Horse Board Announces 2012 "Virginia Bred" Program Winners
The Virginia Horse Industry Board initiated the "Virginia Bred Program" to promote the state's horse industry by recognizing the achievements of Virginia-bred horses and ponies in performance competitions as well as futurities. For 2012, the Board approved $37,500 for the following 14 Virginia breed associations and events for this year's Virginia Bred Program. The amount of funding for each group is also listed:
| Virginia Rocky Mountain Horse Breeders Association |
$2,000 |
| Virginia Appaloosa Horse Club |
$1,500 |
| Shenandoah Blue Ridge Appaloosa Association |
$1,500 |
| Virginia Pony Breeders Association |
$2,000 |
| Central Virginia Paint Horse Club |
$3,500 |
| Old Dominion Morgan Horse Association |
$3,500 |
| Virginia Horse Shows Association |
$4,000 |
Virginia Quarter Horse Association |
$5,000 |
| International Hunter Futurity |
$4,000 |
| Warrenton Horse Show/Virginia Bred Classes |
$2,000 |
In addition, four new associations/and one event applied for the 2012 program and were approved:
| Virginia Arabian Horse Association |
$500 |
| Old Dominion Miniature Horse Club |
$1,000 |
| American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia |
$2,000 |
| International Gold Cup/Old Dominion Turf Challenge |
$5,000 |
The $37,500 being awarded by the Horse Board represents more than a 44% increase in monies awarded compared with last year's program. Over the past three years of the "Virginia Bred" Program, the
VHIB has invested more than $88,000 back into the Virginia horse industry to promote its economic development.
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
Virginia Horse Industry has $1.2 Billion Annual Economc Impact
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced today a new study on the Virginia horse industry. A study prepared by the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center (WCC) for Public Service and funded by the Virginia Horse Industry Board found that the horse industry in Virginia has an annual economic impact of $1.2 billion. WCC’s Regional Economist Dr. Terance Rephann determined that the equine industry in the Commonwealth continues to expand and its economic impact continues to grow. “The equine industry’s influence is felt in all parts of the state,” said Dr. Rephann. “We see a very positive effect on jobs, recreation, tourism, retail sales and state and local taxation.”
He adds that the largest areas of economic impact continue to be in Northern Virginia with more than 1,600 horse-related jobs in Fauquier and Loudoun Counties. However, the largest employment impact in the state is in Rockbridge Country—the location of the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. More than 1,330 jobs are industry related in Lexington and Buena Vista. “The horse industry in Virginia generates $65.3 million in state and local taxes,” he said, “with more than 50 percent of that representing state taxes.”
Additional key findings from the just-released equine survey include:
- The industry generated more than 16,000 jobs in 2010 in Virginia with the greatest effects in the agricultural and ag services sectors, and a lesser effect in the areas of trade and construction.
- Horse owners spend $873 million annually on horse-related expenses—including feed and bedding, boarding, training, tack, capital improvements and labor. These expenses average $4,060 per horse.
- Nearly 1,200 horse shows and events were held in Virginia in 2010—generating $25 million in revenue.
- Some 939,000 people attended Virginia horse shows and competitions last year. Out-of-state participants spent an average of $3,100 per event.
- Virginia ranks 12th in the nation for numbers of horses.
- According to the Census of Agriculture Statistics, while the number of farms in Virginia decreased between 1997-2007, the number of farms with horses actually increased from 10,972 to 13,520 during that same period—offsetting a more significant decline in farms in general.
- Virginia has an estimated 215,000 equines and some 41,000 equine operations.
“While I am glad to see these very impressive figures on the economic impact of the horse industry in the Commonwealth, I didn’t need a statistical survey to prove how important horses are in Virginia,” said Matthew J. Lohr, VDACS Commissioner. “My father-in-law has three horses on his farm and both of my children enjoy riding them around his property. Horses add so much to our lives on a personal level, but when I look at the big picture, I see just how much they contribute to our state’s economic well-being, as well.”
The full study is available here. The Virginia Horse Industry Board, based at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is comprised of 12 representatives from various sectors of the industry throughout the state. The Board’s mission is the promotion and economic development of the equine industry in the Commonwealth.
> return to top
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
> return to top
Regulations Require A Coggins Test For All Events Where Horses Gather
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced today that effective March 2, 2011, an updated regulation will take effect regarding the Coggins test for equine infectious anemia. The updated regulation specifies that “all horses assembled at a show, fair, race meet or other such function or participating in any activity on properties where horses belonging to different owners may come into contact with each other in Virginia must be accompanied by a report of an official negative test for equine infectious anemia.” For years horse owners have been required to have a valid Coggins test when horses are assembled, and the updated regulation clarifies this. Assembly of horses for a trail ride on public property such as a state park is an example of an activity requiring horse owners to have a valid Coggins report with them. Read the full press release here.
> return to top
|
