Hawaii Island ~ 09.12 ~ The success of the 5th annual Hawaii Island Humane Society’s Hawaii Horse Expo has resulted in a sizable donation of nearly $20,000 to the HIHS Horse Rescue Fund.
The event also benefited Paniolo Preservation Society which saw substantial improvements made to Pukalani Stables, carried out by Horse Expo organizers.
Hawaii Horse Expo was held in August at the Paniolo Heritage Center which is located at Pukalani Stables in Waimea.
“We are thrilled with the results this year,” enthused Hawaii Horse Expo producer Nancy Jones. “The location at Pukalani Stables and the partnership with the Paniolo Preservation Society seem ideal and we are already looking forward to the August 2013 Expo.”
Over the past five years, funds raised during the Horse Expo for the HIHS Horse Rescue Fund have meant the establishment of a first class equine holding facility at the Hawaii Island Humane Society Waimea Shelter. Staff has developed a well-devised protocol for equine evaluation and post rescue care resulting in one of the best equine rescue programs in the nation. In 2012 alone, twenty-four horses and one donkey passed through the gates of HIHS.
The core of Hawaii Horse Expo is to provide horse owners and enthusiasts the opportunity to learn from world-renowned experts in a variety of equine-related disciplines. As expressed by one attendee, “We really appreciate [the Expo] helping us horse lovers learn more about what to do and what not to do. We brought our whole crew down this year to enjoy the experience. We all picked up helpful hints that will make our job easier and make it easier for the horses to understand what we want.”
“Education promotes responsible animal ownership,” Jones says. “Most people try to do the best they know how. Our goal is to educate and to inspire horse owners to always do the right thing. We may not be able to change the world, but together, through our example, we can make it a better place for horses.”
Hawaii Horse Expo also included the presentation of the 3rd annual Mana Award by HIHS and Veterinary Associates to Dick Solmssen who founded and has been director of HPA’s horse program for the past 50 years. Expo Clinicians and presenters included Janice Baxter, Dr. Brady Bergin, Linda Tellington-Jones, Dr. Daniel King, Rick Lamb, Dr. Robert Miller, Susanella Nobel, Charles Wilhelm, Richard Winters, Sarah Winters and Dr. Lisa Wood.
Visit HawaiiHorseExpo.com or HIHS.org.
About Hawaii Island Humane Society