As California grapples with a budget deficit in the tens of billions of dollars, the horse industry has grown financially for the state over the last five years; responsible for billions of dollars in economic impact and tens of thousands of jobs, according to a report released by the American Horse Council.

In 2023, the equine ecosystem provided a total value of $11.6 billion to California's economy and a direct contribution of $6.5 billion to state GDP, according to the report. This marks a significant increase from the American Horse Council's previous report in 2018, which found a total value of $8.3 billion to the state economy and a direct contribution of $4.5 billion to state GDP.

Through the care of the state's near-500,000 horses, events and recreation, and the ripple effect on other sectors of the economy, the California equine industry generates 132,496 jobs across the state and directly employs 93,467 workers. Five years ago, those numbers were 115,474 and 77,703, respectively.

Horses remain incredibly popular in the state of California. In total, 30.48% of households – 4.1 million in California – have a “horse enthusiast” in their home. No fewer than 220,000 California residents volunteer their time to horses, and the industry generates $6.2 billion in tourism for California.

“The American Horse Council report confirms what those of us in the industry have always known: Horses hold a special place in the hearts and minds of Californians,” said Bill Nader, President and CEO of Thoroughbred Owners of California. “With over 4 million households participating in horse events and activities across the state – 38% of whom are under the age of 18 – it is clear that the equine industry is more than just an impressive economic driver for the state; it is an integral part of California's culture.”

Racing continues to be the greatest contributor to the state in the industry, with a total economic impact of $2.5 billion and a direct value of $1.5 billion to California GDP.

“These data points show that the horse industry's contributions to California are enormous – and growing,” said Amy Zimmerman, of the California Horse Power Coalition. “Our commitment to supporting California's economy and workforce, preserving our state's beautiful land, providing therapeutic services to Californians who need it, and caring for the horses we love has never been greater. We look forward to seeing our industry grow and evolve in the years to come.”

More information and the 2023 Economic Impact Study can be found on the American Horse Council website: https://horsecouncil.org/economic-impact-study/

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The total economic impact of the industry grew 38% between 2017 and 2022, from $2.1 billion to $2.9 billion. In addition, the industry's direct contribution to Maryland's GDP grew by 40.5% between 2017 and 2022. The industry is responsible for 28,434 jobs, and horse industry wages total more than $1.24 billion.

The survey, conducted in 2023 by the American Horse Council, determined that Maryland contains over 717,000 horse enthusiast households, or about 30% of the population, with a total horse population estimate of over 94,000. More than 37,000 Thoroughbreds live in Maryland, making them the most populous breed in the state.

“The horse industry is a vital part of Maryland's economy and Maryland's landscape,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “Horses provide both job opportunities and the environmentally beneficial green space that are essential to Maryland's productive future. We are proud that Maryland has more horses per square mile than any other state in the country.”

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The survey offers a comprehensive overview of the economic impact and trends within the sector and highlights how the industry reaches far beyond the pastures and ranch land across the country.

Highlights include:

• Diverse Economic Sectors Impacted: $177 billion. That's the total value added in 2023 from the equine industry, up from $122 billion in 2017. The equine industry's ripple effect extends beyond the traditional sectors, influencing a broad spectrum of industries. From agriculture and tourism to veterinary services and technology, the survey showcases the interconnectedness of the equine world with other economic realms.
• Employment Boost: The survey reveals a substantial impact on employment with 2.2 million jobs linked both directly and indirectly to the equine sector. Not only are breeders, trainers, veterinarians and farriers represented, but so are truck drivers, nutritionists, chemists, police officers and journalists.
• Slight Downshift in Population: While there is a slight downshift in the total population of horses from 2023 (6.6 million) compared to 2017 (7.2 million), that's only a slight consideration when compared to the growing numbers in jobs and expenditures.

“The Economic Impact Study is the most effective tool in our advocacy quiver,” says Julie Broadway, president of the AHC. “When the industry needs to take aim at an issue, this data is invaluable in helping us paint the picture of the contributions the industry makes and the breath & depth of its composition.”

Click here to purchase a copy of the study.

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Foreman, the chairman and chief executive officer of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said racing is facing an “existential moment” at a time when industry stakeholders increasingly must make the case for the sport's so-called social license to exist in the face of intense pressure from anti-racing activists and a younger generation of Americans who hold the belief that animal-based entertainment is more cruel than cool.

