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At the March 2020 meeting, the MFTHBA Board of Directors approved a proposal submitted by Secretary/Treasurer Melvin Snethern to increase the entry fee costs at MFTHBA sponsored shows.  “The MFTHBA has not adjusted its fee structure is ten years,” shared Melvin.  Entry fees for classes with a championship class were increased by $10.  All other classes were increased by $5.

Five dollars of the increase was used to support the expenses associated with the show. The additional five dollars for preliminary and championship classes was set aside for payback.  Payback money stayed in the specific class meaning that classes with more entries resulted in a larger payback.

“Five dollars from each entry in the preliminary class was added to five dollars from each entry from the championship class,” added Melvin.  “We then used a percentage calculation based on the number of entries to determine the payback amount.”

For model and performance World Grand Champion classes the following breakdown was utilized.

In versatility and ranch horse classes, $5 from each entry in each class was put toward payback for the World Grand Champion winners.  Money was maintained in the appropriate division (i.e. money generated from open classes was paid back in the open division).  Three places were paid back in versatility and ranch horse.

Checks were recently mailed to horse owners.  “While some checks were small, it is a start to looking at providing payback at our World Show,” shared Melvin.  Payback in individual classes ranged from $5 to $225.  A total of $3,710 was paid back to horse owners.

Interested in a new show jacket, saddle pad, ribbons, etc.?  Have some items like this that need a new home?  Join the Membership Committee on Saturday, September 5th, for a “Show Tack” Swap on Vendor Row.

MFTHBA member Melody Nagel started the idea, and it quickly took off with many members sharing that they had things that they were looking to buy or sell.  The Membership Committee was happy to help set something up a little more formal for this informal event as it was apparent that this was something many members were interested in.  It has been suggested that this should become an annual event.

The event will take place on Vendor Row.  Set-up will begin around 1 on Saturday, September 5th.  Everyone is welcome to stop by to shop from 3 to 6, when the Membership Dinner begins.  

For more information please contact Melody Nagel at (573) 619-2273.

Dr. Peters from the Animal Clinic of Ava will be set up in the farrier shed outside the practice arena on Saturday, September 12 from 10 a.m. until noon to inspect horses and issue certificates of veterinary inspection for anyone needing them in order to return to their home state following the World Show and Celebration.

Due to the Vesicular Stomatitis outbreak, horse owners should contact their state’s animal health agency to determine the requirements for their return.  Owners should also keep in mind that these requirements may change during the show depending on if new cases are identified in Missouri.

Is this your first time visiting the MFTHBA World Show and Celebration?  Are you exhibiting for the first time?  Have you been here before but have a few questions?  Stop by the Hall of Fame Room at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 5^th.  Members of the Membership Committee will be available to answer your questions, assist you with selecting classes, entering, and anything else you might need.  This is an informal event, so stop by even if it is just to meet new people and make new friends.

Each year attendees to the World Show and Celebration love attending the organized trail rides hosted by the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association (MFTHBA) Trail Committee.  The MFTHBA World Show and Celebration is focused on celebrating all the Association’s members and their interest.  “This is event is the only breed World Show I am aware of that includes trail rides,” shared President Mark Mackie. “This reflects the importance of our trail riding members to our association and our desire to make our event inclusive of all our members.”

Recently, the Trail Committee approached the MFTHBA Board of Directors with their intent to cancel the trail rides schedule for the 2020 World Show and Celebration.  Their request reflected concerns regarding the current Vesicular Stomatitis virus outbreak faced by several states this year, including Missouri.

While the Board understood the concerns by committee members, they challenged the committee to come up with a unique solution that would allow the breed’s trail riding members to be engaged in the event.  “The health of our equine participants is very important,” added Mackie. “One concern about holding rides off the grounds was ensuring the appropriate health paperwork was checked on all horses participating.”

To address this concern, this year’s trail rides will be held on the MFTHBA grounds and the adjacent areas.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, a member of the MFTHBA Board of Directors will be available in the Roy Williams pavilion between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.  Trail riders may come by to complete the days required paperwork before heading out on the 130 acres on the grounds.  Longtime attendees familiar with the local roads and adjacent trails are encouraged to lead rides for those less familiar.

