MEDIA ADVISORY: Maryland Horse Industry Board to Honor 32-Year-Old Therapy Horse on June 5

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 4, 2012) –  The Maryland Horse Industry Board will make a special trip to Glen Arm (Baltimore County) on Tuesday, June 5, to present its Touch of Class Award to a 32-year-old therapy horse who has helped hundreds of special needs children during his long career. Merlin retired as a show horse at age 18 and became a therapy horse at Rose of Sharon Equestrian School in Glen Arm. His owner Joan Marie Twining, founder and executive director of Rose of Sharon, said the charismatic and gentle Merlin is still the lead horse in her stable and is still used for lessons, even though he is now a horse with special needs himself now. Since Merlin no longer leaves the farm, a delegation from the MHIB Board will visit Rose of Sharon to present Merlin and Twining with the award. Earlier this year, the American Morgan Horse Association named Merlin its National Therapy Horse of the Year.

Who: The Maryland Horse Industry Board will present its Touch of Class Award to Merlin, a 32 year old therapy horse. His owner Joan Marie Twining, founder and director of Rose of Sharon, will be on hand to accept the award with him.

What: The MHIB presents the Touch of Class Award every month to Maryland horses and people who achieve national and international prominence. Merlin is the recipient for May 2012. The award celebrates the memory of “Touch of Class,” the gallant Maryland-bred mare who won two Olympic Gold Medals in Showing Jumping at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Where: Rose of Sharon Equestrian School, 5630 Sharon Drive in Glen Arm (Baltimore County).

When: Tuesday, June 5, at 3 p.m.

NOTE: Media representatives who plan to cover the event should RSVP to Vanessa Orlando at MDA at (office) 410-841-5889 or (cell) 443-370-9758 or email: vanessa.orlando@maryland.gov. Or to Ross Peddicord, executive director, Maryland Horse Industry Board at 410-841-5798 or email: ross.peddicord@maryland.gov.  Photos will be available after the presentation upon request.