“It's not about foal crop. It's not about field size. It's not about whether we have a core product,” Foreman said, ticking down the list of the common concerns that industry insiders often debate.

“The single biggest issue right now [is] should the federal government, and should our state legislatures, continue to support our business?” Foreman said.

Foreman then rephrased his rhetorical question more bluntly so there would be no misunderstanding: “Is it time to end horse racing in this country?”

Foreman certainly doesn't think so, and neither did the panelists who joined him at the podium.

But the group did try to offer pearls of wisdom as to how industry stakeholders might fight back when confronted with that question.

Julie Broadway | Horsephotos

Their answers largely centered on the sharing of strategies for getting across the industry's far-reaching scale and the potential ramifications of ceasing racing, and several speakers even articulated how some entities in the sport have effectively lobbied their respective states to secure financial incentives, bolster racing programs, and modernize facilities, like the currently underway rebuild of Belmont Park and the planned re-imagining of Pimlico Race Course.

Foreman pointed out that even though there is now federal oversight in the form of the Horseracing and Safety Act (HISA) Authority, racing in the United States remains primarily a state-sanctioned business, and how much of the industry operates under laws that were enacted for vastly different economic reasons decades ago than what we face now.

Every year at about this time when applying for next season's racing dates, Foreman said, track operators increasingly have to defend why their states should support our sport's way of doing business.

“The point is, what the state giveth, the state can taketh,” Foreman summed up.

And demonstrating that we are upholding that “social license” must take the form of deeds and not just words, Foreman said. He and the other panelists also concurred that the sport's narrative also must be backed up by accurate economic data, which helps to drive home points to legislators and regulators.

What we need to successfully convey, Foreman said, is “if you talk about the economics of this business; the value of horse racing to the economies, of our local communities, of our states, of our country…I think that we can overcome this very challenging environment that we are in.”

Julie Broadway is the president of the American Horse Council (AHC), a national organization whose work and data helps not only racing stakeholders, but everything equine-centric in the country, under a scope that ranges from broad national issues to smaller initiatives at the local government level.

“You cannot sit still and sit back and wait for people in [government] to figure out what goes on in our industry and what it's all about,” was Broadway's assessment of how to approach dealing with politicians who can help usher through changes via legislation.

Regardless of the level of government, Broadway said the approach is largely the same. Getting your message across means 1) educating decision-makers; 2) setting context and dispelling misinformation and inaccuracies about your position; 3) stating the positive and pointing out unintended and/or negative consequences, and 4) making the overall narrative relatable and personal.

Those points are all underpinned by being armed with the proper data, Broadway said.

Najja Thompson | Fasig-Tipton

Najja Thompson, the executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, said that a lot of times when racing people go in to make their cases to legislators, they have to be aware that they'll be dealing with a lower-level staffer at first. “And they're not listening to me unless I have the data to implore them to get their representative to speak to me directly on why racing is important in New York,” he said.

But, Broadway added, racing industry stakeholders can't benefit from that data if they don't join in to help compile it.

Broadway gave the example of a recently undertaken AHC economic impact study that sought to include feedback from the racing industry. The data will eventually be used to underscore the importance of horse racing within America's larger equine population, and it will be available for anyone who wants to cite it in making their case for support from legislators.

Yet only four Thoroughbred tracks responded.

“This survey was out for more than six months,” Broadway explained. “I'm sad to say that the Thoroughbred racing industry had a really low response rate. I mean, we really had to beg for data.”

Broadway contrasted that with participation from the harness racing industry, “because they really stepped up. They are getting their own breakout report just on Standardbred racing [that will] cut across all states where Standardbred racing occurs.”

Lonny Powell, the chief executive officer of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' & Owners' Association, said he was stunned to hear that support from Thoroughbred tracks was so low.

“That's amazing. That's tough. How are we going to tell our story if nobody's even trying?” Powell said.

“I'm always a track guy,” Powell continued, alluding to his years in track management prior to a career turn toward executive jobs with industry entities. “And I just don't get it. I don't get why you wouldn't want to tell the story.”

Tom Rooney, the president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, pointed out that being a reliable broker of data is important, but that you need to also skillfully be able to tell the story of those numbers in a narrative form to get your point across to non-racing listeners.

“Clearly, the data is about jobs. It's about farms. It's about these things that we're used to going away, and maybe having to change the way that we work,” Rooney said. “If you work in the horse racing industry, you're kind of the subculture of skills that's probably applicable [in] very few other places. So we live in our own world, and we wouldn't be here if we didn't think that world was a good and beautiful endeavor to belong to.”

