Page 14 - November 2016

Got Good News to Share?
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by Jennifer K. Hancock
Boo!
The Los Alamitos Halloween Carnival once again highlighted extreme creativity and showcased fun at
Los Alamitos Race Course on Oct. 22. The $700 top prize went to Kimberly Isom. The 4-year-old Anaheim, California, resident won with her Caterpillar in a Fruit Tray costume, that was created by her family. The tot popped in and out of the bright red apple and her big smile radiating from behind her lime green face paint captured the judges’ votes. Isom is one of the youngest overall winners in the event’s history. The costume contest consisted of seven different age divisions with more than 300 entries in total. Like trials for high-stakes futurity, all division winners advanced to the grand-prize final. Isom won the division for 3-4 year olds. The other division winners were: Jael Torres from Long Beach in the 2 and under division; Cody Kellogg of Cypress, California, in the 5-6 division; Haluka Nasu of Tustin, California, in the 7-8 division; Julie Rocks of Anaheim, California, in the 9-11 division; Cecilia Vega of Cypress, California, in the 12-14 division; and Marcella Castro of Anaheim, California, in the 15 and up division. The contest benefitted the Cypress Boys & Girls Club and the Los Alamitos Race Track Chaplaincy.
HialeaH’s Racing Remains in DouBt
The Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, which has represented horsemen at the Hialeah Park Quarter Horse meet since the inaugural meet in 2009, continues to fight the track’s plans to associate with the newly formed horsemen’s group, the South Florida Quarter Horse Association, and to change its annual race dates.
FQHRA president Ron Smith sent the following letter to the association’s membership following court hearings in late October regarding the Hialeah changes:
“The hearing concerning the recognition
of South Florida Quarter Horse Association
as the group representing the majority of the horsemen racing at Hialeah was finally heard last Tuesday and Wednesday before Judge Lawrence
P Stevenson. SFQHA is a one member group
that was incorporated on March 14, 2016, the afternoon before the slots and card room licenses were released for the 2016/2017 fiscal year. Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, the horsemen’s group that has represented the horsemen since 2009 and in over $30 million in purse contracts, challenged that recognition of SFQHA by the Florida DBPR/PMW.
“We were able to fully lay out the pertinent facts of our case and the next step will be to
begin working on laying out our legal position
and objections in more detail in the post-hearing submittals to the judge. The transcripts have 10 days post hearing to be compiled and the attorneys have 15 days after that to submit their briefs to the judge. Judge Stevenson should give his decision within 30 days of receiving the briefs. Therefore, the final decision should be heard sometime in December, 2016.
“Butch Wise, AQHA Executive (Committee) member and FQHRA director, along with Bill White, FHBPA President, and Steve Fisch, DVM FQHRA member and director testified on behalf of FQHRA. As President of the FQHRA, I was in attendance at the hearing.
“We look forward to hearing Judge Stevenson’s decision so we can get on with the business of providing quality racing opportunities for our members and providing the economic engine that the breeding and racing industry provides to the state of Florida in both taxes and spin off industries such as truck and trailer sales, construction projects, farriers, trainers, CPA’s, veterinarians,
feed sales and many other industries that support AQHA and TB breeding and racing.
“With a favorable decision, our next step would be to work on the racing dates for this fiscal year (ends June 30) and to get the contract signed
that FQHRA and AQHA presented to Hialeah in September 2015. We feel there is no doubt FQHRA represents the majority of the horsemen who race at Hialeah. This situation and decision will affect the entire racing industry across the country.
“Thank you for your continued patience and support while FQHRA works through this obstacle for you.”
Send photos and news items to jennifer_k_hancock@hotmail.com.
The MonTh in review
12 SPEEDHORSE, November 2016
Track chaTTer