The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) board of directors announced May 15 that Ginny Grulke, executive director of the council since 2005, will retire July 1, 2013. Grulke will assist with the transition of the new executive director and continue to volunteer on some of the many projects in which she has an integral part.

Grulke has been known as the "face of the Kentucky Horse Council" to many industry groups, Kentucky state government agencies, trail and saddle clubs, legislators, and others in the Kentucky horse industry. Through her leadership, KHC has become a provider of industry education and programs to improve the lives of Kentucky horse owners and the horses themselves.

During Grulke’s tenure as executive director, KHC has developed:

• Livestock Investigation Training for Animal Control Officers;
• The "Safety Net" program for owners who lose their jobs;
• Geld and euthanasia vouchers for low income owners;
• The "SoHo" and "Disaster Relief" funds to help owners and horse rescues in times of need;
• The Kentucky Equine Networking Association in partnership with the University of Kentucky, for education and networking among professionals;
• The annual Kentucky Trail Summit, a conference to educate trail riders;
• The Kentucky Round-Up, an all breeds horse event for owners and the general public;
• Membership programs including affordable equine liability insurance and trailer safety programs;
• The Kentucky Breeds and Discipline Council to provide communication among different sectors of the industry and KHC; and
• A weekly "Kentucky Horse eNews," which delivers equine enthusiasts current news on Kentucky horse activities.

In addition, KHC played a key role in the development of the Kentucky Proud for Horses program and secured a large Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund grant to enable a comprehensive survey of the Commonwealth’s horse industry