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 Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program offers a great opportunity to see behind the scenes in the various components of the industry from reproduction to racetrack operations,” said Cricket Goodall, Executive Director. “We hope to show these young people that love horses that you can make a career out of that passion.”

Graduates of the MTCP are eligible to apply for Career Development Funds, one-time funding that can be used to further career pursuits within two years after the program ends.

For more information on the Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program, click here or contact Jeanne Schnell at jeanne@marylandthoroughbred.com.

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“The Maryland Thoroughbred Career Program offers a great opportunity to see behind the scenes in the various components of the industry from reproduction to racetrack operations”, says Cricket Goodall, executive director. “We hope to show these young people that love horses that you can make a career out of that passion.”

For more information, click here.

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The one-of-a-kind facility, honoring the robust history of horses in Maryland and serving as a hub for educating the next generation, is housed in the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA)'s building. The stately brick structure with large, white columns, was originally built in 1876 as the Grace Methodist Church South, and later housed Reisterstown Federal Savings and Loan, Shaw's Antiques, various realty groups and another Living Faith Chapel, before it was purchased by the MHBA in April of 2020.

It was only fitting that a building with such a storied past would add a new chapter to its legacy as the permanent home of the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center, representing a collective vision and years-long culmination of work by the Maryland Horse Foundation (MHF), the MHBA's staff, boards and committees, and Cricket Goodall, executive director of the MHBA and Maryland Million Ltd.

“We had several different opportunities over the years that didn't work out and I thought, maybe it's just not going to work out, maybe I'm not going to get this done,” said Goodall, who has worked for the MHBA since 1986 and has served as executive director since 2003. “It was certainly a long-term goal of mine, but really it was sort of fate, I guess, that the right spot came along, and that we had the right board of directors that were willing to take the next step to commit and own something. Even the timeframe, [dealing] with COVID, low interest rates and a whole bunch of other things that we couldn't have ever planned for, it all came together at the right time.”

Walking up onto the porch and through the double set of doors, visitors will find themselves stepping into a facility entirely dedicated to Maryland's diverse and expansive horse industry, featuring a 5,000-book reference library covering a wide range of history, breeds, disciplines, genres and collections. The building also boasts a soundproof media room, research room, conference room/meeting area, a children's activity area and a section that's home to a variety of memorabilia.

The center is a dream turned reality for both the MHBA, whose offices have also found a permanent home in the building, and the MHF, which promotes and oversees a variety of equine industry educational programs as well as operates the library and education center.

Though finding an ideal location to display and share the extensive collection of literature, which has only grown throughout the history of the MHBA, was a main priority, the emphasis on education and creating an inviting place to foster learning, collaboration and future growth was inspired by meetings between Goodall and Jordyn Egan, the former director of development for the MHF.

Egan was an integral part of bringing the right people together to help put the vision for the center to paper, in the form of renderings and plans, along with spearheading the collaboration and support necessary to launch and carry out the capital campaign for the project.

“We put together the narrative of what we really believed it would be and the purpose it would serve for the community, and once we took that message and that vision out, it exploded. We thought this would be a much larger process as far as the capital campaign, but our original goal was surpassed in under a year and it just kept going,” said Egan, now the executive director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC).

Once the initial goal was reached, the plans could be put into action, as renovations began to gut the majority of what existed in the front section of the building and rebuild to fit the vision of the center. A few initial plans changed as more walls and a drop ceiling were stripped away, with quite a few adjustments and tweaks made to preserve the original barrel ceiling of the church, revealed during the demolition process. A cozy reading loft and a spiral staircase to access it, above the media and research rooms, was also added in.

The $1-million capital campaign launched in March of 2021 and by that June, the goal had already been reached, which prompted the team to extend the campaign in an effort to raise $2 million. Currently, they've raised just over $1.7 million.

“Not only did we raise enough money to do the project, but we were able to have some money to endow the project in the future and make sure that the programming happens.”

Goodall extends a lot of credit to Josh Pons, president of the MHF, along with Richard Blue, Jr. and Dr. Michael Harrison, who led the process of reaching out to potential donors and bringing in donations for the capital campaign.

“It feels like we've won some great prize that we can then build on, I think that's one of the biggest things. We packaged this idea of Cricket's vision for what this building could be and people were creative enough and had familiarity with other museums and other libraries that they could say, 'We should have something like that,'” said Pons. “It's difficult to argue with the merits of not just the library, but also the education center component.”

The library aspect of the project was a beast of its own, as the MHBA and later the MHF had developed an extensive collection of literature over many, many decades, which came along for the ride as the MHBA moved office locations throughout its history before eventually, the books were sent out to be housed in storage units. Another dream realized was that of finally having a fully-fledged library, where the books could be organized, shelved and shared.

