Dr. Andy Roberts (Photo by Denis Blake) Dr. Andy Roberts, a long-time racetrack veterinarian in Kentucky, believes testing horses for illegal drugs outside of a race can be an important step in getting rule-breakers out of the game. However, he does not want to see horsemen asked for a muscle biopsy, hoof trimming [...]
Louisiana HBPA Election Notice-- The ballots for the Louisiana HBPA 2017 election have been mailed. For your ballot to be counted, your ballot must be received at the designated post office box by Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at 11:00AM CDST. If you need a replacement ballot, please call MK Election Services at 209-259-6740 ext. 4 [...]
Racing has undergone a transformative change since grandstand and backside telephones were locked during the races for fear people would bet through bookmakers. Wagering on mobile devices today is Thoroughbred racing’s clear growth leader. But the challenge is how to gain enough purse revenue from betting through the Advance Deposit Waging platforms that have siphoned [...]
Be it working with tracks or regulators, discussion on Wednesday’s first day of the National HBPA Convention centered on partnerships horsemen can forge to improve the sport for everyone. “By working together, we can improve the sport and generate more revenue,” said keynote speaker Corey Johnsen, himself a horse owner and breeder as well as [...]
National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback and Dr. Steven A. Barker, one of the world’s foremost experts in equine drug testing and research, have written an important open letter to the industry on environmental contamination. The letter begins, "On behalf of owners and trainers in every jurisdiction, we would like to address comments made during a [...]
Senator Steve West (left) with National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback Kentucky equine-industry participants and supporters got the chance to emphasize the important impact horses have on the state and local economies during visits with state legislators on Wednesday’s KEEP Day in Frankfort organized by the Kentucky Equine Education Project. Several dozen stake-holders in [...]
From left to right: Megan Lapp, Zoetis; Dr. David Marshall; Lauren Zagnit, New Start; Sandee Martin, PA HBPA president; Todd Mostoller, PA HBPA executive director. New Start, the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolence and Protective Association (PA HBPA) retired racehorse re-homing program, was named grand prize winner in the Zoetis Equine Charity Sweepstakes. The equine [...]
Turfway Park and the Kentucky HBPA are teaming up March 3 for Happy Hour Handicapping, an interactive event where people who love racing, horses or just a good time can learn the basics of playing the races and take a first look at Kentucky Derby contenders. The free event is part of that week’s Rockin’ [...]
New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program announced today that the Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) has donated $50,000 to support the program’s aftercare efforts at their Ohio facility. In 2016, New Vocations took in over 450 retired racehorses, 66 of which came directly from an Ohio racetrack or farm. “It is important to the [...]
Charismatic (Photo by Shigeki Yusa) Posted: 2/19/17 From Old Friends news release Dual classic winner and 1999 Horse of the Year Charismatic has died. The 20-year-old stallion, who returned to the United States from the JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan on December 4, 2016, was pensioned at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement [...]