MHIB BOARD MEMBERS

In January of 1998 the Maryland Horse Council created proposed legislation for the formation of a Maryland Horse Industry Board to work with the Department of Agriculture, to function as a commodity board for the development of the industry. In April of 1998, the proposed legislation was passed into law. The purpose of the Maryland Horse Industry Board is to help develop and promote the state’s horse industry.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture and other interested parties can make recommendations to the Governor’s office, but ultimately the appointments are at the Governor’s discretion.

 

For the Thoroughbred Industry:
James B. Steele, Chairman

A Thoroughbred owner and breeder for over 30 years, Jim Steele has managed the multibreed stallion station Shamrock Farm since 1977. Jim is currently the second vice-president of the Maryland Farm Bureau. He is a past president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, chairman of the Maryland Agricultural Commission and the Carroll County Agriculture Commission, past president of the Carroll County Farm Bureau, a former member of the Committee to Review Ag Land Preservation and a former member of the governor’s special commission to study slots and gaming in the state of Maryland. In the mid-1990s, he served on the governor’s special commission that recommended that the state and the Maryland Department of Agriculture formally recognize horses, as well as other nontraditional forms of agriculture such as turf farms and nurseries, as part of Maryland agriculture. Jim is married to Christie and has five sons.

For the Academic Equine Community:
Erin D. Pittman, Vice Chair

Erin was born and raised in Loveland, Colorado. She fell in love with horses at a very early age and by the time she was five years old, she had made plans to be a veterinarian. Erin graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Political Science in 1994. She realized very quickly that she had made a mistake and returned to school, earning a BS in Equine Science from Colorado State University in 2000. Veterinary school was still a goal; however, she worked on a nutrition research study as an undergraduate student and chose to go into research instead. She completed her graduate degree in Equine Nutrition at CSU in 2001, after doing a research study on the effects of rapid growth on bone development in weanling horses. Immediately upon completion of her Master's Degree, Erin took a job with the University of Maryland. There, Erin was the advisor and program coordinator for the Equine Business Management Program at the Institute of Applied Agriculture. She advised all EBM students, supervised their internships, and taught five equine courses for both two- and four-year equine students including: Equine Behavior and Equine Health Management, Equine Nutrition, Equine Reproduction and Pasture Management/Hay Production. Although she no longer teaches fulltime at UMD, she remains closely affiliated with the University and its equine programs. Erin lives in Davidsonville on a horse farm with her husband Steuart Pittman and two sons, Sam and Andy.

For Licensed Boarding and Riding Stables:
Karen Fulton

Karen Fulton and her husband Stephen, a professional farrier, have owned and operated Full Moon Farm LLC from its Finksburg location since 1994. Full Moon Farm is a full-service lesson and boarding facility teaching approximately 200 students per week. The Fultons also run numerous horse shows, schooling days and unrecognized horse trials (including a long-format three-day) from their 80-acre facility. Karen is the resident head instructor and coach and manages the staff of the farm. Although once an active competitor in the Chicago area from which she came, Karen now prefers to teach and coach students, including her husband and two daughters Savannah and Grace. She and Stephen were active members of Goshen Hounds for several years and now enjoy taking students out occasionally with Carrollton Hounds. Karen is a member of the USEF, USEA, USHJA, MCTA and the AQHA. She is a former Level 3 certified instructor from ARIA. Karen has a BS in Animal Science from Purdue University and a MS in Comparative Animal Nutrition from Michigan State University. During her college years, she helped to establish Purdue's first intercollegiate riding team and participated on the horse judging teams (at PU and MSU) both as a competitor and coach. Prior to her full-time involvement with the horse industry she was a research associate with the National Zoological Park for three years and Baltimore Zoo's Associate Curator of Mammals for seven years. Prior to her appointment to the MHIB she served on the MHIB's Health Advisory Committee for three years.

For Organized Shows and Competitions:
Patricia D. Gilbert

An "A" Pony Clubber with several years of preveterinary school under her belt, as well as a former international-level event rider and candidate for the USET, Trish Gilbert has taken an active role in the organizing of three-day events in the U.S. She has served as a USET vice-president for eventing, chair of the USEF Events Committee, vice-president of the USPC (and served for 26 years as a DC) and is the current chair of the USEF-USET Credentials Committee. She is an FEI and USEF licensed course designer, an FEI and USEF Technical Delegate and an FEI Steward. She is a cofounder and coorganizer of the Fair Hill International Three-Day Event, has organized horse trials at all levels for over 20 years and has served as an FEI steward at three Olympic Games. She owns the Thoroughbred training facility Churchmouse Meadows in Harford County.