But before all of that could come to fruition, the collection had to be pulled out of storage, sorted by hand and eventually catalogued. The MHBA's research specialist Cindy Deubler, along with Wesley Wilson, who retired in January after more than 50 years with Enoch Pratt Free Library in downtown Baltimore, and a small but mighty group of volunteers handled the daunting task.

“We tried to come up with an idea of how to organize it, because there are many ways with libraries, but it's so specialized that it was very challenging to break it apart and define it more for some of the collections. I contacted Becky Ryder at Keeneland Library and she was super helpful to give me some basics on what they did, what system they used and how they were displaying them on shelves. We used the Library of Congress method, which is what Keeneland uses, and we're putting the catalog online, on the cloud, at libraryworld.com,” said Deubler.

The bulk of the library was pulled out of storage in April, with the organizing process beginning at the end of that month and continuing until late September. After flooring was installed and the shelving units were all put up in the library, the final collection of books was moved into the building while the rest, another 5,000, returned to storage.

“The material is everything. It's all disciplines, so many different breeds, from veterinary care and stable management, really any kind of horse book you can think of. We have a decent fiction section and a lot of our Dick Francis books are first editions signed by Dick Francis,” said Deubler. “We're just trying to keep it diverse and we'll try to keep it fresh.”

The library collection is also highlighted by many rare, unique finds, thanks to donations through the years including: the Selima Room collection from the Prince George's County Library System's Bowie branch; at least a dozen copies of The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America, by William H.P. Robertson; and complete sets of The Jockey Club Racing In America series (which covers racing history from the 1600s to the 1970s).

“Most research materials are online, so you don't see many volumes of that coming in anymore. But one thing we kept are old stallion registers, we have them going back to the '50s. I look at it as a researcher, a history writer, that it's nice to be able to get your hands on that. The Daily Racing Form chart books are very much that way,” said Deubler. “We're not just Thoroughbred, but obviously the big focus of the library is that because of who our donors have been.”

The dream has always been to create a central location where the horse industry across the state, and those looking to learn more and become a part of it, can come together and collaborate. Based on the turnout of the official grand opening of the library and education center, held Friday, Dec. 16, where the public, politicians, members of the horse industry and supportive donors came together to celebrate, there's no doubt that Goodall's dream has been realized.

She only hopes it will grow from there, as the center will not only host the MHF's various educational programs, but hopes to be the home base for a variety of other programs and events.

“It's an important look in the future, because when you're educating people, you're hoping and planning that they're going to be learning and carrying on the future of the horse industry,” she said. “We hope to have everything from author talks to speaker series, along with hosting local community groups and seminars, because that's a lot of exposure for the industry.”

Other unique features include the outer wall of the building adorned with colorful racing silks, representing prominent Maryland connections in flat racing and steeplechase that donated to the project, along with the walls and doorways, both inside and out, which are graced with the names of supportive donors and treasured members of Maryland's horse industry, such as Robert E. Meyerhoff and Nancy Lee Frenkil.

Topped off with a beautiful, blue-sky mural that spans the ceiling, there is no space that more perfectly emulates the importance of preserving Maryland's horse history while also educating and inspiring the next generation.

“You drive by a horse farm and you can't always come in, but you drive by the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center and you can come in, talk to people and find out how to get involved. It's also bringing the horse community together because it's a central resource for all of the different disciplines. This building signifies the togetherness of the Maryland horse industry as a whole, along with its health, importance and heritage. It is incredibly meaningful,” said Egan.

The Maryland Horse Library and Education Center is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.marylandhorse.com.

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The account, called BackStop, will be funded by extracting a $25 fee from each Maryland-bred registration submitted. BackStop funds will not replace or relieve the responsibility of the owner, breeder or trainer to arrange for aftercare for their retirees. Funds will be disperses on an as-available basis up to $2,000 and are to be used as adjunct support for a specific use or aid to an individual or a group that takes in, retrains or rehomes registered Maryland-bred Thoroughbreds.

“We are committed to working with people who are dedicated to giving these Maryland-breds a new start and a safe landing,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the MHBA. “We know that breeders and owners want the best for their horses. This fund will be available for a specific use that benefits the Maryland-bred horse that needs the help.”

Added Alice Peirce, manager of Mantua Farm in Reisterstown and a member of the MHBA Aftercare Committee: “It makes it possible for people to get into this or take a horse that maybe they wouldn't have been able to take, so I think it's great. I usually take a loss on horses I have to rehab, and it's fine because this is what I like to do, but I understand that not all people can do that. I know a lot of other people in my shoes would be able to consider more horses this way.”

BackStop funds are not to be used for capital improvements or expenses that do not apply specifically to the horse named in the application. BackStop, the MHBA aftercare account, will not take the place of other funds or assistance received from TAA, TRF, TCA, Beyond the Wire or any other aftercare programs already in place.

