Texas Thoroughbred Forum

General on-topic discussion.

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Bedouwia
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Postby Bedouwia » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:29 pm

Perhaps you can keep up informed about the LOPE charity horseshow here. I would especially be interested in the silent auction, if you plan to do that again. It is a very worthy cause and needs all the publicity you can get.

The TTA forum is officially gone. There is a message regarding technical issues. Too bad.

Roger, Uncle Abbie got another winner last Saturday with Uncle Rose. That's one for the home team.

Bedouwia

Strategic Maneuver
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Postby Strategic Maneuver » Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:18 pm

I cannot attend the horse show but am sending a check to show support of a wonderful organization. Hope we can be kept updated here on how it goes.

keyranch
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Postby keyranch » Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:15 pm

Scrappy Roo is in Saturday for 300k in the Texas mile. It will be interesting to see how he does back on the dirt.

Bedouwia
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Postby Bedouwia » Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:13 am

Scrappy Roo is the only Texas horse in this one. They handicapped him pretty hard, against very distinguished company. I hope nobody tells this big hearted guy that is a problem. It should be a great, if very tough, race.

Congratulations to Key Ranch on the win by the Uncle Abbie filly, Misty, and then later the very close second by Classie Baloo last night. It is very interesting that it took a Lemon Drop Kid filly to just nose out the Uncle Abbie filly, since the two sires are so close. Lone Star has drawn a lot of competition, but we are holding our own.

Bedouwia

lazyfranch
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Postby lazyfranch » Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:35 am

Thanks for your support of the LOPE show. We are going to have an on line auction that will continue at the show. I think Lynn hopes to have it online just after May 1st.

I will definitely come back and let you know how the show went. This year we are paying for a facility so that we could have a covered arena and better facilities. With the class sponsorships, that will cover the cost of the arena. Then anything else we bring in will go 100% to LOPE. We are all volunteers that run the show.

Thank you to anyone and everyone who helps out in their own way. The horses appreciate it!

Bedouwia
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Postby Bedouwia » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:14 am

I attended a meeting Friday at the TTA office to start the grassroots effort for our bills in the next legislative session next January. At this point, we are working on lists of supporters, which includes TTA members, friends, impacted businesses, etc. The lists will be used to inform people about the legislation, lobbying efforts, etc. The more people that can help with this, the better. If you are willing to help, please send me a PM, or contact Mary at the TTA office.

Bedouwia

Roger
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Postby Roger » Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:46 pm

Did any of our former forumites show up, it does look like it is going to be another good year for Abbie.

keyranch
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Postby keyranch » Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:37 am

Scrappy is better on the grass! I was wishing for rain when I saw the entries. Hats off to the connections, they did not back down and took home 8k for the effort.

The sunset committee has to be confused by the contradiction in testamoney and legislative effort. I hope they realize who's interests are being represented, and look at what people are doing and not what they are saying.

Bedouwia
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Postby Bedouwia » Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:58 am

Roger, those at the meeting were Theo, Jack, Dave, Mary, and myself. Not a very large number, but we are also the ones closest to Austin. They have made communication more difficult with the elimination of the forum.

There was to be a meeting on Monday with the Quarter Horse folks to finalize the handout information for the legislation. I have not yet seen any results.

KeyRanch, I have lost track of what is happening with the Sunset Commission, beyond their report. The current opinion of the TTA is that it will not harm our overall case and that the greater unity between the different horse groups will help us this session. Until we actually know who ends up being in the legislature, and who is on the key committees, it may be difficult to judge. In my opinion, the Sunset report could be used either way?

Bedouwia

Roger
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Postby Roger » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:29 am

Thanks for the update, I'm still not happy with TTA's excuse for doing away with the forum and I'm betting that the lack of hits on their web page will impact advertising. It seems that the membership is expected to do as the board wants and when we (past member) question them, they don't pay attention and they don't really want to know how we feel. I've tried several times to get surveys to be conducted on the web page, but non were ever put up. I concluded that that they know what we want, but it doesn't fit their agenda so we needed to be quieted. I really feel that racino's are a temp. fix and in the long run, they will destroy racing.

jellac
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Postby jellac » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:27 pm

Couldn't agree with you more Roger about Racinos being a short term solution that will ultimately destroy racing. What happens when all states have slots at the tracks - do we start a new round of competition to 'catch up' with the ones that will lead with 'full scale table games' at the tracks?

