The American Horse Council is gearing up for what it calls “the most inclusive presentation on safety and welfare ever assembled”—a June 16 forum on equine welfare.
The forum, called “Welfare of the Horse,” is the focus on this year’s AHC National Issues Forum in Washington, D.C. The event begins June 15 with committee and state horse council meetings, and wraps up June 17 with congressional visits on Capitol Hill.
The forum will have panels on equines that race, show, participate in other sports, or are used as work horses. Representatives from national organizations will provide an update on their welfare activities.
Dr. Scott Palmer, a veterinarian and past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, will deliver the keynote address. Other speakers will be Gary Carpenter, executive director of the American Quarter Horse Foundation; Cindy Schonholtz, president of the Animal Welfare Council; Dr. Tom Lenz, chairman of the Unwanted Horse Coalition; and Dr. Gail Golab, director of the Animal Welfare Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The morning racing panel will be moderated by Alex Waldrop, president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Other speakers will be Mike Ziegler, executive director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance; Mike Tanner, executive director of the United States Trotting Association; Tom Persechino, director of marketing for the American Quarter Horse Association; and Andy Schweigardt, director of industry relations and development for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
