Page 15 - Speedhorse July 2018

The 2018 Indiana Youth Racing Experience at Indiana Grand Racecourse on June 30
raciNg FOr eDucatiON iN LOuisiaNa
The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Asso- ciation awarded two $1,500 scholarships to fur- ther the education of Louisiana students during Delta Downs’ final night of the 2018 Quarter Horse racing season on July 7. Through sponsor support from Jet Black Patriot and Robicheaux Ranch Inc., drawings were held to determine the winners.
While the primary goal of the LQHBA is to promote breeding and racing in the state, the as- sociation remains dedicated to furthering higher education for Louisiana youth. The scholar- ship program, which was the vision of the late Jim Mitchell and Executive Director Emeritus Leverne Perry, is supported by LQHBA and its board members. Since its inception in 2001, the LQHBA scholarship program has earmarked more than $500,000 for Louisiana students
to attend a higher education institution. Patti Thompson of Springfield, Louisiana, shares the impact on her life by winning the scholarship.
“The night I won the scholarship, I was in total disbelief,” recalled Thompson. “I attend Southeastern Louisiana University and major in biology with the goal of getting my D.V.M. Earning the scholarship was something I never imagined. It truly was a blessing, and I’m very grateful to all the people that, year after year, donate to the LQHBA scholarship fund. It re- ally does help make dreams come true.”
Pairing the LQHBA Scholarship drawings at Louisiana’s major Quarter Horse racing events continues to be a success for the organization.
“Education is a high priority to our associa- tion, and we look forward to awarding two more scholarships to deserving Louisiana students,” said Tony Patterson, LQHBA executive director. “Having students and their families enjoy the major racing championships works very well. We thank our sponsors for their continued support.”
FOre!
The annual Jay Pumphrey Golf Tournament is scheduled for Aug. 29, at the Links at Sierra Blanca in Ruidoso. “The Pumphrey” coincides each year with the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and All American Week at Ruidoso Downs. The tournament began as a way to promote fellow- ship among American Quarter Horse racing en- thusiasts and been a way to welcome newcomers into the industry.
Tee time is 11 a.m., and an awards dinner will be held at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack that evening at 7 p.m. that will include live music, and live and silent auctions. All proceeds will benefit the Jay Pumphrey Animal Sciences Scholarship fund.
Registration is open online or entry forms can be downloaded and mailed. Visit aqha.com/ racing for more information.
New OwNership at Yavapai DOwNs
Yavapai Downs recently got new owners and a new name. The new ownership group is led by Phoenix-based JACOR Partners, and the facility will be known as Arizona Downs.
The real estate investment and development company announced at a meeting of the Ari- zona Racing Commission earlier this year that its affiliate J and J Equine Enterprises LLC has closed on the purchase of the racetrack property. The new owners include brothers and JACOR principals Tom, Dave and Mike Auther and Joe Jackson, along with Kentucky Downs president Corey Johnsen.
Yavapai Downs, which last conducted live racing in 2010, has a 90,000 square-foot club- house/grandstand and barns for 800 horses. The 120-acre property, which is located eight miles from downtown Prescott, was purchased out of federal bankruptcy court for $3.22 mil- lion. The new owners plan to invest millions more in improvements on the facility.
“This track is a real gem,” Tom Auther said. “Yavapai Downs is a great structure that will be a fun place to offer summertime horse
racing in Arizona with all the amenities, at- tractions and great summer temperatures as- sociated with Prescott.”
Johnsen has a long history in opening and reopening racetracks. His roots in racing took hold in Arizona, where he worked as a back- stretch groom while attending Arizona State University, and his first job out of college was working at Turf Paradise in Phoenix in market- ing and public relations.
“The Arizona horse racing scene holds great sentimental value for me, and it’s very gratifying to be part of re-establishing a year-round rac- ing circuit,” Johnsen said. “We look forward to improving purses for all the hard-working horse- men, encouraging the Arizona-bred program that has produced so many solid runners and providing an entertaining product for the many dedicated horseplayers.
“I am honored to be a part of Yavapai Downs,” Johnsen continued. “I am very im- pressed with the JACOR Partners team, who are Arizona natives with a lifetime of experi- ence in the state in many business deals. Their commitment to making this happen has been extraordinary.”
Veteran racetrack executive Ann McGovern is the general manager. McGovern has been in senior management at Remington Park, Sam Houston Race Park and Ruidoso Downs. Den- nis Moore, the track superintendent at Santa Anita Park and Del Mar as well as an inter- national surface consultant, will oversee the renovation of the racing surface.
At press time, the Arizona Downs OTB opening in Prescott Valley was slated for July 13.
SPEEDHORSE, July 2018 13
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Linscott Photography