Equine Studies at the University of Maryland
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The 2003 University Seminars at the Horse World Expo were a huge success! We had several sessions that were standing-room only. Many thanks to all the speakers and attendees for their help in making this year's Expo one to remember.

Click on the speaker's name to get contact information as well as a brief bio. Now Available -- don't worry if you didn't get one of the handouts or were unable to attend! Just click on the topic name for any handouts that were made available for most of the presentations! The handouts are in Adobe PDF format (as noted), Microsoft Powerpoint Shows, or may be links to sites on the internet. To advance the slides on the Powerpoint presentations, simply click the left mouse button or use your right arrow key. Warning! Some of the files are quite large and may require long download times - if you have any problems, please contact Erin Petersen.


Thursday, January 16:

Time

Topic

Speaker
1:00 pm
Getting "Outside Money" for your Horse Organization
2:00 pm
3:00 pm
4:00 pm
Forage Species Identification
5:00 pm


Friday, January 17:

Time

Topic

Speaker
11:00 am
Keith Wills
12:00 pm
Political Issues for the Horse Industry
1:00 pm
2:00 pm
3:00 pm
4:00 pm
Selecting the Right Boarding Facility for your Horse
5:00 pm

 


Saturday, January 18:

Time

Topic

Speaker
10:00 am
Jump Into It! How to get your kids involved in youth horse programs
11:00 am
12:00 pm
1:00 pm
Getting "Outside Money" for your Horse Organization
2:00 pm
Farm Machinery for Your Horse Operation
3:00 pm
4:00 pm
Identifying and Controlling Weeds in your Pasture
5:00 pm

 


Sunday, January 19:

Time

Topic

Speaker
10:00 am
11:00 am
Supplements and Nutraceuticals
KER Publication (pdf)
Kathleen Crandall, PhD
12:00 pm
Political Issues for the Horse Industry
1:00 pm
2:00 pm
Buying and Developing a Horse Property
Sonny Farwell
3:00 pm

 


Invited Speakers for the 2003 Horse World Expo's University Seminar Series

 

Amy Ordakowski
Lecturer/Horse Extension Specialist
Department of Animal and Avian Sciences

1121 Animal Science Center
College Park, MD 20742
Tel.: 301-405-8337; Fx: 301-405-8831
E-mail:
PhD - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2001

Dr. Amy Ordakowski grew up in Anne Arundel County, riding and competing horses while a member of the Maryland 4-H and U.S. Pony Club. She received a B.S. in Biology in 1995 from James Madison University. She completed her graduate work in Animal and Poultry Sciences as a Pratt Fellow in animal nutrition at Virginia Tech. She specialized in equine nutrition, earning an M.S. in 1998, and a PhD in 2001. Her research addressed the digestibility of various hay and pasture species by horses, as well as folate status and supplementation in the horse. Her work has been published in the Journal of Animal Science. Dr. Ordakowski joined the faculty of the Animal and Avian Sciences Department at the University of Maryland in August 2001. She has a dual role as a Lecturer, teaching the equine science and horse management courses, and as a Horse Extension Specialist with the Maryland Cooperative Extension. Her Extension duties include providing educational leadership to the youth horse programs in Maryland.


 

Erin Petersen
Lecturer/Horse Extension Specialist
Institute of Applied Agriculrure

2115 Jull Hall
College Park, MD 20742
Tel.: 301-405-4690; Fx: 301-314-9343
E-mail:

Erin Petersen was born and raised in Loveland, Colorado. She earned a BA degree in Political Science from The University of Colorado in 1994. She also holds a BS degree in Equine Science from Colorado State University (2000). Petersen remained at Colorado State University, earning an MS degree in Animal Science in 2001. Her research focus was aimed at investigating nutrition of the growing horse as it relates to bone development. Ms. Petersen is a state Equine Extension Specialist and the Program Coordinator for the 2-year Equine Business Management Program at the Institute of Applied Agriculture. She enjoys riding her horses in both Dressage and for pleasure.


