PRESS RELEASE - For Release after Jan 19, 2008 ---
Minnesota Horse Council Awards $ 88,500 in Grants
The Minnesota Horse Council uses the revenue from the Minnesota Horse Expo to offer "seed money grants" for new projects, or for capital improvements by Minnesota equine groups. At the Annual Meeting held January 19, 2009, the Minnesota Horse Council awarded these $88,500 in grants:
Disabled Riding:
Free Winds buy safety equipment $1,600
Seeds of Hope Youth Ranch buy slant 4-horse trailer $3,500
River Valley Riders buy corral panels for an outdoor arena $5,000
Advocates for Develop. Disabilities purchase special riding saddle $5,000
Rising Stars Therapeutic Equitation buy handicapped-accessible driving carriage $5,500
Equul Access buy video camera, PA system $5,500
Sub-Total $26,100
Educational:
Mn High School Equestrian Assn. develop website & accounting system $4,700
Sub-Total $4,700
Fairgrounds facilities:
Mille Lacs County 4-H Horse Proj. buy PA system & timer/scoreboard $1,200
Murray County Draft Horse Classic plumbing for new wash racks at cty fairgnds $1,800
Isanti County Fair replace lighting in horse show arena $2,500
Sunset Saddle Club new lighting for outdoor arena at fairgnds $2,500
Yellow Medicine 4-H Horse Project buy bleachers & PA system $2,500
Brown County 4-H Horse Project fundraising for new horse barn at Cty Fair $3,500
Kandiyohi County 4-H Horse Project buy PA system for County Fairgrounds $3,500
Swift County Fair materials for addition to horse barn $3,500
Washington County Fair chain link fence alongside highway $3,500
Sherburne County Sheriff's Posse materials for outdoor arena on Fairgnds $3,900
Marshall County Fair material for stalls in new horse barn $5,000
Douglas County 4-H Horse Project replace fairgrounds announcers crows nest $7,000
Sub-Total $40,400
Miscellaneous other facilities:
Watowan County 4-H materials for Horse Health & Safety Clinic $1,900
Martin County Sheriff's Posse buy safety equipment . $4,100
Silver Buckle Saddle Club replace 1946 tractor used to maintain gnds $5,000
Mpls Police Mounted Patrol obtain barn, pasture, training arenas, etc. $6,300
Sub-Total $17,300
Total Grants $ 88,500
Over the past 17 years, the Minnesota Horse Council has awarded $630,756 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.