*
KENNETT SQUARE - “The
horse and its support industries
represent a 12 million dollar yearly
investment in Chester County.
Horsemen roust work together
locally and on the county level to
make the public and government
leaders aware of the needs and
importance of the horse industry in
Chester county,” urged Leslie
Sharpnack, president of the newly
formed Chester County Equine
Council, addressing sixty-five
counfy horsemen recently in a
meeting at New Bolton Center.
Citing the 1978 Chester County
census, Sharpnack pointed out
that, in a time when agricultural
farms are decreasing in Chester
County, horse farms are on the
increase, showing a growth rate of
35 percent between the 1974 and
1978 census. With an increasing
horse population comes a demand
Chester Equine
for hay, bedding, feed, equipment
and farm supplies, also for the
services of veterinarians, farriers,
equine trainers, riding instructors,
farm workers all of which
broadens the job market in Chester
County.
Historically Chester County, has
always been one of the major horse
areas in the Bast. It boasts one of
the finest equine medical centers
in the nation, has one of the top
polo teams in the states, hosts
annually one of the largest outdoor
shows in the world, one of the
toughest steeplechase races in the
U.S., has the only internationally
sanctioned three-day course in the
U.S., one of the top dressage shows
in the nation, a major driving
show, several endurance rides and
an outstanding regional breed
show for Arabians. Both
recognized and unrecognized hunts
Council holds first meeting
meet regularly within the county,
providing enjoyment for par
ticipants and spectators alike.
Mares and foals graze in lush
meadows of breeding farms which
dot the county. Biding schools,
pony clubs and 4-H groups prosper,
training Olympic hopefuls,
potential foxhunters and trail
riders alike. Scores of horse shows,
hunt races, combined training
events and organized trail rides
raise thousands of dollars for both 1
private and public institutions in
the area.
Taken together horse activities
provide a powerful thrust for the
county in civic, economic and
agricultural growth.
The Chester County Equine
Council was formed in January,
1981 in conjunction with the
Chester County Cooperative Ex
tension Service. It will act as an
umbrella organization working
with all facets of the Chester
County Equine Industry to serve
the needs of horsemen.
Council committees will
research and develop programs to
educate the public, and govern
mental decision-makers of the
needs of horsemen in Chester
County, such as establishing or
preserving trial networks, af
fecting legislation which will aid
horse interests, or working with
humanitarian groups to help
horses' subjected to abuse of any
kind. The Council will work with
other trail or open space groups to
preserve iarndand being lost to
creeping suburbanization in many
areas of the county.
Officers and board members of
the C.C.E.C, are: President Leslie*
Sharpnack, West Whiteland; Vice
President Sabrena Paaby,
Charlestown: Secretary Cooky
Bender gets station post
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Filmore Bender has been ap
pointed Associate Director of the
Maryland Agricultural Ex
periment Station and Associate
Dean of the College of Agriculture,
University of Maryland.
Lamar Harris, director of the
Agricultural Experiment Station,
said, “Dr. Bender’s many years oi
experience in research as an
agricultural economist and his
experience in the classroom give
him an excellent background foi
this position.”
Earl H. Brown, Dean of the
College of Agriculture, explained
that Bender will serve as liaison
between the College and the Ex
periment StMtloa, and will coor
dinate research activities with
iancastf Farming, Saturday. May 30,1M1-Al7
McClung, West Plkeland;
Treasurer Pat Theurkauf, West
Pikeland; Valerie Kanavey, West
Vincent and Lisa Knox, Pocopson.
Sandy Shuman, East Coventry,
will act as Trail Coordinator,
Phebe Hepburn, West Vincent, will
be in charge of membership and
Ira Hicks, East Goshen and
Marshall Jones, Westtown, will act
as liasons with the Chester County
Agricultural Development
Council.
A membership drive is un
derway with adult membership $5
pei' year and Junior membership
for those under 18 $2.
For further information on the
Chester County Equine Council
contact Cheryl Moran County
Agricultural Agent for Chester
County Cooperative Extension
Service, Paul B. Dague Bldg., 235
W. Market St., West Chester, Pa.,
19380 or call 215/69^3500.
those in teaching and Extension.
Bender, a professor oi
Agricultural and Resource
Economics at the University oi
Maryland, has had assignments in
both research and teaching since
he came to Maryland in 1964. Hie
courses on both the undergraduate
and graduate level have dealt
mostly with business management
and systems analysis in the food
production, processing and
marketing industries.
Research projects beaded by
Bender include an economic
analysis of contract production
and marketing of broilers and
eggs, and in-depth studies of the
food service systems of the armed
services.