Houston, Texas (January 28, 2011) - On Friday, January 28, the Texas Thoroughbred HBPA held a backside horsemen’s meeting at Sam Houston Race Park (SHRP).  Every other week during live racing, the horsemen’s committee at the track meets with track management to discuss issues of importance to horsemen and to receive updates on the current meet.  Any licensed member of the TTHBPA may attend these bi-monthly meetings.   Issues discussed this week were:  stall allocation, increasing the time of training hours on Mondays, and legislative efforts.

Horsemen were reminded that they must have adequate funds in their horsemen’s account prior to the deduction of start and entry fees. 

Lone Star Park (LSP) will open its stable area for horsemen to begin moving in on Monday, March 14, and the track will be open for training on Thursday, March 17.  Horsemen will be charged $6.00 per stall per day rent until March 26.  Horsemen must contact Bart Lang before plans are made to move into barns at LSP.   SHRP has agreed to work with thoroughbred horsemen during the two day gap between SHRP’s move out date and the opening of the LSP backside.   Please contact SHRP’s race office to make arrangements.

Following the horsemen’s meeting, the TTHBPA held its first board meeting of the year.

The board welcomed newly elected director, Jerry Durant, who will serve a three-year term as an owner director.

Jan Haynes was re-elected as president, Dr. Richard Weilburg received the vote for vice president, and Kathy Stephens-Arnold was voted in as secretary/treasurer.

Jan Haynes, Dr. Weilburg, and Bret Calhoun will serve as TTHBPA representatives on the Texas Horsemen’s Partnership’s Management Committee for 2011.

Eric Johnston and Andrea Young of SHRP were guests at the meeting and provided updates on the current Thoroughbred meet, as well as a detailed legislative update.

Board members were provided with information concerning Texas H.O.R.S.E. and its legislative initiative.  After the Texas H.O.R.S.E. meeting in Austin on February 3, there will be updates to the board concerning the grass roots effort, as well as a calendar of upcoming events.

The Texas Racing Commission continues its search for a permanent executive director to take the helm after the resignation of CharlaAnn King in November. The selection of a highly qualified candidate is vital as the ownership transfer of Lone Star Park is still in limbo and the application for transfer of 50% ownership of the three Maxxam tracks is still ongoing. The TTHBPA will not endorse a single applicant, but instead will correspond with the TxRc selection committee, outlining qualifications that are clearly important in the selection of a final applicant. 

Lane Hutchins, former TTHBPA director, was appointed by the board to serve a one-year term as the tenth director as outlined in the TTHBPA By-Laws.