Custom saddle auction to benefit equine program at veterinary college

College Station, Tx. - 11/7/07 - A horse owner is showing his appreciation to the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences by donating a hand-made saddle for auction to benefit the school's equine reproduction program.

After clinicians helped one of his mares, Ralph Gray is showing his appreciation to the CVM staff by enlisting legendary saddle maker M.L. Leddy to provide a custom-made cutting saddle to be auctioned at the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity Sales event.

"The people at the CVM were very helpful to me, and I wanted to do something special for them," says Gray. "They're really nice, and I hope that this saddle will do really well at the auction so that the proceeds will make a significant impact on their program."

Scheduled Sunday, Dec. 16, the auction will be held at the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth.

"We appreciate Mr. Gray's support of our program. We have a very experienced team of clincians here, and providing excellent service for our clients is a priority," says Dr. Dickson Varner, Chief of Theriogenology and Pin Oak Stud Chair at the CVM.