Horse-Slaughter Summit / Day One

SUMMIT OF THE HORSE – PROGRAM

January 3rd – Monday

6:00 pm – Opening Reception – Trent Loos – Master of Ceremonies for the Summit of the Horse

Trent Loos is a farmer, rancher, and radio host with a special love for folks who lead the same life he has chosen. Trent is a sixth-generation resource provider, specializing in supplying seedstock to pork producers, and beef cattle. When he’s not busy cutting cattle, Trent’s passion is spreading the word about the many positive things in production agriculture, where it is “individuals, not the institutions, that make a difference.”

Announce winner of 2011 Dodge Truck from Chapman Dodge

January 4th – Tuesday

9:00 am – Welcome and Opening Remarks

John Falen, President of Public Lands Council & Tom Collins, Clark County, Nevada, Commissioner

9:30 am – Opening Keynote: The Politics of Land and Horses

U.S. Congressman Charlie Stenholm, Texas, (retired)

9:45-10:00 – Break

10:00 am – The Horsemen’s Forum – Necessary Steps to Restore Lost Value and Normal Markets

A discussion that includes a broad range of horse industry spokespersons representing horse marketing, top trainers in various disciplines, breeders, breed registries, and event organizations. Forum participants will give their brief answer to the question, “What are the most important things that need to be done to restore the horse industry in the United States?” This first round will be followed by questions and answers with the audience.

Dave Duquette – Hermiston, Oregon – working cow horse trainer

Frank Bowman – Springfield, Illinois – Horsemen’s Council of Illinois

Bill & Jann Parker, Billings, Montana – Billings Livestock Horse Sale

David Solum, Solum Brothers – Lamar, Missouri – breeder – production sale

Ted Robinson – Oakdale, California – cow horse trainer

Dennis Foster – Virginia – Master of Fox Hounds Assn

Johnny Zamrzla – California Horse Council – PRCA

Ike Sankey – Joliet, Montana – Sankey Pro Rodeo – PRCA stock contractor

Bob Loomis – Marietta, Oklahoma – NRHA trainer and breeder

Katherine Minthorn Good Luck – Pendleton, Oregon – Intertribal Agriculture Agency

Tyson Larson – Nebraska – rope horse trainer and Nebraska State Senator

12:00 Noon – Lunch Break

Afternoon Sessions: Healthy lands/Healthy Horses—Restoring ecological balance to federal lands, controlling excess and unwanted feral horses on state, tribal, and private lands.

1:30 pm – Bob Abbey, BLM Director – Sustainable & Realistic Solutions to Wild Horse & Burro Program

2:15 pm – Wild Horse Gathers and Issues Regarding Horse Welfare

Dr. Boyd Spratling, DVM and member of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Committee

2:45-3:00 pm – Break

3:00 pm – The BLM situation

A forum of land management agencies, range specialists, equine specialists, wildlife conservationists, Western state policy makers, and domestic horse industry representatives discussing the current situation on the land, and effects on other users of federal lands, as well as market effects on the horse industry of BLM policies.

John Falen, President of Public Lands Council

Dean Bolstead, BLM wild horse program

Dave Catoor, horse gathering contractor

Steve Torbit, National Wildlife Federation

Larry Johnson, Nevada Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife and former member of BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Committee

4:00-4:15 pm – Break

4:15 pm – Unintended Consequences on State, Tribal, and Private Lands

Tribal leaders join with private land owners and state land managers to discuss the breadth and scope of devastation wrought by uncontrolled populations of feral horses not under the jurisdiction of the federal government. This forum includes a discussion of the unintended consequences that have resulted in the alarming increase of abandoned, neglected, and starving horses.

