Page 22 - SpeedhorseMarch2021

TRACK CHATTER
THE MONTH IN REVIEW
by Jennifer K. Hancock
Bob and Jerry Gaston
LOZANO CONGRATULATES GASTONS
In January, I received an email from Jesse Lozano that made me smile, and I wanted to share.
The following is Jesse’s email with the subject line: Bob and Jerry Gaston, and my response.
Never has there ever been a more deserving couple like the Gastons. Class will tell and let me tell you the cream has risen.
This is a God-fearing couple who love the Lord and their beautiful family.
Have I mentioned they have horses that exemplify the dedication and hard labor they put into the high-quality bloodlines they have acquired over
the years? The sun has shined over Gaston country.
God bless my friends. Jesse Lozano, CC, TX
Jesse:
Thanks for your note, and I com-
pletely agree! I am so happy for the Gastons and their Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, Dulce Sin Tacha! I had the honor many years ago to meet Jerry and Bob at the Elgin Vet Clinic to do a story on their miracle mare, First Tea Rose. They told the story of Heath Taylor riding in the trailer from Sam Houston Race Park with First Tea Rose. I knew that day how dedi- cated each of these individuals are to the horses in their care, so it definitely made me smile to see these connections landing at the top during the 2020 AQHA awards ceremony. Our industry needs more own- ers and breeders like the Gastons!
INDIANA GRAND TO HOST 2022 BANK OF AMERICA CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
In February, Indiana Grand Racing & Casino announced the Bank of America Challenge Championships will be heading to the in Shelbyville, Indiana, track in 2022. This will be the track’s first time to host the American Quarter Horse Association event.
“We are thrilled to partner with Indiana Grand to host this championship event,”
said AQHA Chief Racing Officer Janet VanBebber. “This racetrack and its leader- ship have welcomed horsemen and promoted American Quarter Horse racing, and we look forward to the opportunity to host the 2022 Bank of America Challenge Championships at a new and growing venue.”
Indiana Grand will become one of only
10 racetracks in history to host the Bank of America Challenge Championships. The program, operated by the American Quarter Horse Association, offers stakes races held
in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, and the horses that qualify through these races are invited to the season-ending Challenge Championships. The program pro- vides almost $3 million in purses every year.
Indiana Grand has seen its product grow year-over-year, with a 5.3 percent increase in purses and a 35 percent jump in handle in the past five years. The track had the fifth-highest average handle per race for all Quarter Horse tracks in the country at $110,819.
“Being able to expand our American Quarter Horse program to include the Bank of America Challenge Championship elevates our entire racing operations in
Indiana,” said Eric Halstrom, Indiana Grand vice president and general manager of racing. “This challenge will shine a spotlight on our ever-growing American Quarter Horse industry and grant many of our
local horsemen the opportunity to partici- pate on a national level. We are excited to partner with AQHA on this endeavor and look forward to welcoming new American Quarter Horse participants and fans into Indiana for the first time in the history of the Challenge.”
To learn more about the Bank of America Racing Challenge, visit www.aqha.com/ bank-of-america-racing-challenge.
“This challenge will shine a spotlight on our ever-growing American Quarter Horse industry and grant many of our local horsemen the opportunity to participate on a national level.”
Got Good News to Share?
Do you have a positive story that you’d like to share?
Send photos and news items to jennifer_k_hancock@hotmail.com.
20 SPEEDHORSE March 2021