Renowned Horse Expert and Author Mary Midkiff to Host Equestrian World’s^® “Equine Tips” on RFD-TV

Nashville, Tenn. and Dunnville, Ky., July 23, 2004

RFD-TV, the only 24-hour network devoted to the rural lifestyle, and Tarter Gate, one of North America’s largest farm equipment manufacturers and maker of the Equestrian World® brand, today announced the upcoming debut of “Equine Tips from Equestrian World,” a regularly scheduled series of quick hints by acclaimed author and horsewoman Mary Midkiff.

The program will draw from Mary’s experience as a lifelong rider and trainer of horses, and will cover some of the same topics which have made bestsellers of her books: Fitness, Performance and the Female Equestrian (1996) and She Flies Without Wings: How Horses Touch a Woman’s Soul (2001). The two-minute tips will appear several times a day within RFD-TV’s horse programming, seven days a week, beginning September 6, and will be underwritten by Equestrian World.

“Horses make up a full one-third of our programming on the network, and we are thrilled to make Mary a regular part of that coverage,” said Patrick Gottsch, President of RFD-TV. “Combined with our recent expansion to more than 23 million homes on DISH, Direct TV and cable, Mary’s presence will help us bring the best in equestrian expertise to more people across America.”

“We’re proud to be working both on the air and behind the scenes with a horsewoman like Mary Midkiff,” said Josh Tarter, Vice President of Manufacturing for Tarter Gate. “Not only will we be providing educational information that will improve the lives of our customers and their horses, but Mary will also be assisting us in the development of new Equestrian World products to serve them better.”

Tarter Gate officially launched Equestrian World earlier this year, adding a comprehensive line of horse products to its outstanding catalog of farm implements. Designed to provide value, convenience and safety for a wide range of horse owners, Equestrian World was developed in conjunction with Kentucky’s leading equine professionals. The line includes saddle racks; corral panels; walk-through gates, feeders for hay & grain; indoor, outdoor and portable stalls; as well as labor-saving devices such as the Barn Jockey and the Muck Man. A complete catalog is available for viewing at www.tartergate.com. As the creator and founder of the Women & Horses fitness and performance program, Mary Midkiff is known as a pioneer in the horse industry. Since 1992 she has traveled nationally and internationally conducting clinics and speaking engagements. Her first book entitled Fitness, Performance and The Female Equestrian, has become the definitive resource for girls and women who ride and take care of horses. Midkiff’s award-winning and best-selling book, She Flies Without Wings: How Horses Touch a Woman’s Soul, published by Random House, continues to be popular in America and around the world.

Midkiff is a native of Lexington, Kentucky and graduated from the University of Kentucky in advertising and communication. She competed successfully for two years in UK’s equitation program and went on to receive her Horsemaster's certification in 1976 from the Maryland State Department of Education and the British Horse Society. Midkiff has instructed riders and trained horses for the past 30-plus years. She is an accomplished, active rider and instructor, a member of the major national sanctioning organizations, has received national awards from the American Medical Equestrian Association and the American Youth Horse Council and served on the board of the Boulder County Horse Association for five years. Midkiff also served as Executive Secretary of Showing and State Horse Councils for the American Horse Council in Washington, D.C. from 1986-1991.

Midkiff is the president of Equestrian Resources (EQR), a marketing and planning firm specializing in horse-related sporting, showing and recreational activities. She resides in Boulder, Colorado.
“Bringing the work I do to television is a dream come true for me,” said Mary. “I conduct workshops all over the country to help women improve their riding skills and relationships with their horses. Partnering with RFD-TV and Equestrian World is giving me the chance to bring those workshops into the living room of every horseperson in America.”
A complete schedule of viewing times for “Equine Tips from Equestrian World,” will be announced in late August on www.rfd-tv.com. For more information on Mary Midkiff’s books and workshops, visit www.womenandhorses.com.

About RFD-TV:
RFD-TV is the first 24-hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests of both rural America and its city cousins alike. Launched in December 2000, Nashville-based RFD-TV provides an outstanding lineup of family-oriented programming designed to inform, educate, and entertain in homes, schools, and businesses throughout North America, in all 50 states. Currently, RFD-TV is available to over 23 million homes as a basic channel on DISH Network (9409), DIRECTV (379), Mediacom and NCTC cable systems. Visit www.rfd-tv.com for more information.