Springfield , IL –The Illinois Equine Industry Research & Promotion Board (EPB) has announced the awarding of nearly $38,000 in grants, according to Lois A. Guyon, chair.

Illinois Ag in the Classroom is the recipient of $10,000 over two years ($7,025 to be paid in 2006) to produce an equine magazine; the Boots and Saddle Club of Galesburg received $6,558 for materials to help build stalls and an arena; the University of Illinois' Department of Animal Science was awarded $15,000 over two years ($3,837 to be paid in 2006) to help research reducing osteochondrosis (OCD); and $5,870 over two years ($560 to be paid in 2006) was granted for trail improvements in the Shawnee National Forest.

EPB grants are made possible by voluntary assessments that fund the checkoff program to support equine research, education and promotion in the state. The assessment is a nickel for every 50-pound bag of horse feed ($2  per ton), paid quarterly by feed manufacturers who reclaim the sums through a retail add-on.

As part of the Illinois Agricultural Association's "Illinois Ag in the Classroom" initiative, IAITC will develop and provide teaching materials and an updated Ag Mag including the equine segment, according to Kevin Daughtery, project director. In addition, IAITC will train ag literacy coordinators on equine education materials and host more than 40 summer agricultural institutes to provide training for more than 600 teachers on the use of equine materials in their classrooms. The EPB grant covers half of the project's first-year costs. In 2005, IAITC programs reached 193,970 students and 13,851 educators with programs similar to the Illinois Equine Industry in the Classroom project.

EPB's grant to the Boots and Saddle Club was prompted by Galesburg 's termination of an agreement with the Club for use of an arena at Kiwanis Park , a site for the Club's horse shows for more than 25 years. The City is offering a new location, however, which requires construction of an arena, trails and equine camping facilities in the Bursie Williams area of Lake Storey Park . Funds granted will purchase materials for the improvements with club members volunteering time to aid the park district with construction under direction of Club member Buffy Allen.

The University of Illinois research into reducing the incidence of osteochondrosis, a serious equine health problem, is being conducted in association with Kenneth Walker, DVM and prominent Standardbred breeder near Springfield . Funding is in cooperation with the U of I and US Borax. The project will evaluate the promising effect of dietary boron as an equine OCD preventative, similar to recent positive results shown in swine, according to Kevin Kline, PhD, professor of animal sciences at the U of I.

Volunteers Ben and Patti Laubscher of Eddyville received the Shawnee Trail improvement grant to develop a hillside rest area on their property overlooking Double Branch Hole Natural Area, adjacent to forest service trails. The rest area will include a stock confinement area, mounting block, picnic space and interpretive displays for public use.

By law, EPB funds must go to support equine research, education and promotion in keeping with the enabling legislation's core purpose: "Enhancement of the Illinois equine industry through self-funded programs, projects and activities. Grants to institutions and individuals will be related to equine research, education and industry enhancements and promotion."

Illinois has more than 77,000 horse owners and 213,000 horses, constituting a $3.8 billion industry and providing more than 15,000 fulltime jobs.

Any group, individual, company or institution may apply for funding. Preference will be given to projects benefiting the largest number of people/horses.

A detailed research application is available (as well as a shorter project application) at www.HorsemensCouncil.org or from the EPB administrative office, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Suite 308l Springfield, IL 62703, phone (217) 585-1600.

January 2006 Grant Awards Announced

Kankakee County Fair Junior Horse and Pony Barn 
awarded funds for stalls by Equine Promotion Board 

Springfield, IL – Kankakee County Fair Junior Horse and Pony Barn received an $8,911 grant Saturday (March 4) from the Illinois Equine Industry Research & Promotion Board (EPB) for materials so volunteers can construct safe stalls for the County Fair and 4-H horse shows.  

Pete Schafer, county fair board president, and Sarah O'Keefe, daughter of Hope O'Keefe, Junior Horse and pony superintendent, accepted the award during ceremonies at the Illinois Horse Fair. The presentation was made by EPB Chair Lois Guyon and Tom Jennings, assistant to Chuck Hartke, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, whose department oversees the promotion board. The grant to the Kankakee Barn improvement project  was one of nine awarded, totaling more than $55,500.
The eight other recipients were:
	Cathleen Varner, director, Communication Matters Association, Freeport,  IL $4,000 to create signed and captioned instructional CDs/Videos to teach horse care, riding basics and safety, and sign language picture books to introduce horses and farm life to deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Ronda Ewing, development director, Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society, Barrington, IL - $7,500 toward purchase of an equine ambulance for use throughout the state.
	Barbara Clauson, New Kingdom Trailriders' therapeutic horseback riding program, Sherrard, IL $3,695 for ring maintenance equipment.
Allison Stewart, advisor, American Association of Equine Practitioners Illinois Student Chapter, Urbana – $2,352 to send 10 early career equine veterinary students to the AAEP annual convention.
	Joy Richey, principal investigator for Equine Education for Youth and Adults, University of Illinois Extension, Southern Region (27 counties) $6,000 to establish a network, host regional horse judging and hippology contests, offer seminars and clinics for youth and adults and provide resource materials

      Grantee's Not Pictured 

"What influenced the grant committee in selecting the Kankakee project was the commitment of its volunteers and support of local businesses,'' Guyon said.

According to O'Keefe, the barn's wooden stalls had deteriorated to the point they were neither safe nor comfortable. Volunteers began fundraising efforts and with the support of local businesses were able to build 15 of 54 stalls needed during the summer of 2005. The EPB grant will enable these volunteers to complete the main part of the project this year, which includes replacing the rest of the old stalls with steel frames and CDX plywood panels and versatile hardware.

Funding for EPB projects comes from voluntary assessments of a nickel per 50-pound bag of equine feed ($2/ton) paid at the retail level and submitted quarterly by manufacturers doing business in the state. "Horsemen helping horsemen, we like to call it," said Frank Bowman, Horsemen's Council of Illinois (HCI) president.

HCI initiated legislation and organized the referendum that established the equine checkoff in late 2004. HCI also produces the annual Illinois Horse Fair at which the EPB grants were awarded.

"In keeping with obligations imposed upon the EPB by legislation, these grants are spread about equally among education, research and promotion," Guyon said.

By law, EPB funds must go to support equine research, education and promotion in keeping with the enabling legislation's core purpose: "Enhancement of the Illinois equine industry through self-funded programs, projects and activities. Grants to institutions and individuals will be related to equine research, education and industry enhancements and promotion."  

The EPB is composed of 12 members geographically and demographically representative of the equine industry in Illinois, plus a member from the feed and grain industry. A grant selection committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the board, which must vote final approval, Guyon said.

Illinois has more than 77,000 horse owners and 213,000 horses, constituting a $3.8 billion industry and providing more than 15,000 fulltime jobs, Bowman said.

Any group, individual, company or institution may apply for funding. Preference will be given to projects benefitting the largest number of people/horses.

A detailed "research" application is available (as well as a shorter "project" application) at www.HorsemensCouncil.org or from the EPB Administrative Office, 3085 Stevenson Drive, Suite 308, Springfield IL 62703, phone (217) 585-1600.