WCVM equine health research teams receive $410,000

The Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Veterinary Health and Research Fund has awarded $410,000 for three cutting-edge research investigations of equine endotoxemia, neonatal Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and genetic ocular disorders at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).

“All three research projects will be conducted by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists from WCVM, the University of Saskatchewan and other research institutions across North America,” says Dr. Norman Rawlings, the veterinary college’s associate dean of research. “Each collaborative team brings a great deal of clinical and laboratory expertise to the table, and we’re very excited about their potential for making real, concrete progress in overcoming these longstanding issues in horse health.”

These are the first research projects to receive financial support from the new research fund that was created in August 2006 when the Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation contributed $1.07 million to WCVM’s equine and companion animal health programs. Based on the donors’ wishes, the college will use $750,000 of the contribution toward large-scale, WCVM-based equine research projects over the next five years.

Rawlings says all submitted grants underwent a stringent review process that was conducted by three prominent Canadian veterinary scientists. The grant review committee specifically considered the scientific merit of each grant proposal, the collective expertise of each research team and the potential impact for each project to improve horse health care in Canada and around the world.

• Equine endotoxemia: A research team will receive $60,000 per year for the next three years to investigate the use of novel nanomedicines to treat endotoxemia, a complicating factor in many equine diseases and a major cause of death in horses.

The principal investigator is Dr. Baljit Singh, a professor in WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and a leading researcher in the biology of inflammation and the role of pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) in endotoxemia. Singh and his team members plan to use new, molecular-based medicines to target and destroy PIMs — critical promoters of endotoxin-induced tissue damage.

• Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals: Scientists will receive $50,000 per year for the next three years to gain a better understanding of foals’ immune response and susceptibility to this infectious disease.

Team leader Dr. Hugh Townsend is a professor in WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and program manager of the Vaccine Development Group at the Vaccine Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). The team’s work will enhance the understanding of foals’ innate and adaptive immune responses, and the disease process of R. equi pneumonia. The ultimate goal is to develop new vaccine strategies for young foals.

• Genetic ocular disorders: A research team will receive $40,000 per year for the next two years to identify the genetic mutations that induce congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) in the Appaloosa breed and anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD) in the Rocky Mountain horse breed.

Dr. Bruce Grahn, a professor of veterinary ophthalmology in WCVM’s Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, leads the diverse research team that includes specialists in ophthalmology, ocular biochemistry, molecular genetics and phenotype research. The team’s investigations will identify the mutations responsible for the ocular conditions, inheritance patterns, the links to coat colour, and the pathogenesis of each disorder.

For more detailed information about each project, please click here.

In addition to their initial $1.07-million gift, Ryan and Dubé have pledged to “match” any new money contributed to the fund that they created for major equine research projects at WCVM or any increased amounts in contributions to the college’s Equine Health Research Fund. The donors’ foundation will annually contribute up to $100,000 in matching funds — providing WCVM with the opportunity to potentially raise $1 million for its equine health research programs by 2011. Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca for details.

WCVM is a Canadian centre for veterinary education, expertise and research that’s located on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, Sask. Nearly 400 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at the college that annually attracts more than $5 million in research funding from public and private sources.

Maria Schaub Defends Title to Win WEF Equitation Championship For Second Year in a Row; Maggie McAlary Earns a Very Close Second

