The Texas Thoroughbred HBPA, Inc. held its first meeting of the new Board of Directors on Tuesday, March 5, in Austin, Texas. Among the items of business conducted was the election of officers for 2002. Terry Blanton of Grand Prairie, Texas, was elected president for the next year. The Board also elected Sue O'Hara to the position of vice president and Tom Durant was elected secretary/treasurer.

Blanton had previously held the office of vice president and has been a member of the Board for over three years. Blanton is very active in horsemen's issues.

Additionally, the Board appointed former Texas Racing Commission Chairman Larry Christopher to serve in the Board's discretionary tenth position, as prescribed by the TTHBPA bylaws.

"I am confident that Mr. Christopher will be a huge asset to the organization as well as all Texas horsemen," commented Tommy Azopardi, executive director for the Texas Horsemen's Partnership." Azopardi added, "His position on issues heard by the Racing Commission always proved to be very respectful to the horsemen's concerns."

In other business, the Board voted to accept a petition from leaders of the Arabian industry to restructure the representation of the Texas Horsemen's Partnership and allow them to have representation on the TTHBPA Board of Directors. Currently, the Arabians are represented by the Texas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (THBPA), which primarily represents Quarter Horse matters.

"Since the Arabian race in Thoroughbred meets almost all of the time, it only made since to make sure that they have representation on the Board that negotiates on behalf of the horsemen running in those meets," stated newly elected TTHBPA President Terry Blanton. Blanton added, "We look forward to the reorganization and the input that the Arabian horsemen will bring to the table."

Details of the changes will handled by THP attorney Gene Palmer and TTHBPA past president David Arnold.

The Board of Directors also presented outgoing directors Mark Miller and Eluterio Martinez, Jr. with plaques to commemorate their service to the horsemen over the past three years during which they served on the Board. Even though Mark Miller is vacating the position of director, he honored the Board's request to chair a committee on political action.

The Board set the next regular meeting for April 9, 2002. It will be held at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.