All the money and energy that has/is going into that effort when what I would like to see is more effort/plans on how to attract Texans regularly to the track for it's inherent value as an entertainment option. My God - if tens of thousands of Texans will go to Texas Speedway and spend good money to sit in the hot hot sun of summer so they can watch cars that sound like angry hornets go 'round and 'round and 'round how is it that we find it hard to have more than 'token' attendance at the tracks? And - HEllO! there's no betting on NASCAR - anyone ever think about that?! And yet it's a very hot ticket with the most desirable demographic in advertising: middle and upper middle class families. No wonder they can get more than adequate sponsorship for teams/prizes. Or what about the tremendous public outpouring of interest for Barbaro that really kind of took everyone in this industry - the news in general - and yet our 'leadership' can't seem to realize that 'It' s all about the horse!' with the public? Think about the historical and cultural link between horses and horsemanship shared by virtually all Texans - those Texans with old' time country/pioneer roots, the growing hispanic Texan population and the African American population of this state. Yet we can't seem to come up with a campaign to attract people with these interests to the track? Not to mention all the youth of this state that are involved any given weekend with horse shows, AQHA Youth events, 4-H and FFA Projects, scouting badges/projects involving livestock, etc. - how come we can't get them (and their parents) to the tracks? Were any of our track/TTA leaders even prepared for the standing room only crowd that stood like sardines at Sam Houston to - hopefully - witness a Triple Crown winner when Smarty ran his Belmont? Now if that many potential 'fans' are interested enough to drive out on a June Saturday, pay the parking entry fee to STAND and watch TV monitors in order to say they 'witnessed' an historic event in horse racing/sport - why is it we can't get the them to come back to the tracks for an afternoon's/evening's entertainment?

Roger
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Postby Roger » Fri May 02, 2008 5:54 am

Lone Star Park is going to cut purses by 10% starting May 8.

Bedouwia
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Postby Bedouwia » Fri May 02, 2008 6:46 am

Roger, yes, it's true about the cut to purses, despite the fact that Lone Star is reporting higher attendance, live handle, etc. Obviously, this is a response to the dispute with the Horsemen's group. We have to all hope that this issue gets resolved soon, to the benefit of the sport and its participants. I hope that the many punters who like and use the online sites (and are allowed to do so, unlike those of us in Texas!) will not turn to other ways to spend their time and money while the fight goes on.

Jellac: I absolutely agree with you. You may know better than I do how Sam Houston has increased attendance with concerts, etc. I wish that the tracks would get more attention, and be more creative. They need to use celebrities, contests, music, whatever to increase attendance and bring in some new fans. It is not my dream for horse racing to become a venue where people sit in front of a machine and pump money into it. However, I do not own a race track, and the owners seem fixated on VLTs. If they have to have machines, I would at least prefer the "Instant Race Machines."

There are some good things in the proposed legislation including revenue for adoption and retirement programs (like LOPE), revenue for equine and veterinary research programs, help for the backside workers programs and insurance for jockeys, and not least a revenue source for a Performance Horse Development Fund to encourage non-racing activities. I think those things are useful and deserve more attention, although they are a drop in the bucket compared to the money that will go into purses -- IF the VLTs pass. It is an uphill battle for sure.

One positive note is that the TTA is beginning to reach out to other horse groups and promote the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. They are planning a display and information booth for the LOPE show at the end of the month. It's a start. I hope that this will be expanded to other horseshows, rodeos, etc. around the state.

Bedouwia

lazyfranch
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Postby lazyfranch » Fri May 02, 2008 9:09 am

We are very excited about having TTA at the show! Hopefully it will draw more attention to the racing and thoroughbred industry.

Looks like Lynn (at LOPE) will be doing an on air interview with KVET radio here in Austin to promote the show as well. I was going to suggest that she mention that live QH racing is going on now and when TB's will start.

Roger
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Postby Roger » Fri May 02, 2008 9:44 am

There are several really good ideas on promoting our industry in these post. The TTA has a new Blue Jeans committee that could use your ideas.
Vicki, if LS is posturing for negotiations, they might be surprised when LaD opens, its not that far down the road. It might all work out for the good of Tx-breds, we might get a lot more racing opportunites. 10% of a good NW of 2 Allowance would loose$2,700 of purse money, why waste a condition and loose money when LaD is 2 and half hours away?