RACING
COMMENT
Protect a state’s horse heritage: Save the horseracing industry in Texas Texans take great pride in what defines us as a state. For the last 56 years, the horseracing industry and horse training have defined my life. They are my livelihood and my passion. At the age of 14, I began my journey as a trainer in the horse industry. It is a career that has afforded me great opportunities and hope for continued prosperity in a business that I love. WORDS: LeWiS R. “TOOTeR” JORDan PHOTO: SPeeDHORSe
W
E are at a pivotal moment in the Texas horse business, and action must be taken to protect an industry that is critically important to our heritage. Texas horseracing is in a slow decline. Trainers find it hard to compete with neighboring states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, which offer casinos, bigger crowds and larger purses. Horse owners and breeders are going out of state, leaving Texas trainers with fewer opportunities for work. Today, the very existence of Texas horseracing is being threatened. 76
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In an effort to stay competitive—in a state that has historically disapproved of casinos and video lottery terminals at tracks—the Texas Racing Commission introduced Historical Racing Terminals, which allow players to bet on replays of horse races that have already been run. This would be just the lifeline our struggling industry needs. Unfortunately, elected officials in Texas are so strongly opposed to Historical Racing Terminals that Senate leaders dragged their feet on including the Texas Racing Commission in the proposed state budget this year. Although a line item was finally inserted at the eleventh hour, the Legislative Budget Board (LBB)—made up of 10 legislative leaders—now must officially approve approximately $750,000 of the
commission’s budget. The LBB has until November 30, 2015, to do so. If this funding is not approved, the Texas Racing Commission will no longer be able to pay its employees or its rent, and therefore, it will cease to exist. If the organization closes, horse tracks in Texas would also close. Without horse tracks in Texas I will be forced to put my training operation on the market. I will do whatever I can to save the only business I have ever known. This would be a tremendous loss not just for me and other trainers, but to our great state as well. In addition to losing a piece of our heritage, we would lose the remarkable economic benefit that horseracing provides for Texas. The uncertainty of funding for the Texas