Page 69 - January 2022

May 17
HUFFHINES DEPARTS AQHA,
PIERCE NAMED INTERIM VP
American Quarter Horse Association Executive Vice President Craig Huffhines, who has been with the
board: Karen Darling Falgoust and Leigh Perry for the Central District; D. Michael Hayes, North District; Kenny Patton and Jerome Ballard for the South Central District; Dutcher Jumonville, Jimmie Hatcher and
YEAR in 202 REVIEW 1
JUNE
June 9
Michael Weiss Named GM at Arizona Downs
AQHA for six years, left the association to pursue an opportunity in the equine and livestock industry. The new Interim Executive Vice President will be AQHA Chief Legal Counsel Chad Pierce, who has been with the Association for over 12 years.
May 20
KRISSY BAMBERG NEW OQHRA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Krissy Bamberg was named Executive Director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association following the resignation of Kole Kennemer, who held the position since 2019 following the death
of longtime director Debbie Schauf. Bamberg, the daughter of Schauf,
grew up in the Quarter Horse industry and worked alongside her mother at the OQHRA for 20 years.
May 28
CLASS 3 DRUGS IN 6 OF 10 SAM HOUSTON FUTURITY QUALIFIERS
Hair testing performed on qualifiers to the Grade 1 Sam Houston Futurity found six positive results for either Clenbuterol and/or Albuterol, both prohibited in Texas, as well as two inconclusive and two negative results. Based on this, Sam Houston Race Park conducted the race as a non-wagering event with participants competing for purse money only. Only 3 horses competed in the event, which was won by BH Inxs. Sam Houston Race Park will no longer accept entries from those trainers whose horses tested positive.
2021 LQHBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association announced their new board members and officers for 2021, with Bruce Salard serving as Executive Director. The 2021 Board Officers are President Kirt Chaisson, 1st Vice President Riley Blanchet, 2nd Vice President Dr. Larry Findley, and Secretary/Treasurer Leigh Perry. The new board members include Lyle Guillory for the Central District and Brandon Trahan for the South Central District. They join the current
Riley Blanchet for the South East District; and Bobbi Randle, Larry Findley DVM and Kirt Chaisson for the South West District.
MICHAEL WEISS NAMED GM AT ARIZONA DOWNS
Longtime racing industry leader Michael Weiss has been named the new General Manager
at Arizona Downs, leading the return to live racing and preparations to restore the track. Weiss most recently
was the GM at Rillito Park, and previously held positions at numerous tracks from starter to executive vice president. He pioneered the PRISE educational program for the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP).
BOBBY NEUMAN NEW PRAIRIE MEADOWS
TRACK ANNOUNCER
Prairie Meadows has hired veteran race caller Bobby Neuman as track announcer for their 2021 live horse racing season that began April 30 and runs through Sept. 25. Former Prairie Meadows announcer Ken Miller handled race calling for the first two days of the meet, as Neuman fulfilled his commitment to work the May 7 Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs for Horse Racing Radio Network. Neuman earned his Business Administration degree through the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program and has called races since the early 1990’s at tracks such as Los Alamitos, Churchill Downs, Calder Race Course, Thistledown, and many other facilities.
ROB TUEL NEW EVANGELINE DOWNS
TRACK ANNOUNCER
Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel has hired Rob Tuel as track announcer to replace Michael Chamberlain, who has held the position for six years. Tuel, who began calling races in 2004 at Eureka Downs in Kansas, will also handicap each race program and host the daily simulcast show.
TWO-YEAR-OLD GETTINGAFTERIT SETS NTR
In just her second start, two-year-old filly Gettingafterit (A Revenant-Seperate Secrets, Separatist) broke her maiden while setting a 250- yard New Track Record in a $16,000 maiden race at Canterbury Park. The brown filly crossed the wire 1 1/4-lengths in front, clocking in at :12.882 for a 119 speed index. The previous record of :12.914 was set in 2012. Gettingafterit is bred, owned and trained by Dean F. Frey and was ridden by Ry Eikleberry.
Pictured: Andrea Rodriguez, Orlando Mojica, Sammy Bermudez, Joshua Morales, Jeison Gotay, Owen Morales, Joe Ramo, and Edgar Morales.
June 24
PUERTO RICO WINS WORLD JOCKEY
CHALLENGE AT INDIANA GRAND
Puerto Rico scored their first World Jockey Challenge title at Indiana Grand, besting the
other participating countries to win the seventh annual event. The entire group of seven jockeys from Puerto Rico contributed to their combined score of 36 points, and included riders Joe Ramos, Sammy Bermudez, Jeison Gotay, Andrea Rodriguez, Orlando Mojica, Joshua Morales and Edgar Morales. Mexico finished second with 25 points, the U.S. in third with 17 points, and Panama fourth with 16 points. The other countries participating were Chile, Peru, Jamaica and Ireland. Team Puerto Rico was honored with the World Jockey Challenge trophy during a special winner’s circle presentation.
RETAMA PARK SELLS PORTION OF LAND
University Health in Selma, Texas, has purchased 42.5 acres of land from Retama Park that will change the track grounds. The property includes the north section of the visitor parking lot and several of the horse stables on the west section, with the option to acquire more land that includes the remaining stables on the west section. The sale was reported to be in excess of $11.5 million.
SPEEDHORSE January 2022 67
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse
Coady Photography
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse