UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Whether for power, transportation or companionship, humans have bonded with horses for 6000 years. Visitors can see why at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, Aug. 14-16.

Horse events will take place at the Equine Exhibits Building and Horse Arena on Main Street, behind the Special Events Building, at the Ag Progress Days site.

This year's program is dedicated to the memory of the late Bill Conway, long-time supporter of Penn State's equine program, the equine education program at Ag Progress Days and Centre County 4-H. A dedication ceremony will honor Mr. Conway at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15.

Experienced horse handlers will explain and demonstrate basic handling techniques and skills. Brian Egan, horse program assistant for Penn State Cooperative Extension, will demonstrate trailer loading at 1 p.m. on Tuesday; Ward Studebaker, manager of the university's horse herd, will demonstrate round pen training at 6 p.m. on Wednesday; and Carla Weaver, Centre County 4-H Horse Club leader, will present a horse-handling clinic at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday.

The Keystone Dressage and Combined Training Association will present the intricate riding techniques of dressage at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Dressage requires great coordination and training of both horse and rider -- almost like gymnastics on horseback.

Jim Glunt, of Jim Glunt Equine Services, will show visitors how to evaluate a riding instructor at 1:10 p.m. on Wednesday, and fit saddles and equipment at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

A trainer will demonstrate sheep dog herding techniques each day at 11:30 a.m.

The Pennsylvania State Police Mounted Patrol will perform at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Horsepower Farm will demonstrate therapeutic riding at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Franklin County Therapeutic Riding Center will demonstrate therapeutic driving at 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday.

Wednesday evening events begin at 6 p.m. with a flag presentation by the Centre County 4-H Clubs and Pennsylvania State Police, followed by the ceremony for Bill Conway. An earlier flag presentation will take place at 1 p.m.

On Thursday, the Ag Progress Days/Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Association 4-H Equine Skillathon will start at 10 a.m. The skillathon is a multi-phase competition that allows young equestrians to demonstrate their skills with a showmanship competition, written test and series of identification stations.

4-H members without horses will compete in a separate division in which they will judge a class of horses. Entry deadline for the skillathon is Aug. 9. Entry forms are available from county cooperative extension offices.

Penn State equine science faculty members Nancy Diehl and Ann Swinker will answer horse care and health questions at the "Ask the Expert" booth each day in the Equine Exhibits Building.

Breed clinics throughout the event will present the history, uses and unique features of Freisians, Knapstrupps, Hanoverians, thoroughbreds, Paso Finos, quarter horses, trottingbreds and Morgans.

Because of concerns over the possible transmission of foot-and-mouth disease and other foreign animal diseases, visitors who have been overseas within two weeks of attending Ag Progress Days are asked not to visit the event's live-animal exhibit areas.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll-free from July 9 to August 16 or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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EDITORS: For more information about equine activities, contact Brian Egan at 814-863-3957 or Pat Comerford at 814-863-3657. For more information about Ag Progress Days, contact Chuck Gill at 814-863-2713.

Contacts:

Kim Dionis kdionis@psu.edu 814-863-2703 814-865-1068 fax