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chrissy Lane for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
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PHOTO CREDIT: Maria Schaub and Aaron. Photo ©2007 Jennifer Wood. Photo may be used only in relation to this press release.
Maria Schaub Defends Title to Win WEF Equitation Championship For Second Year in a Row; Maggie McAlary Earns a Very Close Second
Wellington, FL – March 18, 2007 – The Mogavero Arena was filled with expectations and high hopes this morning as 40 of the best junior riders in the country competed in the Winter Equestrian Festival Equitation Championship for the RW “Ronnie” Mutch Trophy, and Maria Schaub took aboard Aaron for the second time. Maggie McAlary finished second with her own Mid Accord.
The one-of-a-kind format for the R.W. Mutch Trophy class offers a unique challenge to the riders, as they are isolated from their trainers and support staff and must put their strategy in order and prepare for the class on their own. Riders are responsible for the management and schooling of their mount and are required to walk the course on their own. Communication between riders and trainers is not allowed.
The class itself is judged by four judges, two nationally known hunter judges and two jumper judges. Three judges score the schooling area and riders can earn or lose as many as two points on the total, based on their warm-up. Judges today were George Morris, Rodrigo Pessoa, Peter Leone and Linda Andrisani, and schooling judges were Pierre Jolicouer, Burt Mutch and Joanne Kovacs.
The competition format features two extremely challenging rounds plus the possibility of a third round work-off. In today’s class, the top ten riders of the original 40 were invited back for the second round, and the final two riders, Schaub and McAlary, changed horses in a third round work-off.
The first course, designed by Mark Leone, comprised 13 numbered obstacles and 15 jumping efforts. The first difficult area riders encountered was from fences 2 to 3, a line that could be ridden in four or five strides. Another difficult area was the last combination, which was a one-stride line of two verticals set without ground lines off a galloping curve to the right.
The second round course was similar to the first but included trotting the second fence, an oxer, and counter-cantering from the one-stride vertical line along one end of the arena to an oxer on an angle. Of the ten riders completing the second round, several chose to land on the counter lead instead of asking for the change. Both McAlary and Schaub landed on the counter lead after the one stride.
Schaub, who rides with Frank and Stacia Madden at Beacon Hill Show Stables, is in her final year of junior competition and noted that winning the trophy again has been her goal since last year. She piloted Aaron, a bay gelding owned by Karen Polle, to the win, although she had only ridden the horse twice.
“Aaron, he’s fabulous. He’s a veteran of the equitation,” she explained. “He’s an amazing horse and one of the coolest horses I’ve ever ridden. I actually rode him once and in one class on Friday, and that’s it.” The pair had a slight hiccup in the 4- or 5-stride line, and Schaub commented, “Aaron has a huge stride and I thought I jumped in a little quiet and come forward a little too much there, but I was just trying to make sure I did test and was as conservative as possible.”
After the second round, McAlary had earned the highest total with 189.50 points, but the judges called the two riders back to change horses. Schaub had a total of 188.50 points. Schaub noted that she had ridden Mid Accord, McAlary’s horse in previous competitions, including the USEF Finals two years ago and at the Washington International Horse Show this past year.
In the work-off, McAlary performed a smooth, flowing test but lost the counter-canter in the approach, and she described her approach to riding a different horse. “I thought he went really well. I’ve seen him show with tons of different people and I knew that I could trust him. He has a huge stride – much bigger than my horse’s stride – and I saw when Maria did him she landed left and held the counter lead, which is what I did…He landed left, and then I rolled back really tight and kind of forgot I was on the counter lead and I let him swap right, but he finished up really well.”
Both girls agreed that the course was well designed and asked a variety of questions. Schaub explained: “I really liked the course. I thought it was challenging but attackable, even on a horse that you’re not familiar with. I just tried to diagnose the course with the horse that I had. I like those gymnastics and question courses because they’re more fun. I feel like they’re easier because they really make you ride.”
All 40 riders rode well and were winners coming into today’s event. To qualify for the trophy competition, each rider had to win one of the following classes throughout the circuit: USEF Talent Search, WIHS Equitation, Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal or ASPCA Maclay.
Earning third place in the Ronnie Mutch class was Julie Welles on Sander, owned by Missy Clark and North Run, and Kimberly McCormack took fourth place with Sundance. Fifth place went to Valvert and Carolyn Curio, and Matthew Metell rounded out the top six with his own Oliver.
Competition concluded this afternoon at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. The festival will relocate to the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa, FL, for two weeks beginning on March 28, 2007.

