Page 8 - New Mexico Horse Breeders 2019 Stallion Register

FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Members,
I hope everyone is doing well and that you
all have been encouraged by the purse increases
at Zia Park. Along with the increases in the horsemen’s purse money, the breeders have been able to increase our contributions to both stake
and overnight races. Also, Matt Crawford has accommodated us with more breed overnight races. I’ve heard more than one person wishing they had more breeds to run there.
In this letter, I want to focus on the number of foals that are being produced for the New Mexico breed program. If we examine the issues facing the New Mexico breed program, two distinct facts are at the forefront of every discussion. When looking at the racing opportunities in the state, we are
not producing enough thoroughbred foals and
we definitely are not producing enough quality thoroughbred foals. These registered foal numbers fall short by fifty percent or maybe even more. Our current thoroughbred foal crop is around 500 per year and we have been as high as 945. To see that we don’t have enough quality foals, just look at the number of breed stakes races that don’t fill.
The problem for quarter horse foals is very different. While we produce slightly more quarter
EVENTS & DEADLINES:
horse foals, the number of racing opportunities is fewer and more limited, especially at the tracks with the most purse money. The reduced number of racing opportunities, particularly for older quarter horses, has become the limiting factor for the number of Quarter Horse foals being raised.
After discussing these facts, the board decided to convene an open forum to discuss the possibilities for increasing our Thoroughbred foal crop and ways to improve the quality of our foals. While most believe we have a number of quality stallions standing in the state, the common belief is that the quality of our mares is lacking. This is not to say that we don’t have some high quality mares, but that we need more of them.
We held an open forum on Oct. 3 and invited a number of breeders. Susie Prather joined the Thoroughbred trustees and brought some good perspectives from a prominent breeding farm. The forum was limited to two questions –1) what can we do to increase our Thoroughbred foal crop? and 2) what can we do to improve the quality of our mares? The following ideas were tossed out and discussed:
• Allow a foal from a broodmare purchased
The discussion with all of these ideas included requirements for a mare to remain here and to be bred to a New Mexico stallion in subsequent years. Other discussion included charging a reasonable fee for the privilege and a possible “sunset” of any change after a given time.
We have subsequently received other ideas from a survey and will continue to look at any and all options. Because ultimately, assuming the goal is to improve our thoroughbred program, we have to increase the number and quality of mares in the state that participate.
I detail all of this because I want you all to know that these discussions are ongoing and we recognize that the role of the board is to ensure the breed program is the best possible. We are serious about moving the program forward and will continue to assess where we are.
As for the quarter horse program, we have a committee of four board members that are doing a similar assessment. They will report back to the next board meeting.
So now I have two questions for you:
1) Do you agree that everyone should evaluate proposals based on what is good for the breed program and not necessarily what is best for their own interest? (This is not necessarily mutually exclusive but sometimes diverges in the short-term.) 2) When the issues are so different, should the
rules be exactly the same for Quarter Horses as for Thoroughbred? (We hear this all of the time and the only reason I’ve ever heard is that it’s always been this way.)
We’ll talk further! Happy holidays to you all! Sincerely,
Ralph W. Vincent
in foal from out of the state to be eligible for New Mexico Bred status if the new owner of the broodmare is a New Mexico resident;
• Allow a New Mexico broodmare to be bred outside of the state every other year;
• Allow NM broodmares to be bred out of state once in a lifetime;
• Have split meets with a meet for each breed at each track; (this is not under our control but worthy of more discussion);
• Increase incentive awards; (we are already providing over $10M annually);
• Help to improve conception rates; (we are discussing ways to help here); and
January 9, 2019 ............ 2019 Dues must be received in order to vote at our Annual Meeting.
January 15, 2019..........60 Day Legislative Session begins. January 17, 2019 .......... Tentative Date for the New Mexico Racing
Commission Meeting. Contact (505) 222-0700. January 24, 2019..........Annual Meeting at the Marriott Hotel.
2101 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM.
February 21, 2019 ........
March 16, 2019 ............ March 21, 2019 ............
Tentative Date for the New Mexico Racing Commission Meeting Contact (505) 222-0700. Legislative Session Ends.
Tentative Date for the New Mexico Racing Commission Meeting. Contact (505) 222-0700.
• Don’t change anything and let the numbers increase as they will.
Dates & Locations are subject to change.
For more information, contact NMHBA at (505) 262-0224 or www.nmhorsebreeders.com.
Submit applications for New Mexico Breds form 100 with postmark no later than Dec. 31, 2018. All horses age on Jan. 1st and the fees go up as they age. Current membership is required when registering horses.
6 New Mexico Horse Breeder