 

Malcolm Commer
Associate Professor/Extension Horse Economist
Institute of Applied Agriculture

11975 Homewood Road
Central Maryland Research and Extension Center
Ellicott City, MD 21042

Tel.: 410-531-0534; Fx: 410-596-9632
E-mail: mc86@umail.umd.edu

Dr. Commer received his PhD from Mississippi State University in 1985. He teaches the Equine Business Management course offered by the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) as well as serving as a guest lecture in several of the equine courses offered by IAA and the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences. As a Horse Extension Economist, his Extension responsibilities are aimed at education of the adult participants of the Maryland Horse Industry. He spends a great deal time serving as a liaison between the University of Maryland and the Maryland Horse Industry members and associations. Dr. Commer's primary research interests are focused on pasture systems for horses. He is currently working on a rotational grazing study at the Clarkesville Agricultural Research and Extension Center that was generously funded by the Maryland Horse Industry Board. Dr. Commer is the primary owner of Contraian Stables, a successful Steeplechase racehorse operation. In his spare time, Malcolm enjoys foxhunting and watching his racehorses win!


Norman Bennett
State Statistician

Maryland Agricultural Statistics Service
Annapolis, Maryland
Tel.: 410-841-5740

Mr. Bennett has been the State Statistician for the Maryland Agricultural Statistics Service since October 2002. He has been an agricultural statistician with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) for over 21 years. Originally from North Carolina, his NASS career began in 1981 in the North Carolina State Statistical Office following graduation from North Carolina State University with a degree in Agricultural Economics. After 2 years in the North Carolina office, where he supervised a variety of surveys, he transferred to the Pennsylvania NASS office where he continued supervision of field surveys and was responsible for several program areas. In 1987, he was promoted to the position of Deputy State Statistician in the NASS Arizona office where he supervised an office staff of 10 employees. Following 4 years in Arizona he headed to Washington, D.C., subsequently working in several areas of the organization. Prior to becoming the Maryland State Statistician he was head of the Environmental and Demographic Section where he and his staff were responsible for development and support of all NASS environmental data programs related to chemical use, pest management practices, and food safety


Tim Capps
Executive Vice President

Maryland Jockey Club
P.O. Box 130

Laurel, Maryland
Tel.: 301-725-0400

Tim Capps is now the executive vice president of the Maryland Jockey Club following a six year stint as the executive vice-president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. His first job after graduation with an MS in Finance from George Washington University was managing the horse racing database development for the Jockey Club in New York. After a brief sabbatical from the horse industry as a Wall Street money manager, Tim returned to the industry as editor and publisher of the weekly news magazine, the Thoroughbred Record. From there he moved to vice-president of Matchmaker Racing Services and the Maryland Jockey Club. At the MHBA, he was responsible for the administration of the Maryland-bred Fund, the publication of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred magazine, and management of the Maryland Million. In his current position, he is responsible for strategic planning and development, governmental and industry relations, sponsorships, strategic marketing, and event management.


Kathleen Crandell, PhD
Research Staff

Kentucky Equine Research
Middleburg, Virginia
E-Mail: kcrandell@ker.com

Dr. Crandell received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where she conducted research in equine nutrition, exercise physiology and reproduction. She is located in Middleburg, Virginia and assists with technical support and consultation for KER's eastern and South/Central American clientele. Dr. Crandell has lived and traveled extensively in Europe and is consequently very familiar with a number of languages.


Lief Eriksen
Regional Specialist, Nutrient Management

Western Maryland Research and Education Center (WMREC)
Keedysville, Maryland
Tel.: 301 432-2767 ext.342
email: geriksen@wam.umd.edu


D. Scott Glenn
Associate Professor

Natural Resources and Landscape Architecture
College Park, Maryland


Dr. Glenn is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Resource and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park. He teaches Introductory Crop Science, Forage Crops and Weed Science. His research interests include Competition, Biology and Control of Perennial Weeds.


Dan Ludwig
Livestock Extension Educator

Montgomery County Cooperative Extension
Derwood, Maryland

Tel.: 301-590-2813; Fx: 301-590-2828
E-mail: dl159@umail.umd.edu

Dan Ludwig grew up on a small livestock farm in Gettysburg, PA. He earned a BS degree in Dairy and Animal Science from The Pennsylvania State University in 1998. While in school, he lived and worked at the Penn State Horse Barns learning the tricks and trades of a successful equine breeding facility. In 1999, Ludwig joined Maryland Cooperative Extension in Montgomery County as the Livestock Extension Educator, specializing in Equine Mangement. His focus was pasture management, especially rotational grazing for horses. He enjoys riding his horses in both team penning and for pleasure. In 2004, Dan moved back to Pennsylvania to become the Southeastern Pennsylvania Grazing Specialist with NRCS.


