Page 96 - July 2017

Attendees at the first Hispanic Open Forum at the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale this year..
When Janet VanBebber trained racehorses, several of her grooms called her “Mama.” Her willingness to take care of and protect the people who worked for her resulted in a close bond between employer and employees.
“I miss my boys terribly,” said VanBebber, whose long and successful training career took her to the pinnacle of Quarter Horse racing. “When I retired from training, several of them had never worked for anybody else.”
While she may have left the backside, VanBebber’s heart has never forgotten the people who live and work there, many of whom are His- panic. Her new role as the American Quarter Horse Association’s Chief Racing Officer has given VanBebber a unique opportunity to help and support Hispanic members of the Quarter Horse racing industry like never before.
“I want people to understand that AQHA wants to be a value to them,” VanBebber said. “I’m reaching out, not just on customer service issues, but also on the big picture. How can we help you? I’m looking at some different things, like, are there labor issues we can help with?”
In addition to backside workers, horsemen from Mexico and South and Central America are well represented in the owner and trainer stand- ings at racetracks across the United States. VanBebber is reaching out to them, as well.
“I want to get a program going to encourage that particular demo- graphic to actually be a member of our association because of the things that we can do for them,” she said.
The first step came at the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale, where a Hispanic forum was held early one morning. Ruben Moreno, a bilingual steward from California, was one of the guests.
“Ruben talked about different things that the Hispanic community face on the backside of racing, and dealing with the regulators, and why it’s important to have an organization like ours helping them,” stated VanBebber.
New Forums
Target
Racing’s
Hispanic
Community
by Sue Zuber
The forum proved to be popular, with more than 50 people in at- tendance in Oklahoma City. The success of that first effort resulted in the scheduling of a second Hispanic Open Forum on Saturday, July 29, during the Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale in San Antonio, Texas.
“It is my desire to pay attention and make sure that we’re taking care of their needs,” said VanBebber, who will be at the TQHA Yearling Sale to emcee the forum, which starts at 9 a.m.
Translators will be available during the forum, where discussion items will include the impact Hispanic involvement has on the American Quar- ter Horse racing industry, how AQHA can better serve the Hispanic com- munity, and the current benefits AQHA offers its members. Coffee and donuts will be provided.
“We invite Hispanic owners, breeders, trainers, and enthusiasts to join us for this Open Forum,” VanBebber said. “We want to make sure all of our members get the maximum benefit that AQHA can provide. We want to know how we can help you. Please come and have a voice.”
AQHA Manager of Racing Jessica Hanke, Betty Berge, AQHA Chief Racing Officer Janet VanBebber & Kara Delgado address the Hispanic Forum attendees at the 2017 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale.
94 SPEEDHORSE, July 2017