For Animal Control and Humane Societies:
Kathleen Howe

Kathy Howe is the director and cofounder of Days End Farm Horse Rescue, a leading equine shelter for horses suffering from severe cruelty or neglect, since 1989. Kathy has become nationally recognized as an authority on the subject of equine abuse, lecturing on related topics to horse owners and professional animal workers throughout the country. Kathy has produced a nationally distributed kit entitled "Guidelines for Establishing a Nonprofit Rescue Facility" that is available to others wishing to help rescue horses in their own community. Under Kathy's management, Days End Farm Horse Rescue has been awarded the Best in America seal of approval by Independent Charities of America since 2005 for adhering to the highest standards of accountability and for managing the organization's finances in an efficient and effective manner. She also accepted the Lavin Cup award from the American Association of Equine Practitioners on behalf of Days End Farm Horse Rescue. The Lavin Cup is given to organizations or individuals for having demonstrated exceptional compassion or developed and enforced rules and guidelines for the welfare of the horse. In 2009 Days End Farm Horse Rescue celebrated 20 years of service to the health and welfare of horses, and was awarded a Governor's proclamation acknowledging its service.

For Equine Veterinarians:
John W. Lee, Jr., DVM

John Lee resides in Rising Sun where he and his wife, Janey Fassinger Lee, VMD, own and operate Dayspring Farm, a broodmare facility, and Sham Felek Arabians. John is the senior partner at Unionville Equine Associates, PC, a nine-veterinarian practice that he established in 1978. John is a 1971 graduate of the University of Delaware and a 1974 graduate of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. John is the chairman of the Maryland Horse Industry Board-Health Advisory Committee and a member of both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. He practices equine veterinary medicine in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania and holds a license through the Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medicine.

For Trails and Recreational Riding:
Ronald MacNab

Ronald MacNab retired in 2007 from the Graduate School of USDA where he was dean of Curriculum Development and director of Evening Programs and Distance Education. Prior to that, he was director of the Information Technology Training Center at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Like many recreational riders, he was introduced to horses in his youth and returned to riding later in life. Ronald has been a horse owner and active trail rider for the past 25 years. He is currently president of Trail Riders of Today (TROT), where he has been a member for over 20 years. He is chairman of the Maryland Horse Council's Trails and Greenways Committee, Montgomery County Coordinator for TROT, and a volunteer Mounted Patrol and Trail Ranger with Montgomery County Parks as well as a member of the Maryland Horse Council Executive Board. He is an appointed member of the Montgomery County Countywide Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Ronald is a former TROT representative to the Southeastern Trails Conference and a long-time member of the League of Maryland Horsemen. He is currently mapping the equestrian trails in central Maryland and works with state and local officials to maintain and increase the number of multi-use natural surface trails in Maryland. He currently is working with Steve Carr, trails coordinator for the State of Maryland, on establishing GPS mapping for all Maryland horse trails and developing a list of state facilities with overnight camping accomodations for horses. Ronald lives in Colesville where he and his wife Janet enjoy retirement with their two Rocky Mountain horses and their two Jack Russell Terriers.

For the Maryland Standardbred Industry:
Eli Solomon

An engineer who retired from Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Systems BWI facility, Eli Solomon complements his former highly technical career with a deep and abiding interest in all aspects of the Standardbred industry. As an owner and breeder of Standardbred horses, he has been involved with legislative and regulatory issues affecting the Standardbred industry. He is a vice-president of Cloverleaf Enterprises, Inc., the management arm for Rosecroft Raceway; a director on the board of Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association, the association representing Standardbred horsemen at Rosecroft Raceway and Ocean Downs; and a director on the board of the Maryland Standardbred Breeders Association. He has been either elected or appointed to numerous committees for these boards and associations.

