Nominees for the 2020 NYSHC Election of Board of Directors

STATE OFFICE: VOTE FOR ALL STATE OFFICERS

President – Susan Knauer

Susan has served as the Vice President on the Board of Directors and Finger Lakes Regional V. P. for several years. She also volunteered as Ways and Means Chair and member of Brookfield Pleasure Ride Committee. She is a past recipient of the Horseperson of the Year Award. Recreational activities include being a member of riding and carriage clubs. As a volunteer 4-H leader in Monroe County for 20 years she was named Educator of the Year by the Genesee Valley Equine Clinic.

Susan currently serves as the Vice President and acting President; she is running to fill the role of President.

Vice President – Dan Gruen

Dan brings to the NYSHC his long devotion to trail maintenance and advocating for equestrians and carriage drivers’ enjoyment of public trails. Dan’s interest for started when he was a kid and has been riding and caring for his own horses since 1974. It was in 1975 that he attended his first Brookfield Pleasure ride where he learned about the NYSHC. Shortly thereafter in 1978 he moved from Long Island to Central New York, close to the Brookfield Trail System.

Interest in distance trail riding, Dan has volunteered with the NY 100 serving as a trail master for several years and then became a Riding Manager. By volunteering, Dan began being concerned about trail maintenance, preservation and access. Since then he has worked through the NYSHC Tail Committee and has been appointed to the NYS Trail Council as a representative of the equine user group. Dan volunteers his time attending public hearings and planning meetings for trail maintenance and user access as representation of equine user group and attends clinics on trail maintenance.

Dan currently serves as the Central Region Director and is running to fill the role of Vice President.

Treasurer – Steve Ropel

Steve has been associated with NYSHC during his entire time living in NY. Has held many NYSHC Board positions including Regional Director and V.P., Membership Chair, Treasurer and President. Retired from National Agricultural Statistical Service in Albany, where he managed the Equine Industry Surveys performed in NY. Currently he serves on the Council of Agricultural Organizations and Friends of Otter Creek.

Steve is seeking to serve another term as the Treasurer. AT LARGE POSITIONS

Director at Large – Chip Watson

Other Memberships: 30 year Member of New York State Horse Council (MidHudson Reg. Vice President), Orange County Farm Bureau(Board Member),G&M Riding Club ( life Member), Museum, Hudson Valley Draft Horse Club, Mid-Hudson Driving Club , Orange County 4-H, Town of Montgomery, NY Zoning Board Member , American Paint Horse Assoc. ,American Quarter Horse Assoc., Middletown Referral Masters BNI, National Association of Realtors Highlights of some of my Background experience: 1. Was raised with horses 2. Rode and evaluated horses considered for purchase by clients 3. Bred and raised Arabians, Quarter Horses, and Paints 4. Traced pedigrees of Arabians & Quarter Horses for clients 5. Served on the Winslow Therapeutic Riding Board. 6. Wrote 4-H programs for youth in the equine program. Tested students on their riding skills & knowledge. 7. Managed/developed horse shows for several local clubs. 8. Certified as an AQHA Show Manager & managed shows for New York Southern Tier Quarter Horse Association. 9. Maintains my own barn & cares for my own horses.

REGIONAL OFFICE VOTE FOR YOUR REGION’S REPRESENTATIVES ONLY (AS DETERMINED BY YOUR MAILING ADDRESS)

SOUTHEAST REGION

Director – Ahmed H. Zubair

I am the founder and president of US Tent Pegging Association and have introduced the equestrian game of tent pegging to the USA. I also enjoy play and find it is extremely difficult for our youth to join due to the lack of resources available.

I want to serve the NYSHC to help horse folks and the welfare of our equine partners across New York State while increasing access to horses in our region (particularly the NYC area). I find there is a misdirected utilization of state horse facilities and assets in our region. While there are a lot of improvements that can be made to better the equine industry in New York, by serving as a Director I will have the platform to better our community instead of being 1 soul doing solo.

