The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) has named Florida HBPA Executive Director Kent Stirling to its Racing Integrity and Drug Testing Task Force. During its April 19 meeting, the National HBPA's Executive Committee unanimously endorsed Stirling's nomination.

"The officers of the National HBPA and I all agree - as do many of our colleagues in the racing industry - that Kent brings a valuable body of knowledge and experience to the table in the area of medication and testing," commented National HBPA Executive Director Remi Bellocq.

Stirling has been executive director of the Florida HBPA since 1995, and he has served as chairperson of the National HBPA Medication Committee for the past five years. From 1976 through 1995, Stirling conditioned horses in the eastern U.S. and Canada, including the multiple stakes winner Nijinsky's Secret.

In addition to the task force post, Stirling also will sit on the newly named United States Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.