EVERYONE URGED TO GET FRIENDS TO SUPPORT TEXAS HORSE
AUSTIN, TX—JANUARY 26, 2009—The Texas horse industry is losing horses, jobs, and money to neighboring states because their governments have provided better opportunities to our horsemen than are available here in Texas.
These opportunities exist only because these surrounding states offer alternative gaming at their racetracks, which provide funds for increased purses and equine industry stimulation programs. Texas needs to act now before it is too late. By supporting this bill, Texas HORSE is asking the Texas legislature for a chance to compete on a fair and even field of play with our competitor states.
Revenue generated by these gaming machines will be used to enhance the Texas equine industry by making purses and incentives more competitive with those of other states, dedicating funds to improve racetrack facilities to specifically better the live racing experience, and creating benevolence programs for backstretch workers, owners, breeders, and jockeys. These funds will also be used to supplement equine research and equine adoption programs.
There will be a bill presented to the state legislature this year that takes a unique approach to the funds generated from alternative gaming. A Performance Horse Development Fund will be created. This fund will provide help for anyone involved with a horse - not just racehorses. Some of these funds will go to help organizations who provide horse therapy to disabled children.
Texas HORSE is unprecedented in its size and scope in that there has never existed such a grouping of diverse, multi-disciplined horse organizations to support a single cause. Their mission is to introduce and pass legislation in the coming year that will that will allow Texas to regain and maintain its position as a national leader in all things related to horses.
The bill we support will allow the limited installation of video lottery gaming machines at licensed Texas racetracks. The bill’s sponsors will be announced once the 2009 legislative session commences. This bill is necessary to preserve the Texas horse industry.
Everyone is urged to go to www.texashorseweb.com and enter your information at the bottom of the home page where it says click here to help. Forward this link and information to all of your friends.
Non-racing breeds will also receive funding from video gaming revenue. Through the “Performance Horse Development Fund,” Texas members of the AQHA, APHA, and NCHA can look forward to improved incentive programs, additional added money classes, better awards and a more comprehensive array of broad based State programs. In addition, a Texas based incentive fund will be established as a competitive grant program for horse organizations and events based in the state of Texas. This fund will attract, retain, encourage, and make more lucrative the breeding, raising, training, and exhibition of the performance horses in Texas.