MID-HUDSON REGION

Director – Sade Johnson-Conway

Sade is a native New Yorker having grown up in Brooklyn, learning to ride with the black cowboys, she also worked as an exercise rider at Belmont Race Track. While attending SUNY New Paltz, she was an active member of the Equestrian team, and spent many hours volunteering at a local horse rescue. Upon graduation. She began her career with Jim Credit Risk (now J.P. Morgan) and transitioned her career with Morgan Stanley, specializing in International Wealth management and risk management. When she is not supporting clients, she is spending time caring for her horses at home in Orange County, New York, training and her quarter horses and enjoying her thoroughbred horses racing at Belmont, Saratoga, and Finger Lakes. Sade continues to give back to the community by bringing horses to inner city children with the organization Strides, which she founded, and volunteering her time bringing fresh produce to the residence of Brooklyn through Isabahlia Ladies of Elegance.

CAPITAL REGION

Vice President – Marsha Himler

Marsha is a past president and long-time member (current life member) of the NYSHC. In the past she ran the millennium program. current life member. She is the owner of Stonecroft Inc., a Welsh pony breeding and thoroughbred boarding farm. Past president of NY Horse Park (we tried). Past board member on the Welsh Pony & Cob Society Board of Directors. In the past she served as the US representative to the board of Governors of the Canadian welsh pony and cob Assoc. Although she is retired and residing in Stillwater, NY, she is a licensed USEF judge for , Welsh, Friesians and Morgans; licensed American Driving Soc. judge for and driving; and ADS licensed Technical delegate.

Marsha is seeking to serve another term as the Capital Region Vice President.

Director - Vacant

NORTHERN REGION

Director – Mary Beth Green

G-Stables is our home for over 40 years, where we have raised many colts, stood a stallion, raised 5 children, some who have competed in the show ring. We are longtime members of AQHA, APHA, New York State Horse Council, Farm Bureau in our county and over 20 years on the New York State 4H Education Committee, where I was roped into running the State Program for 5 years. I retired from St. Lawrence County Cooperative Extension of 17 years, where I worked with the county 4H Animal Science programs and the County Equine program. We currently own two paints, 1 donkey, chickens, dogs and cats along with grandchildren.

Mary Beth is seeking another term as a Director in the Northern Region.

CENTRAL REGION

Vice President – Gary Slate

Gary Slate has been a member of New York State Horse Council for many year s and Vice President of Central Region for more than 10 years. He and his wife Sharon have consistently attended board meetings, and promoted the Horse Council at activities within the Central Region, such as the New York State Horse Breeders Association Show, Lorenzo Driving Show, and the New York State Fair . He has organized a file of email addresses of all members of Central Region in order to notify members in his area of urgent information, and contacted by postal mail and telephone the members who do not have internet access. He has offered members the opportunity to participate, such as the invitation to present awards at Horse Council sponsored classes at horse shows in the Central Region.

Gary is seeking to serve another term as the Central Region Vice-President.

SOUTHERN TIER REGION

Vice President – Wendy Wakula

Hi! I’m Wendy Wakula, currently the Southern Tier Regional VP. So a little about me. I started riding as a toddler on my sister’s pony named Lollipop - progressed through a variety of ponies, horses and disciplines. At one time or another, I’ve ridden everything except high-end jumpers. Anything over about 2’6” is too big. I’ve also done a bit of driving. These days, I”m found romping on the local trails. I always start my own horses, and enjoy getting the youngsters to learn about the world beyond their pasture. My hor ses have always lived at home, outside 24/7/365. The current is herd is a 12 year old Percheron/Quarter Horse cross- she’s my riding mount, and also works in the woods; a 15 yr Quarter Horse, my spouse’s riding horse, and our geriatric, a 31 year old Quarter Horse, who has been there, and done that. My interest within the council is to address issues relating to private owners, rather than businesses, as our own surveys indicate that most horses in NY are kept for , rather than economic gain. I currently am the Volunteer Coordinator for Tuller Hill State Forest, which contains almost 30 miles of multi-use trails, and a NYS Licensed Guide. I serve as President of the Central NY Horse Club. I spend quite a bit of time helping to keep other trail users advised of changes, potential changes, access issues & opportunities. I live in Hunts Corners NY, with my husband Gary, a shelter lab named Gracie, and 3 stray cats., Black Kitty, Yellow Man & Panther Kat. When I’m not working or riding, I’m apt to be hiking, or in the winter cross country skiing.