For The Equine Support Industries:
Kathleen Tabor, Esquire

Kathleen Tabor is the principal attorney of the Law Office of Kathleen JP Tabor, LLC, a general civil practice with a special focus on equine business, activities, and ownership. Kathleen is also a trained as a civil mediator and collaborate law practitioner. She is General Counsel for the Friends of Gunpowder Falls State Park Graham Area Equestrian Center, Inc., a nonprofit equestrian center located in Baltimore County. In addition to her Bar Association memberships, her current and recent association memberships have been with the American College of Equine Attorneys, Maryland Horse Council, Maryland Farm Bureau, the American Horse Council, American Morgan Horse Association, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the United States Equestrian Federation. She is a member of the Maryland Farm Bureau Equine Committee, as well as one of the founding members of the Animal Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA). She also serves on the MSBA Special Committee, Citizenship Law Related Education (CLREP). Kathleen provides speaker services to horse and pony clubs, breed and sport associations, as well as to her colleagues in the legal profession. She has acted as speaker, coordinator, moderator, and panelist at many venues, and authored articles and coauthored the book "Maryland Equine Law." Kathleen currently owns a young Morgan gelding, Statesman's Midnite Cowboy. She is pleasure rider, but also enjoys driving. She held a commercial carriage license driving Percherons and Belgians in the cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore and also held a pari-mutuel teller's license with the Maryland Jockey Club prior to entering law school at the University of Baltimore.

For the General Public:
Dorothy Troutman

Dorothy Troutman is considered by many to be a quiet but vital force within the Maryland horse industry. She is the founder and president of the Maryland Equestrian Foundation, which had an integral role in the creation of the Rosaryville Conservancy and the Marlborough Horse Trials. She is a director for the Maryland Association for the Preservation of Equestrian Sports and a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Prince George's Equestrian Center. Through her work with the Prince George's County Council and the Park and Planning Board, Dorothy works tirelessly to protect open spaces and trails for equestrian use and to provide facilities for showing and eventing. At the core of Dorothy's efforts is her conviction that the horse industry and equestrian events are assets not only to Prince George's County, but also to the entire state. Through the Maryland Horse Industry Board, Dorothy wants to increase the awareness of the number of horses in the state of Maryland and the tradition of horses here, the importance of these horses to the state's economy and image and the value of the horse and the industry to the state. By increasing this awareness, the MHIB can promote horses in the state; provide facilities, trails and open space for riding and enjoyment; educate the public on all aspects of the Maryland horse industry; support and protect horse owners, horses and the related businesses; and help meet their requirements and needs.

For the Maryland Horse Council:
Guillermo Warley

Guillermo is a native of Argentina, and a long-time resident of the state of Maryland. After taking riding lessons as a teenager and growing up in Buenos Aires watching the best polo in the world, he took a break from horses to focus on his career. He was reunited with his passion 14 years ago in Frederick. A few years later someone invited him to foxhunt and he was perpetually hooked! Guillermo is a member of the board and Treasurer for the New Market Middletown Valley Hounds foxhunting club, and he represents the club at MHC. When not foxhunting, riding, or dabbling with polo, Guillermo is an Electronic Engineer, with degrees from the University of Buenos Aires and Florida Atlantic University, working as VP of Product Development for Schonstedt Instruments Company in Kearneysville, West Virginia; he has also taught engineering classes in Shepherdstown University.

 

EX-OFFICIO:

For the Maryland Department of Agriculture:
Earl F. Hance, Secretary

Governor Martin O’Malley appointed fourth-generation Southern Maryland farmer Earl F. Hance as secretary of the Maryland Department of Agriculture in May 2009. He served as deputy Secretary of Agriculture from February 2007 until May 2009. Prior to these appointments, Buddy Hance served as president of the Maryland Farm Bureau, chairman of the Maryland State Tobacco Authority and chairman of the Southern Maryland Agricultural Commission, among other farm and community activities. Secretary Hance also was active in numerous local, state and national farm and civic organizations. At the national level, he represented the northeastern states on the American Farm Bureau Federation and was a member of the Nationwide Insurance Company Board Council.

In Maryland, he served as a member of the Rural Maryland Council, the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department, the Patuxent River Commission, the Southern Maryland Tourism Council, the Calvert Farmland Trust, the Board of the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum and the Board of the Calvert County Farm Bureau. A former tobacco farmer, Secretary Hance and his family farm 400 acres of corn and soybeans and operate several commercial greenhouses. Secretary Hance and his wife Robin live in Port Republic and have three children and one grandchild.

