Australian equestrian to speak about sustainable horse-keeping practices

4/9/2012 Mary Ann Beahon
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (573) 592-1127

 

Jane Myers, recipient of the Winston Churchill Fellowship from Australia, will be in Fulton April 16 to visit with equestrian students and tour the equestrian facilities at William Woods University.

She is an internationally recognized expert on environmentally sustainable practices in horse farms.

Her main interests are balanced riding, horse care and welfare and horse property management that encompasses good environmental practices as well as taking horse behavior into account.
 
With her grant, Myers is traveling in the United States to learn about best practices and to share her knowledge and experience. She will present a program at 7 p.m. in WWU's Library Auditorium that will be free and open to the public.
 
While in Fulton, she will also visit the National Churchill Museum. Dr. Rob Havers, the museum's executive director, will give Myers a behind-the-scenes tour of the Churchill's Legacy of Leadership exhibit, Watercolor Missouri National exhibit, and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, the oldest church found in North America.
 
Myers' program about sustainable horse-keeping practices is a clear connection to Winston Churchill's enthusiasm for animals.
 
A principal with Equiculture, a business that aims to develop responsible horse ownership, Myers has been in the horse industry in Australia and the United Kingdom for more than 35 years.
 
She is the author of "Managing Horses on Small Properties" and "Horse Safe: A Complete Guide to Equine Safety" and co-author of "Horse Sense "“ The Guide to Horse Care in Australia and New Zealand" (second edition) and "Sustainable Horsekeeping."
                                                          
Myers is one of 107 Australians who were awarded 2011 Churchill Fellowships through the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.
 
The aim of the trust is to provide an opportunity for Australians to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field that is not readily available in Australia. It also aims to reward proven achievement of talented and deserving Australians with further opportunity in their pursuit of excellence for the enrichment of Australian society.
 
The trust, which was established after the death of Sir Winston Churchill in accordance with his final wishes, has now funded more than 3,500 Fellowships for Australians. With an average value of more than $20,000 per Fellowship, recipients have the opportunity to travel overseas to further their passion and return to Australia to implement their findings and share them with others.
 
"This year's Churchill Fellows, like their predecessors are dedicated, inspiring Australians who will make a difference to our country over the coming decades. I congratulate them and look forward to supporting them on their immediate journey and future endeavours," said Paul Tys, chief executive officer of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Myers has a master's degree in equine studies from the University of Wales. She has conducted research at the world-famous Edinburgh University School of Veterinary Science and worked as a lecturer in equine studies at the University of Melbourne, Glenormiston College.

An executive board member of Horse Safety Australia, she has studied horse behavior intensively and has a deep commitment to horse welfare and training methods that foster a more responsible relationship between the rider, the horse and its environment.

She has written numerous articles on horse keeping for magazines and newspapers on various subjects such as horse property management, horse behavior, horse riding and safety.  
 
For more information on Myers' visit, contact Claudia Starr, chair of the William Woods University equestrian studies division, at Claudia.starr@williamwoods.edu or (573) 592-4280.