Attendees should review the MFTHBA showgrounds entry requirements.  Each day while completing paperwork, riders will be asked to present Coggins papers with their MFTHBA sticker on the back indicating their horse has completed the horse check-in process.

“This year has brought us many challenges.  We know this solution is far from ideal for our trail riders who love the beautiful rides hosted each year by our Trail Committee,” added Mackie.  “The Association remains committed to ensuring that trail riding is always part of the Celebration.”

For the first time ever, the MFTHBA Membership Committee is hosting a Cornhole Tournament during the MFTHBA Show and Celebration.  Find a partner, and plan to participate in this first-time event.

Sign-ups will take place during the Membership Dinner on Saturday, September 5th.  The cost will be $10 a team.  Sign-up early!  If we must have any byes, those teams who sign-up first will get the first-round byes.

50% of the proceeds will go to supporting Membership Committee events.  The other 50% will be divided by the top 3 teams, with the first-place team winning 25%, second place winning 15%, and the third-place team winning 10%.

Don’t worry!  The timing is flexible.  The boards will be set up on Vendor Row each day, so you can play when it works best for your team and the opposing team.  There will be designated time frames for each round.  The number of rounds will depend on the number of teams who sign up.

Round 1 games will begin Sunday morning.  Each round will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Please see MFTHBA Membership Committee Members Amy Stangl or Alan King for more details.

Are you interested in learning more about versatility or becoming an MFTHBA carded judge?  The Judges Committee is looking for scribes to assist in the versatility arena at the MFTHBA World Show and Celebration.

Scribes serve an important role in assisting judges with documenting their scores for the classes.  Because of the hands-on experience, serving as a scribe is a great way to learn the ends and outs of the versatility classes.

Scribes will be paid $50 per day.  If you are interested in learning more about the opportunity, contact MFTHBA Judges Committee Co-Chair, Debbie Franklin at 913-238-2759.

It is time to RSVP for the 7^th Annual Membership Dinner which will be on Saturday, September 5th from 6-8.

The menu of this year’s dinner will feature smoked chicken, and it will be held at the Roy Williams Pavilion.

The Membership Committee would like to thank MFTHBA member Jimmy Bell for donating all of the chicken for this year’s dinner.  Jimmy has also arranged for all of the members to be entertained by a bluegrass band during dinner.

Please plan to bring a chair to the dinner.  We also ask that members practice social distancing during the dinner.

To help with planning, please RSVP by Wednesday, September 2nd by using the provided link or calling the MFTHBA Office at (417) 683-2468.

Plus, we will also host a Kentucky Derby Watch Party, so get out your fancy hats and outfits!  The Derby is scheduled to run prior to the dinner.  The plan is to show the race before dinner.  We will have prizes for the best hat and the best dressed, so come early for some added fun!

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

RSVP Online HERE

Attendees bringing horses to the World Show and Celebration are reminded that ALL horses entering the grounds must present a negative Coggins test and a valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.  The MFTHBA Board of Directors recommends that the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (aka health papers) be issued no more than 7 days before arrival at the MFTHBA World Headquarters and Showgrounds.  Ideally, attendees should have them issued within 48 hours or as close as possible to their arrival.

With the recent outbreak of Vesicular Stomatitis around the Midwest, attendees are encouraged to work closely with their local veterinarian to determine the requirements to enter the state of Missouri.  Additional items, including a permit issued by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, are required for those that reside in counties with positive Vesicular Stomatitis cases.

Attendees should also be aware that there is currently one premise in Douglas County, Missouri that is under quarantine for Vesicular Stomatitis.  There is a possibility that this quarantine will be lifted before the World Show and Celebration.  However, if it is still in place, out of state exhibitors will need to meet their state’s import requirements before returning.  The MFTHBA has a list of local veterinarians that can issue a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for those needing them.

The Board also recommends that exhibitors work with the veterinarian to determine appropriate booster vaccinations needed before attending the show, including Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Equine Influenza, and Equine Herpesvirus.

