Media Fact Sheet

SBHA Executive Committee

President: Steve Dobrott

Secretary: Silke Schneider

Treasurer: Maggie Engler

Technical Advisor: Phil Sponenberg, Ph.d., DVM, Virginia Tech University, Virginia

Established in 1972, in Colorado.

Current Membership: 80

Current Registrations:

Total Registrations (living/not)

Total Transfers:

Background:

The Spanish Barb Horse Association, (SBHA) is a nation-wide organization, incorporated in (CITY?) Colorado. The organization headquarters are currently in Silver City, New Mexico. Previously known as the Spanish Barb Breeders Association (SBBA), the organization changed its name in 2010 to more accurately reflect the mission, and broad membership base of the organization. We are committed to maintaining an organization where the arm-chair cowboy is equally as welcome as the professional trainer or breeder.

The SBHA organization is dedicated to preserving the culture and history of the Spanish Barb. The core mission is to perpetuate the rare and fewer than 2,000 remaining Spanish Barbs. By placing breeding stock in the hands of committed horse owners, the remaining, genetically unique bloodlines may be preserved. The goal is to ensure that this rare and vanishing breed will endure for the future.

History:

In 1972, the SBBA was formed by a small group of conservationists and horse owners whom, upon learning of an isolated population of genetically verified Iberian horses, quickly developed a small working committee to preserve them. With the assistance of the American Livestock Breed Conservancy and following equine genetic verification, the herd was dispersed into select breeding groups to rebuild the small population of less than 100 horses.

In 35 years, the SBHA has grown from a southwest regional organization to a national organization with members from; California to Florida; and from Maine to Texas. The SBHA welcomes all strains of Spanish Barb meeting the breed standard, including regional strains.

Activities:

The association hosts annual meetings, regional rides, and welcomes new fosters and new conservation breeders. Individuals interested in participating in conservation breeding may participate by fostering and caring for as few as a single horse. We list stud services and available horses on the organization's website, (www.spanishbarb.com) and support new members in developing their specific breeding plans and interests. We loan horses and participate in; historical reinactments; educational presentations; and media events; support living history and historic rides; and spanish barb horses are featured attractions at museums, provide public “show and tells” at equine events and schools. We host an Annual Meeting, and Technical Breeding Seminar; host fun rides open to all horse-owners, and offer Internet access promotion services for member-breeders. We recently have added rescue to our activities in the placement of surrendered or abandoned Barbs. A new web site is in progress with will be released in September, 2010.

Membership:

Our members include horse-lovers and armchair cowboys, conservationists and cattle-ranchers, teachers, teenagers, and small business owners, and those who simply love the West. Some of our members own Spanish Barbs; and others cherish the heritage of the West and the idea of preserving the descendants of the first horses that arrived with America’s first explorers and settlers; others own other breeds of horses, but already know that their next horse will be a Spanish Barb.

Quick Facts

All strains of Colonial Spanish Horse meeting the Breed Standard may join.

The SBHA excels in having developed very specific metrics and objective criteria for comparing and evaluating horses with the Registry and breed standard.

The Spanish Barb Registry is centralized; though regional field inspectors are available to evaluate horses, both in person and through conformation photographs.

The SBHA actively collaborates with American Livestock Breed Conservancy (ALBC), and professional equine geneticists in guiding the organization’s breeding strategy.

We rely exclusively on donations to pay for veterinary care, medial supplies, transportation, foster housing, and rescue. We receive no funds from outside organizations.

The Spanish Barb Horse Association	Media Contact
P.O. Box 1628 Silver City, New Mexico 88062 Email: info1@spanishbarb.com Web: www.SpanishBarb.com	Maureen Kirk-Detberner P.O. Box 69370 Oro Valley, Arizona 85755 Phone: 520-419-7191 Fax: 520-797-1882 E-mail: mkirk@FastWinn.com