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HUGE Boost for the Texas
Horse Industry
in the Works
Texas-based horse
associations not only
hope to right the floundering Texas horse industry, but make the
Texas horse industry a leader in racing, breeding, and equine medical
research in the U.S. Plans are being finalized to file the
“Horsemen’s Bill” - legislation for the 2009 legislative
session which will include “Good for Texas” provisions which will
boost the racing as well the as the non-racing horse industry in
Texas.
The Texas racing industry is
slowly
dwindling in Texas due to higher purses and video lottery terminals
in neighboring states. Not only is the racing industry feeling the
loss, but now the non-racing performance breeds are moving to states
with better breeding and show incentives.
The Texas racing industry
has been
steadily losing revenue as well as Texas horse breeders due to some
form of legalized gambling at racetracks in New Mexico, Arkansas,
Oklahoma and Louisiana. Texas citizens are taking some of their
disposable income to Louisiana – studies have shown 55.99% of
customers gambling in Shreveport are from Texas and 35% in Lake
Charles. It is estimated that Louisiana alone has gained an annual
$762 million from Texans.
Each of the Texas bordering
states
determines a portion of the proceeds from their video lottery
terminals/slot machines back to the horse industry by increasing the
purse money. Texas has already lost many horse operations (breeding
stock, workers, owners, trainers) to bordering states with higher
purses and more lucrative state-bred incentive programs.
Peppy
Sol Anson - $30K + NRHA, 187.5 AQHA pts,
$8K
= AQHA Incentive fund,
NRCHA Earnings: $833.
He is also a Top Stallion Ranked By: All-Time
Stallion Offspring
Lifetime Avg. NRHA Earnings. Total earnings of
$43K+,
owned by Dave & Susan
Fuqua of Stockdale, TX.
Rob Werstler, Executive
Director of the
Texas Quarter Horse Association and Dave Hooper, Executive Director
of the Texas Thoroughbred Association have come up with “Good for
Texas” provisions to the new Horsemen’s Bill to be introduced to
the 2009 Teas legislative session. These provisions include:
-
Guaranteed racing dates
at each class I and II racetrack based on the 2002 calendar or, at a
minimum, 50 live racing days or 500 races for Quarter Horses and
Thoroughbreds, with Paint racing and Arabian racing sharing shoe meets.
-
A percentage to purses
that will allow Texas the opportunity to be the #1 racing state in the
U.S.
-
A percentage to the
Accredited Texas-bred program that will allow Texas to have the best
state horse breeding program in the U.S.
-
A percentage for equine
and veterinary research that will benefit all disciplines of the
industry and allow Texas universities to once again be at the forefront
in equine research
-
Revenue for adoption and
retirement programs to care for and find “second careers” for horses
tha can no longer compete on the track or in the arena
-
Revenue to enhance
medication testing and research programs
-
Revenue that will assure
Texas racetracks annually commit to racing facility and racing surface
improvements
-
Revenue that will
provide for enhanced medical, dental and educational programs for
stable area workers
-
Revenue to provide
adequate insurance coverage for jockeys and worker’s compensation for
trainers
-
Unlike any other VLT
legislation in the U.S., a percentage to a “Performance Horse
Development Fund” to support non-racing programs through the AQHA,
NRHA, APHA, NCHA, (associations headquartered within Texas) and Texas
Department of Agriculture.
Not only are Texas racehorse
breeders
leaving to neighboring states, both race and performance horse
breeders are moving to Kentucky to take advantage of their Horse
Breeder’s Fund. The fund was designed to not only keep
Thoroughbred breeders, but Quarter Horse and other breeds in the
state and established a 6% sales tax on stud fees, and it’s done so
well breeders are moving to Kentucky to take advantage of their
program. The payouts to Quarter Horse owners were big. The state
paid almost $2,800 for each point earned in a show and $228 for each
point earned in a race.
Dave Williamson is the
Breeding and
Training Manager at Bramblett Quarter Horses in Vine Grove, KY.
“Maxxis, one of 10 stallions standing here at Bramblett Quarter
Horses, earned $79,000 in the 2006 show year with 28.5 points as a
2-year-old,” said Williamson. “In 2005, before the Kentucky
Horse Breeders’ Fund, as a yearling Maxxis earned only $300-$400
with 15-20 points. All states should institute incentive programs
like this.”
According
to Rob
Werstler, “Texas has lost 60 performance Quarter Horse stallions to
Kentucky. Others states are offering incentives and taking away
business from not only the Texas horse industry, but from Texas
overall. Texas lost the 2008 AQHA Youth World to Oklahoma City –
that’s a loss to the Will Rogers Memorial Center, area restaurants,
hotels and Texas tourism.”
“AQHA
supports
initiatives that enhance purses for racehorses and opportunities for
performance horses,” said Trey Buck, Executive Director of AQHA
Racing. “American Quarter Horses are the principal breed in the
Lone Star State and because a portion of the revenue will be used to
increase purses and boost the state’s breeding program, it will be
beneficial to our members and owners.”
People
have told
Werstler that he’s trying to save a dying business. Werstler’s
response, “It’s not a dying business, it’s thriving in other
states!”
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