NEWS & VIEWSMaryland’s Horse Industry, continued from page 8
Graham Motion. • SHAWAN DOWNS: Home of the Leg- acy Chase, the Green Spring Valley Point- to-Point and the Junior Maryland Hunt Cup, these 300 preserved acres in Hunt Val- ley feature fl at and steeplechase courses for racing under the sanction of the National Steeplechase Association. Designed by for- mer New York Racing Association racetrack superintendent Joe King, the near 1 1/8-mile steeplechase course is noteworthy for its safe- ty and aesthetics. T e property also boasts a cross-country course and hosts horse trials. • PRINCE GEORGE’S EQUESTRIAN CENTER: Home of the Capitol Challenge Horse Show, voted one of the 10 best U.S. horse shows; and Ride for Life, a weekend- long dressage show designed to become Maryland’s answer to Pennsylvania’s Dres- sage at Devon. • MARYLAND STATE FAIR AND COUNTY FAIR SYSTEM: More than 2 million Marylanders—or almost half of the state’s 5.5 million residents—attend either the Maryland State Fair or one of the 23 county fairs, most of which stage horse shows. Some have daily horse events, from horse breeding to horse pulling contests, and there is T or- oughbred racing at Timonium and harness racing at the Great Frederick Fair. T ese events comprise an incredible marketing dis- tribution channel for the horse industry. T e Timonium fairgrounds is also home to Horse World Expo and the Fasig-Tipton Sales Co., the Mid-Atlantic sales center for T orough- bred racing and breeding stock.
Heritage
We have an incredible heritage, predating equine tradition in Virginia and Kentucky: horses and our love for them have been a part
of our cultural heritage for over 350 years. Robert Brooke brought over the fi rst fox-
hounds from England in 1650 to St. Mary’s and Calvert County and they are still chasing foxes in southern Maryland. Horses worked our fi elds, were part of our national defense and the main component of our transportation system, but also part of our fun and enjoyment from the days of the fi rst organized horse race in Annapolis in 1720. T e Maryland Jockey Club became the fi rst organized sporting or- ganization in the colonies in 1743, thirty-three years before we even became a nation! George Washington raced his horses on West Street in Annapolis, and our state is where so many of the equine greats such as Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Man o’War, Secretariat, Citation, Gallant Fox, Nashua, Native Dancer, and Northern Dancer were either raised, raced or stood at stud. Despite the great historical traditions, the modern equine facilities, and the many true horse lovers, the horse industry is threatened. We cannot rest on our laurels. We can use our racing brethren as a prime
example. T eir aspect of the sport is in jeopardy because surrounding states successfully maneu- vered slot machine legislation through their own legislatures and left our Maryland tracks and breeding operations at a competitive disad- vantage. We are just now playing catch up. We must be proactive, eradicate the public
perception that our industry is dying, and con- tinue to spread awareness of our industry to all of our citizens, as well as our elected offi cials. We need to fi nd more ways to involve more people and make the sport attractive to all age groups and ethnicities that make up the chang- ing demographics of our diverse state. Ulti- mately that means more people taking more lessons, leasing and owning more horses, and more spectators attending our events, all gener-
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The Future is Now We will never run out of potential new cus- tomers, new riders and horse lovers. By 2030, the Maryland Department of Planning esti- mates that there will be 25 percent more peo- ple living in Maryland. T at means 25 percent more potential customers moving into Mary- land, raising their families here and looking for things to do with their children, their leisure time and their disposable income. We also hap- pen to be located in one of the most affl uent ar- eas on earth. T e Washington-Baltimore met- ropolitan region is one of the top fi ve strongest economies in the United States. Maryland also leads the nation in the number of citizens with graduate degrees, and our public school system is ranked #1 in America. T at is why the Maryland Horse Industry
Board (MHIB), with strong help from the Maryland Horse Council (MHC) and all of our affi liated partners, is structuring a fi ve-year stra- tegic marketing plan to recapture the glory of our industry. In cooperation with the Maryland Stadium Authority, MHIB hopes to release a “Request For Information” by the end of the year 2011 to revisit our plans for a Maryland Horse Park. We have a strong product to market to a wealthy, well-educated customer base which not only has the money, but also the curiosity and time to pursue high-end leisure activity. Whether or not we proceed with these initia-
tives, horses will still be a major presence in this state because they are simply a part of who we are. Marylanders love horses. But by working together we can expand our base, spread the joy and ensure that our industry fl ourishes in the years ahead. With continued energy and focus, the best is
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