Added Powell: “You've got to be able to tell somebody what the consequences are if your industry goes away.”

Lonny Powell | Serita Hult

Powell also pointed out that reams of data are great, but that time in front of legislators is limited, so racing stakeholders need to distill it into manageable, relatable chunks.

“You've got to know it. You've got to believe it. You've got to have confidence in it. And you really have to care about the industry you're talking about. Otherwise, it's just a study,” Powell said. “Make your story relatable to those that aren't in our industry.”

Several panel participants underscored that people in racing have to take the time to forge personal bonds with legislators so the sport's stakeholders can be viewed as trusted sources.

In other words, don't go seeking help from politicians for the first time only when “your back's against the wall,” Powell cautioned.

“Are you kidding me? You've got to develop relationships. That takes years,” Powell said.

Foreman stressed that the racing industry needs to hone (and often repeat) the message that the sport is an economic engine, and that the money it generates often gets reinvested back into the community in ways that aren't apparent to legislators.

“Here's something that very rarely gets talked about, but legislators love to hear this,” Foreman said. “Racing is a community. We take care of our people,” he continued, giving examples of how in his home state of Maryland, the horsemen's health system provides full health care for the people who work in racing.

“That is something that doesn't fall back on the local economy, that doesn't fall back on social services. It doesn't fall back on the state,” Foreman said. “It's the racing industry that supports that. We take care of the people who work with us, [and] that resonates with legislators. And that's why they're willing to support the industry, because they understand the local impact that it has.”

To get that story across to political decision-makers, Foreman said, “we combined the economic impact with the social license aspects of it, and that's the takeaway.”

Powell, however, had a different message to impart, speaking directly to RTIP students. He prefaced his comments by letting the RTIP majors know that he is a graduate of that program who was attending his 41st edition of the annual symposium, and that he understood how some of the presentations over the past two days that focused primarily on industry problems might be giving students second thoughts about pursuing a career in the sport.

“Don't change your major,” Powell implored them, his voice at times cracking with emotion. “That's exactly why you're needed in leadership. That's exactly why you're needed in this business. Because we need people that believe you can make progress versus 'ride it all out.'”

“It's difficult. It's changing,” Powell said of horse racing. “But you can't give up.”

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The new officers are:

• Dr Rick Mitchell, Chair; representing United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)
• Marilyn Bertera, Vice Chair; representing United States Trotting Association
• Matt Iuliano, Treasurer; representing The Jockey Club
• Kristin Werner, Secretary; representing The Jockey Club

At the same event, the following standing committee chairs were approved:

• Kathy Alm, of PATH International as chair of Equine Welfare
• Katie Flynn, DVM, of USEF as chair of Health & Regulatory
• Joe Wilson of TRA as chair of Racing Advisory
• Randy Rasmussen of Back Country Horsemen's Association as chair of Recreation/Trails/Land Use
• Billy Smith, PhD, of National Reining Horse Association as chair of Shows/Competitions

“The American Horse Council thrives on the variety of viewpoints and passions of our Board of Trustees and our committee chairs,” said President Julie Broadway. “With these new additions, we're comfortable moving into the next few years of providing a voice for the horse and the industry in Washington.”

Other business included the naming of Keith Chamblin, COO at National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), who will join the AHC Board of Trustees as the NTRA representative. Prior Chamblin served as V.P. of Marketing at Hollywood Park Racetrack from 1988-1994 and in various capacities at Remington Park before joining the NTRA in 1999.

“We look forward to Keith's contributions on the AHC Board,” said Dr. Mitchell. “He brings to the Board a wealth of experience and contacts within the Thoroughbred racing industry. His knowledge of the NTRA's legislative activities and grassroots organizing will be invaluable.”

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“The American Horse Council consistently produces the most comprehensive national economic impact studies that showcase the vast benefits that the equine industry brings to communities across the country,” said Josh Rubinstein, President of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, an American Horse Council member. “As our industry continues to evolve, we are confident that the results will underscore our industry's commitment to advancing California's economy, expanding the travel and tourism industry, and creating a space for friends and family to create unforgettable shared experiences together.”

The American Horse Council's economic impact studies examine the industry's contributions to the national GDP, as well as individual states, which includes employment, volunteers, equid population, acreage and more. Each category is also broken down by sector: recreation, racing, competition and working horses.

