Lexington, KY (November 18, 2014) – The Kentucky Horse Council elected a slate of new officers at its November 16 Board Meeting. The elections include Erin Woodall – President, Kathy Hopkins – Vice President, Madelyn Millard – Secretary, and Kelsea Rookard – Treasurer. Erin Woodall served as Vice-President of the Kentucky Horse Council prior to her election as President, and is a lifelong horsewoman and rider. 

Erin graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Agriculture Education and a minor in Animal Sciences. She has worked at the national headquarters for the United States Pony Clubs (USPC) since 2005, and is currently Activities and Events Coordinator and Systems Administrator. As Activities and Events Coordinator, she assists in the planning, coordination, and onsite management of the USPC Annual Meeting of the Corporation and USPC Championships. Erin collaborates with adult volunteer leadership to provide guidance for the competitive disciplines within Pony Club and in organizing Contests, International Exchanges and Special Opportunities for youth membership. As Systems Administrator, she oversees the technical systems in the Pony Club Office and coordinates with outside contractors. Erin spent 15 years volunteering at numerous equine competitions before catching the eventing bug herself and started competing in the fall of 2006. She currently serves on the Board of the Midsouth Eventing and Dressage Association.

 Kathy Hopkins is the Director of Equine Operations at Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park, and is the outgoing President of the Kentucky Horse Council. Kathy oversees such diverse activities as the planning, organization, management and care of all equine areas and horses at the Park, including the Hall of Champions, the Draft and Carriage Divisions, the Breeds and Farrier Area, and the Education Department which encompasses the community education programs, youth riding, and the Mustang Troop. Kathy also teaches labs for the Lexington Catholic Equine Academy and serves on its Board of Directors, along with working with her husband and son to run Southern Trace Farm, a Fayette County operation dedicated to breeding Thoroughbred sport horses. Kathy's more than 40 years of experience in the equine industry includes stints as Director of the Kentucky Equine Institute, a program sponsored by the Kentucky Farm Managers and designed to produce graduates ready to enter the equine profession as well-qualified racing and farm managers, trainers, farriers, jockeys, and sales and marketing representatives. She has also served as an Instructor in the Thoroughbred Track and Exercise Rider Training Program, a post-secondary program training students for employment in the racing industry through an intensive curriculum including the anatomy and physiology of the horse and breaking, training, and riding techniques. 

Madelyn Millard served as President of the Kentucky Horse Council from 2006-2010, and Vice Chair of the American Horse Council from 2010-2011, then being elected Chair in 2012. Before being elected Secretary, Madelyn served on the Kentucky Horse Council’s Health & Welfare Committee and will continue in that post. Madelyn currently manages the Equine Division of Waterwild Farm, a 530-acre family-owned farm in Lexington, Kentucky. She is responsible for 40-50 client horses, as well as twelve Waterwild-owned horses, most of which are sport/pleasure horses involved in disciplines from dressage to eventing. She personally rides gaited American Saddlebreds, an off-the-track Thoroughbred, or a Morgan. 

Kelsea Rookard, a Midway College graduate, has been involved in the equine industry for more than 10 years. While at Midway she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Equine Management and Business. Kelsea is currently Director of the Equine Academy at Lexington Catholic High School (LCHS). The Equine Academy seeks to inspire the next generation of equine industry leaders by combining LCHS’s rich tradition as a first-class, faith-based educational institution with an incomparable location in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. In addition, Kelsea is an active member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association, the American Road Horse and Pony Association, and the United States Equestrian Federation. In her showing career she received multiple awards at top shows in saddle seat and driving divisions. Kelsea taught horseback riding lessons for many years, and also worked at the Kentucky Horse Council, where she was involved with their many educational programs. She has a love for all equine, and a passion for assisting students in their learning process while working with horses. In her spare time, Kelsea enjoys riding for pleasure and volunteering in the children’s ministry at her church. 

“The 2015 Slate of Officers is poised to lead the Kentucky Horse Council into the future,” said President-elect Erin Woodall. “I am excited to get to work immediately with my fellow officers to ensure the Kentucky Horse Council is doing the best possible work for the health and welfare of Kentucky horses, and the education of future generations that will lead our flagship industry and ensure Kentucky remains the Horse Capital of the World.”

 For more information, contact the Kentucky Horse Council at (859) 367-0509. 

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY HORSE COUNCIL - The Kentucky Horse Council is a non-profit organization dedicated, through education and leadership, to the protection and development of the Kentucky equine community. The Kentucky Horse Council provides educational programs and information, outreach and communication to Kentucky horse owners and enthusiasts, equine professional networking opportunities through KENA, trail riding advocacy, health and welfare programs, and personal liability insurance and other membership benefits. The specialty Kentucky Horse Council license plate, featuring a foal lying in the grass, provides the primary source of revenue for KHC programs.

