Page 194 - Speedhorse April 2019

SNAPSHOTS
2019 OQHRA Legislative Steak Feed Heritage Place, Oklahoma City, OK • March 26, 2019 Photos by Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse
by Debbie Schauf, OQHRA Executive Director
A record turnout for the OQHRA annual Legislative Steak Feed on March 26 was likely due to the fact the event was rescheduled from mid- February due to bad weather. Over 50 legislators joined a crowd of about 100 horsemen and their spouses at Heritage Place for the annual event. After the fall 2018 elections, the State saw a record number of new faces on the legislative roster and
a large number of those legislators were attending the annual event for the very first time. The Steak Feed may be one of the most important events
the Association hosts each year, as it gives our members a chance to meet legislators face to face and allows them to hear how their actions at the Capitol have such a significant impact on the day to day operations of the racing industry. Debbie Schauf, Executive Director of OQHRA, shared information with the group about the $3.6 billion economic impact of the industry in Oklahoma and the need for increased focus on protecting the integrity of the race product. Spence Kidney and a few of the OQHRA directors gave tours of the facility and Spence told them all about the history of Heritage Place and the amazing volume of horses sold through that facility.
OQHRA Executive Director Debbie Schauf, OQHRA President Ed Smith & OQHRA Director Butch Wise
192 SPEEDHORSE, April 2019