“The CHPC mission is to preserve and protect California's vibrant equestrian culture. Funding the economic impact study affirms the coalition's commitment to not only uplift the equine industry but to encourage stakeholders, large and small, to use their voice to advance their shared interests,” said Bill Nader, President and CEO of Thoroughbred Owners of California. “To that end, if you benefit from the equine industry in any capacity at all, I encourage you to fill out the following survey links to make your voice heard.”

Click here to learn more about the economic impact study.

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The award, which was presented Friday during the conference awards luncheon, honors the association executive who has displayed the highest commitment to professional growth and pride in association management, with evident professionalism and leadership in both services to the association management profession and to the community.

“I am very honored to be selected by the FSAE as Florida Executive of the Year,” Powell said. “I extend my greatest appreciation to FSAE, their awards committee and salute the Association's state-wide and diverse membership of leading executives and decision makers in our Sunshine State's expansive non-profit, hospitality, member and trade association spaces. I also extend my appreciation to the member or members who nominated me in the first place to be considered for this Association's highest honor.”

Powell was also honored by the American Horse Council, which represents all breeds of horses in the nation's capital, with its acclaimed Van Ness Award in Washington D.C. in June.

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“I think one of the biggest problems is the American public views horses as a symbol of the West,” said Dr. Tom Lenz at this week's American Horse Council virtual conference. “They almost have a mystic quality to people. So, most of the public's perception of how the horses should be managed is based on emotion and very little understanding of how these horses interact with the range and wildlife and other animals. They have a significant impact on Congress, which then limits the BLM.”

Lenz is a longtime veterinarian, diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists, past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and has chaired the AAEP's Welfare Committee, as well as the welfare committees of the American Horse Council, Professional Rodeo Cowboys' Association, and the American Veterinary Medical Association. He provided an update to American Horse Council conference attendees in his capacity as a member of the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.

The question of what to do with wild horses and burros has been in the headlines for years, with wild horse advocates expressing concerns about techniques the government has used to control the populations thus far and seeking to limit the number of horses that may be rounded up by the government each year. Critics of the BLM question whether the agency overestimates the number of horses on public lands and points to the large number of cattle allowed to graze on public lands, competing with the horses for resources.

Lenz said the BLM believes an appropriate number of free-ranging horses and burros would be about 27,000 animals. The government's current population estimates have 95,114 animals on the range as of March of this year. That doesn't count horses on non-BLM federal, state, or tribal lands, which could number more than another 100,000.

Critics of the BLM have also raised questions about the agency's figures on population growth, which Lenz characterized as “exponential.” Lenz presented an example — in February 2016, 2,700 horses were counted in a given herd management area. Two years later, 1,400 horses were gathered and removed from that space; the number of foals born in 2016, 2017, and 2018 completely offset the round-up, leaving the number in that herd management area at 2,700 in May 2018.

The U.S. Geological Survey indicates herd sizes for wild horses are increasing at rates of 12 to 36 percent annually, which means they're growing faster than the amount of forage and water available to them. Lenz said recent round-ups of horses have taken place because a particular herd was discovered starving in its home base. In times of drought, wild horses are known to move into towns, cities, private land, even golf courses in search of food and water — creating safety hazards for humans and for themselves.

So far, Lenz said efforts to reduce the population to manageable levels have been ineffective. The BLM does use a pelleted, feed-through form of contraceptive, but hasn't been able to get it to enough horses to produce an appreciable impact. There are contraceptive vaccines available for horses, but they have to be administered annually and while many wild horses are tolerant of people, they often won't come close enough to be vaccinated via dart more than once. Chemical or surgical vasectomies have not been effective for stallions; intrauterine devices are effective for mares, but must be inserted while the mare isn't pregnant — a challenge, as most female wild horses are pregnant by the age of two.

BLM agents have even tried removing stallions from herds, but has found that besides the potential welfare implications of disrupting a herd's social structure, mares end up being bred by stallions from other bands.

Round-ups are still the agency's primary method of population reduction. On average, Lenz said the BLM removes 6,000 animals from the range a year, though the last two years it rounded up slightly more than that. The problem comes in when those horses don't find adoptive homes after they're taken off the range. A huge chunk of the BLM's budget goes into warehousing horses in long-term holding areas if they aren't good candidates for adoption or don't attract any interest from the public. Lenz said horses in long-term holding facilities can live well past the age of 20 and end up costing the Bureau an average of $48,000 per head. A horse who is adopted within two and a half years may cost the Bureau $8,000. There are 50,020 animals in short and long-term holding pastures and corrals currently.