Administrative Assistant:
Tonya Jones

The MHIB is housed at the Maryland Department of Agriculture where Tonya Jones serves as a part-time administrative assistant for MHIB. While she is not a horse person, Tonya is part of the MHIB team and works in a dual role, principally working for the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.

Technical Advisor:
Crystal B. Kimball

Although not formally appointed to the MHIB, Crystal Brumme Kimball serves at their request as a technical advisor. Crystal is the publisher and owner of The Equiery. In addition to her articles in The Equiery, which have been reprinted in numerous other publications, her writing has appeared in the USCTA News, Sidelines, The Cecil Whig, Steeplechase Times and The Chronicle of the Horse. In college, she rode on the University of Maryland Equestrain Team and has been involved with hunters, combined training, dressage and foxchasing for many years. She has served as secretary for Maryland Horse Council since 1994 and is subchair of the Maryland Horsemen's Party. She has been a member of MHC since 1991 and serves on the Board of Directors as a director-at-large representing the business membership. She also serves as executive secretary for the Maryland Steeplechase Association, is a member of the MDA Soil Conservation and Pasture Manangement Committee, the Maryland FFA Foundation, Inc. Board of Trustees, and is an incoming fellow in the LEAD Maryland program.

State Stable Inspector:
Pegeen Morgan

Pegeen Morgan, or Peggy as her friends know her, has been working as an Animal Health Inspector with the Maryland Department of Agriculture for the past 30 years. She has been in the midst of all Maryland animal health issues throughout that tenure. Although she has a diverse background with different animal species, she has always been a horse lover. Peggy has owned horses for approximately 35 years, from her experiences growing up as a 4-H member up until her present ownership of a small family farm in Upper Marlboro. Many people may have met Peggy in the past through her involvement with the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Open House, having brought her animals to the event, including a miniature horse and a draft horse, for the past 20 years. Additionally, Peggy has regularly been seen inspecting animal health papers at regional agricultural fairs and shows. Peggy is married to Chris and has two children, Rossalyn and Francis, who have grown up helping out on the family farm.

Executive Director:
Ross Peddicord

A lifelong horseman, Ross grew up on a farm in Howard County, attended the McDonogh School where he was a lieutenant in the school's mounted cavalry along with future Olympic Gold medalist Bruce Davidson and rode on the McDonogh equestrian team. He then attended Washington College in Chestertown, where he foxhunted extensively with Mr. Hubbard's Kent County Hounds, continued to show and to ride in point-to-point races. After graduating from college, Ross was a freelance writer for the Maryland Horse magazine (today the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), an ad manager for the Horsemen's Journal (now defunct), a racehorse trainer, and the assistant director for public relations at the Maryland Jockey Club for the Laurel/Pimlico and Bowie race tracks. He also had an 18-year career as the award-winning race journalist for The Baltimore Sun and raised Thoroughbreds at his Brush Hill Farm in New Market, exhibiting six Grand Champion Thoroughbreds at the Maryland State Fair and raising numerous winners at the track, including stakes horses King's Corsair, Wm. Withrs, Nor Bay and Arlington Million Steeplechase winner Shy Donald. In 2004, Ross and two partners founded Maryland Life magazine, where he worked extensively with all 25 tourism agencies (county and state), and serves as the immediate past chairman of the Maryland Tourism Council. Ross attended classes in the MBA program at Mount St. Mary's University while serving as the Mount's Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving and subsequently Director of Marketing for its Continuing Studies programs. While at the Mount, he helped to found the school's Intercollegiate Horse Show Association riding team and served as its faculty/administrative advisor.

State Stables Inspector:
Keziah Richard

"Kezie" joined MHIB as state stable inspector in July 2011, taking over the position vacated by Bev Raymond. She is responsible for inspecting licensed stable and veterinary hospitals and clinics. Kezie grew up in the Middletown, Del. area and was active in 4-H Club, Pony Club and was president of her high school FFA chapter. She rides both English and Western and has worked as an assistant at Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding and training farms as well as working as a vet tech for four years. At a young age, she brings a wealth of good old common horse sense to her job as well as vast experience in both the equine and veterinary worlds. She attended Delaware State University for two years and then completed her bachelor's degree in animal science at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. She has two horses of her own and lives on a beef cattle farm in Taneytown