Five New Directors Join Kentucky Horse Council Board of Directors

Lexington, KY (August 6, 2014) – The Kentucky Horse Council has recently elected five new directors to its Board of Directors. The new appointments are slated to begin their service to the Kentucky horse industry immediately.

Dr. Bob Coleman is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky's Equine Extension. He has a Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Alberta, an M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Manitoba, and a B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba. He has served as the Extension Horse Specialist at the Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development in Edmonton, Alberta. Dr. Coleman's areas of interest include equine nutrition, utilization of forages by the horse, horse care and management, and horse industry economics.

Ginny Grulke is a lifelong horse owner and trail rider. She moved to Kentucky from Michigan in 1992, and helped her two children as they participated in 4-H and Pony Club. She was a 4-H Horse Club leader for six years in Fayette County. After moving to Kentucky, she created a local horse magazine, The HorseSource, which she published for six years. Ginny spent the first part of her career in the computer industry. She worked for IBM for 15 years in sales and systems engineering, was Marketing Director for a small software firm, taught computers at two Community Colleges, and established a website development firm specializing in equine sites. In 2005 she accepted the position of Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Council, which she retired from in 2013. While Executive Director, KHC membership grew from 89 to over 900, and its industry programs grew from two to over twenty. Ginny has a B.S. in Mathematics and an M.S. in Statistics from Virginia Tech.

She is currently President of Kentucky Back Country Horsemen, serves on three committees for the Back Country Horsemen of America, and is a Board Member for the Sheltowee Trace Association. Ginny currently lives in Fayette County on a 10-acre farm with her husband, two horses, chickens, dogs and cats. She continues to enjoy trail riding and has recently started endurance riding as well.

Dixie Hayes has been the Program Coordinator/Instructor at the North American Racing Academy since 2011, the Equine Studies Program offered through the Bluegrass Community and Technical College. Her previous employment includes Adjunct Instructor at Midway College in Equine Studies, Assistant Division Manager at the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park, Manager at Frankfort Park Farm which is a thoroughbred nursery, sales, and international quarantine. Dixie has also been a licensed thoroughbred trainer with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Assistant Manager at Linhaven Farm in the thoroughbred nursery and sales division.

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Equine Studies, with a Concentration in Management. Dixie also serves as the Chapter President of Gamma Beta Phi, an Honor Society for Four Year Colleges.

Wayne Hipsley has over 50 years of experience in the horse industry. He has worked as an equine association COO/CEO, taught as a university equine studies professor, nutrition, reproduction, training, behavior, safe handling, riding instruction, judged horse shows all over world, and is a multi-licensed judge. He is an author and speaker on equine related topics, and an expert advisor to legal counsel. Wayne has done appraisals of horses and equine related equipment, supplies, worked on international marketing programs for the horse industry, conducting a marketing study of impact of American breeds of horses in Europe, and developed documents and information on safety related to horses and activities associated with horses.

Through work in the horse industry, Hipsley has developed a network of professional horsemen and women, and equine scientists as additional resources for his knowledge, talent and skills. These range from Certified Public Accountants to Farriers, from Hay Producers to Horse Trainers, from Horse Transportation to Event/Show Managers, and from Development/Marketing Specialists to Legal Counsel and veterinarians.

Kelsea Rookard, a Midway College graduate, has been involved in the equine industry for more than 10 years. While at Midway she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Equine Management and Business. Kelsea is currently Director of the Equine Academy at Lexington Catholic High School (LCHS). The Equine Academy seeks to inspire the next generation of equine industry leaders by combining LCHS’s rich tradition as a first-class, faith-based educational institution with an incomparable location in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. In addition, Kelsea is an active member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association, the American Road Horse and Pony Association, and the United States Equestrian Federation. In her showing career she received multiple awards at top shows in saddle seat and driving divisions.

Kelsea taught horseback riding lessons for many years, and also worked at the Kentucky Horse Council, where she was involved with their many educational programs. She has a love for all equine, and a passion for assisting students in their learning process while working with horses. In her spare time, Kelsea enjoys riding for pleasure and volunteering in the children’s ministry at her church.

“This new slate of officers brings a vast range of experience, expertise, and knowledge together to serve the Kentucky horse industry,” said President Kathy Hopkins. “I am excited to work with them as industry leaders and to further establish Kentucky’s horse industry as the nationwide leader in education, health and welfare, and future development.”

For more information, contact the Kentucky Horse Council at (859) 367-0509.

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY HORSE COUNCIL - The Kentucky Horse Council is a non-profit organization dedicated, through education and leadership, to the protection and development of the Kentucky equine community. The Kentucky Horse Council provides educational programs and information, outreach and communication to Kentucky horse owners and enthusiasts, equine professional networking opportunities through KENA, trail riding advocacy, health and welfare programs, and personal liability insurance and other membership benefits. The specialty Kentucky Horse Council license plate, featuring a foal lying in the grass, provides the primary source of revenue for KHC programs.

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