another county fairgrounds needing to replace an old, outdated, too small announcers stand/storage building with a new one. Materials only, their members will do the construction.
19. Wright County Fair Howard Lake, MN $5,000
The Fair Board is improving the horse facilities by expanding the warm-up area and outdoor arena, redoing the fencing and hauling in better footing. But to make more use of the arena, it needs lighting so shows can run past sunset. This grant will help fund electrical work to add lighting to the arena & warm-up ring
Total Grants $ 59,981
Over the past 19 years, the Minnesota Horse Council has awarded $817,537 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 major portion of the Horse Council budget goes back into the Minnesota horse industry