At a joint meeting of the Texas Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (THBPA) and the Texas Thoroughbred HBPA, Inc. (TTHBPA) in Austin on Monday, October 1, Connie Nobles was unanimously elected Chairperson of the Texas Horsemen's Partnership (THP) for the coming year. The THP is the officially recognized organization by the Texas Racing Commission responsible for representing owners and trainers of all breeds of racehorses running in Texas.

Mrs. Nobles is the current president of the THBPA, of which she has been a board member for the past three years. She has involved herself in all aspects of the THP and has been a driving force to unite the various horsemen's groups to speak with one voice. She is also very active with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA), as well as being a supporter and advocate of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA).

Mrs. Nobles succeeds John Roark, who was just elected president of the National HBPA. The THP elects a chairperson for a one-year term, alternating between the THBPA and the TTHBPA each year.

In other business, the THP voted to form a Political Action Committee (PAC) and begin generating funds to educate our political leaders about our industry and elevate the perception of horse racing in the minds of the general public. This effort comes on the heels of the recent formation of the Texas Racing Agri-Industry Council (TRAC), which is an industry-wide coalition developed to pursue legislative initiatives that will hopefully bring new sources of money to horsemen's purse accounts and racetracks. The THP's PAC will be aimed at complimenting the efforts and recent achievements of TRAC. All horsemen will be receiving information about the goals and objectives of this exciting program in the near future, along with ways in which everyone can participate and make a positive change.

Also discussed in the joint meeting was a proposed agreement between the various horse and dog tracks that would generate approximately $430,000 in additional revenue to the horsemen's purse accounts from wagering on cross-species signals. Cross-species wagering is the act of wagering on horse racing at dog racetracks, and vice-versa. Currently, the horsemen receive a certain percentage under the state's Racing Act, and this new agreement will enhance that allocation and create a more fair distribution of money for horsemen.

The next meeting of the Texas Horsemen's Partnership has been tentatively set for the middle of November.