Wendy is the current Southern Tier Region Vice President and is looking to complete another term in this position.

Director – Dr. Lindsay Goodale

Dr. Lindsay Goodale is an equine veterinarian and Cornell Cooperative Extension's Equine Specialist. She also teaches in the Department of Animal Science at Cornell, with courses covering equine biology and management, animal behavior, and animal welfare. Dr. Goodale is currently developing a Horse Farm Improvement Program for New York State and has interests in animal health, behavior, and welfare. She owns a dog named Remi and a spirited OTTB named Sir Whimsey.

FINGER LAKES REGION

Vice President – Dru Malavase

Dru Malavase joined the NYSHC in its second or third year after its founding. She has been a past VP and board member in the Finger Lakes Region as well as Chairman of the council’s Safety Committee for about 20 years. She was Ontario County’s STOP-DWI Coordinator and Assistant Emergency Manager for thirty years before retiring in 2014. As an expert on horse-related human injuries she has consulted on hundreds of legal cases in fifteen U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. She was part of a council task group meeting with the New York Trial Lawyers Association in the early days of attempting to get the state to adopt a meaningful Inherent Risk law, and has assisted several other state councils with suggestions for their similar attempts. She helped author the portion of New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law which addresses horses on roadways as well as New York’s equestrian helmet laws. The Safety Committee wrote the council’s safety policies for our sponsored activities in consultation with a veterinarian and an Emergency Medical Technician active at major horse shows in the state. She authored a booklet for horse owners to prepare them for the types of disasters possible for our state; thousands of copies were distributed by NYSHC and permission was given to Maryland and Virginia to reprint it for the use of their councils.

Dru is seeking to serve another term as the Finger Lakes Region Vice President.

Director – Tammy Marsh

Tammy has been a teacher for the past 26 years. She has experience at the Middle School, High School, and Alternative Education setting as well as curriculum development. She has owned and operated Palomino Acres - Equine Services LLC for 21 years. In the beginning her focus was to help people with "problem" horses. She studied with GaWaNi Pony Boy, a world famous Native American horse training and she completed his Regional Advisor program. Her own "problem" horse, Hugsy, was the inspiration for her book, Talk To Me - Round Pen Work From The Horse's Point of View - a story of self-discovery an d the journey of the lessons horses have to teach. After completing the book Tammy decided to combine both of her passions, teaching and horses, and took a yearlong sabbatical. During that year she became certified in Equine Assisted Learning through The Equine Experiential Education Association (E3A). Her EAL program, Talk To Me At The Barn, helps people of all ages with personal development, team building, leadership development both in group programs and individual sessions. Tammy is currently working on her second book, tentatively titled, Talk To Me Too, stories of the EAL programs. Tammy is looking forward to serving as Director of the Finger Lakes Region of the New York State Horse Council.

WESTERN REGION

Vice President – Lissette Ruotolo

Lissette is the current Western Region Vice President and is seeking another term.

Director – Barb Cunningham

Barb has been on the NYSHC Western Chapter Board of Directors for 15+ years, having served as President and was one of the founding members of EquiFest and was previously a Western Region Director. After taking a short break as a director she has once again agreed to serve as one of the Western Region Directors. She is currently the newsletter editor, Facebook Administrator and part of the newly formed 2019 EquiFest Committee for the Western Chapter. She grew up around horses since the age of five, and was active as an equine 4-H member, then a 4-H leader. Barb has shown, trained, driven and now mainly trail rides horses. She would like to see more interaction between the NYSHC and equine business, and a variety of equine clubs in the area.

Barb currently serves a Director of the Western Region and is seeking another term.