Lexington, KY (November 5, 2018) – The Kentucky Horse Council hosted its 2018 Annual Member Meeting at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY on October 21, 2018.  Horse Council members from all over the Commonwealth attended and new board members were elected and new officers elected for 2019.  

The new director elections include Dr. Elizabeth James, Jen Roytz, Kelsey Shanley, Jenny Van Wieren-Page, and Shawna White.  Dr. James spent ten years as a professor and internship coordinator in the Equine Program at the University of Kentucky and currently manages Double Dan Horsemanship with her husband, Dan James, providing equine education, entertainment, lessons and clinics worldwide.  Jen Roytz is the Executive Director of the retired Racehorse Project, co-owner of Topline Communications, a  full-service marketing and communications agency, and a writer regularly covering horseracing, aftercare, and equine health topics.  Kelsey Shanley is the Director of National Affiliates at US Equestrian.  Jenny Van Wieren-Page is a private horse farm owner, account executive at the International Spa Association and the former Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the United States Pony Club.  Shawna White worked for The Horse Media Group and has recently transition to a digital specialist at Kentucky Equine Research (KER). 

“We are excited to add such a diverse group of people from so many different equine backgrounds to our Board of Directors and to have such strong leadership as the result of our elections,” said Kentucky Horse Council Executive Director Katy Ross. “The skills of the new directors, combined with the experience and leadership of the returning board members, will benefit the Kentucky Horse Council immeasurably as we continue to expand our programming and focus on the health and welfare of horses in Kentucky.”

Additionally, the Kentucky Horse Council Board of Directors elected new officers.  Ryan Watson was elected president of the board.  Aubri Hostetter was elected vice-president.  Hannah Niebielski and Nicole Rivera were reelected as secretary and treasurer, respectively.   

For the complete list of the Kentucky Horse Council Board of Directors and more information about membership, visit www.kentuckyhorse.org.

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY HORSE COUNCIL - The Kentucky Horse Council is a non-profit organization dedicated, through education and leadership, to the protection and development of the Kentucky equine community. The Kentucky Horse Council provides educational programs and information, outreach and communication to Kentucky horse owners and enthusiasts, equine professional networking opportunities through KENA, trail riding advocacy, health and welfare programs, and personal liability insurance and other membership benefits.  The specialty Kentucky Horse Council license plate, featuring a foal lying in the grass, provides the primary source of revenue for KHC programs.

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