Page 14 - 28 December 2012

Somewhere between all of the shopping and eating and wrapping and unwrapping comes a time for quiet reflection.
by Stacy Pigott
For the past 20 years or so, the thing that has signaled the true start of the holiday season for me hasn’t been Thanksgiving or the first day
of winter or even Black Friday. No, the thing that signals Christmas time to me is when they run the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos. I was lucky enough to be in Southern California again this year to watch the toughest older horses in the nation compete in one of the best races of the year. And naturally, when the race was over, my thoughts turned to the holidays.
As I write this, there are seven shopping days left until Christmas. By the time you read this, Christmas will have come and gone, and we’ll all be ringing in the New Year. Somewhere between all of the shop- ping and eating and wrapping and unwrapping and caroling and visiting and celebrating comes a time for quiet reflection. It happens every year, as memories
of Christmases past bring a smile to my face or a tear to my eye, while the bright hope of the New Year dangles in front of me.
As I think back at 2012 in Quarter Horse racing,
it saddens me that some of the first things to come to mind are the problems our industry has faced this year. We all got an education on Mexico’s drug cartels when federal agencies busted an alleged money laundering ring operating within our industry. We increased our knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry when we read up on such equine drugs as ractopamine, zilpa- terol and dermorphin. And while the problems were nationwide, Oklahoma seemed to be hit the hardest. The majority of the federal government’s investigation of the Los Zetas operation centered around one ranch in Oklahoma. And several Oklahoma horsemen were rumored to have positive dermorphin tests, while the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission took flak for not releasing the names of the horses or horsemen nor the results of the tests in question.
Most recently, the Tulsa County Public Facility Authority (TCPFA) tried their best to end live racing at Fair Meadows, and in the beginning, they suc- ceeded. Horsemen were blindsided as the TCPFA concealed their intent by listing an item, “Creek Nation Naming Right Agreement,” on their Nov.
1 meeting agenda. A little-known provision of that agreement was the end of live racing at Fair Meadows.
Once horsemen found out the details of the Creek Nation Naming Rights Agreement, the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association and
the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma joined forces and began an effort to have the TCPFA’s previous vote reversed. In spite of obvious errors made by the TCPFA regarding requirements of the Public Meeting Act and after exposing their lack of transpar- ency surrounding their decision to end racing, they again voted on Dec. 6 to move forward with the Creek Nation Naming Rights Agreement that would result in Oklahoma horsemen losing 400 races per year. In addition, Creek Nations Chief George Tiger made public statements that his tribe, along with the Osage and Cherokee tribes, would no longer be responsible for contributing $6-8 million per year into the horse- men’s purse account as compacts require them to do.
It was a bleak situation that had horsemen out- raged. Few, however, thought they could effectively fight the powers that be and win the battle raging around Fair Meadows live racing.
But then a wondrous thing happened. (No,
a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer didn’t appear.) Working together, the OQHRA and the TROA put out a call to action, encouraging horsemen to get involved. And get involved they did! A group called Equestrians United To Save Fair Meadows met and discussed their options. Horsemen showed up
at TCPFA meetings and voiced their opinions. They called the Governor’s Office. They sent e-mails. They spread the word on Facebook.
And they won. Justice prevailed, and horsemen were vindicated for their perseverance and hard work. The TCPFA reversed their earlier decisions, and Oklahoma horsemen got an early Christmas present when live rac- ing was guaranteed at Fair Meadows in 2013.
Sometimes, the best Christmas gifts can’t be wrapped in paper and tied with a bow. Sometimes, the best Christmas gifts are the ones where we give of ourselves—getting involved, helping others, standing up for what is right. Because it always comes back to us tenfold, as it did in Oklahoma.
All in all, the Fair Meadows controversy turned out to be one of my favorite Christmas stories ever— at least in the Quarter Horse racing industry. It rallies my spirit and lightens my soul to be ushering in the New Year on such a positive note. And so it is my Christmas wish for you that we can put the struggles of 2012 behind us and look forward to 2013 with hope in our hearts, carrying the season’s gifts of good- will and cheer with us all year long. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
AN EARLY GIFT
A favorable outcome for Fair Meadows.
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SPEEDHORSE, December 28, 2012
UNDER WRAPS