All Horses Checked Upon Entry

Horses must enter through the equine entry gate to have their paperwork checked and be visually inspected.  There is a $10 per horse inspection fee. The equine entry gate will be staffed starting Friday, September 4.

Equine Entry Gate Hours:

Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday, September 6- Saturday, September 12: 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

For horses arriving earlier than Friday or outside equine entry gate hours, an individual will be available Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5 to check in horses at their stalls.  This will occur between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day.  To have horses checked during this time, owners must sign up in the MFTHBA office.

Monitor Your Horses

Before, during, and following the show, all horses should be closely monitored for any signs of illness.  Horses exhibiting any symptoms of illness should not be brought to the show.  If symptoms of any type of illness are noticed during the show, horse owners should contact the on-call veterinarian and the MFTHBA office immediately.

The following information regarding clinical signs was taken from the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fact Sheet on Vesicular Stomatitis:

“The incubation period for vesicular stomatitis is 2 to 8 days. The first sign of illness is often excessive salivation. If you look inside the mouth, you will see blanched and raised vesicles or blister-like lesions on the inner surfaces of the lips, gums, tongue, and/or dental pad. These blister-like lesions can also form on the lips, nostrils, coronary band, prepuce, vulva, and teats. The blisters will swell and break open, which causes mouth pain, discomfort, and reluctance to eat or drink. This can cause severe weight loss. If the coronary bands of the hooves are affected, then lameness can occur. You may notice a rise in body temperature before or at the same time lesions first appear.

In horses, vesicular lesions generally occur on the upper surface of the tongue, the lips, the corners of the mouth, and the gums, as well as around the nostrils. The lesions in horses may also appear as crusting scabs on the muzzle, lips, ears, coronary bands, sheath, udder, or ventral abdomen.”

Practice Biosecurity

Horse owners should practice good biosecurity before, during, and following the event.  Below are some suggestions for preventing disease in your horses. These recommendations were adapted from the United States Department of Agriculture brochure “Biosecurity—The Key to Keeping your Horse’s Health.”

At the show or trail ride:

• Don’t share equipment (e.g., buckets, brushes, etc.) with other horses. Diseases, fungus, and bacteria can be spread through shared equipment.
• Wash your hands, especially after you help other people with their horses.
• When you arrive at the show grounds or trail riding facility, clean and disinfect the stalls you will be using. This is especially important in locations where another horse recently occupied the stalls.
• When you arrive home, shower and put on clean clothes and shoes before going near your other horses. Clothing can carry disease from one location to the next.

Visiting farms, horse shows, and auctions:

• Have a pair of boots or shoes that you save for visiting. These shoes or boots should not be worn around your own horses. Plastic boot covers are another option. Manure and soil collected on your boots can carry disease from one location to the next.
• Change clothes when you arrive home, prior to working with your own animals.

Bringing a horse home from a show or trail ride:

• If even one of your horses travels, all of your horses need to be vaccinated. Horses can bring disease home with them to your operation. Work with your local veterinarian to determine an appropriate vaccination program. Be sure to tell the veterinarian where you plan to travel as different areas of the country have different disease concerns.
• When you return from a trip with your horses, isolate the horse from the rest of your herd for at least 2 weeks. Returning horses should not be allowed to have nose-to-nose contact with other horses.
• Work, feed, and care for quarantine horses last to prevent spreading diseases among your herd.
• Don’t share equipment (e.g. buckets, brushes, etc.) with other horses. Diseases, fungus, and bacteria can be spread through shared equipment.
• Wash your hands and change your clothes after you work with quarantined horses.

Exhibitors are encouraged to work with their local veterinarian to determine other ways they can prevent the spread of disease.

“We want all the equine visitors to the World Show and Celebration to arrive and leave healthy,” shared Mark Mackie, MFTHBA President.  “If the health status of your equine partner is in question, we ask that you consider all the other horses attending the event when making your decision to bring the horse to the showgrounds.”

A new schedule for the 2020 World Show and Celebration has been posted on the Celebration website.  Exhibitors and attendees.  Any copies received or printed prior to 8/12/2020, should be considered void.

2020 World Show and Celebration Schedule