For additional information, visit MarylandThoroughbred.com.

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It's the second straight year he's earned Top Midlantic-Bred honors.

“To see him win this award not once but twice is incredible,” said Sabrina Moore, who along with her mother Angie, bred Knicks Go in Maryland. “It's been an amazing journey, and I'm so grateful for it.”

“We are so proud that Knicks Go has been recognized for this honor as the top Midlantic-bred. We have all had so much fun following his stellar career,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “It has been quite a year for Maryland-breds on the national stage with Knicks Go and Aloha West. Every breeder dreams of producing horses like these. It is what keeps people in this business!”

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Jim McKay Maryland Million Day is designed to promote Maryland stallions, whose offspring compete in the races with purses and awards of over $1 million each year.

“We as an industry have been through a lot but we also have a lot to look forward to. Maryland has continuously worked to bring a new wave of quality stallions into the state and that effort would not be possible without the breeders and horsemen who support them,” said Louis Merryman, president of Maryland Million Ltd. and owner of Anchor & Hope Farm in Port Deposit, Md. “Maryland Million day serves as a showcase for our farms and the horsemen that work so hard.”

The 2021 running of Maryland's Day at the Races marked a return to relative normalcy, after the previous year's event was run under COVID-19 restrictions, which limited spectator attendance. Enthusiastic participation by horsemen resulted in full fields and a handle figure over $6.5 million.

“We are looking forward to an even better event in 2022, with more fans and more fun,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of Maryland Million Ltd. “We are proud that Jim McKay Maryland Million Day caps off Maryland Horse Month in October, which celebrates all of the diverse horse activities we have here.”

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In addition to increasing breeder and stallion bonuses on all stakes races in Maryland, there will be two new plans to incentivize and reward breeders of Maryland-sired horses:

• Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, an additional 10 percent breeder bonus (for a total of 40 percent, with the existing 30 percent), to all Maryland-sired and Maryland-bred maiden winners in Maryland.
• Beginning with Maryland-bred foals of 2023 (2-year-olds of 2025), there will be a tiered breeder bonus system. The proposed percentages for that system are 35 percent breeder bonus to Maryland-sired and Maryland-bred and 25 percent to Maryland-bred (or 40 percent more for Maryland-sired/Maryland-bred) paid for first, second, and third, on all overnight races.

Additionally, beginning on Jan. 1, 2022:

• The bonus percentages for all stakes in Maryland (except Maryland Million Day) will be breeder 30 percent and Stallion 10 percent paid for first, second, third.

“The purpose of these latest programs is to incentivize mare owners to breed to Maryland stallions,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “We have a great stallion roster already and some new stallions are coming to Maryland for the upcoming season. Our goal is, and will always be, to reward everyone who breeds, foals and races in Maryland.”

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In addition to increasing breeder and stallion bonuses on all stakes races in Maryland, there will be two new plans to incentivize and reward breeders of Maryland-sired horses:

Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, an additional 10% Breeder Bonus (for a total of 40%, with the existing 30%), to all Maryland-Sired and Maryland-Bred Maiden winners in Maryland.

Beginning with Maryland-bred foals of 2023 (2-Year-Olds of 2025), there will be a tiered Breeder Bonus system. The proposed percentages for that system are 35% Breeder Bonus to Maryland-Sired and Maryland-Bred and 25% to Maryland-Bred (or 40% more for Maryland-sired/Maryland-bred) paid for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, on all overnight races.
Additionally, beginning Jan. 1, 2022:

The bonus percentages for all stakes in Maryland will be Breeder 30% and Stallion 10% paid for 1st, 2nd, 3rd.

“The purpose of these latest programs is to incentivize mare owners to breed to Maryland stallions,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “We have a great stallion roster already and some new stallions are coming to Maryland for the upcoming season. Our goal is, and will always be, to reward everyone who breeds, foals and races in Maryland.”

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“The way [into the horse industry] is through learning, so that's the most exciting aspect of this project,” said Josh Pons, co-chair of the Capital Campaign and president of the Maryland Horse Foundation. “There's someone out there who has a passion for the game but just doesn't know how to get started, and we could be that gateway for people, the portal where people….go 'wow, I met someone really interesting doing research in that library.'”

The campaign seeks to raise $1 million that will be used to update 3500 square feet of space in the Maryland Horse Breeders' Association's building in Reistertown. The funds will also be used to purchase furnishings, integrate current audio/video technologies and support ongoing operational costs.

“We're including all aspects of the industry–horse sports, horse activities–in what we do here and offering that to people who want to come learn,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “That's the full circle from the founding of Maryland Horse Breeders Association in 1929, and the Maryland Horse Foundation has allowed us to amplify the focus on education.”

Visit MarylandHorse.com/Library to learn about the various ways to support the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center Capital Campaign.

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