texas Thoroughbred Association News for more, visit www.texasthoroughbred.com
A Young Fan’s Perspective By Mary Cage
Terri Cage
My first word was “horse.” These amazing animals have always been a significant part of my life, as I have grown up around them: riding them, judging them, caring for them and writing about them. But when I was eight years old, my life and involvement with horses changed in a single day. On the first Saturday in May 2004, I fell in love with a horse named Smarty Jones. Since that fateful day, my passion for horse racing has been ever-growing. Visits to events such as the Mary Cage with 2009 Dubai World Breeders’ Cup and some of the most prestigious Cup winner Well Armed Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky have allowed that love to continue to flourish. In the years that have followed, I have spent hours watching races, studying pedigrees and conformation, reading industry information and developing a love for a multitude of racehorses, from Eclipse Award winners to low-level claimers. But many consider racing to be a dying sport. It is an industry that I have invested an abundance of time and love in, and I cannot imagine my life without it. Perhaps I am influenced by hope and blinded by love, but in my eyes, racing is not truly dying. However, it would be a lie to deny that it is struggling. Horse racing has many issues to tackle, and among the largest is the continuous need to attract new fans, especially those of a new generation. So what can we, the racing industry, do to draw more fans? More important, how do we attract people who will become devoted followers of the sport? While there are many options for attracting new fans, there is a very obvious, important audience we should target: horse lovers. Before I ever fell in love with racing, I already had a passion for horses. Because of this love, it was easy to develop a fascination with racing, as I became mesmerized by the beauty and athleticism displayed by the Thoroughbred racehorse. Of course, marketing and other techniques could be used to appeal to this audience, but the results could be much greater with the help of none other than those who are already loyal fans of racing. It is simple: Allow your friends to join you at the races or convince them to watch a few races on television, such as the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup races. You can ask this of any friend, but chances are the person most likely to become a devoted racing fan is the one who already has a love for horses. There are negatives in racing, but those are not all that exist in the sport. Many focus on only the negatives, leading those outside of racing to see only its disadvantages. While light should be shone on the negative issues in racing, which industry leaders and professionals should strive to mend, we must remain optimistic about racing and share the plentiful heartwarming stories within the sport. These stories present to the public the prominent “good side” of racing, giving them hope in the industry. Among the most useful tactics used in luring new fans to racing is social media. Through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, horse racing has amassed a multitude of new followers, as these websites give people the chance to learn more about racing while remaining upto-date on industry news. These sites give fans—new and old—the chance to become more attached to the horses and people of racing, a method that should be utilized to a great extent. When connections generously share their horses with enthusiasts, this serves as a platform for creating fans who will remain dedicated to racing for years to come. This effort was made during the career of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, a mare who hundreds of fans were allowed to visit during her racing years. Sharing the sport’s athletes in this personal manner opens the door for new, enthusiastic fans who seek a close attachment to the sport. These approaches, as well as the many others that exist, such as a central governing body for racing, medication bans and a decrease in the amount of racing, should certainly be taken to expand racing’s fan base. I have been a racing fan for nearly 10 years now, but my journey in racing has only just begun. I will forever endeavor to do my part in introducing people to racing, as this sport is what I love. Few things can control my emotions in the same manner in which racing can. Horse racing is what fuels my imagination, my enthusiasm and the course I take in life. Horse racing is my passion and it will always be my goal to allow others to feel the same about this amazing sport, allowing racing to be the best it can be. Mary Cage, 17, is the author of Past the Grandstand, a blog about an array of horse racing topics, and a contributing writer for Horse Racing Nation. She has been involved with show horses almost her entire life, and she has aspirations to work in the Thoroughbred racing industry as a writer or bloodstock agent.
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Southern Racehorse • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
Rick Penn Named to TTA Board
The Texas Thoroughbred Association Board of Directors on October 2 named Rick Penn to fill the position on the board vacated by the resignation of Delwin Lovell. Penn will serve the remainder of Lovell’s term as Northeast Regional Director through December 2015. Penn was also named to the Membership and the Marketing & Sponsorship committees. Penn, a resident of Parker, owns Penn Solutions, a financial resources company in the real estate industry. A graduate of Eastfield College with a degree in management, Penn has been a TTA member for more than six years and runs a small breeding and racing operation.
Board Ballots Due December 16
TTA members will elect candidates to fill five at-large director positions in addition to regional director positions for the North Central and West regions on the TTA Board of Directors. Those elected will serve three-year terms beginning in 2014. Ballots must be received for tabulating by December 16. All TTA members will receive ballots for the at-large positions, while only members in the North Central and West regions will be eligible to vote in their respective regions. If you have questions or did not receive a ballot, call the TTA office at (512) 458-6133.
New Address for TTA Office
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The TTA moved to a new office location in September and the new mailing address is 4009 Banister Lane, Suite 230, Austin, TX 78704. The P.O. Box address is no longer valid, so please send all communication to the new address. Our phone number remains the same.