UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Equine Science Program In Penn State's College Of Agricultural Sciences Is Building Its Quarter Horse Herd And Educational Program And Will Resume The Breeding Of Outside Mares To University Stallions For The 2005 Breeding Season.

For many years the Penn State Quarter Horse Farm stood the outstanding stallion Skip Sioux and bred many outside mares to him. Due to changes in the program, breeding of outside mares by university stallions ceased more than 10 years ago. "We are fortunate to have added two very nice stallions to our herd last year," says Ed Jedrzejewski, a veterinarian who is manager of the university horse farm. "We want to again give horse owners the opportunity to have their mares bred to Penn State stallions."

The first, Image Of Shadow, a brown 1994 stallion by Leaguers Shadow out of Absolutely Hot by Hotrodders Jet Set, was donated by Maneline Farm. The second, The Casmire Kid, a 2001 buckskin stallion by FDS Major Casmire and out of Miss Rosa Belle by The Money Broker, was donated by Lots Of Pines Farm. "These two stallions join our current stallions, The Clue Express by Obvious Conclusion and Lucky Zip by Zip to Impress," says Jedrzejewski. "Image Of Shadow has been shown successfully and has sired numerous foals that also have done well in the show ring. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of The Casmire Kids’ first foal crop in 2005."

The Equine Science Program also is starting a shipped chilled-semen program, which has never been done at Penn State. "Chilled, shipped semen is an industry standard and we are excited to be able to add this aspect of the equine industry to our curriculum," said Jedrzejewski.

As part of the efforts to expand its offerings, the equine program will hold its third annual quarter horse sale April 30. For the first time, the sale will be a consignment sale, so Jedrzejewski hopes that many horses will be involved. The university herd includes 25 mares, five stallions, 10 yearlings and nine 2-year-olds. "We are expecting 22 foals this year," says Jedrzejewski. "Our students will be able to take a reproduction lab in the fall, which will expose them to the collection of stallions and artificial insemination of quarter horses."

For more information, visit the Web at http://www.das.psu.edu and click on "horses;" contact Brian Egan, horse unit coordinator, at 814-863-3957 or by e-mail at began@psu.edu; or contact Jedrzejewski at 814-863-0834 or by e-mail at eaj10 @psu.edu.

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Jeff Mulhollem Office 814-863-2719 FAX 814-863-9877