3rd Annual Southern States Showdown
The 3rd Southern States Showdown will be at the Virginia Horse Center, Lexington, VA on June 6th-8th...open to QH's, Palominos and Reiners. Class sheets are posted below.
Southern States Triple Crown NBHA Super Show
The Southern States Triple Crown NBHA Super Show is in Perry, GA July 3-6. More information below. Entry forms coming soon.
Intervet Barn Chart Deworming Guide
Intervet has made following a deworming schedule a snap with this barn chart. Print yours out today!
Meet Our Team!
The Southern States Horse Feed and Pasture Management Specialists like Ron Perry are ready to help you. See how to contact them.
Virginia Horse Owners to Vote on Referendum
In the spring of 2006, all Virginia horse owners over the age of 18 have the opportunity to certify their eligibility and then to vote on an assessment on manufactured equine feed. The purpose of the referendum, which is authorized by the Board of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), is to determine if horse owners approve the collection of an assessment of $3 per ton or $0.075 per 50-pound bag of manufactured equine feed sold or imported for sale in Virginia. It is estimated that it will cost consumers $3 per horse per year. Funds collected will be remitted to VDACS and used by the Virginia Horse Industry Board (VHIB) to conduct programs in market development, education, publicity, research, and promotion of Virginias equine industry. The VTA is founding member of the Virginia Horse Industry Board and President Donna Dennehy and Executive Director Glenn Petty currently serve on the board.
"I know none of us are anxious to incur additional costs or pay additional taxes," said Petty, "but as the various horse organizations in Virginia investigated similar programs in Maryland and North Carolina, it became apparent that the industry wide benefits of the $3 average cost per horse was well worth pursuing." "If you just invested in medical research and found an alternative treatment to a major medical problem, it would be the easiest $3 a year one would ever spend," he concluded.
To be eligible to vote in this referendum, horse owners must file a notarized official affidavit by 5 p.m. on April 14, 2006, with the Director of VDACS's Division of Marketing. The affidavit form is available on the VDACS Web site at www.vdacs.virginia.gov, or by calling 804/786-3952. Horse owners may also pick up the forms at VDACS's central office located at 102 Governor Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
VDACS will then mail ballots to those certified horse owners on April 28, 2006. Completed ballots must be postmarked or hand delivered to VDACS in an official pre-addressed ballot envelope no later than 5 p.m. on May 26, 2006. Judges appointed by VDACS's Commissioner will count the completed ballots and certify the referendum results. The Commissioner will publicly declare the results by June 5, 2006, and certify them to the Governor and the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services.