Adoptions were up last year — to 7,276 horses instead of the usual 3,400 or so — thanks in part to an adoption incentive program started by the BLM which pays adopters $1,000 for taking a wild horse or burro. Half the money is paid when the horse is picked up, and the other half is paid six months later after a representative has inspected the horse in its new home and verified it is being properly cared for.

Moving forward, Lenz is hopeful the BLM can get the population of wild horses under control by making its budget more efficient. The new goal will be to gather 18,000 to 20,000 horses annually (three times more than the current average), distribute pelleted contraception to between 3,500 and 9,000 horses each year and transition 6,000 to 7,000 horses to private care. The BLM will also be looking to identify partner organizations that can house 18,000 to 20,000 for lifetime care, removing existing financial burdens from the agency's books and allowing it to focus on population control instead of caring for warehoused horses.

Ultimately, Lenz said, these initiatives will make for a better life for wild horses and burros — especially if it means fewer of them will be out on the range.

“I think the problem we have today is that the public, through Congress, is managing the horses, rather than the BLM managing them through scientists,” Lenz said. “That's what's got us to where we are today.”

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In the short term, the pandemic made it difficult for people to travel to work in the United States on a short-term basis, but that problem may have been solved. Earlier this year, President Trump issued three proclamations that suspended the entry of aliens from certain countries due to concerns about the novel coronavirus. Several groups, including Breeders' Cup, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Keeneland, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, and Fasig-Tipton, worked with the Department of Homeland Security to get exemptions for people traveling into the United States to buy horses at the autumn sales or to run at the Breeders' Cup. The president's restrictions allowed for exemptions that were in “the national interest” and through a very specific and detailed explanation of Thoroughbred economics, the industry groups were able to get exemptions for certain key players in both events. That discussion could ultimately prove helpful down the road.

“We were happy we were able to get that done,” said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. “I think it's a good story to tell. At this point in time, I think the Department of Homeland Security is very familiar with our industry, the international nature of our industry, and they're supportive of the national interest exemption where it's appropriate.”

That doesn't mean that when the pandemic is over, the horse racing industry will no longer face restrictions on international movement that impact its bottom line. It's no secret that trainers and farms have had difficulty in recent years accessing H-2A and H-2B visa workers to fill seasonal needs for grooms, hotwalkers, exercise riders, and farm workers. Those restrictions have only gotten tighter under the current administration, according to the Bryan Brendle, director of policy and legislative affairs for the American Horse Council.

The Department of Homeland Security has discretion to allow visas above the statutory cap, and while it did authorize supplemental H-2B visas in March, it only released 35,000 and not the 60,000 it could have released. (Trainers have previously said even with supplemental visas released they struggled to find staff.)

The issuance of new H-2B visas was put on hold in June. In August, the U.S. State Department, which handles the visa process in the home countries of guest workers, did create an exemption for caretakers of non-farm animals, which is how horses are classified in the visa system. That only freed up people who had been granted visas prior to the freeze and then been told not to travel to the United States, so the State Department's action didn't result in many additional workers coming into the States.

Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA, said he still regularly hears from trainers, including high-profile operations like Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, and Dale Romans, who are unable to find enough help despite high unemployment figures in the States this year. Hamelback said he knew of operations at smaller tracks that had to close altogether because they couldn't find employees to take care of horses.

“While we are all on different pages with some items in this industry we can't be on different pages as we push for our workforce shortages, whether it's developing new programs here in the States or continuing to push for H-2B visas,” said Hamelback.

Waldrop said the “elephant in the room” is the potential impact of the upcoming national election on this issue.

“You have to ask yourself — is there a difference between a Trump presidency and a Biden presidency?” he said. “My sense is, we've got an uphill battle, we've got tough sledding if we continue to work with the Trump administration. I think you're going to see difficult times ahead, certainly no talk of comprehensive immigration reform.

“I think you cannot say Trump will not develop a comprehensive policy and Biden will, but I do think you'll see some additional conversation taking place [if Biden wins].”

Of course, one solution would be to try to create a better pipeline for domestic workers to fill the jobs on the racetrack. Remi Bellocq, executive director of Equine Programs at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, said that progress could be on the horizon on this issue, but it's not going to be an easy one to solve. Bellocq recently collaborated with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and KEEP to create a one-year apprenticeship program for horse trainers. He also suggested Godolphin may soon launch an international educational initiative to help those interested in racing find the appropriate pathway to industry jobs in their country.

