It's about that time of year again for many of us. The difficult task of blood typing and registering your new foals is almost at hand. If you are like me, you find theis process to be complicated and expensive.
This year, the AMHA is taking steps to make this process simple and more cost effective for all breeders. With a few easy steps, you can set up your breeding program to be DNA ready. Once you are set up for parentage verification throught DNA testing, you simply pull a few mane or tail hairs leaving the follicle attached and mail them by regular mail to the Universite of California at Davis. No more vet charges. No more express mail charges. No more needles! It's that simple.
To get started, here's all you do:
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1. Make a list of the names and registration numbers of the horses on which you want to establish a DNA record. Obviously, convert only the stallions or mares who will be producing future offspringyour favorite registered gelding or retired brood mare will not need to be converted. You will need to
2. Call the Registry Department at the AMHA (1-802-985-4944). They can tell you which of the individual horses have frozen serum sample on file. Most horses blood type since January 1, 1989 have samples stored at Davis.
3. If there is a frozen serum sample on file, you give the registry person a credit card number or send a check. It is $30 for each sample to be converted to DNA.
4. If there iis NOT a frozen serum sample of file, the Registry will send a blood typing kit and DNA typing request to you and a blood drawing kit to your vet. The cost for both tests is $75. The vet draws bloods on the horse and it goes to UC Davis where both blood typing and DNA tests are done on the sample.
The AMHA is very excited to offer this new service to its members. It certainly saves a lot of time and money for us all! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Tony Lee or the registration department.
The 1998 Citrus Cup was a tremendous success thanks to all of our exhibitors, volunteers, and sponsors. We could not have done it with out you! You made this the largest Citrus Cup to dat. Questionnaires will be mailed out soon, please respond promptly as we do take your comments into consideration when planning the show. Mark you calendar for the 1999 Citrus Cup- April 14-17.
The show has a record number of Morgans and over 160 entries. Chairman ALicia Davis and a staff of volunteers put together a dynamic show. Jane Brown, Central VP, headed up a crew to decorate the center ring. It was lovely with a pam & citrus fruit theme. Tropical Trotters Kelly Mewha and Cierra Albano opened the show with the American flag paraded around the ring driving UVM Windfall, owner Lora Dunlap. Cole Barnett provided Roman riding exhibitions which in cluded serpentines and jumping. Bridlewood Bo Rummel and Bridlewood Brittany, owned by Claudia & Bill Parkhurst, made quite the picture with Cole in control.
Howard from The Connection, Jess & Sandra, AMHA, enjoyed the show and it's laid back atmosphere. Sandra Smith volunteered as photographer for the show & took so many wonderful photos that only a quarter of them fit in this issue!
The exhibitor's party had people talking for the next two days! Any Tropical Trotter could & would demonstrate the great dance steps from the party. Symphonee Farm & Summerfields each sponsored aisle parties. The afterglow breakfast assures that there was a social event involving food every day of Citrus Cup. We know how to enjoy live in Florida!
