Page 150 - April 2016

MMVS Program Temporarily Suspended
The Multiple Medication Violation System (MMVS) has been temporar-
ily suspended after the AQHA Executive Committee determined it appropriate to con- duct a thorough evaluation of the program and how to best address medication abuse in the racing industry. There will be no MMVS penalties issued for races that occurred prior to March 7 or during the evaluation period thereafter. During the suspension, AQHA will continue to collect medication violation data on Quarter Horses for the purpose of tracking violation trends as well as continue to employ the clenbuterol hair-testing pro- gram for the 2016 regional AQHA Challenge Races. Among the goals of the MMVS are
to provide a national tracking system of
drug violators, and to impose uniform and serious consequences for repeat violators
and violators who use forbidden drugs or historically abuse therapeutic medications. The MMVS evaluation will be conducted with the assistance of the AQHA Racing Council and AQHA Racing Committee to determine whether the MMVS as constituted is effective.
2015 AQHA Annual Report Released
The American Quarter Horse Association released its 2015 Annual Report, which contains complete statistics for AQHA membership, horse registrations and transfers, show and race statistics, the top 10 membership states, and much more. The report is available to download at www.aqha.com/annualreport.
Sierra Racing Wins 2016 Chariot Racing World Championship
On March 27 in the World Champion Cutter & Chariot Racing Association World Championships in Ogden, Utah, Sierra Racing won the 2016 World Championship title with their horses Paint Me A Winner and Tall Hero. This is the first World Championship title for owners Kelly and Kyle Cook as well as the first for veteran driver Larry Sanders. Sierra Racing earned their way to the World Championships through the Nebo Association, winning
their state division championship. Paint Me
A Winner (PYC Paint Your Wagon-My Girl Jessie, Mr Jess Perry), a 2011 gelding bred by Donald J. Friesen of Henderson, Nebraska,
is a 3-time race winner with a 93 speed index and $53,697 in earnings. He was a finalist in the 2013 West Texas Futurity-G1 and Hobbs America Futurity-G2 before moving to the chariots. Tall Hero (Valiant Hero-Shiv Katall, Shazoom), a 2011 gelding bred by Bob Moore Farms LLC of Norman, Oklahoma, is also a 3-time race winner with a 95 speed index and earnings of nearly $9,000.
Prairie Meadows EHV-1 Policy
Prairie Meadows has adopted a health policy in regards to EHV-1 effective for the 2016 racing season. The policy states that all horses must have a negative test for Theileria Equi within the last 365 days; no horses
will be admitted if they are coming from
a county or adjacent county with a facility that is under quarantine; horses must have
a current health certificate issued within 72 hours of arrival; and it is recommended that horsemen keep every horse on a current 90 day FDA approved EHV-1 vaccine or booster schedule. The Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission, the State Veterinarian, and Prairie Meadows will monitor the EHV-1 situation before finalizing a policy for EHV-1 for the Quarter Horse season, which runs from Aug. 20-Oct. 15.
New Funding Agreement for Alberta
The Alberta government on March 19 announced a 10-year agreement to continue funding the horse racing industry. Horse Racing Alberta (HRA) will receive a cut of the net revenue from slot machines at Alberta’s four racing locations. In previous years, the industry received about 52% of those gaming revenues. The new deal will begin at 50% this year and gradually reduce to 40% by 2018.
Ontario Government Extends Horse Racing Support
In the 2016 budget plan, the Ontario government announced its plans to continue support for Ontario’s horse racing industry. Detailed in the budget is an extension of the Horse Racing Partnership Plan for an addi- tional 2 years as well as a plan to develop
a “longer-term funding arrangement with
the industry.” The Quarter Racing Owners
of Ontario Inc. (QROOI) will continue to work with the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation, OMAFRA, Ontario Racing & the province to ensure that Quarter Horse racing remains part of the long term vision for horse racing in the province.
John Lies New Racing Secretary At WRD, FMT
Longtime Lone Star Park announcer
John Lies, 39, is the new racing secretary and announcer at both Will Rogers Downs and Fair Meadows in Oklahoma. Lies will continue as the announcer at Kentucky Downs and as simulcast host at Del Mar, but has resigned from his position at Lone Star Park. Lies has been the racecaller for the Thoroughbred meet at Will Rogers Downs for the past 3 years and will expand his role to racing secretary since Jesse Ullery, formerly in the position, is now based in Kentucky. The Quarter Horse meet at Fair Meadows opens June 9 and at Will Rogers Downs on Sept. 10.
KyQHA Elects New Board
At their January meeting and in antici- pation of a new sprint track to be built in
the next few years, the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association, Inc. (KyQHRA) elected a new board and executive commit- tee. The 2016 board members (executive committee) are Stuart Burns, DVM, Gerald Coltharp, Dick Connelley, DMD (presi- dent), Chuck Givens, Talmadge Hays, MD (vice-president), Norm Luba (treasurer), Graham Martin, Esq. (at-large), Tommy Short and Rich Wilcke (secretary). A partner- ship between the KyQHRA and the state affiliate of the AQHA was also created.
The “Kentucky Sprint Racing & Stock
Horse Alliance, LLP” was created, bringing together the two primary American Quarter Horse organizations in the Commonwealth, establishing reciprocal associate member- ships, and establishing a new Racing Council that gives representatives of Appaloosa and Paint racing interests the opportunity for input into issues and policies related to sprint racing. New bylaws were also adopted to ensure legal compliance with the KyQHRA’s role under State statutes and regulations.
Purcell Named AHC Unwanted Horse Coalition Director
Jennifer Purcell, Ph.D., has joined the American Horse Council (AHC) as Director of the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC). Among other things, Dr. Purcell will oversee communication efforts between UHC and the greater equine community, work closely with UHC members to enhance current and future efforts of the organization, and establish and cultivate new relationships with new UHC members and donors.
North Dakota ADW Handle Could Reach $600 Million
Total online wagers through North Dakota’s 12-licensed account deposit wager- ing (ADW) companies jumped over the
past 5 years, from around $82 million in 2011 to over $482 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, and generating more money for the state and horsemen. Account wagering bets have already reached $405 million during the first seven months of this fiscal year. These increases are attributed
to the state’s strict regulatory standards
that include ADW company background checks on principals and employees, attorney general’s office reviews, and independent monthly auditing. Bets are taxed at a rate
of .0025%, with the proceeds split between the state’s general fund, a breeders’ fund, a promotion fund that supports horse racing meets, and a purse fund.
148 SPEEDHORSE, April 2016
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