David Martin
County Extension Director and Commercial Agriculture

Baltimore County Cooperative Extension
Cockeysville, Maryland
Tel.: 410-666-1022
E-mail: dm64@umail.umd.edu

Dave Martin is a native of central Pensylvania and attended Virginia Tech where he earned his BS and MS degrees in Agronomy. After college he worked with an agricultural lender for 13 years. For the past 14 years he has worked for Maryland Cooperative Extension, first in Anne Arundel County, and for the past eight years in Baltimore County. In addition to working with commercial agriculture he serves as the County Extension Director.


R. David Myers
Extension Educator
Fruits and Vegetables

Anne Arundel County Cooperative Extension
Glen Burnie, Maryland

Tel.: 410-222-6759
E-mail: dm223@umail.umd.edu

Dave has been a Lifelong resident of Anne Arundel County, and currently is the agricultural Extension Educator for both Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties. Prior to assuming the University of Maryland Extension position in December 1997 Dave was the Agronomist for the U.S. Naval Academy Dairy Farm, where he was employed from 1980 to 1997. While working at the Naval Academy Dairy, Dave earned in 1983 a BS degree in Agronomy, Crop Science and in 1996 a MS degree in Agronomy, Weed Science from the University of Maryland. His Extension responsibilities include all field crop and livestock agriculture with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable production and marketing. Dave currently conducts fruit and vegetable research trials at the University of Maryland Upper Marlboro Research and Education Center.


Shannon Potter
Agriculture Extension Educator

Harford County Cooperative Extension
Forest Hill, Maryland
Tel.: 410-638-3255
E-mail: sp234@umail.umd.edu

Shannon Potter grew up on the Eastern Shore in Queen Anne's County. There she was very active in 4-H and FFA. Upon graduation she moved to Wyoming and attended the University of Wyoming, receiving a BS in Agriculture Business and an MS in Agriculture Economics. She is currently employed by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension in Harford County as the Agriculture Educator.


W. Burton Staniar, PhD
Post-Doctoral Associate in Equine Nutrition

Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center
5527 Sullivans Mill Rd.
Middleburg, VA 20117
Tel.: 540-687-3521
E-mail: wstaniar@vt.edu

Dr. W. Burton Staniar attended the University of Richmond, where he majored in Biology. Burt received his Bachelor of Arts degree in May 1996. He received his Master of Science in Equine Nutrition in the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. His thesis focused on the protein content of supplements fed to young, growing yearlings. Burt stayed at Virginia Tech to pursue his Ph.D. investigating the patterns of growth in young Thoroughbreds, and how diet affects endocrine systems important to optimal athletic development. Burt has done the majority of his research at the Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension (MARE) Center. The MARE Center has an annual crop of approximately 30 Thoroughbred foals, whose growth and development is closely monitored by those doing research at the Center until the 18 months of age when the foals are sold at the Center’s annual yearling auction. Six years of work at the MARE Center have given Burt the opportunity to study the nutrition, growth and development of close to 180 foals. Burt is currently working as a post-doctoral associate at the MARE Center developing nutritional genomic research to bridge the connection between nutrition and osteochondrosis in growing horses. More specifically this research examines how changes in the energy composition of the diet may change global gene expression in developing chondrocytes as relates to the development of dyschondroplasia and osteochondrosis.


Ann Swinker
Penn State University Horse Extension Specialist


E-mail: aswinker@psu.edu

Dr. Ann Swinker received her Bachelor's and Master's from Pennsylvania State University and her Ph.D. from West Virginia University. Dr. Swinker was the Extension Horse Specialist at Colorado State University from 1990 to 2001. In 2001 Dr Swinker accepted the Extension Equine Specialist position at Penn State University and is a professor of Animal Science. Ann and her husband Dr. Daniel M. Kniffen own and raise Hereford cattle and purebred Arabian horses. Dr. Swinker has received several awards from the National Association of County Agricultural Agent (NACAA). Dr. Swinker's research activities have addressed several management and environmental issues such as: stable air quality, small acreage management, composting and manure management, water quality, in addition to behavior and reproductive issues. She has served on numerous extension and university and professional society committees. Dr. Swinker conducts nearly 30 workshops, presentations and clinics each year.


Lester Vough
Associate Professor
E xtension Specialist, Forage Systems Management

Natural Resources and Landscape Architecture
College Park, Maryland


Dr. Vough is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Resource and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park. His extension focus is on Forage Systems Management. He has written several extension publications including Evaluating Hay Quality. His research interests include Integrated Forage Crops Management Systems for Improved Yield and Quality and Use of These Crops for Nutrient Management and Phytoremediation.

 
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Last modified: June 25, 2004