“On a greater scale, we need to look at what we do nationally,” Bellocq said. “My strong feeling is that until we approach the workforce issue the same way we approach unwanted horses or racing medication, this will continue to be a bigger and bigger challenge. One of the things I've found personally is you have a guest worker immigration issue you have to deal with, but the labor issue, which is a domestic training issue, is just as critical. Until we can incentivize and recruit domestic workers into our industry, pay them what they ought to be paid, find work/life balance, it's going to be a growing problem.

“What I find with a lot of our graduates is they'll go to work for a trainer but very quickly they'll want to move up, become an assistant trainer or a foreman, and we have to very quickly fill those lower skilled jobs again. That's one of the things we continue to try to find solutions for.”

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At 11 a.m., AHC staff, and possibly a guest staffer from the Senate, will provide a legislative and regulatory update and overview of numerous industry initiatives underway to help position the equine industry for the future. In advance of the November election, AHC will share insights into a first-time list of “top ten” congressional incumbents whose success would bode well for the industry moving forward. Horse enthusiasts will learn how COVID-19 restrictions have impacted this year's agenda, including advocating for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and tax flexibility to provide relief for equine business. On the labor front, horsemen and women will also learn more about the continuing need for guest worker visa flexibility. While the pandemic has added items to the agenda, it has also given new “urgency” to other priorities, including passage of the “Great American Outdoors Act of 2020.” Pushing this landmark trails bill over the finish line serves as a “text book” example of putting “horsepower” into the industry's grassroots network.

At 1 p.m., join David Fuscus, CEO of Xenophon Strategies, to hear about best practices for crisis management. The number and severity of crisis situations that now confront companies and organizations–and put their reputation, profits, and future at risk – underscore the importance of knowing how to communicate about and deal with a crisis. David has been heavily involved in crisis communications and has worked with the media on major national and international crises, including representing the airline industry following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and playing a key communications role in eleven major airline accidents.

At 2 p.m., look for an exciting and entertaining presentation by American Dude Ranch Association members on outdoor riding destinations featuring Russell True of the White Stallion Ranch and Cheri Amos-Helmicki of the Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch.

Russell, his brother Michael and their families own the White Stallion and under their management the ranch is consistently recognized as an award-winning property locally, nationally and internationally.  The ranch has been ranked No. 1 on TripAdvisor of 130 hotels in Tucson for 8 consecutive years and has received numerous TripAdvisor certificates and awards, including Certificates of Excellence, top customer service rankings and Hall of Fame honors. Additionally, the ranch was named “Best Family Resort” in USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards in 2018.

Cheri and her husband, Jerry, have owned the Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch in Parshall, Colorado for 25+ years. An all-inclusive Colorado Dude Ranch vacation free of crowds, lines and stress. In addition to great lodging, you'll also enjoy exceptional meals and on-ranch activities including: horseback rides, Gold Medal fly fishing, trap shooting, Colorado River zip-line, guided hikes, mountain bikes, heated pool and hot tub, Kids' Program, unforgettable evening entertainment and much more.

At 3 p.m., join Dr. Veronica Lac of the HERD Institute to learn about expanding Diversity, and Inclusion in the equine industry.  A diverse industry (in age, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, and gender) brings diverse viewpoints and perspectives; these elements can help develop new approaches and great new ways to appeal to participants, fans and new customers.

However, diversity does not necessarily mean inclusivity. Yes, making diversity a priority is important; but so is the next logical step: creating a culture where people from all backgrounds feel included. Inclusivity is the key to actually maintaining (not just creating) diversity.

Dr. Lac has over 20 years of experience as a corporate trainer and mental health professional, as well as a certified therapeutic riding instructor through PATH Intl. Her academic background includes a Masters in Training & Performance Management, a Masters in Gestalt Psychotherapy, and a PhD in Psychology.

And join us at 5 p.m. for our Annual Awards Cocktail Party honoring Rolapp, Hickey and Van Ness Award Winners.

The AHC is known for convening the equine industry's visionaries and leaders in an intimate three days of informative and innovative discussion on some of the most relevant challenges and initiatives facing the industry. Attendees get to participate in discussions that help shape the industry and optimize existing and emerging legislative and regulatory issues.

Registration is open and video conference logistics will be sent to registered participants along with committee meeting agendas. Learn more here.

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