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Eric Hamelback (Photo by Denis Blake) Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA, told an assembly of track superintendents Tuesday that simply piling on more regulations will not make racing safer and that it is hamstringing the very horsemanship that is needed now more than ever. Hamelback further said that unsoundness doesn’t “just start at the [...]
Recently, an official with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority confirmed that the Authority is considering a rule change to allow it to shut down racetracks even when there is no ongoing health and safety violation. In response, National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback released the following statement: “The National HBPA supports a robust investigation of [...]
From Doug Daniels, DVM, and President of the National HBPA: In the wake of the tragedies at Churchill Downs, along with the drastic move to relocate an active race meet, I feel compelled to make a statement that clarifies and reiterates the position of the National HBPA. HBPA affiliates and our horsemen are advocates for [...]
The organizers of Track Superintendent Field Day have established a diverse agenda with many noted industry participants set to speak at the annual event set for June 11-13 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Registration is now open for the gathering, which is free to attend for track superintendents and staff. For more than 20 years, Track Superintendent [...]
Invaluable winning last fall's $100,000 Claiming Crown Glass Slipper at Churchill Downs under Luis Saez. Photo by Gwen Davis/Davis Innovation The mare Invaluable has been selected as the 2022 Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, her name neatly summing up the hard-knocking warhorses that populate America’s racing cards largely out of the limelight. Trainer Mike [...]
For the past two years, we've heard nonstop from the other side of the HISA debate that our lawsuit was frivolous, ill-intended, and a waste of time. At every turn, we have said our goal is simple: to ensure that the regulations that govern our industry are in line with the Constitution. Earlier this [...]
The 2023 Claiming Crown will be staged for the first time since 2011 at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 2, announced Claiming Crown co-founders National HBPA and TOBA along with the Fair Grounds. The event will feature eight races totaling $1 million in base purses, headlined by [...]
National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback response to Gagliano’s statement: While we will not respond in a tit-for-tat with The Jockey Club, we want to make one thing abundantly clear. That is to quote the Authority's own statement in response to these tragic deaths last week: "Churchill Downs has been cooperating with HISA since its inception and [...]
Statement from Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association (HBPA), and Daniel Suhr, lead attorney representing the National HBPA and 12 of its affiliates, on the ruling today from the Northern District of Texas at Lubbock that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) is constitutional. “We’ve been down this road before. After a loss in the district court, we [...]
Students in UofL’s Equine Industry Program get real-world experience through internships, field experience and contact with industry professionals from throughout Kentucky’s famed horse country. (Photo courtesy University of Louisville) As the world’s eyes turn to Louisville’s Churchill Downs in anticipation of this week’s Kentucky Derby, the city’s hometown university highlights its decades-long [...]