The Cartier 23rd World Cup on Snow : 18-22 goal at St. Moritz

The four Teams who have entered - Cartier, Maybach, Brioni and Julius Baer – will battle it out for this coveted Cartier Snowpolo Trophy. A new team sponsor - Julius Baer is a private Swiss bank of tradition, endurance, teamwork, agility and experience, and these values play as important a role in the values of the Julius Baer Group as they do on the polo field. Spectators will be promised an event where the emphasis is on top athletic performance as well as elegance and glamour – all set in a spectacular location. The event is a heady mix of strength, elegance, speed, pride and that indomitable sense of sporting spirit, traditionally associated with the British. Grandstand tickets still available : +41 (0) 81 839 92 92.
Almost all eight professionals playing in the Cartier, Maybach, Brioni and Bank Julius Baer teams are in the World’s top 100. Eduardo Novillo Astrada from Argentina, the world’s number 1 (with 991 points), and compatriot Milo Fernandez Araujo, who stands at number 18 (338 points) will both be thrilling spectators at Europe’s most important winter tournament with their skills. The two 9 goal players will be joined by six other spectacular exponents of the game : two with an 8 handicap (Jaime Huidobro from Chile and Marcos Di Paola, Argentina) and four with 7-goal handicaps (David Sterling, Uruguay, Jose Donoso, Chile, Pablo Jauretche, Argentina and Jack Baillieu, Australia). All of these players occupy places between 20 and 80 in the world rankings. At the same time, four of the six amateurs appearing at St. Moritz are also up at the top of their own particular categories in a separate league. Guy Schwarzenbach (Switzerland/Australia) is currently number 6, Adriano Agosti (Switzerland) number 11 and English players Charlie Hanbury and Tony Pidgley numbers 66 and 44, respectively.
A separate ranking for those players who also appear on snow is topped by four players with 150 points. Of these, three are planning to appear in the Engadine at the end of January: Adriano Agosti, Jaime Huidobro and Jack Baillieu. The Maybach team will be led by the Swiss patron Philipp Maeder (hcp 0). In 2005 Philipp won in only his second polo year, the Swiss Open in Zurich, as well as the Arena polo tournament on snow in Kitzbuhel and he also reached the semi-final on the occasion of the Ellerstina Silver Cup in Argentina. The Argentinean Pablo Jauretche (hcp 7) and Nicolas Espain (hcp 6) will also be playing together with Philipp Maeder. The fourth player is to be confirmed.
Team Cartier :
1. Adriano Agosti (CH ) – Hcp 0
2. David Sterling (UK) – Hcp 7
3. Jose Donoso (CL) – Hcp 7
4. Jaime Huidobro (CL) – Hcp 8
Total : 22
Team Maybach :
1. Philip Maeder (CH) – Hcp 0
2. Nicolas Espain (AR) – Hcp 6
3. Pablo Jauretche (AR) – Hcp 7
4. TBA
Total :
Team Brioni :
1. Charlie Hanbury (UK) – Hcp 2
2. Eduardo Novilla Astrada (AR) – Hcp 9
3. Milo Fernandez Araujo (AR) – Hcp 9
4. Guy Schwarzenbach (CH/AU) – Hcp 1
Total: 21
Team Bank Julius Baer :
1. Tony K Pidgley (UK) – Hcp 1
2. Jack Baillieu (AU) – Hcp 7
3. Marcos Di Paola (AR) – Hcp 8
4. Andrew Hine (UK) – Hcp 6
Total : 22
Schedule of Play :
Thursday January 25th 2007 :
For the President’s Trophy : 12.30 pm - Team Maybach v Bank Julius Baer
For the Niachos Trophy : 14.00 pm - Team Cartier v Team Brioni
Friday 26th January 2007 :
For the Swiss Amterictin Airlines Trophy 11.30 am - Team Cartier v Team Bank Julius Baer
For the Strellson Trophy : 14.00 pm - Team Mayback v Team Brioni
Saturday 27th January 2007 :
For the ‘Das Magazin’ Trophy : 11.30 am - Team Brioni v Team Bank Julius Baer
For the Nespresso Trophy : 14.00 pm - Team Cartier v Team Maybach
Sunday 27th January 2007 :
The Mercedes AM Cup for 3rd and 4th place – 11.30 am
The Cartier Trophy & Final for 1st and 2nd place – 14.00 pm
Photos : from 2006 St. Moritz (courtesy of Tony Ramirez / La Bocha)