The Inaugural Kentucky International Equine Summit 2008 will be held in downtown Lexington, KY, April 28-29 at the Radisson Hotel. The two-day event is being sponsored by the Equine Industry Program in the College of Business at the University of Louisville in cooperation with the Equine Initiative in the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky.

In addition, the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has been noted as one of four sponsoring organizations of the summit. “We’re pleased these organizations have joined with us in this important event,” said Rich Wilcke, Director of the Equines Industry Program at the University of Louisville and summit organizer. “Each of these organizations seeks to serve the best interest of those within the horse industry while educating the general public. At the Kentucky International Equine Summit, we intend to expand the knowledge of those attending the event.”

The summit will feature presentations and discussions from more than 90 of the best minds in the equine business and research field on three critical issues: The Well-Being of the Competitive Horse, The Emerging Science of Horse Breeding and The Equine Economy in the 21st Century. The conference aims to bring together industry leaders to examine the issues facing the future of the equine industry.

There will also be a luncheon each day featuring prominent keynote speakers. Robert Evans, President and CEO of Churchill Downs, Inc., will speak on Monday April 28, and David O’Connor, President of the United States Equestrian Federation, will speak on Tuesday, April 29. For more information on the summit or to register click www.kyequinesummit.com.

ASHA will be featuring a free LIVE webcast of the two-day event on www.saddlebred.com. Likewise, archived video of the webcast will also be available following the summit on the website. DVDs of the event will be available for purchase, please check back for more information regarding the release date.

Jessica Fisher

ENDS