Arlen Washines, Yakama Nations

Frank Bowman, Illinois Horse Council

Katherine Minthorn Good Luck, Umatilla, Intertribal Agriculture Council & Northwest Tribal Horse Coalition

Jeri Dobrowski, AMillionHorses.com

Jason Smith, Warm Springs Tribe,

Wade Cox, Colorado rancher

6:00 pm – Evening Reception – The Equine Market Report

An informal discussion with those involved with horse sales and horse marketing from around the country hosted by Nancy Robinson, Vice President for Government and Industry Affairs, Livestock Marketing Association

January 5th – Wednesday

Morning Sessions: The U.S. Horse Industry—Protecting our horseback cultures and livelihoods

9 am – The International Animal Rights Agenda and what is Necessary to Counter Activist’s Tactics, Dennis Foster

Dennis Foster is the Executive Director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association in Virginia. A retired military intelligence officer, Dennis has become an internationally renowned expert on the radical agenda of animal rights organizations worldwide. Following Foster’s presentation, will be a panel discussion including those who have been on the front lines, such as horse owners who have been attacked by animal rights groups speaking from their experience. The objective will be to provide practical, hands-on advice and training on how to protect yourself and your way of life from radical extremist agendas.

Frank Bowman, Horsemen’s Council of Illinois

Mindy Patterson, American Federation of Animal Owners

Denissa Malott, Victim of HSUS abusive actions, and her ongoing effort for justice

Dave Duquette, United Horsemen, who continues to work closely with Denissa Malott and her ongoing battle

10:15 – 10:30 am – Break

10:30 am – Protecting our grazing & other rights— Karen Budd Falen, Wyoming

Attorney Karen Budd Falen has gathered data and conducted research which exposes the egregious misuse of Equal Access to Justice Act funds by environmental and animal rights groups, who have used federal taxpayer dollars to sue the federal government with the objective and end result being the taking of private property rights of animal owners and livestock producers. Her discussion will include straightforward advice on what rights we have as animal owners, and steps we all need to take to petition the government for redress of grievances—a constitutionally guaranteed right of every American citizen.

12:00 Noon – Lunch Break

Afternoon Sessions: Efforts underway to provide humane and economically viable options

1:30 pm – Dr. Temple Grandin – Humane Handling of Horses

2:30 pm – Efforts underway to provide humane and economically viable options

In spite of the economic devastation of the horse industry, efforts around the country are underway to bring humane and regulated horse processing back to the U.S. This forum will include those involved in enterprises already underway to build plants in Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Wyoming and elsewhere.

Ed Butcher, Montana

Jason Smith, Warm Springs Tribe, Oregon

Sue Wallis, Wyoming

3:15-3:30 pm – Break

3:30 pm – Setting the high standard for humane processing of horses

Representatives from U.S. and Canadian animal science and humane livestock handling organizations, as well as federal and state livestock processing regulatory agencies discuss what is necessary for the humane processing of horses. This will include a presentation of the Equine Humane Handling and Assessment Project of the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada.

Tim Amlaw, American Humane

Temple Grandin & Mark Deesing from Grandin Livestock Systems

Joey Astling, USDA/APHIS Slaughter Horse Regulation

Jennifer Woods – Humane Handling and Assessment Tool Project

4:30 pm – The international perspective

How the U.S. situation is affecting the Canadian and Mexican horse industry, as well as global impacts.

Bill desBarres, Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada

Chris Gould, Canada, World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses

Rob Leach, Australia, horse trainer familiar with feral horse and camel depredation problems in Australia

Manuel Sada, Criadores de Caballos Deportivos Mexicanos AC, Mexico

6:00 pm – Evening Reception – Canadian and United States Connections in the Equine Economy

Temple Grandin book signing

January 6th – Thursday Morning

8:30 am – Brian Sandoval, Governor of Nevada (or his designee)

9:00 am – U.S. Congressmen Doc Hastings, Washington, new Chairman of Natural Resources Committee

9:30 am – Gary Moyer – Board of Directors – National Conservation Districts

10:00 am – Steve Foglesong – National Cattlemen’s Beef Assn (NCBA) President

10:45 am – 11:00 am Break

11:00 am – G.B. Oliver – Executive Vice President, Paragon Foundation

The Paragon Foundation was founded on the idea that it is the responsibility of government to protect the rights of fellow Americans, as written in the Constitution, as well as the responsibility of every American to make sure the government remained true to its purpose. Understanding that knowledge is power, Mr. Oliver will wrap up the Summit of the Horse in a way that seeks to arm landowners, land managers, horse owners and horse industry professionals with the information and negotiating skills necessary to protect their property.